Bay Center

Our second day of coastal driving was some 30 miles shorter than yesterday. But, it seemed much longer! We covered a mere 140 miles today. And, it took us nearly four hours to do so. Between the curves, narrow roads and tiny towns along the way, we were crawling. Again, no good places to stop a northbound motorhome on 101, so I did a drive-by shot of this interesting spot along the coast. Next time we're through these parts, we promise to make an overnight or two and do some exploring.

Nobody told us about THIS tunnel! We cleared it with room to spare, of course.

The highlight of the drive was crossing into Washington over the Astoria bridge.

This continuous truss bridge spans the mouth of the Columbia River. Its highest point sits nearly 200 feet above the water at high tide. And, yes, it's one lane of traffic each way.

From the top, it's downhill toward Washington. The views were impressive.

I was very happy to be on solid ground in the Evergreen State. (I wasn't planning to be the one who drove across the bridge, but I did!)

After arriving at our campground some 40 miles north of the Columbia River, we jumped in the Jeep and cruised up 101 to the town of Raymond for provisions. Raymond is a lovely little town with a commitment to art. Along the highway and throughout downtown Raymond are 200 steel plated figures of wildlife and historic humans. The Raymond Wildlife-Heritage Sculpture Corridor is a real treat. This busy beaver on the roadside is just one small example of the work we saw around town. If you're cruising 101 in these parts and are ready to see something besides seashore, it's definitely worth a stop.

Our campground sits about 200 yards from the shores of Willapa Bay. We took a stroll down the short path to take in the view.

This is one of those places that is best appreciated at high tide. We arrived at low tide and there just wasn't much to see. We'll check the tide tables and be back.

Can you spot the big moose at the end of the trail?

Here's a sunset shot of our spot at this KOA. It's a fine enough park, filled to the brim with weekending families. Wifi is spotty, so we may or may not be able to provide a timely post of tomorrow's adventures. We've found an interesting little strand nearby that is loaded with geocaches. Could make for a day of great views and nice finds.

Stay tuned.