The Journey Through COVID - May-July 2020

COVID Crawl

My 60th birthday on November 9, 2019 started awesome, but not as I planned.. It was supposed to be my retirement birthday, but in 2016 that all changed when the love of my life died of pancreatic cancer after a year plus battle with pancreatic cancer. Little did I realize that instead this birthday would usher in an incredible and unprecedented year starting with a trip to Jordan. 

I would visit four countries, 29 US states, take retirement from one job, at willed from another without cause the week I bought a house, visited Spain as the pandemic readied to explode, missed an opportunity to start a job back in Austin due to COVID, and finally landed a job assignment and a more permanent position in the US Virgin Islands on the island of St Croix.

My dear friend & I started to realize the magnitude of the pandemic during our trip to Barcelona in February 2020, returning to JFK Airport on March 3rd it was obvious. I had started to pursue a position with FEMA in December 2019 and as we were returning, an opportunity for a position in Austin, TX looked to be materializing. We had lived in Austin for 13 years (2005-2018) and not only did I need and want to work, I longed to return to The Hill Country. 

Part 1 - Landing in Texas 

I packed my van and headed to Austin on Friday March 13th and on the 17th I got an email to badge up at a different location, COVID19 had gotten in the way. Fortunately I was staying with close friends who graciously allowed me to stay as a waited to see my next steps. After several weeks I was told the job was no longer available and I should return to Michigan...there would be another opportunity soon. My sons told me I should not come back until Detroit settled down with the outbreak and the friends I was staying with graciously told me to stay. And I hoped the job might become available again and allow me to remain in Austin.

My friend and I made the best of our time together, we took several road trips to explore the surrounding Central Texas Hill Country and see the glorious spring wildflowers.  We spent time at her sister's lakehouse on Lake LBJ. We were hardly roughing the pandemic. I fell in love with her rescue pup Gracie and she & I liked to walk each other along the greenbelt behind her house. After several weeks I knew I needed to head home but decided I would also take some of my beloved's ashes to Oregon where he lived for many years. 

Phil's Willamette Pass circa 1975

Traveling turned out to have some challenges, I wanted to stay socially distanced and camp in my van as much as possible, but everything locked up and I still had to find a place to go to the bathroom, which turned out to be the biggest challenge of them all! I roughly planned to head west to the Pacific via Route 66, then head north along Highways 1 and 101 with a side trip to Phil's Willamette Pass until Seattle where I would see an old and dear friend before turning east toward home, following the northern US  border through Glacier. Thanks to my handy dandy cell phone my sons kept good tabs on me (when I had service 😂😂😂) and my oldest map-loving son would give me tips on campgrounds and routes to take and avoid. I was never alone completely.

Part 2 - On the Road Again 

Pisano Pete-Fort Stockton, Texas

The middle of May I said my good-byes and headed west across Texas to The Land of Enchantment. I wanted to visit White Sands National Park and Catwalk Recreation Area in the Gila National Forest. My first nights stop was at a fantastic RV Park in Fort Stockton my oldest son found. It provided all the services at a very reasonable price. After an early morning shower I headed north past Guadalupe Mountains National Park to the Billy the Kid Scenic Byway. The scenery was beautiful and at one point I rounded a corner and thought I was going to drive into clouds ahead but it turned out to be the White Sands National Park. When I got to White Sands I found out it was closed due to the pandemic. I continued on to Silver City where I had a reservation at another RV Park, but when I got there I was told I could not sleep in my van!

Gila National  Forest

The next morning I crossed the Continental Divide the first time during this trip and made it to Catwalk Recreation Area mid morning. The catwalk was perched along the canyon walls along the old grade of a catwalk from the gold & silver mining days. I met a mom and her daughter who had ventured out like me and watched a father and his young sons play in a small waterfall from my perch above. Phil & I had wanted to visit here on a trip in 2001, but a flood had devastated the canyon and it was closed. So glad I remembered to return to this place.

Catwalk Hiking Trail

 

I headed north skirting the edge of New Mexico with my eye on Arizona. I drove part of the old AZ 666, popular with motorcyclists. I turned left onto an unmarked forest road that I quickly discovered was the newly paved Forest Service Road 249 in the Apache National Forest. The vistas, flora, fauna and wildlife were incredible. All along this route was a plethora of free National Forest campsites.  Tonight was a nice campsite sleeping in the cool alpine climate-elevation 7600 feet. 

Apache National Forest Service Road 249 (AZ)

The next morning I found a great cup of coffee at the McDonalds in Payson before turning north again. I spotted a sign for Tonto Natural Bridge State Park and decided it was going to be my next stop. I got to the park an hour early, found some shade to enjoy my coffee and planned my days route. I was likely the first visitor in the park and enjoyed the short set of trails to the highlighted overlooks.

Tonto Natural Bridge State Park

I continued northwesterly on Arizona 260 though the Coconino National Forest toward Route 66, a route I have been drawn to revisit throughout my adult years. Born in Michigan but raised in 60s “Rat Pack” Vegas, my parents returned to Detroit the end of the summer in 1967. Back then we drove an intact Route 66 from Kingman, AZ to Chicago and I have vivid memories of riding in my dad’s El Camino and my big brother’s 50s lime green Sedan Delivery on our journey back to Detroit. As an adult I have crisscrossed Route 66 over and over revisiting those incredible memories. I believe those Route 66 memories are the foundation of my perpetual wanderlust. 

Mormon Lake-Coconino National Forest

I connected to Route 66 at Kingman, AZ where I got a message from my friend Wendy who was watching me on social media. She had moved back to Morro Bay and encouraged me to stop for a visit! Always fun to be with, I just could not resist. 

Route 66-Kingman, Arizona

The timing was perfect. I was going to finish the only section of Route 66 I had never done, but my oldest insisted  that I reroute to avoid Santa Monica (LA) altogether, he encouraged me to take a more prudent way to Morro Bay. Listening to reason (hey, who's the parent here?), I took a more northern route and stopped at the Firestone Walker Brewing Company for some yummy beer.

Part 3 - North Up the California Coast

Morro Bay, California

It was great to reconnect with Wendy and I decided to stay for the Memorial Day Weekend. She welcomed me with some goodies, included me for one of her socially distanced Women’s Group hikes, and took me for a very tasty fish dinner on the Morro Bay Pier with a stroll to watch the seals near the rock. We also went to the local gem named The Madonna Inn built with the large boulders unearthed when they were building the highway here. Everything inside was decorated in my favorite color! We had cake and cocktails for dessert. This town was a most peaceful place to stop for a visit and I am so grateful for her contact and friendship.

Seals near Morro Rock

Madonna Inn-San Luis Obispo

Champagne Cake

Interior of Madonna Inn

On my last day Wendy escorted me part way up the coast stopping in Cambria and San Simeon and to a few great wildlife spotting sites loaded with sea life, our final stop together before she sent me on my way north to Monterrey. 

Cambria was a quaint coastal town. We went to a bakery that specialized in Olallieberry products and she bought me a mini pie to have later for dessert. We also walked Moonstone Beach Boardwalk where there was more flowers in bloom than sand. Onward to the San Simeon where Hearst Castle was closed, but the winery in town was open and you could get a tasting and sit outside.

Elephant Seal Boardwalk, Ragged Point

Our wildlife safari was next. We stopped at one location with several elephant seals, but Wendy said there was another place that might be better. The beach was loaded with sea lions and we spent a good amount of time watching them. 

Ragged Point Beach

We said our cheerful goodbyes, but gave me one last piece of great advice, she insisted I stop at Big Sur Deli. It was the perfect place for a quick stop and after getting my gigantic sandwich and local beer, I found a great place to eat overlooking the Point Sur Lighthouse perched on a rock next to the Pacific. And of course my Olallieberry pie for dessert 😍

Lunch stop overlooking Point Sur Lighthouse

The road along the coast offered breathtaking views and I stopped a the incredible Bixby Creek Bridge. I made it to Monterrey mid afternoon and checked into a beautiful Best Western motel draped with bougainvillea for less than $50. I wanted to visit Pebble Beach Golf Club to buy a souvenir for my son, but it and 17 Mile Drive were closed due to the pandemic. I drove Cannery Row, drove the road along the peninsula and stopped at the lighthouse. I still had a beer and drove back to the tip to watch the sunset.

Bixby Creek Bridge

Ocean View Blvd, Ocean Grove, California

The next morning I continued north along the coast toward San Francisco. I thanked God for my good fortune with ideal weather and with finding places to visit and stay.  I stopped at Pigeon Point Lighthouse and walked the grounds. Disappointed that the lighthouses were closed due to the pandemic, I decided I wanted to do this coastal highway over and over. And there was a hostel at the lighthouse that would reopen someday into the future.

Pigeon Point Lighthouse

Somewhere along the coast I decided to go to the Russian River Brewery after checking the website and finding out they had Pliny the Elder available. In the essence of time and since I had been to San Francisco a couple of times before, I decided to make it a brief stop and head to Santa Rosa for lunch and Pliny.

Pliny is one of those iconic beers you read about that craft beer aficionados should try before they die. I had tried it in San Diego during a Beer Vacation with one of my favorite beer drinking girlfriends, but wanted to visit the “mothership” and take some home to share. I arrived to find lots of “the Elder” in stock and large cans of “Pliny for President 2020.” It was mid afternoon so I ordered lunch for the nice patio outside. I was shocked when my case purchase cost $140! I bought it, but will likely never do it again when I can buy a case of 3 Floyd’s Zombie Dust for $40 and I like 3.5x better. 🤷🏻‍♀️ No matter, I will still impress my beer drinking friends. and possibly save them a trip. Firestone Walker is a definite revisit though. 

I had no success finding a campsite after leaving the brewery. My last ditch effort was to book a Motel 6 room in Fort Bragg. That eased my way to slow down and explore the coast and the town of Mendocino before sunset. It had been a while since I skirted the coast. I stopped at Sea Ranch, the  community designed by landscape architect Lawrence Halpin the early 1960s. It was designed with strict architectural design guidelines and the community is a great example of 1960s and 70s architecture. I drove several streets before heading back along the coast north with a stop in Mendocino. What I later found I MISSED was the Sea Ranch Chapel up on the hill! Click on my link to see the 1985 non-denominational beauty. A mandatory revisit for me will be required.

My first plan was to stay at Manchester State Park near Point Arena Lighthouse, but it was closed due to the pandemic. No matter I did want to see the lighthouse, which was no easy feat with no cell service or maps, now I know you can download maps you make, just for these conditions. Luckily I did see Lighthouse Road and turned left. I had read that just south of the lighthouse was a small 25 foot waterfall that fell into the ocean and was eager to see that also. I drove to a parking lot south of the lighthouse and got several great shots, it was late afternoon and the lighting was ideal. I decided I needed to push on to Fort Bragg and didn't take the short hike to the waterfall. 

Point Arena Lighthouse

It was onto Mendocino, my favorite of the old coastal towns...this trip. Perched high on a bluff over the Pacific, Main Street was loaded with falsefront commercial buildings from the late nineteenth century. I was intrigued with a large number of water towers and found historically they had intrigued other visitors too and there had been windmills too.

 

Mendocino, California

When I got to Fort Bragg I was told I could not stay there due to the pandemic and the hotel service had taken my reservation in error. In fact I could not stay anywhere in that county. I had to find a room. The closest out of the county was an hour away, 35 miles east through a pass in the Jackson Demonstration State Forest. The road was winding and narrow and at dusk full of deer close to the road. I would return the same way the next day, more relaxed and got to enjoy the views. 

Eureka came next, a town with plenty of high style Victorian architecture including the highly ornate Carson Mansion. Built in 1886, the mansion possessed more than 16,000 square feet and a 103 foot tower.

I admit I was getting pretty disheartened, I wasn't having much luck finding places to camp or hotels. It was a pandemic, but I preferred to stay in my van as much as possible. Drive thru fast food was readily available and grocery stores were open but I limited those stops, there was always peanut butter! 

I  pushed on to Redwood National Park, I knew getting out and going for a nice walk would improve my mood and it certainly did. I found a nice one way loop in the Ladybird Grove and part way in my sons conference called me. They totally lifted my spirits! And the trip did indeed get better. The walk was indeed the attitude adjustment. I continued up the coast through Crescent City where I veered off Highway 101 to check out the very cool Battery Point Lighthouse where the keeper and visitors(!) can only access it at low time!! And it was onward into Oregon.

BAaTTERY POINT LIGHTHOUSE PIC

GLOOMY ORE COAST PIC

Oregon

I loved the gloominess of the Oregon Coast; fog rolling in, hitting the mountainous edge, than rolling over the ridge.  I made several stops at the numerous overlooks before getting to Gold Beach home of the Rouge River. I finally told myself I needed to press on to find a place for the night.

MORE GLOOMY PICTURES 

 

Gold Beach is well known for its jet boats that adventure up the Rouge River, but once again COVID got in the way. I did absolutely love this town and have every intention is coming back for that tour and another State of Jefferson Porter at Arch Rock Brewing. I secured a great hotel on the north side of Gold Beach with a porch overlooking the incredible Isaac Lee Patterson Bridge over the Rouge River, a 1930 Art Deco open spandrel concrete bridge. The hotel had a nice and much needed laundry room and the room was just remodeled with a full size coffee pot and that glorious porch where I watched a Bald Eagle snatch a huge fish bigger than it for breakfast.

 the Mont St Michel lighthouse of the US.

o matter I did want to see the lighthouse, which was no easy feat with no cell service or maps. Luckily I did see Lighthouse Road and turned left. I had read that just south of the lighthouse was a small 25 foot waterfall that fell into the ocean and was eager to see that also. What I didn't realize was that the road would be closed shortly and I had no idea how far of a walk it would be IF I could find a decent place to park completely off the road. Later I found out I was on BLM land and that may have made a difference for my "impossible" parking situation. And this is just one more reason I need to return and revisit Highway 1 and 101 north of San Francisco. I reluctantly turned my van around and started to head back when a herd of elk caught my eye. Since no one was around and the road was closed I stopped in the middle of the road and watched them for a long time and got to spot a bull among them! 

 

See the bull in his harem?