Seals at Coos bay

This is only one rock, there were many and they were all covered with sea Lions or seals.

Coos Bay Bridge

Aug 25th
We left Waldport today after spending 4 nights there. It rained most of the day on Sun. so we didn’t go to spot the whale; instead we toured the two lighthouses of Newport. One has been closed since 1874, it only operated for 3 years because of the location the light was not as visible as it needed to be, so they built another one a few miles north and it is still working. We climbed the 110 steps to the top to see the Fresnel lens flash two seconds on, two seconds off, two seconds on and fourteen seconds off then repeats it signature. These were called Yaquina Bay and Yaquina Point Lighthouses.
We also learned about the Bridges that we’ve been crossing coming down highway 101.
They are spectacular and most of them were designed by Conde B McCullouch and built from 1927- 1936. Oregon is paying special attention to them to preserve them; everything out here near the sea really takes a beating! We ate on the dock again, this time at Rouge brewery where we both had Halibut.
This morning we moved south about 30 miles to Florence to Sutton National Recreation area. The campsites here are wooded and we are about ½ mile from the shore. We have electricity but no water or sewer. I guess we’ll see if we can make it for 8 nights. We didn’t want to move with Labor Day coming up as we were afraid we wouldn’t be able to find a campsite, and it won’t be hard to take 8 days on the beach! This Golden Pass is the best thing about getting old, only $12.00 a night.
This part of the shore changes drastically. We have gone from rocks to sand dunes. After we arrived here today we went north again to perpetua point, We were lucky to be there while there were several gray whales spouting, and we had the perfect view point!
26th
Again today we traveled north back up to Perpetua Point, We had seen a shiny airstream parked in a campground along the ocean, and it looked like the one we have just purchased (after the rehab, of course), Norm wanted to see inside so we were looking for the owners, we found them, a very nice couple with 2 girls from Portland. It was a 26’ and ours is a 22’. After the tour, which gave me a smidgen of hope, we went to the tide pools at Perpetua. It was a high low tide so we didn’t get to see as much as we had the times at seal rock, but we still saw lots of star fish and some sea anomies. More great views and home to Casey’s coach.
27th
We woke up to rain again, but it cleared and got beautiful in the afternoon. We spent the day at the sand dunes on the beach. What a change in beach.
28th
Today we headed south 60 -70 miles to Coos Bay. Rt101 breaks away from the coast between Florence and Coos Bay, and the area next to the ocean is Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. Going south we stopped at Winchester Bay where the Umpqua River flows into the ocean. There are lots of RV sites all around the harbor. From there we continued to Coos Bay. We found the ocean loop which was just delightful. We’ve never seen so many sea lions and seals. Norm guessed there were at least 1000!
29th
Today looked like the perfect beach day, so we decided to spend a day just soaking in the sun, but Oregon weather can change in an instant and when we got there the mist was so thick you couldn’t see the water for low clouds or mist. The breeze was cold too! Inland it was sunny. We went to watch the sand dune buggies climb the dunes.
The firat picture is of our new trailer. and the second of the older lighthouse at Newport.
Hope all is well with you. the summer has flown by, can;t beleave it's Labor Day weekend. Lois

Oregon Coast












Tillamook air museum

Kite Festival at Long Beach Washington

Fort Clatsop, Lewis and Clark

Aug 21,
We have moved to Cape Discovery State Park near Long Beach Washington.
We were hoping to get to see the largest kite festival in the states, BUT it has rained both days and we are giving up. We went to the beach twice, today it had stopped raining and we took Mickey. Till we got there the rain was starting and people were running off the beach. We walked out anyway thinking it would soon stop. We are both soaked and I finally gave up when I looked at Mickey and he was soaked and shaking, We have come back to the motorhome and will be driving south along the Oregon Coast.
WOW! What a beautiful coast! We didn’t get too far for stopping and picture taking. We stopped and toured the Tillamook Cheese Factory. We have toured cheese factories before but this was by far the largest of the ones we have seen. They also make butter and ice cream. Of course we tried three flavors, Blackberry, blueberry cheesecake, and Oregon berry. We also toured the Clatsop National Park, which is mainly the area around the fort built by Lewis and Clark, with a Lewis and Clark museum covering their time here in northern Oregon and Washington. We drove out to the Tillamook Air Museum which was a Blimp factory for World War 2, but we didn’t go in as we had just toured the Boeing air museum and they had a lot of the same thing.
Aug 23
We are now at a small coastal town called Waldport. We are at a passport park, a marina where most of the campers are here for fishing. Everyone has a freezer sitting on their site, and they post the catches of the day on a blackboard. We will be here 4 nights exploring both north and south of here before we move south about 35 miles to Florence OR. We have been exploring tide pools, seeing lots of large starfish, sea anemones, seal and sea lions. SOO much fun! Tomorrow we are going to try to spot whales, and hopefully find more great tide pools to explore.
The towns are all special I especially liked Newport where we spent some time down at the fishing docks talking to the sea lions.
I’ll have to send extra pictures this timeLois

-17-08
Hello,
We have finally left Lacy after a few more lovely days spent touring the area. On the 12th we took a road trip to the ocean, the sun was shining when we left Lacy but clouds and drizzle soon overcame as we got nearer to the ocean! We stopped at an interpretive center and a great junk store where we stocked up on chotskies, CHEAP!!!
On the 13th we took in the museum of Art, History, and Glass, in Tacoma, and had a lovely lunch on the water at Woodies. Our neighbor and fellow Airstream artist Mike
Depradia came along to keep us company.
We arrived at Big Fir Campground, about100 miles south of Lacy, on the 14th. On the 15th we toured the Pendleton plant in Walshougal, WA, The plant was on shut down but we had a very nice tour with just us and the guide. There was an outlet store there where I found a light sweater, but no bargains on their lovely National Park Blankets. We left there and continued down the Columbia River, stopping at the Bonneville Dam and Salmon and Hatchery. The Salmon are running and we got to sit in the counting room where someone counts and identifies every one that comes up the ladder. She sits in front of a window where she can view each one. We stopped to buy some fresh caught salmon from the Indians where we crossed the river at The Bridge of the Gods, onto the Oregon side and drove the scenic highway stopping at Multnomah Falls, which is the second highest falls in the US, at 620 feet, and several other beautiful water falls and lookouts.
On Saturday we were off to the mountains, the one that blew its top in 1984. Last time we were in Washington we drove the Windy Ridge side where you get the best view of the blow out, but this time we went to the south side of Mt St Helens and climbed into a Lava Tube named Ape cave in honor of Bigfoot who the locals around here are still seeing!! It is 12810 feet long, we walked about 1,1/2 miles in it and it was pitch black in there, we had to rent a lantern to see. It was 100 degrees outside and 42 in the cave. Every lake and stream we passed was full of tubers and people enjoying the water.
Today we went into Portland to the downtown market and rose gardens. They smelled heavenly! Well that it for now they’ll soon kick me out of this coffee shop.
Lois

8-9-08
Hello,
We are winding up another week in Lacy Washington at the Potlatch and Salmon rally.
It has been a great time, and to be sure they fed us too well! We went to the Boeing flight museum. I tried a ride in the XJ5 flight simulator (quite stimulating!!) Did flips and nose dives. We also went through President Eisenhower’s Air force 1, the Concord, and saw lots of other air history. Today is the final full day and it will end with a salmon bake and entertainment with door prizes which have been very nice so far. I won a black and white hand made afghan that looks good in the coach. They cook the salmon outside on a large grill. I must add that their kitchen is very well equipped; it leaves ours at TR in the dust. They have large warming ovens and lots of roasters.
We avoided a disaster Thursday night. I was on the computer and Norm was sleeping on the couch when I heard water running, at first I ignored it as I thought he got up to go to the bathroom, but when it kept up I turned around and saw he was still sacked out on the couch. Turned out when I went back we had a flood with water from the back of the potty spraying a good stream of water all directions. If we hadn’t been at home to shut the water off it could have really been BAD. Norm was able to take the potty apart and replace the valve and seal. It is a plastic valve and cost us $61.00! What a rip, but I guess when you play you pay, and I’m just glad Norm could do the labor.
Norm is doing massages today and tomorrow here at the park, it is cool and cloudy today. I’m watching Olympics, and catching up on wash and blog. Just got back from a poker run, (not even a pair).
For the airstreamers reading this, we highly recommend this rally if you want to see the area. At first I wasn’t impressed with the park but the longer we stayed the better it got. We found a great grove to walk the dogs and the people couldn’t have been nicer. The last 3 days entertainment has been first class and the food was great, and it is a bargan!!
We have another announcement to make, we are now the owners of a 1956 22 foot Airstream trailer, we don’t even know much about, not even the type or for sure the size! A little crazy ehh! Our kids are picking it up for us in PA and we won’t see it till spring.
Sounds like a lot of work to me but Norm will take it to Fla and it will be his next project. Till next time , be well.
Lois