April 29, Mt St Helens

We left Florence Oregon on Sunday April 28 and headed inland. We arrived at Silver Cove Rv mid afternoon after 5 hrs of driving... drove thru Portland on I-5... huge city. The rv park is about 30 miles from Mt St Helens and because of off season is very empty. Nice park and quiet. On Monday April 29 we drove to the lokouts near Mt St Helens... part pf the road is closed until May. We expierienced all weather conditions today.. rain at the park, snow,hail and sun near the mountains.

Silver Cove Rv Park, Washington

Everything is bigger out west, saw this slug on a hike we went on near Mt St Helens.

Mount St Helens on the left before .. on the right after(whole side is blown off)

Drive to Mt St Helens

Snow and cloud (we are so high that we are in the clouds)

This river is where the lava came down from the mountain

Tree was thrown into the ground from the blast of the volcano

Cloud coming up between the mountains

Hail on the truck

Mt St Helens in the background covered by cloud

Just above the sign.. Mt St Helens.. picture dosn't show well.. the whole side  was  blown off.

Bonnie met up with sasquash.. he was made with a combination of volcanic  ash and cement

April 25, Florence Oregon Dunes

Friday April 25.. riding the dunes......
We rode a dune buggy on the dunes recreational area. Just us and driver "Ward".We had a fantastic time .. some of the dunes were about 100ft high .. same feeling as going down a roller coaster from the highest point.We were doing about 50mph on the beach.

The drift is about 100ft high.. we drove up and across the top and then down

Driver Ward.. dunes in the background

On the dunes ...being closer to the ocean was colder.. about 10C

This is in the parking lot behind the grocery store.. the dunes are encroaching 

April 24, Sea Lion Cave

At the sea caves looking down the coast

We are 200 ft looking down at the sea lions

Inside the cave

April 23,Oregon Coast (Florence)

We left Gold Beach Tuesday and started working our way up the Oregon coast towards Florence. The secondary highway is very winding , and hilly ..slow going . Stopped in the town of Bandon.. great bakery.Arrived at Honeyman State park mid afternoon.. great park with direct access to the dunes. The dunes stretch for about 50 miles from the bottom of Oregon near California .The dunes are two milers wide.. two miles westward to get to the ocean beach. Lots of toy hauler rvs... everybody has a 4 wheeler for riding out on the dunes.We drove up to the sea caves on the second day to see the sea lions.Had some great seafood at Mo's restaurant.

One sticky bun at Bandon bakery

Biked around the lake at state park.. dunes in the background

Mo's restaurant

Blooming trees

Oregon coastal beach

Typical road we drove along the coast

This is ourfirst campfire since we left home

Hiked to the dunes

April 22, Gold Beach, Oregon

We left California on Sunday April 21, short drive  (1 1/2 hr) to Gold Beach,Oregon . This is a small town , very nice ... it is the off season so not a lot of tourists.The coast line is beautiful.We stopped at a tourist bureau and got loads of info. There is a local contest.. find a hidden glass globe on the shoreline, keep the globe and enter your name in a contest for $300 prize.Also had local merchants participating.. had to find the hidden globe in the store.. more on that in the pics.We walked two hikes, the rogue river and port orford . Enjoy the pics.

We were welcomed to the rv park by these two turkeys

Gold Beach coastline

Treasure hunt successful

Port Orford hike

Rogue River.. known for salmon fishing

Looking down at Rogue River.. salmon fishing

Flowers in bloom on Port Orford hike

More coastline

Supper

These two characters were in the small harbor behind fish shop

April 20, More redwoods

Coastal shot in Crescent City

Can you find Bonnie

Another huge tree

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Downed tree

Driving thru the redwood grove