The final batch of pictures have been uploaded. Check em out...

Picasa Web Album: http://picasaweb.google.com/howemobile

That's it! I'm home! Total mileage... 3230 miles. Damn its hot.

A quick observation on traffic lights in Nevada. They are loooooong. I don't think I waited longer than 30 seconds for a green light in the entire state of Oregon.

Whew! I slept good! I parked behind the Peppermill Casino for the night. Now I'm gonna try to sneak out of the shell so I don't look like a homeless person.

Nothing keeps you awake like driving through a forest on a two lane, 65mph, highway at night while trying not to make road kill out of all the deer on the road. I must have seen at least a dozen deer in a 100 mile stretch. Sorta scary but sorta fun at the same time. There are tons of campsites and populated areas throughout this area. Looks like a cool place to think about coming back to in the future to do some backpacking. Just made it into Susanville which is just east of Lassen National Forest. I'm still feeling good so I'm going to continue to Reno.

I'm in Weed California. Ha Ha. The sunset on Mt Shasta is spectacular.

Well, yet another day having trouble leaving Portland. Met a cool girl from Australia and spent the morning exploring the area a little more. Finally ready to hit the road. I'm gonna try to make it to Reno by tonight. Once again... Sadly... Goodbye Portland.

"In later years, Heimlich would feed his guests big, dry, chunks of food -- then wait, hopefully." from Witstream.com

Oregons recycling laws started back in the 80's. Well ahead of the curve.

Cheapest gas I've seen the whole trip. Sandy and Gresham areas on Hwy26... $2.76gal.

I can now say I have hiked a portion of the Oregon Trail! Just hiked up the Laurel Hill segment which was one of steepest portions of the trail... If not the steepest. They had to lock the rear wheels of their wagons and even chain trees to the back to act as brakes in order to make it down. The road was once paved and has since been abandoned but its cool to see the forest overtaking the old asphalt in places.

Just visited the Mt Hood Timberline Lodge. Its pretty cool to be able to ski in June. The lodge was built during the great depression to provide jobs and income to people in the area. Saw some signs for the historic Oregon Trail on the drive up. Gonna head down and check it out.

More Pictures Posted from Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia

I uploaded a bunch more pictures. Take a look.

Road Trip 2010 Web Album

Just wanted to say one more time... I love Portland. Its just puts me in a good mood all the time.

Just ate at Pok Pok. Supposed to be the best Thai food in Portland. I have to say I was very impressed. The american style Thai food I've had in the past is crap compared to this. Its a little expensive but well worth it. It was easily the best meal I've had on this trip. Can't even pronounce the names of the dishes but I had 2 different ones... a catfish with noodles and a spicy boars shoulder with sticky rice. Both great. Would recommend to anyone.

Hundreds More Pictures Have Been Uploaded!

I'm here at the downtown Portland Hostel for the night. I decided to stay at the downtown location to compare the two. I finally have a fast internet connection so I have uploaded a bunch of new pics. The new pictures are labeled with the date in the album name so it should be easier to figure out what you have already looked at. I haven't edited the ones from Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia yet so I will try to get those done sometime in the next few days. About to head out and get some food at a Thai place (Pok Pok) that is supposed to be the best.

Here's the link to my Picasa Album again if you need it:
http://picasaweb.google.com/howemobile

Just pulled off the highway to check out the Mt St Helens National Monument. Its just a wetland trail and a paid admission history of Mt St Helens over the years. Nothing to really talk about here... Time to move on.

Leaving Olympia headed to Portland. Taking the 5 this time for a change of scenery. Just hit the 2000 mile mark for the trip.

Just spent the last three hours at the Olympia Coffee Roasting Company. Really good all organic coffee. I met the girl who roasts all their beans as well as some other locals. Really nice people. Learned a bit about roasting. Now I'm gonna head to the farmers market.

A river runs through it. Well, I thought I had my leak taken care of but all I did was divert the water to a new spot. Its a very rainy morning here at black lake as well as in my shell. Luckily I put in a plywood deck before I left vegas so all the water is under the wood and not in the mattress. Just waitin for the rain to let up so I can pump out my new pool.

Imagine this... About 65 degrees, cloudy blue skies, a tranquil lake, the faint tap of a woodpecker over your head, a huge grassy field all to yourself, peacefully quiet except for the jet fighters doing training runs over the Air Force Base. Perfect... almost.

Some interesting information about Olympia Washington from Wikipedia...
The capital city of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 42,514 at the 2000 census. Olympia is a major cultural center of the Puget Sound region. The site of Olympia was home to Lushootseed-speaking peoples for thousands of years, including Squaxin, Nisqually, Puyallup, Chehalis, Suquamish, and Duwamish. The first recorded visit by Europeans was in 1792 when Peter Puget and a crew from the British Vancouver Expedition charted the site. In 1967, the state legislature approved the creation of The Evergreen State College. Because of the college's presence, Olympia has become a hub for artists and musicians, and was recently named one of the best college towns in the nation for its vibrant downtown and access to outdoor activities.

Yep, definitely sticking around here for another day.

Just took a drive through Tacoma. Seems OK. Traffic is much better but the streets are some of the worst I've ever seen. They should rename it pothole central. And the freeways in this area are no different. Vegas roads are heaven compared to here. And with all the hills you probably have to get a brake job yearly. I seem to compare everything to Portland and nothing even comes close. Portland is the only city so far that I got a great feeling about immediately upon getting there. Gonna head down the 5 to Olympia and see what I can find there. Hope to find a good spot for lunch.

Goodbye Seattle. I'm just not feeling good about Seattle. Way too big and congested. Feels like a blend of LA and New York with more trees. Would be a waste of time and money to stick around. I feel like I've seen it all before in other cities.

Just got to Seattle and I already feel like leaving. I might feel different if I didn't have my truck. Crowded, crazy mess of a city.

Oh... Forgot one thing... FU Lakers.

Had a great day here on Bainbridge. I spent the day driving around the island as well as walking around the small downtown district. Its a very nice place that is noticeably upper class only. I'm camping at the same park as last night. I'm gonna catch the ferry tomorrow morning and head into Seattle. I spent the last few hours organizing hundreds more pictures that I will post as soon as I get a fast and reliable internet connection. Get off me skeeters.

New town motto for Bainbridge... Welcome to Bainbridge Island. A place for millionaires and nobody else.

Well, I have decided not to leave Bainbridge Island until tomorrow. I figure why not spend the day exploring this place since I may not be back. I just realized that I haven't seen a rainy day since last Friday! Pretty odd for this part of the country. I guess they knew I was coming.

My new sleeping bag treated me well last night. Really warm, really roomy. I fell asleep around 10:00 and didn't wake up until almost 5:00. I'm gonna pack up and go explore the island. First things first though... Coffee.

I decided last minute to leave Olympic and head toward Seattle. Olympic is a place that is geared toward backcountry hiking and doesn't offer much for day hikers. I plan on coming back in the future for a multi day trip to really see the inside of the park. So after some google searching I found Fay Bainbridge State Park on the Northern tip of Bainbridge Island. Its a hidden gem of a park with first come first served camping sites. They have sites for RV's as well with water hook up only. I think I'm going to take one of the tent sites (even though it costs the same) because they are soooo nice. I can see Seattle across the water from the beach but my camp site is more secluded up the hill in the trees. I'm sort of excited to try out my new sleeping bag as well. Tomorrow, I'm going to catch the ferry and head into seattle. Should be interesting since I've never taken my car on a boat before!

Port Angeles looks like a nice town at first glance but after a couple days here I have realized that it is pretty much the hickville of the northwest. The residents are not happy and seem quite unfriendly.

OMG, Holy S@?!, Spectacular, Amazing, WOW, Phenomenal! More adjectives coming soon!

Goodmorning Olympics! Had another great night with no problems. Sittin at the visitor center enjoying my coffee and the scenery. About to head up and do some more hiking. The weather looks like its gonna be perfect.

I found a place to park for the night on Little River Rd. Just outside the park boundaries. Its a logging road so I'm not sure whether or not I should be here so I plan on getting up and driving out early. Its very quiet and secluded.

Just arrived in Port Angeles. Seems like a very nice city. Reminds me of pictures I've seen of the North East. I can see Canada off in the distance across the water. Its too late to do any more hiking today so I'm gonna head down the road to check out a camp site for the night then get or make some dinner.

Just left the Hoh Rainforest. Not too many day hikes but the scenery was great. Can't wait to post the pics from the last few days. I'm going to drive into Port Angeles and head back into the park from there.

The air mattress under the futon was all I needed. I Slept like a baby.

I Can't believe it. I actually have cell phone coverage at the campground. Only one other person is here. I even have my own personal outhouse! The little things right? I'm at the Hoh Ox Bow Campground just south of Forks. I'm at site #6 which is about 60 feet from the Hoh River. The drive up the 101 today was amazing. The Washington coast forests definitely look different than Oregon. There's much more low lying vegetation and everything is more densely packed. But, since WA's coast is not protected, like OR's, there's a large amount of logging companies and areas that have been clearcut. The small stretch of the 101, up the coast just south of the campsite, is like nothing I've ever seen. The beach is covered with huge dead trees that have been washed up by the crazy crashing surf. Its both menacing and beautiful at the same time. Talk later, its dinner time.

Sadly, I just grabbed my last Stumptown coffee. I'm headed up the 26 toward the coast. Gonna stop in Gearhart then head to the Hoh Rainforest. See Ya Portland!

Having some pizza with a locally brewed ALL ORGANIC beer! Sweet.

More Pictures Have Been Posted!

I have posted more pictures of my adventures in Portland. The picture above is the Hawthorne Hostel that I have been staying at. It has an Eco-Roof that provides all the water for the toilets. The planter beds above the front patio collect rain water and feed it holding tanks. The excess filters through the stacked beds on the left and finally back underground to the natural water table. The hostel's electricity comes from 100% renewable resources like wind and solar. All trash is either recycled or composted which gives this hostel an extremely small environmental footprint. Its amazing how ahead of the curve Portland is when it comes to smart environmental practices.

Tonight will be my last night here in Portland. It's surprisingly hard to leave this place but I definitely want to continue up the coast and check out Seattle. If weather permits, I am going to try to play a round of golf in Gearhart before heading up to Olympic National Park. Olympic is so huge that it is hard to decide which part of the park I want to see. I am probably going to stop at the Hoh Rainforest area because I think it should be a very different and spectacular area when compared to a standard forest. It's a combination of alpine forest and rain forest. As long as the rain isn't extreme it should make for some great hiking. After Olympic I'm going to continue to Seattle.

You can follow the same link as before to check out the new pictures (just in case you have it bookmarked). If not, here's the link again...

http://picasaweb.google.com/howemobile

"Topographically speaking, volcanoes are sort of like Earth zits."

Its the first day of sun here for 3 weeks. Also the Rose Festival and Parade today. Everyone is out and about and enjoying the weather. Lovin it!

Spent the morning at the Farmers market. Really nice. Just walked into the Columbia Sportswear store. Awesome store! Very fair prices, as expected.

Those who know me know I'm a heavy sleeper. Last night proved there is a limit though. I think the guy in the bottom bunk could set records for Snoring!

Hanging out at Deschutes Brewery with my new friend Cee. Beers are awesome. I'm sure this will make Jason really jealous. Cheers!

The hostel was a great choice. I have met a lot of cool people from all over the world. I will be here until Sat. Probably going to go to Mt. Hood this weekend.

Having a great time in Portland. Everyone is really friendly. The town is beautiful and very clean. I spent the day exploring downtown and some neighborhoods.

Pictures Are Finally Available! Link Provided Below.

I have uploaded all my pics to an online album. I didn't edit any of them so they all might not be great but they are all there and labeled as much as possible.

Follow This Link to my album:
http://picasaweb.google.com/howemobile

Heading out for the Pub Crawl in about an hour.

Sorting out all my pics now. There are over 300 of them! So... I am just going to post a link to an online photo album I'm setting up now. Should be up soon.

They have internet with a decent connection speed so I will definitely post some pics today or tomorrow. Temp is around 70 and sorta sunny. Perfect!

I'm sooo lucky! I got the last bed at the Hawthorne Hostel. I'm going to be here for two nights. Gonna join the pub crawl with everyone later.

Just got a gyro from a street vendor that rivals Mediterranean Cafe. Its only missing the garlic fries. Next stop... VooDoo Doughnut.

Taking a walk down the waterfront. This is definitely a bikers/walkers paradise. Wish I had my bike with me. Time to find some lunch.

I'm off to find a different place to stay for the night. I'm might stay at the Portland Hostel. It reminds me of my trip to europe and its only $25 a night. :)

Don't plan on doing much the rest of the day. I do have internet now so I will post some updates with pictures later.

I'm in Portland. I was too lazy to fight the traffic and look for a great place to stay. So I'm at the "Inn at the Convention Center". Seems OK. King size bed!!

Welcome to Oregon... Land of really slow drivers.

Just pulled off the 18 in Grand Ronde to get a bag of fresh cherries. My back is feeling better after some ibuprofen. On my way to Portland and a real bed!

Laundry List of Problems this morning: Hurt back, screens coming off, small window leaking, window coming off hinge, shell leaking in multiple spots. Fuck!!!!!

I had a great day driving up the Oregon coast. The highlight of my day was when I made a last minute detour and stopped at Bandon Dunes.

I just pulled off to camp for the night at Honeyman Campground just South of Florence. I've got a really nice spot in the trees. Rain hasn't stopped all day.

The lady in the pro shop sent me over to their practice facility and didn't charge me a dime. Keep in mind this course costs hundreds of dollars to play.

I pulled into Bandon Dunes and it felt like I entered another world. This place is huge! 4 Courses and a Practice Facility... Not a range. To be continued...

Just entered Port Orford. Saw a sign for a wetland interpretive trail. Gonna check it out and stretch my legs.

Woke up to a light rain. Supposed to rain pretty steady all day. I'm going to head North. Probably leaving the Redwoods. Not sure where Ill stop tonight.

Two reasons why I love the Northwest. 1) My skin doesn't dry out. 2) My doughnut stays fresh all day.

I'm car camping at Flint Ridge Camp tonight. I'm parked on a bluff overlooking the ocean. Spectacular site and best of all... Its free!

Well. I had a great day. I hit 4 different trails and saw some amazing sights. Glad they stopped clear cutting this place before it was all gone.

I'm in the Redwoods! Awesome! Starting the day with an easy day hike up Lady Bird Johnson trail. Weather looks good with just a little fog and mist.

I decided to go a few miles further North. I'm at the KOA just North of Eureka. Its nicer than expected. Clean showers and internet. I may post some pics later.

I'm in Eureka! Hwy 36 through the mountains was really slow and windy but worth it. Wouldn't recommend coming here. Seems pretty trashy. Homeless everywhere.

OMG! CA-174 from Colfax to Grass Valley is a hidden gem. Small farms and wineries all over. Best route so far.

Leaving Tahoe now. Headed towards the Redwoods. Just a little rainy but still beautiful.

Hey Dad, This ones for you. I made it to Tahoe! Ill be heading out first thing in the morning for Eureka, CA. All you Vegans stay out of the heat. Go Celtics!

A Map For Ya

Here's a broad overview map of my route. All the markers are points of interest that I may stop at. The route starts in Tahoe and goes clockwise up the coast to Seattle with my final stop being in the Grand Tetons and Yosemite. I'll be heading out this coming Tuesday or Wednesday.

Prelude to a Road Trip

I created this blog so I would have a place to document my Pacific Northwest Road Trip. Preparations are going well and I should be heading out soon.

In the meantime, I was thinking, what could be better than some humor for my first post. So I have compiled some humor from around the net for your enjoyment.

---

!!! Alert All Campers, Hikers, and Backpackers !!!

In case anyone is considering doing some camping this spring or summer, please note the following public service announcement:

- In all Outdoor Forested Areas in North America... tourists are warned to Wear Tiny Bells on their clothing when hiking in bear country.
- The bells will warn away most bears by alerting them to your presence before you get too close.
- Tourists are also cautioned to watch the ground on the trail, paying particular attention to Bear Droppings to be alert for the presence of Grizzly Bears.
- One can tell a Grizzly Dropping because it has Tiny Bells in it.

---

Some Camping Humor:

- When using a public campground, a tuba placed on your picnic table will keep the campsites on either side vacant.

- Get even with a bear who raided your food bag by kicking his favorite stump apart and eating all the ants.

- Old socks can be made into high fiber beef jerky by smoking them over an open fire.

- When smoking a fish, never inhale.

- A hot rock placed in your sleeping bag will keep your feet warm. A hot enchilada works almost as well, but the cheese sticks between your toes.

- The best backpacks are named for national parks or mountain ranges. Steer clear of those named for landfills.

- Acupuncture was invented by a camper who found a porcupine in his sleeping bag.

- While the Swiss Army Knife has been popular for years, the Swiss Navy Knife has remained largely un heard of. Its single blade functions as a tiny canoe paddle.

- Effective January 1, 1997, you will actually have to enlist in the Swiss Army to get a Swiss Army Knife.

- Lint from your navel makes a handy fire starter. Warning: Remove lint from navel before applying the match.

- You'll never be lost if you remember that moss always grows on the north side of your compass.

- You can duplicate the warmth of a down-filled bedroll by climbing into a plastic garbage bag with several geese.

- When camping, always wear a long-sleeved shirt. It gives you something to wipe your nose on.

- You can compress the diameter of your rolled up sleeping bag by running over it with your car.

- Take this simple test to see if you qualify for solo camping. Shine a flashlight into one ear. If the beam shines out the other ear, do not go into the woods alone.

- A two-man pup tent does not include two men or a pup.

- A potato baked in the coals for one hour makes an excellent side dish. A potato baked in the coals for three hours makes an excellent hockey puck.

- You can start a fire without matches by eating Mexican food, then breathing on a pile of dry sticks.

- In emergency situations, you can survive in the wilderness by shooting small game with a slingshot made from the elastic waistband of your underwear.

- The guitar of the noisy teenager at the next campsite makes excellent kindling.

- Check the washing instructions before purchasing any apparel to be worn camping. Buy only those that read "Beat on a rock in stream."

- The sight of a bald eagle has thrilled campers for generations. The sight of a bald man, however, does absolutely nothing for the eagle.

- It's entirely possible to spend your whole vacation on a winding mountain road behind a large motor home.

- Bear bells provide an element of safety for hikers in grizzly country. The tricky part is getting them on the bears.

- A great deal of hostility can be released by using newspaper photos of politicians for toilet paper.

- In an emergency, a drawstring from a parka hood can be used to strangle a snoring tent mate.

---