Adventures with Yogi and Boone

 August 30th - September 12th, 2025

Well I did it again......I got behind on the blog updates.  Personally I think it is a reflexion of how busy we have been, Livin' our best lives!

August 30th, the big number rolled around - 64!  Yikes!!  But what a beautiful place to celebrate my birthday: Tofino and Ucluelet on Vancouver Island. We camped at green Point state Park, tucked into the trees with the ocean just steps away. 

The day was filled with my favorite things. first, a long bike ride through old-growth cedar and fir, with moss and ferns carpeting the ground like something out of a fairytale. we pedaled all the way to Ucluelet for a lovely lunch, then back again under that cathedral of trees. In the afternoon, we headed to - you guessed it - The Beach. Miles of sand, rolling surf, and Boone racing around like a wild child, rolling and digging and reminding us how good it feels to just play. we ended the night quietly, under a canopy of stars we hadn't seen in far too long. A birthday well spent. 

From there we rolled south to Victoria - what a gem! Our campsite was just 20 minutes out of town, making it easy to explore the area. Two days on bikes and so many hidden corners discovered. Victoria has a charm that sneaks up on you. And I can not find the words to describe Bruchart Gardens!

                                                   

Next stop: back to the U.S. via ferry into Port Angeles. Boone's final ferry ride (he insists on the "final" part). Quick ride.  We didn't linger in Port Angels, a quiet night at a nearby campground and early the next morning - the road was calling. A stop in Poulsbo for lunch and then.....

That road led us to Mount Rainier, where we spent three magical days. Clear skies every day, which is a gift in itself since Rainier is usually hiding in the clouds.  we hiked, we biked (yes, biked too - up a gravel road that wound for 18 miles to a lookout with jaw-dropping views). Hard, beautiful, and best of all - quiet. Just us, the road, and the mountain. Even when the rain came at night, the days opened up sunny and bright.

On the way from Rainier toward Astoria, we made a fun little stop in Longview at a Harvest host called Three Dogs Cider. Charming place - row of cider apples, a cozy tasting room, and a barnyard full of farm animals. The highlight????  Sherry feeding the pigs.  One got a little too overexcited and mistook my fingers for snack time. Two solid pig bites later, I can confirm - those guys mean business. Ouch!  Thankfully I cleaned them out well, and they're healing fine. Still, not quite the cider-sipping memory I had in mind. 

Then it was onward to Astoria, Oregon. We biked everywhere - even up to the Astoria column.  Camping at Fort Stevens State Park turned out to be a hidden gem: showers, a beach, and yes - Boone got a LONG - OVERDUE Bath! The highlight?  Riding our bikes right on the hard-packed sand of the beach while Boone sprinted alongside, ears flying, tongue flapping....The happiest dog on the Oregon coast. 

Our next stop took us down the shoreline to Cape Lookout, where we met up with our friend Devra and her dog Mia. (Boones reluctant best doggie friend). we spent a few wonderful days together camping, biking, and exploring the Oregon coast beaches.  The beaches were wide and wild, the dogs had the time of their lives, and the redwoods left us speechless. Walking among those towering giants felt like stepping into Darby O'Gill and the Little People - we half-expected fairies or leprechauns to pop out from behind the ferns.

After three glorious days, we said goodbye to Devra and Mia this morning as we left the redwoods and the Avenue of the Giants.  Devra and Mia are headed home to Reno, Bob, Boone and I are making one last stop at Clear Lake, California. Tomorrow morning, Saturday, September 13th, we'll make the final 4 1/2 hour drive back to Reno and pull into our driveway.

It's bittersweet - this trip has been amazing from start to finish. Thank you to everyone who has followed along.  I know some of these posts were on the long side, and I don't blame anyone who just skimmed the photos (we think they told the story just as well as the words).   We're so grateful you came along for the ride and sent us words of encouragement and love.  This adventure met every expectation and then some!

Look for one last post after we get home. Yogi is upset that everyone got to give their 2 cents worth on the blog except him.  So Yogi will be sharing some of his adventures and mishaps.  Stay tuned....