Day 42 - Finished PCH / 7000 Miles

Today was a race against weather & time.  My goal was to finish my trip on PCH to Oregon.  

I have now completed the entire PCH, these last few days was the last segment.

There is a weather front coming in today so I'm up at dawn and take my shower and off McDonalds for downloads for my trip today.  Then it is a long day of driving.

This morning's red sky forecasts the future weather.

Sometime after I settled into my car last night this tent showed up a few spaces over.

There was one trailer, one class C camper, one tent and me in my car.

There are a lot of beaches on the way.  Here you can see the marine layer sitting off the coast.

My drive takes me through the National Redwood Forest.  Such large trees.

Then there are the oddities marking tourist places.

Then around another corner another beach with no one on it.

Lots of trees!

Towns along the way.  Note the blue sky still wth me but look on the horizon the clouds from the front and rain approaching.

Then hours later I arrive in Oregon.

This is the river that separates CA from OR.  I'm on the OR side.  Both states have parks in either side of the river.  There is so much driftwood.

In order to get over to I5 I need to backtrack into Crescent Coty, CA and pick up the highway and head back into Oregon to get to Grants Pass, OR to pick up I5

Before I get to Grants Pass I see this sign for the Smokejumper Museum.  I head in but it isn't open.

I took a few photos.

They have these panels outside to look can get an idea on their history.

After I get to Grants Pass I then head south towards CA, and the rain has caught up to me and its in the 40's.  I will drive through the rain for my stop for the night. 

Heading south I drive past mountains with snow as I am driving at 4000 ft elevation.  There were signs for pullouts to put on chains if needed.  Not my idea of fun.

The drive takes you past old volcanic mountains.

I do break through the front as I head south into CA and the temperature has risen into the 60's.

I decided to stay at this national park campground just north of Redding, CA.  The fee is $20 for the night of camping and flush toilets and water but no showers.  I have my Senior Pass so I get half off the price.

It is 70 degrees here and I decided to make a boneless chicken thigh dinner and then gave myself a haircut before working on my trip expenses.

Today I passed 7000 trip miles and when I updated my expenses In Quicken I have spent $309.92 for gas in total for the trip so far.

I figure I will travel another 8000 miles before I finish my 2015 Travels.

Now where to go tomorrow.  The weather will play into my next stop.  I had thought of driving over the Rocky Mountains by Tahoe, but they are expecting 6-10 inches of snow starting late morning tomorrow.  I don't have chains for my tires and don't want them, so I will be heading down through central California to makeup way back to AZ.

Brent

macaloney@hotmail.com