Rolling Along With The Reynolds

Jim and Cindy's Adventure Blog traveling all over the USA

Tag: Harvest Hosts

Cheese. Beaches. Ice Cream. Petting Farm.

   

         It was a sad day today, here on July 27th to leave the state of Washington. We had arrived in Vantage Washington on June 26th. One very full awesome month. Next time we roll through, we will plan to stay likely even longer!

         But before Oregon, I must still go on about the Olympic Peninsula and the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway. It’s 350 miles long and outlines the entire Peninsula, meandering through the National Park, lush rainforests, oyster-packed inlets and ocean beaches, then extending on into Oregon. You are in for a treat if you travel this highway. Can’t wait to return. So, jumping back on Hwy 101 in Aberdeen, we stayed on the beautiful bumpy two-lane road onwards into the state of OREGON.

      Traveling South on the 101, we first hit the state line on the Astoria-Megler bridge. Quite a spectacular sight. Immediately after the bridge smack in the center of town, was an unexpected encounter with three deer blissfully unaware of the commotion they were stirring with traffic. Among them was a spotted fawn! I snapped some pics while Jim gently honked Clark’s horn and was glad to see several drivers get out of their cars to shoo them off the road.

      First destination in Oregon is Tillamook. We stayed at a very pleasant Harvest Host site: the Blue Heron French Cheese Company. Featuring a large Petting Farm, a very large field to accommodate over 100 RV-ers (and they allow two overnights instead of the more common one night), and of course a Cheese and Wine tasting area as well as a Candy Shop. What better way to sit back and relax with a glass of Oregon wine and Tillamook cheese and listen to the hilarious shenanigans of braying donkeys and crowing roosters.

     

Pictures in Tillamook, OR (album #49)

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Tillamook Creamery

        When in Tillamook, one must visit the Tillamook Creamery! A very nice tourist attraction unto itself, it’s also a huge working factory. They make over 170,000 pounds of cheese and 18,000 pounds of ice cream every single day! After watching the factory workers below from large windows on the second story and learning about the whole process from dairy farm to packaged goods, we headed to the dining area. Cheese curds, Mac NCheese, Cheesebugers, Tillamook Lager, and last but not least a flight of ice cream. Yum! 🧀🍔🍺🍦

Tillamook pics (album 49)

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Three Capes Scenic Route

         
       If you’re looking for the most breathtaking views of the Tillamook Coast, the Three Capes Scenic Route is perfect. It’s a 40-mile jaunt along the water. However, we traveled a bit more miles due to detours for road repairs. 
      We first drove to the closest spot we could get to see the Cape Meares Lighthouse. But, because of dense fog clouds, there was no lighthouse to be seen. The water however was so picturesque, and as the above pic shows, there were large caves carved into the cliffsides where folks plop down for a day of beach fun and build big bonfires. we hiked a good mile or more down the beach until the tide stopped us at a bend that could not navigate around (the crashing waves were impressive and certainly demanded respect). The cliffs here ooze water from the higher elevations and create dripping waterfalls; it was a bit sketchy to walk so close to the cliff edge fearing inevitable erosion/avalanches.
      We made it safe and sound back to the car to continue our jaunt to  Cape Lookout. After that, we cruised through the resort town of Oceanside and were treated to a golden sunset right on Netarts Bay. A bit lost at one point, we found ourselves still on the curvy forested road after the sun went down trying to find the detour points back inland to Tillamook. Ran out of time (and daylight, even at 10 PM) to stop at the third cape, Cape Kiwanda. Next time. Always fun to get lost!

Tillamook pics (album 49)

 

Serenity Valley Winery

Serenity was just what the doctor ordered. After a tense tour in rain through St. Louis, we made it safe and sound to our overnight stop, the Serenity Valley Winery in Fulton Missouri.
A beautiful Harvest Host site we’d most definitely visit again. After a stroll on the property, we enjoyed a lovely Pinot Grigio with a charcuterie plate, followed into the night with Jim’s selection of a Strawberry Riesling (spiked with Chocolate Vodka to make a “chocolate covered strawberry” as suggested by the sommelier). 🐄🦆🍷🍓☁️

 www.SerenityWineryMO.com

 

Harvest Host stop

Harvest Hosts membership is well worth experiencing. The venues are typically independently owned businesses that allow RV-ers to stay overnight in their parking lots for FREE (in exchange for patronizing their biz).

One particular Harvest Host stay we did last year was very memorable. It was in Homosassa Springs Florida at a River Boat Cruise and Airboat ride place. We had a parking place immediately beside the water, and had the dock all to ourselves all night long. 

Tonight’s Harvest Host site wasn’t as near exciting, but just as memorable. One does not find an abundance of Campgrounds around London, KY (a pit stop to get from Asheville NC to Cave City KY) to choose from, but HH was there to the rescue.  “Corinth Baptist Church, across the street for overflow parking” was perfect. Easy to find off the Interstate, easy to park, and easy to welcome an opportunity to unwind. It truly was a pastoral picture for the <18 hours we were there; black birds (yet to be identified) were flocking all over the pasture and beautifully singing, two cats confidently patrolling their barn and surroundings, and a fantastic light show with surround sound to wake us up (a strong thunderstorm, LOL) just before dawn. By the time we were ready to leave, the skies had cleared and roads were dry.  We are in God’s Country. AMEN.

London, KY pictures