Saturday, April 9, 2011

Home Again..Home Again... Part I


Did you miss me?  We took a week off and headed up to Washington and Oregon to visit friends and enjoy a little road trip along the way.

Heading up California we took our normal Rt 395.  This road takes you up through the Sierra Nevada mountain range and is always spectacular.  It is amazing how much snow is still there after their record breaking winter.  From there we entered into Nevada and spent the first night in Reno.  We had a great meal, played a little video poker, did not win my Royal Flush and called it a day.


The next morning we departed bright and early in chilly temperatures and blackened skies as we headed to Oregon.  The drive was beautiful despite intermittent rain showers throughout the day.  We even witnessed a calf being born.  Of course we had to pull over and watch the mother finally get the little thing up to nurse.  I have mentioned before how we love to take the backroads and this is one of the reasons why.  You really get to see so much more and can pull over at any time to look closer.


That night was spent in Sisters, OR - one of my favorite spots.  A little walkabout town and some shopping at the Stitchin Post was a nice break from the car.  It is an amazing shop.


We had a few snow flurries overnight and the next morning was the most "exciting" as far as driving went.  The pass took us up to about 4800 feet and the going got a little interesting as we climbed.  There were not many cars and one can see why from the pictures.


Doesn't look too bad....does it?


This was up a bit further.

The rest of the day was rainy and cold as we drove to Olympia and met our friend.  Tom led us from Olympia to his home on a beautiful lake.  His wife recently passed away and Tom has become quite the homemaker.  He greeted us with a true NW cuisine - raw oysters and champagne as appetizers, fabulous salmon done on the BBQ and a Washington berry compote for dessert.  It was all delicious.  All the while we enjoyed the view from his "glass" house. 


You can see how high the water is by looking at the docks. 


This bald eagle entertained us in the morning over our coffee.







Rain...rain...all day!

We departed his place in a continuous rain as we headed down the coast to Oregon.  That night was spent in Newport, OR - a stunningly beautiful town.  Perhaps it was because the sun finally shown that morning, but the beaches and harbors were glorious.





We continued our drive down the coast and crossed over into California and through the Redwoods.  We spent the night in the "Victorian Alps" town of Weaverville - a historic town.  Our accommodations that evening were fabulous.


Oregon coast.


The Redwoods.


Loved the crazy quilt at the foot of our bed.







The champagne tub...love all the linens???

The sitting room.



The rain returned the next day as we headed for another historic Gold Rush town - Murphys.  We were getting a little tired of all the rain and were relieved that the following day's trip was dry.  We found some fabulous roads as we headed south.  On this one we met one other car in a 60+ mile drive.  The green hills were the most luscious color and the flowers were blooming everywhere.  It was a fun time to travel despite the rain and snow.


32 comments:

  1. Beautiful photos of your trip!

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  2. Very glad you had a good time.

    Thank you for the photos. I'll never see those places in the 'flesh' and it is so good when bloggers share where they have been or live.

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  3. we leave for Cali next sunday, we'll also spend some time at lake tahoe and reno.....LOVE LAKE TAHOE

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  4. What a great trip! I'm going to get out the atlas to follow and re-read this.

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  5. Wow!! What awesome pictures. Of course we missed you. :o) We've traveled that road too! Isn't it amazing driving to Washington state? We've done it several times since Tim's family lives there and his boss lives in Oregon. Any excuse will do!

    Love the quilting photos! BTW, I linked to you in the post that I'm about to do. Just a little link about how you post once a week, which I'm going to be doing myself while we get through a son's graduation. He's leaving for boot camp in four or five weeks..and I want to make the most of our last bit of time together.

    Have a great week!
    xo
    Donna

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  6. You were definitely missed:-) What a wonderful trip you just went on and even though the weather didn't cooperate the whole time, you still got to see and do some fabulous things. I'm loving the scenery your friend Tom has from his home!

    I can't believe you even got to see a calf being born...I would have stopped as well to watch:-) It always amazes me how animals can get up and start walking just a few minutes after birth.

    It's so beautiful with the snow up in the mountains but I can understand how treacherous the roads can be when they're snow covered. One of the reasons I won't travel in the winter months! lol

    Such a delightful room you had, I want that bed and that tub! lol My upstairs bathroom needs to be totally gutted and how I would love to have a tub like that to replace the old plain tub I have now. Guess I need to start saving my pennies:-)

    My appointment with the plastic surgeon was canceled because that sore on my nose is pretty much all gone now! It's the strangest thing and even the doctor was surprised! lol If you ask my mom, she says it's due to all her prayers:-)

    I will keep an eye out for you for vintage buttons at the auctions I go to!! Every once in a while they have some but I've never bid on them because I wouldn't know what to do with them! lol

    Glad you're back home safe and sound. xoxox

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  7. Your photos are fabulous...thanks for sharing them. You certainly did have some gorgeous scenery....can't say I'd have been thrilled with driving on snowy roads in the mountains, but other than that, what a nice trip! This is an area of the country I've never experienced and doubt I ever will, so it was nice to see it on your blog! Thanks!

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  8. Welcome back home...safe and sound and I imagine a wee bit tired. :-)

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  9. Wow...those photos are great!! Thanks for sharing. We have only been on 395 to Mammoth...but want to follow that road north to Tahoe! Also I have wanted to go to Sisters for a long time...I'm checking the map and get a plan for someday!!

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  10. Looks like you had a wonderful trip. My husband also tends to like the backroads...which at times can get quite interesting.
    Thanks for sharing all the lovely photos!

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  11. Beautiful pictures! I've been fortunate enough to visit a few of the places you went to (and drive in some of the weather you had), but it is such a beautiful area it is worth it.

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  12. I love your post Mary. You always have the best trip. Is this what retirement bring you? Can't wait! Thanks for sharing such wonderful photos - Hugs Nat

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  13. I just love going on your travels Mary.
    Gorgeous hotel room. Just Love the bath.

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  14. Glad you had a safe trip. The photos are are beautiful! My husband also likes to take the back country roads--there's so much to see than rushing down the highway :)

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  15. What a lovely trip :-) Just beautiful......I enjoy seeing pictures of trips that my blogging friends take. It is so much fun to see other places :-) Thank you for sharing!

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  16. What beautiful country! Of course, I would have been petrified on the mountain roads! Here in Florida it's flat, flat, flat!

    Loved the room you stayed in and especially that gorgeous bed!

    But I'll bet it's good to be home!

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  17. Welcome back! Did you visit the quilt shop in Olympia? Had I known you were going to be so close to me, I would have met you there! :-) Great photo's!

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  18. Love seeing photos of your trips, what a beautiful country!

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  19. In what seems like a lifetime ago, I actually drove that same route. It's beautiful! In fact, it was this exact same time of year. I did miss you! I thought, Mary must be on vacation.

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  20. Beautiful pictures of a great trip. Glad you had a good time. I would so love to go to Sisters. Someday I will.

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  21. Thanks for taking us along on your beautiful trip.
    We sure did miss you but it looks like you had a great time. I am not sure about that snowy road tho.
    Hugs

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  22. Your week trip sounds wonderful. All of your pictures look great, even the rainy one. Now that you are well rested, is it time to sew?

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  23. You always take the greatest trips! Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos! :0)

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  24. It looks like a wonderful trip. We keep planning on taking the kids up that way one summer. It's not likely to be this summer, though - we're off home for a visit

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  25. Wow! You always take such beautiful trips! How fortunate you are! Lovely places! I will, one day, be on that side of the continent taking in the beauty of it all! ;o) Thank you so much for taking the time to take us along! Cheers!

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  26. Wow! Thoroughly stunning photos :D
    Thanks for sharing.
    :) Jackie in NC

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  27. I enjoyed your pictures!!! They are just lovely.

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  28. What a wonderful trip! The scenery was just amazing and I loved the place that you stayed that had the bear claw tub with all the linens. So much nicer then a hotel room that looks like every other hotel room. That was so nice that you got to see the calf born, when I first looked at the picture I thought she was eating a flake of hay but then read what you wrote and took a closer look!!!!!

    The snowy roads look so much like here in the wintertime when we have a big storm. Does E mind driving on roads like that?

    So nice that you had such a great time with your friend and what a cook he has become. So sorry about his wife, my heart goes out to him.

    Is Sister's where they have the HUGE quilt show each year? Have you ever been to that show? Yes, that was a lovely crazy quilt at the foot of your bed. :o)

    Great trip! xoxoxoxox

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  29. Beautiful county and your photos were great. My favorite food since we moved to WA has been the salmon, I order it every chance I get. I love the Northwest and, its diverse landscape and weather.

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  30. what a lovely trip! nice comfortable stay no doubt:)

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  31. ok, you made me seriously homesick...I moved to utah from wa state on whidbey island....I want salmon and oysters darn it! and I grew up in Rockaway...between newport and seaside. I sure miss the smell of the sound and the music of the ocean!

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