STW3 Hop 7
130 miles via I-5, WA 432, WA 433, US 30 and US 101. Cumulative tow miles: 1095. Truck miles: 212. Cumulative truck miles: 1361.
This was a relatively short hop and I thought it would be relatively flat. Wrong. A lot of up-and-down, starting with a steep 500-foot climb as soon as we crossed the Columbia River. But it was a route that I had never traveled before (as opposed to the most likely alternate route – down to Portland then over the coastal range on OR 6 – which I have done many times before). Jett didn’t like it much. But I believe there is no way to get to Tillamook without going over some roads that she wouldn’t like very much.
We did get some spectacular views of the ocean as we headed south along the Pacific Coast Highway (US 101), including the great vista overlooking Nehalem. Even Jett liked that view.
This hop ended both the third segment of the Second Trip West and the full coast-to-coast STW trip as well. But I won’t do the wrapup until we leave Tillamook on the start of the Second Trip East (STE). I will give a preview of that trip as well. It is in a state of flux, mostly because we are unsure whether south Texas is in shape to receive us (it is still recovering from hurricane Harvey) and because we feel a need to get into warmer weather ASAP (that snow in Montana really spooked us).
Our two days in Castle Rock WA were spent at the Toutle River RV Resort, just off of I-5 and conveniently located for my day trip to Mt St Helens. It is a very nice park, but is sandwiched between I-5 and the major rail route between Portland and Seattle, so there was a lot of noise. It had no pool (not that we would have used it with temps in the 60s). It had a 9-hole disc golf course which was only the third park we have seen with one, but this was the worst of the three. Not well marked and not very interesting. It did have something that was unique: a large-scale croquet course played with large wooden mallets and soccer balls.
PCH overlooking Nehalem
I included a photo of Rusty just because he can be so damn cute.
Mega croquet
Getting the truck washed
Nehalem
Rusty looking damn cute