Day 4: Martha's Vineyard, MA

Tuesday, September 23, 2008: Day in Martha's Vineyard, MA

This gloriously brilliant day found us docked at the wharf in Vineyard Haven. Note the view of the American Spirit with a vintage two-masted schooner in the harbor.

Since we were able to access Martha’s Vineyard’s shores without the need for a tender, we had the entire day to explore much of the island. American Cruise Lines arranged excursions to Edgartown and Oak Bluffs, but Sandy Balla recommended an excellent alternative for individuals to get around the island: the Vineyard Transit Authority (VTA) bus system. The best deal was a $6 one-day pass ($3 senior/disabled) for unlimited trips from town to town. This turned out to be a fun and efficient way to see the sights.

We walked to the Vineyard Haven Transit Center, located at the Steamship Authority Ferry Terminal, and boarded the No. 1 bus to the Visitors’ Center in Edgartown. We first strolled to the Edgartown Lighthouse, and the shoreline nearby.






Next, we walked along Water Street, to see the magnificent whaling captains’ mansions.

Our next stop was the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, 59 Cooke Street. Do navigate the Museum’s excellent Web site for much insight into the Island’s history.

We returned to the Visitors’ Center, to view some of the historical structures located near Church and Main streets.
The Vincent House, built in 1672 and the oldest unaltered house on Martha’s Vineyard, was moved to its present site in 1977. Other significant historical buildings nearby include the 1843 Old Whaling Church, the 1858 Dukes County Courthouse and the 1840 Daniel Fisher House.

We took the bus back to Vineyard Haven and had lunch on the ship. That afternoon, Sandy Balla led our group to the public bus stop opposite the dock, to take the VTA bus to quaint Oak Bluffs. The 10-minute ride took us to Ocean Park, the transit interface with the Woods Hole Ferry.

Oak Bluffs has an interesting history. In brief, the town incorporated as Cottage City in 1880, and was rechristened Oak Bluffs in 1907 as it grew into a year-round resort town. We walked through the Circuit Avenue historic commercial district to Trinity Park, the locale for the Tabernacle and the “Painted Ladies”, the colorful collection of Carpenter Gothic houses that dates to the late 19th century.

Trinity Park, previously known as Wesleyan Grove, was the centerpiece of the Martha’s Vineyard Campmeeting Association, in the forefront of the conservative Methodist movement of the 1830s. The small houses were built to resemble tents. Today, the Association applies strict architectural guidelines to new construction, owing to its status as a National Landmark.

The open-sided Tabernacle , erected in 1879, seats 3000, and is constructed of wrought iron and steel. It is said to have perfect acoustics. This building replaced large tents, which were used for religious revival meetings. It is still in use today, despite extensive renovations that began in 2003.

We were free to walk among the cottages as long as we respected the occupants’ privacy.



Every summer, Trinity Park celebrates "Grand Illumination Night",when residents hang Chinese and Japanese paper lanterns, and light them at sundown. It's quite a celebration, including a band concert, held in the Tabernacle. (The two photos at left: courtesy of Bill and Sue Ewen).

One “painted lady” is open to the public as the Cottage Museum and Shop. Visitors can view the interior of a typical cottage together with furnishings and artifacts typical of the late 1800s.

The walking tour took us back to Ocean Park, where we had the opportunity to see some spectacular Victorian mansions located along Ocean Avenue.

The Corbin-Norton House is one of the most flamboyant examples of Queen Anne Victorian architecture fronting Ocean Park. This particular home has quite a history. Peter Norton completed a detailed rebuild and renovation of this 1891 Victorian, only see it burn to the ground in 2001, due to an electrical wiring malfunction. Norton rebuilt the home in 2004, this time with state-of-the-art fire prevention and security systems. See Article for more information, from a building contractor's perspective.

We took the bus back to the American Spirit for the usual happy hour and excellent dinner. This evening’s entertainment was the movie “Jaws”, much of which was filmed on Martha’s Vineyard.

Sandy Balla informed us of some changes to the itinerary: American Cruise Lines dropped Fall River, apparently due to negative comments from passengers in favor of a half-day stop in Bristol, RI with an early arrival in Newport. There had also been some weather bulletins concerning Hurricane Kyle, which was still well south of New England as of today, but was predicted to head north. Sandy alerted us to the possibility that there may be further changes ahead, due to possible high seas.

Day 3: Nantucket, MA

Monday, September 22, 2008: Day on Nantucket, cruise to Martha's Vineyard

We pulled into Nantucket Harbor overnight, and the first misty view this morning was that of the Brandt Point Lighthouse surrounded by weathered shingled houses characteristic of Nantucket.

The American Spirit was anchored in deep water well offshore, so it was necessary to use a 28-person tender to transport passengers to the dock. The first departure from ship to shore was about 8:30 a.m.; the last return was at 3:30 p.m. In essence, we had a maximum of 6 hours to sightsee Nantucket. American Cruise Lines arranged a 2-hour bus tour that covered Nantucket and the outlying villages of Siasconset and Sankaty Head. We chose to forego the tour, and instead, walked to the many attractions in Nantucket proper.

Our first stop was the Nantucket Whaling Museum-Peter Foulger Gallery, 13-15 Broad Street. The Nantucket Historical Association (NHA) offered a combined pass that included admission to the Nantucket Whaling Museum, and several historical sites that were open seasonally.

The Oldest House and Historic Garden , located on rural Sunset Hill, was built in 1686, and is the oldest building on Nantucket Island.

Note the size of the fireplace in the interior shot of the Oldest House.

In 2006, the NHA restored the Historical Garden as an early 1700s herb and vegetable garden, and added an orchard of “antique” apple varieties.

We headed back to town, through beautiful tree lined neighborhoods to Main Street, home to a wonderful collection of architecturally significant residences.

The Hadwen House, 96 Main Street, is a Greek Revival mansion built in 1845 by William Hadwen, a whaling merchant and silver retailer.

Note the elaborate table setting in the West Parlor of the Hadwen House.

Directly across from the Hadwen House at 93-97 Main Street were three virtually identical brick mansions, built in 1839 by whaling merchant Joseph Starbuck. Known colloquially as The Three Bricks, Joseph Starbuck built these houses for his three sons. (Notes from Brian Pfeiffer’s article, The East Brick, Nantucket, Antiques & Fine Art [Journal], August/September, 2006).

We continued along Main Street amongst more Victorians to the commercial district.





Italianate Queen Anne Victorian on Main Street.

We returned to the Whaling Museum to see a documentary on the sperm whale that beached in 1998.
Our stroll then took us to the wharf area where we window-shopped among the gift shops and art galleries, before heading back to the dock.

Late that afternoon, the American Spirit pulled anchor and began the overnight cruise to Martha's Vineyard. Sandy Balla spoke to us about the sights we would have the opportunity to see tomorrow. Another exciting day awaited us!

Postscript: Since our visit to Nantucket was on a Monday, an important group of attractions was closed to the public. This was the assemblage of museums, including the original observatory, operated by the Maria Mitchell Association. Maria (pronounced Mariah) Mitchell (1818-1889) was the first astronomer to discover a comet by use of a telescope. This occurred on Nantucket in 1847. She was the first woman to be named to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. See article for more biographical information.

Day 2: New Bedford, MA

Sunday, September 21, 2008: Day in New Bedford, MA; Cruising to Nantucket

After breakfast, buses were waiting to take excursion passengers to the New Bedford Whaling Museum (far left), the major attraction in town. The Museum lies within the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park that covers 13 blocks of the historical district, encompassing cobbled streets and restored mid-19th century buildings.

The layout and scale of the Museum were truly impressive as can be seen by the accompanying photos.
KOBO (King of the Blue Ocean), the centerpiece of the New Bedford Whaling Museum's entrance gallery. This is the skeleton of a 66-foot-long Blue whale that was accidentally struck and killed by a tanker off Nova Scotia. It is only one of three such skeletons on display in the world. For more information, click KOBO, and try moving your browser over the interactive images.

The Lagoda, the Museum's 89-foot half-scale model of a fully rigged whaling bark. This is a "hands on" exhibit, and visitors are free to climb aboard, to take a closer look. For more information, click The Lagoda, and try moving your browser over the interactive images.

Part of the excellent scrimshaw exhibit at the Museum.




The Seamen’s Bethel, circa 1831, is located on Johnny Cake Hill, across the street from the New Bedford Whaling Museum. Herman Melville's classic novel, Moby Dick, immortalized "Whaleman's Chapel" as a refuge for sailors from the rigors and stresses of maritime life.

Our walking route took us up Williams Street, the principal commercial artery of New Bedford. About 8 blocks north, we reached County Street, lined with the most magnificent examples of Victorian residential architecture in New Bedford.

The Marcia Parker House, 413 County Street is a Queen Anne constructed between 1889 and 1892 for Marcia Parker, the widow of Ward Parker, a whaling captain.

The Gilbert Russell/Dr. Edward Abbe House, 405 County Street, was originally a Federal style mansion dating to 1805. Dr. Abbe remodeled the house in a flamboyant Italianate Victorian style with French and oriental elements between 1860 and 1897. (Notes courtesy of New Bedford Preservation Society).

After spending the late morning looking at these beautifully preserved Victorians, we meandered through the downtown historical district back to the ship for lunch.

We are looking up Johnny Cake Hill, with the 1966 New Bedford Whaling Museum on the right. Its architecture fits right in with the Victorian residences and shops on the left.

The American Spirit offered an afternoon harbor excursion to Fairhaven, and a close-up view of the New Bedford Harbor Hurricane Barrier (above). (After clicking the link, explore the interactive photo-map by placing your browser over the boxes). Note: Should we receive e-mails and photos about the harbor cruise, we will add the information to this blog.

We opted to spend the afternoon walking back to County Street and visiting the Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum. This mild, sunny day was ideal for a house and garden tour.

We then walked past some shops, such as this nautical antique store, and explored some of the historic waterfront before returning to the ship.

Here is a typical view of the fishing fleet in New Bedford Harbor.

As we headed for the gangplank, we were greeted by a religious procession, presented by the local Portuguese community. New Bedford has an active Portuguese/Madeira presence; visit http://www.portuguesefeast.com/, for information on the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament, held in late summer every year.

We left in late afternoon for Nantucket. We cruised through the Harbor Hurricane Barrier on our way to Buzzard's Bay and Nantucket Sound. As we headed for our off-shore anchoring in Nantucket harbor, Sandy Balla's evening talk covered the excursion options and sights to look forward to tomorrow.

Day 1: Boarding the American Spirit

Saturday, September 20, 2008: Boarding the Ship; Cruising from Providence to New Bedford, MA

Our Comfort Inn shuttle brought us to Providence Piers for boarding around 9:30 a.m. The embarking process lasted until noon, to allow ample time for all passengers to arrive as well as to complete the disembarking of passengers and luggage from the previous cruise. The captain and crew greeted us warmly, and we settled in our stateroom.

Now for the little wrinkle in Comfort Inn pricing for the “complimentary” shuttle: At the $91 Senior rate we were paying for our room, we learned, the shuttle was not free. This amenity was only included in the American Cruises Special Rate of $112. They would have charged us $20 per person each way for the ride. After negotiation with management, we agreed to pay for one night’s stay at the higher American Cruises Special Rate. This solved the problem.

The cruise got underway as we sat down for our first lunch in the Dining Salon. The meal was a great introduction to the cuisine capabilities of the galley. The day was sparkling clear and warm, and we were treated to magnificent views of lighthouses and natural preserves along Narragansett Bay. Pomham Rocks Lighthouse, located near East Providence, was a typical example. Also typical of the human landscape were the weathered shingled houses similar to the one in the photograph below.

The leisurely pace of this afternoon’s cruise enabled us to become acquainted with many of the passengers and explore the ship. We found another couple, Dale and Rhoda, who shared our interest in bridge, so we had several bridge sessions during lulls in the routine during the cruise. Other times, we were content to just curl up with a book or magazine in one of the lounges.

We pulled into New Bedford Harbor that evening. Sandy Balla gave us a rundown of tomorrow’s activities and sights. We were looking forward to Sunday, our first chance to explore a port of call!

American Spirit Features and Daily Routine

American Spirit Features:

The American Spirit has four decks in all. The lower three decks contain the staterooms and public spaces, as noted below. The fourth deck serves as the open passenger deck, with two large sunshades, putting green and exercise equipment. The ship provides elevator access to all four levels.

The lower three decks contain all 51 staterooms. Of these, 26 staterooms on the second and third decks have private balconies. We found our first deck stateroom to be much larger and more comfortable than we expected, with a surprisingly large bathroom. We also welcomed the individually controlled air conditioning unit that we could adjust at will. Soundproofing was excellent on all sides of our room; we heard that some occupants of units on the third deck could hear noises from people walking over their heads on the top deck, which might be a disadvantage.

The Chesapeake Lounge, located forward on the second deck, is the gathering place for informal activities. Picture windows provide expansive views of the scenery rolling by. The Lounge is well-stocked with current magazines, newspapers such as The New York Times, and “coffee table” books of the areas covered by the cruise itineraries.

The Dining Salon is located at the stern on the first deck, with tables providing seating for six or eight people each. With the open seating policy, it is easy to become acquainted with a large number of people. The young, ethnically diverse staff is generally efficient and friendly, making a great effort to please.

Two smaller lounges offer more intimate spaces for relaxation and reading. The Library Lounge, located on the third deck, houses the ship’s library; the Midship Lounge, located on the second deck, is suitable for the occasional card game, or serves as another reading spot.

The ambiance of the American Spirit is that of a sedate floating resort without the noisy hustle/bustle of an on-board casino or disco. This may reflect the “mature” age of the majority of the clientele. We believe this was a major positive for this cruise company.

American Cruises has a reputation for providing excellent food. We found this to be true on the American Spirit. The 37-year-old head chef trained at the Culinary Institute of America and provided great imagination and creativity in much of the cuisine. Emphasis was on locally-produced seafood and fish. Lobster in some form was available at just about every meal! We felt some of the best entrees were the fresh sea bass and halibut procured at ports of call. There were also alternative entrees available for non-fish and seafood eaters. The galley would even produce vegetarian and vegan meals, on request.

Precaution: The American Spirit is not outfitted with stabilizers. This is not an issue for river and harbor cruising, and the ship can handle low- to moderate swells in the open sea without incident. In the case of large swells and high winds, however, the captain may decide to alter the itinerary by putting into a safe harbor, to ride out dangerous conditions.

Typical Daily Routine:

The cruise line offers passengers organized excursions, to explore the ports of call, or recommends walking routes or public transportation, to access the attractions. Since we are inveterate walkers, we usually opted to explore on our own where feasible. Typically, the cruise allocates two to three hours in the morning and/or afternoon for on-shore activities.

The ship has a well-structured schedule for shipboard activities and meals. The Chesapeake Lounge opens at 6:30 a.m. for a very informal “early bird” continental breakfast, with coffee, muffins and fresh fruits available.

All meals in the Dining Salon are open seating; formal wear such as tuxedos or formal gowns are discouraged. The Dining Salon is open for “official” breakfast between 7:30-9:00 a.m. Staff will take orders for the chef’s specials, eggs to order, waffles, French toast and other goodies, with an abundant buffet of breads, cereal and fruits also available. Guests are asked to provide their selections of lunch or dinner choices, to enable the kitchen to better plan the entrees.

Lunch is served generally between 12:30 and 2:00 p.m. Sometimes it was more convenient to skip lunch onboard, especially on Nantucket, where we had to tender to and from shore.

Our guest lecturer, Sandy Balla, scheduled a daily brief talk at 5:15 p.m. in the Chesapeake Lounge, followed by a 5:30 happy hour with complimentary wine, beer and mixed drinks, plus hot hors d’oeuvres passed around by staff.

Dinner is 6:30 through 8:30, usually followed by entertainment or a talk at 8:30 in the Chesapeake Lounge into the evening. One stormy night with nothing else going on, the crew conducted a bingo game. Another evening, the entertainment was the movie “Jaws”; this was appropriate since we were at Martha’s Vineyard, where much of the film was made.

Introduction: New England Islands Cruise 2008

This is an introduction to our series of blog postings about the New England Islands Cruise we took in September 2008. The ship, The American Spirit (above) was our home for seven days.

It does pay off to put in time preparing for a trip like this, and as a result, everything went smoothly and exceeded our expectations!

The Cruise:

First, we booked our cruise with American Cruise Lines, initially by clicking their Web site: http://www.americancruiselines.com/, to choose destination and cruising time. We then called their toll free number: 1-800-814-6880, to negotiate the time and any discounts available off the cruise price. We booked one of the cheapest staterooms in the 100 series, and managed a $200 per person discount for booking five months or more in advance.

Second, we booked our flights so we were able to spend an extra few days before and after the cruise. The Kayak price comparison site, http://www.kayak.com/, indicated that Delta Air had the cheapest flights from San Diego to Providence, so we made our reservations directly with Delta online. Note: flights offered by Southwest Air, which were not listed on the Kayak site, were more expensive than Delta’s at that time.

Third, we decided to stay at the Comfort Inn at T. F. Green Airport, because: a) its convenient location near the airport; b) its complimentary (after a fashion-see Day 1 posting for an explanation) shuttle that took us to the American Cruise Line pier in Providence Harbor (Note: A glitch occurred on the return (see Day 8 Posting); c) its reasonable rates for Seniors and American Cruise Lines passengers (see Day 1 Posting); and d) its substantial complementary breakfasts. Other amenities: a public computer in the lobby, with a printer (free copies), especially handy for printing our boarding passes for our return flight; and a free newspaper delivered to the room.

Independent Travel Days:

We scheduled independent travel days before and after the cruise, to enjoy the considerable charms of Providence, and allow for the possibility of excursions into the countryside.

A major decision was to depend on the public transit system to get around, to avoid the hassles and expense of a car rental. RIPTA, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority was the perfect solution. Their Web site was excellent for navigating for routing maps and detailed schedules in advance. We used Google Maps, to pinpoint the nearest bus stops; there was one within a 5-minute walk of our hotel in front of Bertucci’s Brick Oven Restaurant. Double-clicking the bus stop symbol produces a window identifying the bus line (Route 20), and even providing the time of arrival of the next two buses!

We looked ahead to the attractions we planned to see. Most of the major museums and galleries had Web sites that gave us the most current information on visiting days and hours, admission charges, and details on current and future exhibits.

Other advice:

1. Travel light! We knew that the dress code for the cruise was “elegant casual”, so we were able to get by without too many kinds of clothing, accessories, etc. As a result, we were each able to pack everything into one piece of carryon luggage that would fit easily under the seat or overhead bin on an aircraft.

2. Book and monitor flights online. Also avail yourself of e-mail notification of flight schedule changes, and by all means, check in and print boarding passes online whenever possible. These measures save a lot of hassles associated with security, boarding procedures and baggage claims.

Tip-Meal Vouchers for Long Layovers: As is well-known, complimentary meals for coach passengers on many airlines, including Delta, are a thing of the past. One piece of advice given by a seatmate, who happened to be manager of an airport in Florida, suggested we approach Delta’s courtesy desk in Atlanta, and ask for meal vouchers, justified by the inconveniently long (four hour) layover. When we pointed out our flight schedules had changed due to Delta’s action, the courtesy official gave us each a $7 voucher, for use at any of the food vendors at the airport. This covered the cost of two subway sandwiches, which sated our hunger. We recommend trying this tactic when layovers exceed two hours in length.

Postcard Pack of Montana Trip 2008

June 8-25, 2008

This series of blog postings presents highlights of our June 2008 drive to Montana and points beyond. The trip lasted 18 days and covered about 6000 miles.

One of the challenges in creating an itinerary for this road trip is keeping the first day’s leg interesting. We wanted to make it from San Diego to Missoula, MT, in about 2.5 days. A straight shot north on Interstate 15 would have been the easy, most direct way, with an overnight stop in Cedar City, or St. George, UT, about midway along. But we had been over that path many times, so we looked for an alternative.

US 93, the Great Basin Highway, has much to merit it, and indeed there are many worthwhile stops north of Las Vegas, NV: Caliente, Cathedral Gorge State Park, Pioche, and Great Basin National Park, with Ely as a logical overnight stop. As a matter of fact, we followed this route on a 2003 road trip, also in June, when the high mountain ranges still had residual snow and the basins were still green from late spring rains.

This time, we decided on a route that allowed us to sample a number of ghost towns and other “off the beaten path” sights. We tried our best to avoid the Interstate Highway System and sought out byways where one can find hidden “gems” of historic or scenic interest.

Here is the itinerary

Sunday June 8: San Diego to Tonopah, NV. Routing: I-15 to Baker; CA-SR 127 to Shoshone; CA-SR 178 and NV-SR 372 to Pahrump; NV-SR 160 and US 95 to Beatty, NV-SR 374 to Rhyolite and back, US 95 to Tonopah. Approximate mileage: 500. Highlights: Click “Postcard from Tonopah, NV."

Monday June 9: Tonopah to Ontario, OR. Routing: US 6, NV-SR 376 and US 50 to Austin; US 50 to Eureka; NV-SR 278 to Carlin; I-80 to Elko; NV-SR 225 and ID-SR 51 to Mountain Home, I-84 to Fruitland and Ontario. Approximate mileage: 550.

Highlights: We sampled US 50, the “Loneliest Road in America” between Austin and Eureka.

Lander County Courthouse, Austin, NV.

Downtown Eureka, NV.

Nevada State Highway 225 between Elko and Owyhee is quite a scenic drive. This time of year, the greenery of the basins contrasts with the snowcapped ranges.

Wild Horse Reservoir, Northern Nevada, with
the Independence Mountains in the background.

We located an ancestral home that once belonged to Doug’s grandfather in the rural town of Fruitland, ID. We learned from the current owner of the house that commerce migrated from the Idaho cities of Payette and Fruitland to Ontario, OR, because Oregon charges no sales tax.

There were no AAA-recommended motels in Fruitland, so we headed right across the Snake River to the larger city of Ontario. It was nearly dark, so we found no bargains. We settled in at the Sleep Inn, 1221 S.E. 1st Avenue, conveniently located for a quick getaway in the morning. The $59 AAA rooms were gone, but we were pleased with our $71 room (we couldn't be too choosy at 9 at night!). Fortunately, there was a Wingers Grill and Bar next door where we had a decent barbecue beef dinner.

Tuesday, June 10: Ontario to Missoula, MT. Routing: I-84 and US 95 to Payette, US 95 to Grangeville, ID-SR 13 to Kooskia, US 12/93 to Missoula. Approximate mileage: 400.

Highlights: We had originally planned to cut east to ID-SR 55 (Cascade Scenic Byway) to McCall, but the weather forecast for stormy conditions persuaded us to take US 95 instead.

We paused for a view of Payette Lake, near McCall, ID.

Payette Lake, near McCall, ID.

The beautiful weather turned nasty as we headed north of McCall to Kooskia. By the time we reached Lolo Pass, it was snowing so heavily over we were not sure we would make it over. In fact, if we had waited a day, it would have been impassible!

Missoula does have a number of attractions, but the weather was not conducive to much sightseeing. Missoula is the home to the University of Montana which was letting out when we arrived in late afternoon, contributing to surprisingly heavy traffic. We did take time to visit the Historic Museum at Fort Missoula, which was a good indoor activity.

We prearranged an overnight stay in a private home on the outskirts of Missoula, while the owner was away on vacation.

Wednesday, June 11 and Thursday, June 12: Missoula to Bozeman. Approximate mileage: 600 over two days.

Highlights: Click “Postcard from Bozeman, MT.”

Friday, June 13: Bozeman to Red Lodge via Virginia/Nevada City and Livingston. Approximate mileage: 450.

Highlights: Click “Postcard from Red Lodge, MT.”

Saturday, June 14: Red Lodge to Billings via Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. Routing: MT-SR 78 to Roscoe, returning to Red Lodge; US 212 & MT County Road 308 to Washoe & Belfry; MT-SR 72 to Bridger; US 310 to Lovell, WY; US 14 Alt. & US 14 to Ranchester; I-90 to Little Bighorn Battlefield, Hardin and Billings. Approximate mileage: 300.

Highlights: Click “Postcard from Billings, MT.”

Sunday, June 15: Billings to Fort Benton via Great Falls. Routing: MT-SR 3 to Lavina, US 12 to White Sulphur Springs, US 89/87 to Great Falls and Fort Benton. Approximate mileage: 270.

Highlights: Doris prepared an excellent breakfast of homemade waffles, then well fortified, we took off for

Great Falls. We visited two major attractions: the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center, and the C. M. Russell Museum & Home. Both of these museums are must sees and should not be missed.

We arrived in Fort Benton in mid-afternoon and found the small historic town a most enjoyable place to visit. Click “Postcard from Fort Benton, MT” for a continuation of this day’s post.

Monday, June 16: Fort Benton to Glacier National Park. Routing: MT County Road 223 to Chester, US 2 to Browning, US 89 to Babb, Swiftcurrent Drive (by Sherburne Lake) to Glacier National Park. Approximate mileage: 200.
Tuesday, June 17: Glacier National Park to Mountain View, AB via Waterton Lakes National Park. Routing: US 89 and MT-SR 17 to Canadian border, AB 6 and 5 to Waterton Lakes National Park and Mountain View; side trip to Twin Butte. Approximate mileage: 120.

Highlights: Click “Postcard from Mountain View, AB, Canada.”

Wednesday, June 18: Mountain View to Kimberley, BC. Routing: AB 5, AB6, AB/BC 3 to BC 95 Junction, Bull River Road to Fort Steele, BC 95 and BC 95A to Kimberley. Approximate mileage: 200.
Thursday, June 19: Kimberley to Coeur d’Alene/Post Falls, ID. Routing: BC 3 and 95 to US border; US 95 to Coeur d’Alene. Approximate mileage: 200.

Highlights: Click “Postcard from Coeur d’Alene, ID.”

Friday, June 20: Coeur d’Alene to Dayton, WA. Routing: I-90 to Spokane, US 2 to Davenport, WA-SR 174/155 to Grand Coulee Dam, WA-SR 155 to Soap Lake and Ephrata, WA-SR 28 & 17 to Moses Lake, I-90 to Ritzville, WA-SR 261 to Washtucna and Palouse Falls State Park, WA-SR 261 and US 12 to Dayton. Approximate mileage: 350.

Highlights: Click “Postcard from Dayton, WA.”

Saturday, June 21: Dayton to Baker City, OR. Routing: US 12 to Walla Walla, WA-SR 125/OR-SR 11 to Weston, OR-SR 204 to Elgin, OR-SR 82 to Joseph, Forest Road 39/OR-SR 39 (Hells Canyon Scenic Byway) to junction with OR-SR 86, continue to Baker City. Approximate mileage: 300.

Highlights: Click “Postcard from Baker City, OR.”

Sunday, June 22: Baker City to Lincoln City, OR. Routing: OR-SR 7 (Elkhorn Scenic Byway) to Austin, US 26 (John Day Highway) to Prineville, OR-SR 126 to Sisters, US 20 and OR-SR 22 to Sublimity, OR-SR 213/214 to Silverton, OR-SR 213 to Salem, OR-SR 22/18 to Otis, US 101 to Lincoln City. Approximate mileage: 500.

Highlights: Click “Postcard from Lincoln City, OR.”

Monday, June 23: Lincoln City to Brookings, OR. Routing: US 101 to Brookings with a side trip on Cape Arago Highway to Shore Acres State Park. Approximate mileage: 350.

Highlights: Click "Postcard from Brookings, OR."

Tuesday, June 24: Brookings to Gilroy, CA. Routing: US 101 to Novato, CA-SR 37 to Vallejo, I-80/I-780/I-680 to San Jose, US 101 to Gilroy. Approximate mileage: 500.

Highlights: This was essentially a straight shot to today's destination, about half way to San Diego. The air quality was so awful, due to the numerous fires burning in northern California at the time, that we kept our stops to a minimum.

The one highlight that is worth passing along is the Loleta Cheese Factory, in the tiny burg of Loleta (pronounced "Loleeta"), located between Eureka and Ferndale. Huell Howser of California Gold fame put this place on the map, and it's a fun place for cheese tasting. We especially like their Monterey Jack cheese with crumbs of smoked salmon; there are other tasty varieties, too. They make most of their cheeses on-site, but they also carry product from other boutique cheese makers.

Loleta Cheese Factory.

We have found the route through East San Francisco Bay through Vallejo a good way to avoid traffic hassles in San Francisco. The controversial Embarcadero Freeway, that would have provided a freeway route through the congested downtown, was abandoned years ago.

Gilroy, the Garlic Capital, was just the right spot for an overnight stay. We have found two reliable establishments, a motel and restaurant, that we wound recommend. The Quality Inn and Suites, 8430 Murray Avenue, was nearly full, but they had a spacious handicap room available for the same $61 AAA discounted price as we paid two years ago for a standard room.

There were several restaurants within walking distance, but the one we enjoyed the most is the Black Bear Diner, 395 Leavesley Road. Their "A Little Less Dinner" deal for seniors still provided copious amounts of food for about $10. What was especially touching this evening was the Black Bear's serving dinner to firefighters who were involved in the serious blazes in Big Sur, not far away. Other patrons were cheering these brave fire personnel, much as we would hail troops returning from battle.

Wednesday, June 25: in Gilroy to San Diego. Routing: US 101, I-405 & I-5 Freeways. Approximate mileage: 450.

Highlights: The good continental breakfast got us off to an early start, and we made the decision to make it home today.We stopped off in Thousand Oaks for a picnic on the grounds of their beautifully landscaped civic center. The real attraction in town is the Gardens of the World, which would be most attractive in spring. We vowed to go there the next time we are in the area, preferably during a cooler time.

Some of the craziest traffic we encountered was in the San Fernando Valley; the nearest close call for us on the whole trip was here. A distracted guy on a cell phone very nearly sideswiped us while he was merging from the right; we blared our horn and he turned away at the last nanosecond!

We arrived home in mid-afternoon without further incident. A major treat awaited us: the overhead utility poles and lines were finally coming down along Pacifica Drive, after nearly nine years of waiting!

Postcard from Brookings, OR

June 23, 2008

There is much to see along the coastline between Lincoln City and the California state line; among the sights: shear coastal bluffs, quaint fishing villages, historic lighthouses, and spectacular bridges.

View south of Lincoln City.

Yaquina Head Lightouse, just north of Newport.

The fishing/resort town of Newport was especially charming. We took time to stroll the streets of Old Town Newport. The Art Deco Yaquina Bay Bridge, one of many such steel bridges along US 101 in Oregon, graced the horizon. In contrast , California typically employed reinforced concrete arches for many of its coastal bridges built during the same era (1928-38).

Yaquina Bay Bridge, Newport.

Near Yachats is the Cape Perpetua Visitor Center that features interactive displays and spectacular coastal views from its outdoor decks.

View south from Cape Perpetua.

Heceta Head Lighthouse, near Florence.

Shore Acres State Park and Botanical Garden, 89814 Cape Arago Highway, Coos Bay, was well worth the detour. The turnoff for this highway was at Charleston, another picturesque fishing village.

Scenes from the botanical garden, Shore Acres State Park.

We made a stop at Bandon, known for its cranberry-related industry. Probably the best known establishment is Cranberry Sweets and More ® where we did some sampling and shopping.

Sport and fishing boats at Bandon.

We paused in Port Orford before ending today’s drive in Brookings. From this point on, we went for value, not charm for our lodging (AAA preferred) and eating choices. We stayed at the non-descript Spindrift Motel (about $55 with coupon). We had a good Mexican dinner at Pancho’s Restaurante y Cantina, virtually across the street.

Coastal view near Port Orford.