Depoe Bay to Bandon, OR
Bullards Beach State Park
Distance: 134 miles
Duration: 2 nights
Cost: $29 + 8 reservation fee = $37
Weather: Sunny and upper 60s
I'm probably stating the obvious, but we absolutely love our RV road trips! After several trips (including the big two-month-long journeys in the fall), I think I've pretty much got all the planning and preparation down to a science. I have a lengthy checklist to help remind us of what to pack, but I also do a lot of food prep so I don't have to spend my evenings cooking when I'd rather relax by the fire with a glass of wine. This year we decided to skip the more rigid planning and didn't make any reservations for our return trip once we left the Manhattan Beach area. This allowed us so much more flexibility to extend (or shorten) our stays depending on how we were enjoying the location and parks, what the weather situation was like, if we had seen everything we wanted to see, and if our neighbors were loud and obnoxious or, as we discovered in Dunsmuir, a lot of fun and willing to show us their favorite spots. Another benefit to a more relaxed trip is that I didn't have to spend a lot of time booking our sites. With that said, I still relied heavily on RV Trip Wizard to map out our route and also have at least two campsites in mind, depending on how many miles we were willing to put in each travel day. But part of the fun is in the planning, right?
An Organized Mess
This trip was a little more complicated since the ultimate goal was to be in San Diego for our daughter's wedding at the end of September. In addition to our usual "camping" gear, we had to pack clothes for a week's worth of wedding events. We use a lot of tubs to store our items in the cupboards and on the bunk above the cab, but this time we also had to figure out where to stow a garment bag and small suitcase. As always, I overpacked, but we went from temps as high as 100 down to a low of 27, so we needed more than just shorts and t-shirts. The only thing we really didn't use was our rain gear. Out of the 55 days away, we only encountered 1 day of rain and that was almost all during the night. I will admit that I didn't need as many books as I packed, but it would have been nice to have the last two seasons of Game of Thrones. We watched a total of three seasons and were anxious for more!
Meal Prep Pays Off
A month or two before we get ready for a trip, I start freezing meals to take along. It's not really any extra work since I can use whatever I make for dinner and either double the recipe or simply freeze the leftovers. Soups are great for this, as well as pulled pork, ribs, stroganoff, and wings. We also grill a lot of salmon, burgers, pork tenderloin and chicken, so I stock up on all of that ahead of time so we don't have to worry about finding a grocery store if we're out in the boonies. I'm constantly amazed that the RV freezer holds as much as it does! We even have room for a small bag of ice for Rod's bourbon.
I've mentioned this helpful website in previous posts and I can't recommend it highly enough. I can figure out how many miles to our next destination, locate (and read reviews for) campgrounds and RV parks, find restaurants and local interests, calculate the cost of fuel, and archive previous trips. It's been a game-changer, as well as a huge time-saver. Love it!
We had originally planned to leave the day after Labor Day, but decided to go ahead and go on Labor Day. Traffic wasn't bad at all and the heaviest was heading north, which kind of surprised us. We had gorgeous weather and stopped for a few photos by Haceta Head and watched the whales and sea lions play in the water.
Haceta Head
Always on the lookout for a good Mexican restaurant, we decided to try El Guadalajara in North Bend (Coos Bay) for a late lunch. The restaurant, pretty much a hole-in-the-wall type of place in a small strip mall, won't win any awards for decor but it was pretty good! Too bad it's such a long drive from home.
Carne Asada Burrito
Chicken Taquitos
So much food! We wound up skipping dinner later that evening.
We made it to Bullard's Beach State Park, which is one of our favorite parks for either a quick getaway or for our first night down 101. We tried a different loop this time (C Loop) and got a nice sunny site with no neighbors on either side of us. After our huge lunch, we made sure to get in a long walk before settling in for the night.
We made it to Bullard's Beach State Park, which is one of our favorite parks for either a quick getaway or for our first night down 101. We tried a different loop this time (C Loop) and got a nice sunny site with no neighbors on either side of us. After our huge lunch, we made sure to get in a long walk before settling in for the night.
It looks like you have the prep down to a science! The photos you shared are lovely!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kathy. We always manage to forget something, but it's not usually anything important.
DeleteYou amaze me! Never, could I ever, imagine doing what you do. It does sound like fun, but I've just always been a hotel kind of gal. I did get the luxury of seeing places and states I never expected to over the years as part of extended business travel.
ReplyDeleteDiane, this has always been a dream of mine, to travel the country in a motorhome. I am so thankful that my husband shares this passion. Whether exploring big cities or national parks, I love to travel. How wonderful that you have been able to enjoy traveling as part of your work.
DeleteYou are so wonderfully organized!! I'm glad we have our big rolling suitcase (AKA our trailer) with us at all times. I'm afraid I may have lost the skill of figuring out how to pack after six-plus years of traveling fulltime, lol.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm impressed that you're winging it, with no reservations!! Were you able to get a site at Bullard's Beach without prior reservations?
Laurel, I envy you and your big rolling suitcase. We hope to do the same, someday!
DeleteAh, we did not "wing it" for the trip down to San Diego due to our specific arrival date for wedding events. So, no. We made reservations for Bullard's a few months in advance. However, there were plenty of available sites, so it probably wasn't entirely necessary. Actually, all of the places we stayed on our way south had available sites, but we didn't want to gamble on that. It's certainly much easier when you don't have to be anywhere on a specific date, though!
I'm sure your organizational skills make for smoother trips, but how wonderful you've gained enough confidence now to just leave some things open... and you even know the time/places where it's possible. I've always been a hotel gal like Diane, but traveling through Montana, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming have me thinking it might be fun to try renting an RV. It won't be happen in 2020 (thanks to our renovation) but who knows what 2021 will bring? Hope you and your family have a very happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteJoAnn, oooh! That would be so much fun for you guys to rent an RV. If you ever need any tips or recommendations, please feel free to send me a private message. Who knows, we may cross paths one of these days! :)
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