We've just returned from our Road Trip with the Playford family. Geordie and Justine are fellow Chevron Expats from Perth and they have 2 sons George and Charlie.
With the Playford's we travelled to the Pacific North West, a term the locals describe as Northern California, Oregon and Washington. We travelled 2,000 miles, spent 42 hours driving and stayed 10 nights in 6 overnight destinations.
Our highlights were horseback riding through the Redwood National Park, staying at a Teepee Village in Oregon and our 2 nights in Cannon Beach. It was also interesting to get a new perspective on the Pacific Ocean - grey sand, cold water and in some parts foggy and mysterious beaches.
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Fort Bragg (California) - Mills and Playford vehicles
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Alamo - Fort Bragg - Trinidad
The redwood forests in California are incredible, long avenues of tall trees and lush undergrowth. We drove across beautiful rivers and paddled in clean crisp creeks. Near a small coastal town of Trinidad we went horse back riding through the Redwood National Park.
With 2 guides, our families rode through the forest and it was amazing to be up close and personal with the Redwood's. We rode single file, and in order according to the personalities of our trusty steeds. I was riding Candy, although she did not live up to her name. I rode ahead of Cameron and George, and it was hilarious to hear the journey through the eyes, ears and nose of two 7 year old boys. They spent most of the journey discussing which horse smelt the worst. Cameron took great delight in his horse (called Kid) taking a pee.
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| Cameron riding Kid, George following close behind |
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| I couldn't resist taking this pic |
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| Nature at it's best |
Trinidad - Marcola (Oregon)
From Trinidad California we drove North and crossed the border into Oregon. Immediately the landscape changed, vast Pine plantations replaced the Redwoods, and the further inland we drove the clouds cleared and the temperature climbed.
Near Marcola we spent two nights at a Teepee Village Retreat - imagine a lush landscape, a crystal clear creek and about 10 Teepees scattered. This is Glamping Oregon style.
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| Mills Teepee for 2 nights |
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| Looking out the top of our Teepee from my bed |
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Dinner - Paella with locally caught seafood
Our hosts served breakfast and dinner - we ate so well! |
Marcola to Cannon Beach (Oregon)
Cannon Beach is on the Oregon coast, Portland is the closest city. Since returning we've discovered a lot of people have never heard of the place, so including this destination on our road trip was a winner.
Cannon Beach is a small seaside village, the beach has white sand (we aren't taking white sand for granted these days) and there is a large rock formation called Haystack Rock. Puffins (brids) come here in summer to look after their young, Starfish cling to the rocks to feast on muscles and there are lots of seagulls. Unlike Aussie seagulls, they don't have a diet of fish and chips (the deep fried variety)!
In the evening Cannon Beach is dotted by by small fires, and our hotel set us up with a prepared fire, deck chairs, blankets and of course Smores. More marshmallows.
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| Biking on Cannon Beach |
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| Purple and Orange Starfish, clinging to the Muscles |
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| Beach at Dusk - our hotel in the background |
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| Beach at Nightfall - Haystack Rock in the background |
Cannon Beach - Seattle (Washington)
Seattle was our next destination, and very different from the tranquility of our trip so far. We arrived in the City just in time for their annual street carnvial, and everyone was out for a good time. It was a shame we didn't have more time to check out the city, but after being away for a week it was time to turn around and head for home.
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EMP Museum in Seattle
The costume in the background was worn by the Zombie in Michael Jackson's Thriller
The kids impersonating a Zombie |
Destination Home
We travelled home via Highway 5, back through Washington, Oregon and California. 2 days of pretty solid driving, and I forgot to recharge the kids portable DVD players! Lots of eye spy and colouring in, fortunately not too much niggling.
One of the conversations we had in the car was "where next?"
