Prologue
We visited the Oregon coast in 2007 and enjoyed it immensely. One day we stopped along the coast to look at seals and seabirds with our spotting scope. When other visitors arrived we offered them looks through our scope and explained what they were seeing. After about an hour of this, we looked at one another and said. “We could do this for a summer!” As we investigated possible volunteer positions for this summer we found one at Yaquina Head in Newport Oregon. The position entails spending 20 hours per week each on the cliffs, helping visitors understand and enjoy the nesting seabirds as well as the seals and sea lions. We will be volunteering for the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. We need to be there by May 15th so we will leave on May 2nd. It’s been kind of a rush with our recent return from Panama and Sandy’s injured foot but we got packed and we’re ready to go.
Day 1 May 2, 2009 On the Road Again
We drove 440 miles to western NY State near Rochester. An easy drive on a sunny day with very few trucks.
Day 2 May 3, 2009 To Magee Marsh and Migrating Warblers
Another easy driving day and only 320 miles. East Harbor State Park is beautiful. We sat out in the late afternoon and spotted robins, blue jays, grackles and Baltimore orioles. Nothing exotic but pretty birds none the less. We closed the day sitting by a campfire. Life is Good!
Day 3 May 4, 2009 Birding Magee Marsh
Magee Marsh is a wooded area along the shore of Lake Eire. After sitting in the coach for two days, Sandy was eager to go birding. (Dr. Hacker, please don’t read this part!). We hiked the ¾ mile boardwalk then another half mile back to the car. We stopped here last year on the way to Alaska and the birding was fantastic. It was not as good this year but we still saw dozens of bird species well as deer and beaver. We met several interesting couples along the way, many who were interested in our volunteering. One woman we met had an interesting volunteer position at the Cleveland Natural History Museum. She prepares study skins from dead birds. She spends between 4 and 24 hours collecting tissue samples and skinning the birds. Her current project is a common loon, a big bird to sample and skin. Back at the coach Sandy elevated her foot while we enjoyed another campfire, relaxing before our next two days of driving.
Day 4 May 5, 2009 Another Driving Day
Another long driving day, 435 miles with the added excitement of a flat tire on the car. Normally we would not realize the car had a flat but a passing trucker beeped and waved. Carl turned on the CB radio and the trucker called to say we were getting a flat tire on the car. Carl changed the tire at a rest area and we will get it repaired tomorrow morning. For tonight’s stop we selected a KOA where we could get a propane fill and wireless internet.
Day 5 May 6, 2009 Morning Errands and Another Driving Day
Carl got the tire repaired first thing this morning and we were on the road before ten. We were on I-80 all day, across the width of Iowa and 120 miles into Nebraska. That was 420 miles of farmland! We planned the stop here mostly to take a break from two long driving days but then discovered that this area is famous for nesting waterfowl so tomorrow we will check out the ducks.
Day 6 May 7, 2009 Rainwater Basin Wildlife Area
We chose to spend the day here since there are 12 waterfowl management areas within a 20 mile radius so it sounded like we could get to see lots of ducks and geese. Unfortunately the car would not start. Carl tried jumper cables but it would not even turn over. We called our Good Sam Emergency Road Service and got the best service ever. The tow truck arrived within 20 minutes from 20 miles away. Once the mechanics came back from lunch, the car was repaired promptly and inexpensively. While waiting for the repair, Carl visited the York, NE Museum, a large room in the community hall. The area was settled by civil war veterans who homesteaded on 160 acre tracts of land. Carl was back at the campground about 2 and we set off on our search for waterfowl. Did we mention it was very dry! The first three places we stopped had no standing water, just a large damp spot in the field. We spotted a few birds in small farm ponds but otherwise, all but one of the sites were disappointingly parched. At the best site we got coot, blue winged teal, glossy ibis, laughing gull, yellow headed blackbird and bobolink accompanied by many cows. Of course red winged blackbirds and grackles were everywhere. Sandy still can’t walk much on her sore foot but she has become expert at driving the handicapped carts at WalMart. After dinner out in York, NE we struck up a conversation with the couple in the adjacent campsite. They drive a 40 foot Phaeton with one accessory we have never seen. Attached to the outside of the coach is a 3 foot by 2 foot by 1 foot mesh cage. When they are stopped, it is clipped to the side of the coach in front of a window with a cat door in it so their three cats can sit outside while still being indoor cats. Very interesting setup.
Day 7 May 8, 2009 On to southern Wyoming
If you have read our previous journals about driving cross country, you might recall the one day of fierce cross winds each time we drove across the plains. Well, today was that day! We drove 434 miles to Laramie, WY and almost all of it was in 25 to 30 mph cross-winds. For most of the day we drove at 60 or even 55 mph to reduce the effects of the wind. This on a road posted at 75! Once in Laramie we got a site and enjoyed an evening of free WiFi with the wind still howling and occasionally jostling the coach.