Drove South from Bothel on I-405 to Seattle and then continued South on I-5 past Tacoma and Olympia. With heavy traffic on 4 lane highway could have used Nancy’s Rescue Remedy. Got off of I-5 at Longview and crossed over the Columbia River into Oregon (huge stockpiles of timber along the Columbia waiting shipment.) Then continued West on State Route 30 to Astoria. We were held up on 30 for over an hour as at the top of a long grade a pick-up pulling a trailer caught on fire and burned in the center of the road. Nobody was hurt and the delay isn’t so bad in an RV – you can go to the bathroom and walk around or watch TV.
Arrived in Astoria which is the oldest settlement West of the Mississippi and named for John Jacob Astor who had established a fur trading post here. The Columbia River (4 miles wide at Astoria) meets the Pacific at Astoria and the clash between the huge flowing River and the Pacific creates some of the most treacherous maritime waters in the world.
We clamped at the Astoria / Seaside KOA. Great park for kids with tons of activities to entertain all day long. Sites are gravel and while long (80′) nothing to write home about (6 out of 10 – space 313). Free pancakes every morning.
