Journey to Eureka! Part Two

Beach seagull bannerLogged lots of miles on my third day – saw incredible scenery, crazy wood art, a gray whale, feasted on food made with heart and soul and met lots of friendly folks! It’s been such an eventful day that I’ve covered it in two posts. This being part II with pictures at the bottom… Having left the wacky Burl Gallery in Kerby, Oregon I headed towards my first seaside destination – Crescent City, California! The beach is as pretty as I remember it but not very crowded possibly due to the cooler temperatures that hit the coast this weekend (just my luck) and small surf.

The next thing along Hwy 101 that caught my eye was a pair of gold lions on the Klamath River Bridge over… you guessed it, the Klamath River! As I posed for a picture with one of the lions I noticed a crowd at the other end looking over the bridge. My curiosity got the best of me so I hoofed it over to the other end. Continue reading

Journey to Eureka! Part One

Day three of the trip has been so eventful that I’ve split my coverage into two posts. This being part I with pictures at the bottom… Logged lots of miles, saw incredible scenery, crazy wood art, a gray whale, feasted on food made with heart and soul and met lots of friendly folks! The highway scenery was spectacular as all signs of city busyness fell behind me in Eugene and the temperature rose to 30 degrees. Reminds me a bit of going to Kelowna actually.

After a light continental breakfast at the hotel, I was famished by lunchtime. Didn’t want any boring, processed chain restaurant food when I happened across a highway sign “Heaven on Earth”. Well, how could I resist that? It is literally little spot of heaven on earth in the middle of nowhere off Exit 86 I-5 in Oregon (there’s no town name)! Continue reading

Can It Get Any Slower Getting To Eugene, Oregon?

After a girls late night chat session I pried my eyes open the next morning. I was hungry in Seattle and needed some sustanence to fuel me for the long day ahead – want to make up lost ground on the journey to San Fran. That meant another eating opportunity! Hello, oyster breakfast platter! Eeewww was my first reaction when the waitress first offered it but on second thought, why not!

The Bay Cafe is a favorite Seattle brunch spot (my cousin’s girlfriend’s too) and popular seafood restaurant on the waterfront so the oyster breakfast would be the culmination of both worlds. I will post additional pictures when I return home as the restaurant pix are stuck in the camera. *Note to self: Continue reading

On the Slow Road to San Francisco

Welcome to the quasi journal of my two week round trip road adventure from Vancouver, BC to San Francisco, CA. It’s gone through a number of route changes but the final version is a figure eight. The plan is to start down I-5 to Medford, Oregon and then cut across and down the California coast to San Fran, chill for a few days before heading north up I-5 for a weekend in Ashland, the one fixed variable in the journey, then swinging back out to the shoreline and head home via the Oregon coast.

After a late start leaving Vancouver today, a turnaround in White Rock and an even later start I did not make it to my goal of Eugene, Oregon. Not even to Portland or even close to the Oregon border. Good thing I don’t have a set schedule! Continue reading

Kayaking And Stand Up Paddling
Regatta In English Bay, Vancouver

Kayaking and Stand Up Paddling in English Bay bannerIt’s kayaking season in Vancouver! I caught & videoed this train of kayakers and stand up paddlers below heading out of False Creek into English Bay. Usually I see one to three kayaks paddling out together so there was definitely something special going on. Couldn’t tell if it was a regatta or a caravan but the kayaks and stand up paddle boards (SUPs) made for a colourful sight. Continue reading

Lala The Shopping Penguin

Everyday Lala, the King penguin, has a shower, puts on his backpack and waddles the 329 steps to the local fish monger to buy his ration of five fish. He swallows a whole mackerel or two and then carries the rest home in his mini backpack. Only mackerel or sardines will do for this king!

I came across this amazing video about Lala the shopping penguin and HAD to find out the scoop on this little guy! See his fascinating story below the video!

“Lala is like my firstborn son” says Yukio Nishimoto, a construction manager living in Shibushi, in southern Japan with his a wife and two daughters. So how did a penguin end up living in a home in a country where whaling and selling turtle shell and ivory are still legal? Continue reading