Eleven years ago, on the first day of van life, I drove from Lexington, South Carolina to a campground near Cincinnati. Six-hundred and something miles fueled by excitement and a deep desire to get back to my true home in the West. The next day I logged 730 miles, ending up in Mi … | Continue reading
How rough was the road out to the Lost Coast? Rough enough to shake a hubcap off. These decorative covers are held on by plastic caps that look like bolts, but unless they’re screwed on just right the threads get stripped and... bye-bye. This is my second set of hubcaps. The firs … | Continue reading
Yesterday marked eleven years of radically changing my life by doing the van life thing. I still love it! And I’ve really enjoyed hanging out in the Pacific Northwest this summer. But the past week or so I’ve been thinking I need to do something besides walk in the forest and sta … | Continue reading
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by A friend had been researching possible quiet and uncrowded woodland hikes in the general Eureka area. He shared one of his finds with me, a trail along the Elk River. Events were such that I was able to go there … | Continue reading
The past couple of days the Pacific Northwest has been very Pacific Northwestish. The weather has been alternating between drizzle, heavier rain, overcast, and more drizzle. And wind. The only time I ventured outside was to transfer my trash to a bin at a scenic overlook. But I’m … | Continue reading
Eureka and Arcata California are situated along Humboldt Bay and Arcata Bay which are separated from the Pacific by narrow peninsulas. I drove out to the end of the northern peninsula yesterday and spent several hours just chilling and being free. Access to the paved road from th … | Continue reading
Spend a while in the desert and you realize nearly every plant wants to stab you. But, of course, that’s not the only home of vicious vegetation. Now I’ve been reminded the Pacific Northwest has lots of briars and brambles too. And there’s a grass that, despite its docile appeara … | Continue reading
I had spent the day at Clam Beach and was returning to Arcata when a patch of heavy rain hit. Rain is good, but not the best thing when driving, when your wipers are barely keeping up, when the water on the windshield is backlit by the western sky, and when there is additional gl … | Continue reading
Summer temperatures along the northern Pacific Coast have been fairly even. Upper 60s in the day, upper 40s at night. An easy, predictable, twenty-degree cycle (unlike the big daily temperature swings in the desert). My “down alternative” quilt has been perfect under these condit … | Continue reading
Thursday, August 15, 2024 The locals know the best fishing spots Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest 4 comments: MFHAugust 15, 2024 at 1:56 PM You've never mentioned fishing. Have you ever given it a try?ReplyDelete Replies Al ChristensenAugust … | Continue reading
Greetings from Trinidad, California | Continue reading
When I was a kid a news man reported on an incident involving a transient. “Mom, what’s a transient?” “A bum,” she said with a combination of sadness and disgust. Years later I learned transient means temporary, brief, passing. I guess that fits me. I’m here temporarily, there br … | Continue reading
It felt like it was time to move along. Things had been fine in Crescent City, but a week there was enough for now. Arcata was calling. Arcata is only an hour and a half drive down US-101, but there are nice scenic things between — mostly Redwood National and State Parks and seve … | Continue reading
That small island is Castle Rock National Wildlife Refuge. I couldn’t see the sea lions but I could hear them. | Continue reading
Crescent Beach, just south of Crescent City CA, is a long, wide sandy stretch. It’s known as a place to find sand dollars. The trouble with such a reputation is that the beach pretty much gets picked clean of them. The same thing happens at beaches known for shells, sea glass, cl … | Continue reading
I’ve been in every state except Rhode Island, Alaska and Hawaii. As much as I can remember, in most states, when a U-turn is allowed on a divided highway there’s just a paved gap in the median. It’s as if the highway designers said, “Here ya go. Good luck if there’s a lot of traf … | Continue reading
About four miles east of Reedsport OR, along highway 38, is a designated Elk Viewing Area, complete with benches, a gazebo, and restrooms. I had driven past there a few years ago, fixated on some other destination and therefore not wanting to stop — especially after a quick glanc … | Continue reading
Monday, August 5, 2024 Nicer day at the beach Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest No comments: Post a Comment Newer Post Older Post Home Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom) Help keep the Steel Tent rolling Search This Blog Blog Archive ▼ 2024 (12 … | Continue reading
Sunday, August 4, 2024 Foggy day on an Oregon beach Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest 2 comments: AnonymousAugust 4, 2024 at 2:41 PM My kind of weather ReplyDelete Replies Reply MFHAugust 4, 2024 at 9:44 PM Gross!ReplyDelete Replies Reply Add … | Continue reading
The white paint on Chevrolet and GMC trucks and vans has a deserved bad reputation for peeling off. You also see this happening with some pre-Promaster vans from Dodge/Ram. It has been happening with the Rolling Steel Tent and I’ve touched things up now and then with spray paint. … | Continue reading
You probably know the story. In November of 1970 a dead whale washed up on a beach near Florence, Oregon. After considering various methods of disposing of the whale, state officials decided to blow it up, thinking they could essentially vaporize it with a large enough blast. But … | Continue reading
After the Corps of Discovery reached the Pacific they needed a place to stay. So in December of 1805 they started building what would become Fort Clatsop. The site and surrounding area are now part of Lewis and Clark National Historic Park. The ranger in the visitor center enthus … | Continue reading
About a month split between the Olympic Peninsula and Vancouver Island felt like enough time in the same general area. Besides, the National Weather Service was laying odds for a streak of wet, gloomy weather. Time to move on. Or, more accurately, to backtrack. I left Port Townse … | Continue reading
I got a tip from a friend who had gotten the tip from another friend. Lyre River Campground, run by the Washington Department of Natural Resources. First-come-first-served. And since I had acquired a DNR Discover Pass a while back, the campground — with pit toilets, a dumpster, w … | Continue reading
Cape Flattery is the far northwest corner of the 48 contiguous states. It’s the type of geographical tidbit I enjoy. I wanted to go to Cape Flattery back in 2018 but the fog was so thick I didn’t see the point of paying the tribal fee to go there from Neah Bay. But I was in the a … | Continue reading
I wrote before about the weird thing of strangers asking me for directions. It seems to be my fate, because there I was, in Neah Bay way out in the far northwest corner of Washington for only the second time in my life, strolling along the road and looking for a restaurant, when … | Continue reading
No, not the athletic event in Paris, the Olympic Mountains of northwestern Washington. I stopped by Lake Crescent, hiked to Marymere Falls, made a stop at the no-longer dammed Elwha River, then drove up to Hurricane Ridge and looked out onto the snowcapped heart of the range. It … | Continue reading
Over the past eleven years the Rolling Steel Tent has been registered in North Carolina, South Dakota, Arizona and, currently, New Mexico. Each has been relatively easy but with a hoop or two to jump through — mostly because of unconventional life choices on my part. The trick fo … | Continue reading
Still of the night, Sequim, Washington Still of the morning, Dungeness Bay, Washington | Continue reading
I certify this stretch of trail near Sequim, Washington to be Sasquatch free. | Continue reading
I knew my front brakes needed new pads. The rolling Steel Tent hadn’t been stopping as briskly. Besides, the last time a repair shop worked on the van they told me it was about time for new pads. I agreed but was tight on money at the time. Since I’ve been hanging around Port Tow … | Continue reading
I spent $30 on a Washington Discover Pass because most of the places I’ve wanted to stop in the state require it. A single-day pass is $10, so the annual pass is worth it. I’ve been hanging out at the day use area next to the campground at Worden State Park. The pass also gives m … | Continue reading
My goal after reentering the US at Blaine WA was to return to Port Townsend and the Olympic Peninsula. I also wanted to minimize driving and avoid the congestion and frustration of the Seattle metro area. So driving all the way around Puget Sound was off the agenda. What I wanted … | Continue reading
When I overnight on the street there is sometimes plenty of room between the Rolling Steel Tent and passing traffic, such as an extra wide shoulder, or bicycle lanes separating parking and passing vehicles. Other times it’s tighter. Whatever the circumstances, I try to get as clo … | Continue reading
Overlooking Samish Bay from Dogfish Point on Chuckanut Drive The weather was miserable the last time I was in northwestern Washington. Rain, fog, 2,000 percent humidity. Everything seemed gray and depressed. Including me. But this time the weather has been perfect. Sunny with tem … | Continue reading
Most of us are suspicious of middle-of-the-night activities. That’s particularly true when we’re streetdocking in an unfamiliar town. Is this place safe or sketchy? Last night I was parked in front of a strip mall containing a martial arts school, an insurance office, a laundroma … | Continue reading
BC Ferries from Duke Point terminal in Nanaimo to Tsawwassen terminal south of Vancouver. Two levels of vehicles. Those under seven feet high on the upper level, everything else, including me, on the lower. Hot food available. No wifi. Very windy out on deck. A few fussy babies. … | Continue reading
There have been several memorable times when I was far from my home territory, in a new place for the first time, and someone would ask me for directions. A carload of Italians in Paris. A Spaniard in Amsterdam. A Nebraskan in Manhattan… It happened again today. I was walking on … | Continue reading
The trouble with being away from cities and in a foreign country is iffy cellular connections. Then there’s the problem of simply not feeling like writing the blog. So, let’s catch up. George and Jo were Lou’s sailing buddies. They have a wooden boat with a main sail, jib and miz … | Continue reading
The Black Ball Lines ferry between Port Angeles WA and Victoria BC was scheduled for 5:15. The instructions were to be there by 4:00 to check in and get in line. I got there at about 3:30. It wasn’t clear where I was supposed to enter the depot and I drove past it. By the time I … | Continue reading
This morning I became one of those people we’re supposed to admire for being out of bed and doing something as the sun rises. I was parked a block from the docks last night. I could see a slice of the Sound between buildings. The stillness of the water and quality of light gave m … | Continue reading
Previous readers know by now when I mention a plan it’s only to tell of it being abandoned. Yeah, this is another time. But it was a change for the better. I left Astoria at the crack of almost-dawn intending to stop somewhere about half way to Port Townsend, on the northeast cor … | Continue reading
If you’re uneasy driving on high bridges like the Astoria-Meglar Bridge over the Columbia River, do it in the fog. Then you can’t see how high you are. Of course, it’s harder to see ahead, but that’s a small price, isn’t it? View from the Washington side. The high part is in the … | Continue reading
I have some rules. – Avoid popular tourist destinations on weekends and holidays during prime seasons – Don’t drive through popular tourist destinations on weekends and holidays during prime seasons – If I must drive through those places in those seasons, do it very early in the … | Continue reading
I’m parked right on US-101 in Depoe Bay, Oregon. They claim to have the world’s smallest harbor, but they also have some terrific views of the ocean. It’s 10:05 on a busy holiday weekend, and there has been a lot of traffic whizzing by (I’m just outside the 25 MPH zone). But thin … | Continue reading
My friend Lee Barker makes art, mechanical contraptions and other stuff from salvaged materials. He has enough of a local reputation that people also bring him things they want to get rid of or think he can use. Several years ago he started turning old riding mowers into art cars … | Continue reading
My friend, The Other Alan, said he avoided camping near water because water = bugs. Annoying bugs. Biting bugs. I’ve found that to be true, although I’ve camped in places far from water and have still been plagued by unwanted insects. However, I’ve noticed a remarkable lack of bu … | Continue reading
…and I’m there to hear it, it does make a sound. Crack-crackity BOOM-A! It was somewhere nearby. I wandered in the direction I thought the noise came from — and there it was, about 25 yards away, lying across an ATV trail with broken limbs scattered about. It smelled like Christm … | Continue reading