South Beach State Park Newport, Oregon

Well I'd guess we are about 1/2-way thru our trip and thought that tonight would be a good point to change the pace for the night.

Today we drove from Northern California to Newport, Oregon.  It was a 5+ hour 250 mileish drive but the stats only tell part of the story.  Leaving Redwoods you enter yet another world when you drive along the Oregon Coast.  The scenery is amazing.

Our campsite in Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park.  We had to grease the trailer and use a shoehorn to get it into the spot but we managed.  Only problem was we couldn't fit the truck and had to park it elsewhere.  It was delightful to camp in the middle of an Old-Growth Redwood Forest.

Traveling North we spent a good portion of the Morning going Ohhh....  Ahhhh.   The only problem was that we had a dead battery in one camera and I was spending too much time enjoying the scenery (and driving)  to take many pictures.

Around each corner was new and even more amazing scenery....  I wonder what's around this one?

Even more beautiful views!

Having hit the road by 0730 we were pulling into South Beach State Park by 1300.

So....  Cocktail hour started early (it's Friday after all)

A couple of excellent NY Strips on the Grill,  a good cup of Joe and some Hagen Daz to wash it all down.

In the Fall of 2009 we took a trip down from Seattle in a Class C and visited all the lighthouses on the Oregon Coast.  

Today after we were here for a while we realized that on that prior visit - we actually stayed in the campsite next to the one we are in tonight.

We both remembered that night in 2009 quite well.

Tomorrow we have a 7+hr drive to get us north of Seattle to Deception Pass State Park in Washington where we will spend Saturday & Sunday before we make our big turn East and start heading back towards the other coast.  

Out trip East from there promises to be interesting as we will be traveling on the roads less traveled hugging the Canadian Border thru some beautiful (and remote) country.

Today was also a milestone of sorts - it marked our Westernmost point in the trip.   

Around Bandon, Oregon we were as far west on this trip as we will be.

The mileage meter has us almost at 6,000 miles and close to 500 gallons of diesel.  

The truck has been performing flawlessly.  It is perfectly matched for the task at hand.

Up the hills I can go as fast as I wish and not even push it.  

 Down the hills the engine brake holds us back and I don't have to use the brakes.  

Even on 7 and 8% grades...  no brakes - the engine brake does all the work....  Sweet!