Trip Report: Washington State Camping

[TromboneAl]

Click here for a journal (with photos) of our recent camping trip in Washington State.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Gorgeous pictures, Al.

Ever considered the RV thing? There's an active topic going on about that, and we are looking at the possibility down the road.

 

[CyclingInvestor]

Looks like a fun trip. Great pictures.

 

[free4now]

Thanks for the trip report!

 

[unclemick]

Very nice Al - very nice.

But I still ain't moving back - no matter how much my sister extolls the place(WA that is).

Great place to visit in summer though.

heh heh heh heh heh

 

[Nords]

Click here for a journal (with photos) of our recent camping trip in Washington State.

Looks like a great trip!

Did I miss the punchline, or is your daughter OK?

 

[TromboneAl]

But I still ain't moving back -

Good choice. The traffic around the Seattle Tacoma area was horrendous. Bumpy, noisy roads, big trucks. Yuck. Strip malls as far as the eye can see. I apologize for those of you who live there, but whoa.

Did I miss the punchline, or is your daughter OK?

Yes, she's fine. It only takes minor damage to total a car that cost her $2K. In fact, this is how it's worked out. She buys the car at the start of the summer for $2K. A guy backs into her in a parking lot, she gets a check for 1.5K from the insurance company and decides not to fix it. Then she gets rear ended, and the car is totaled. But the tow truck guy makes it drivable by pulling out the fender. She buys it back for $300 and gets a $1.4K check from the insurance.

Now she can just take it to the junk yard when school starts, and she'll have had a free car!

 

[JWV]

Yes, she's fine.  It only takes minor damage to total a car that cost her $2K.  In fact, this is how it's worked out.  She buys the car at the start of the summer for $2K.  A guy backs into her in a parking lot, she gets a check for 1.5K from the insurance company and decides not to fix it.  Then she gets rear ended, and the car is totaled.  But the tow truck guy makes it drivable by pulling out the fender.  She buys it back for $300 and gets a $1.4K check from the insurance.

Now she can just take it to the junk yard when school starts, and she'll have had a free car!

She's on her way to FI!! Just hope she doesn't get injured on the way..

Judy

 

[Sheryl]

Looks like a great trip Al - you covered more of WA in six days than I have all summer. You are the third person I've heard recently mention how there has been no problem finding campsites at places that used to be packed every summer. I guess it's true that camping is becoming less popular. Did you find generally there was no problem getting sites?

 

[Eagle43]

Great photos. Looks like you had a good trip. I wouldn't get in that cold water stream. It makes everything shrivel!

 

[TromboneAl]

Did you find generally there was no problem getting sites?

Yes, there was no problem. But we started camping on a Sunday and our last night was a Thursday. Because I've been conditioned to worry about getting a site, we would get to the campground between 10 AM and Noon. But none of the places filled up. The Ocean City State Park even had some sites available on Friday night.

Our main problem was too many sites to choose from.

Ever considered the RV thing?

Our mileage during the week of camping was 45.9 MPG. Our tent cost $100.

 

[Dawg52]

Nice trip! How cold did it get at night?

 

[TromboneAl]

Never got cold enough. I'd say 50 degrees at night. Coldest was maybe 45 at the ocean.

I usually had my sleeping bag totally unzipped, and I was too hot (it's a summer weight Northface down bag (see photo)). I sleep best if it's so cold that you have to zip up all the way with your head inside. Here's a shot from a trip a while ago:

 

[Dawg52]

Thats pretty cool to me. I would love to have some 45-50 temps this time of the year. I camped out several years ago on a mountain in Colorado during the summer. I couldn't wait for the sun to come up as I was freezing my a$$ off. It may have only been in the 40's but to a southern boy use to warm temps during the summer, it seemed cold.

 

[larry]

Gorgeous pictures, Al.

Ever considered the RV thing? There's an active topic going on about that, and we are looking at the possibility down the road.

Where's the link to that topic RIT? We're prolly gonna do the RV thing in 1-2 years and are starting to plan.

 

[Martha]

Where's the link to that topic RIT?  We're prolly gonna do the RV thing in 1-2 years and are starting to plan.

http://early-retirement.org/forums/index.php?topic=9153.0

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Where's the link to that topic RIT? We're prolly gonna do the RV thing in 1-2 years and are starting to plan.

Here it is.

 

[Sheryl]

Looks like you have the same tent we do - is it Sierra Designs Meteor Lite?

 

[TromboneAl]

No, it's an REI -- but perhaps Sierra Designs made it for REI.

We've had it 14 years and used it a lot and it is still as good as new.

 

[Dreamer]

Looks like you had a great trip. Gorgeous scenery! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Caroline]

Yes, she's fine. It only takes minor damage to total a car that cost her $2K. In fact, this is how it's worked out. She buys the car at the start of the summer for $2K. A guy backs into her in a parking lot, she gets a check for 1.5K from the insurance company and decides not to fix it. Then she gets rear ended, and the car is totaled. But the tow truck guy makes it drivable by pulling out the fender. She buys it back for $300 and gets a $1.4K check from the insurance.

LOL -- I paid for a semester of college that way! But I didn't risk life or limb to do it -- just loaned my poor little car to my sister, first, and then to my boyfriend!

But seriously -- great pictures -- thanks for sharing. Made me jealous!

 

[TromboneAl]

I heard of someone who would park his car at a very difficult intersection, so that he could collect insurance payments when people hit it.