Newport Days Two

Yesterday was another windy, biting cold wind.  We all lounged around in the morning and than took off for sightseeing.  We visited 2 lighthouses here-one the tallest and the other the only wooden one left.  Can't go in the tallest.  Around that lighthouse are millions of birds on the rocks and very noisy.  Also saw some sea lions. Than we drove to Nye Beach and had a special clam chowder they have here that has shrimp on top and some have cheese that makes like a crust.  It was very good. John & I checked out the local Walmart, Mattie liked walking on their grass.  For dinner we went to the Rogue Brewery which is near here.  We didn't get there in time for the brewery tour and John & Elmon tried out their beer and we had hamburgers.  I tried their root beer which was different but very good. Played a game of dice at our place before retiring for the evening.  Glad to hear from some of you that are reading this blog.

Newport, Oregon

It has been VERY WINDY here at this campground.  We set up and Elmon ,Pat & I walked over to Oregon State University Science Center to watch them feed the Pacific Octopus.  It was imasing to watch her eat 2 small fish and a clam as big as your fist.  She put it all in her mouth and than works on it so you don't actually see her eat it.  Our campsite is under this beautiful bridge and between the 2 jettys.  This is a fishing port and we can see the boats from here.  They fish day &  night and ship it all over.  A lot of oysters here and also crab.  Last night we went for dinner over by the harbor.  There is a fish market and restaurant together with the best gourmet foods. I had the crab cakes and they were the best I"ve eaten.  John & Pat tried fish tacos and Elmon had fish.  We drove around and just checked out the area. Have a problem with our steps now and will get a new set when we get to Portland.  The bolt sheared off and can't get anybody to fix it for several weeks.  You'd think dealers could take care of emergencys but doesn't seem like it and they all seam to be very busy.
    We remember our good friend, Paul Moorefield  taking us here many years ago and showing us around. Thats all for now, JVP

Florence, Oregon

Today we traveled 50 miles up the coast on Hwy 101 to Florence.  Our campground is in the trees and each spot is private.  We wanted to walk down to the beach but have to drive to it and not like our last beach.  It has been windy, cool in the 50's and mostly cloudy while we were here and this morning, Sunday it sprinkled a little.  Sat, we drove over towards Eugene to King Estate Winery where John had his birthday lunch.  We had nice wine and a gourmet lunch outside.  It is sunny and in the 70's here (I enjoyed the warmth.  We drove up the coast a way and saw the Heceta Head Lighthouse and below us were the seals from the Caves sunning themselves on the rocks.  I don't know how they get up on those jagged rocks, also birds nesting.  We ate dinner at a local restaurant-I had a fried platter of prawns, scallops, oysters, and fish.  Had to try the oysters as the coast is known for them.  They were pretty good fried.  We walked around Old Town today and got some things in the quaint little shops and had lunch in the Zebra Bar.  We eat a lot and not enough exercise, so not good.  We drove around and looked at the sand dunes around here.  There are some big ones between here and Coos Bay but can't see them from highway.  The dunes here go right to the ocean and it is really sandy soil for the plants and grass here. We went to Fred Meyer (Oregon's Super Walmart) and looked around, got gas and stocked up on what we need and we plan on Hamburgers for dinner but it is pretty windy and we aren't too hungry after our big lunch.  Probably a night for snacks and maybe finish up birthday cake.  Tomorrow we move up the coast about 50 miles to Newport, Oregon.  We have settled into the motor home and things are working well.  The car however still continues to have shifting problems which our dealer said nothing was wrong. Have appointment to have it looked at down the road around Portland, somewhere. That's all for now, JVP

Last Days of Coos Bay

We walked down to the beach at low tide and saw these starfish.  Also saw a crab hiding in a rock and a snail, lots of clam shells attached to the mossy rocks.  John sat on the rocks which had a beautiful pattern. We went to the house of myrtlewood and watched them making bowls and a movie on how they cut the wood(100 year old trees) and them carve them for plates, bowls, jewlery and decorative things.  We bought a beautiful salad bowl which they were just putting the lacquer on and we came back later to get it.  Also went to a cranberry candy factory and watched them making the candys and sampled so many of them.  Sun was out so we BBQ steaks.

COOS BAY

We have a great campground here with lots of room between trailers, pull throughs and 50 amp power which is important for cooking on stove for this motor home.  I LOVE my washer & dryer and have done all our wash so far in here.  We have been to the beach a lot since it is just a short distance from our camp and Mattie LOVES running on the beach and yesterday found some shelties to run with.  The tide was way out and we got to see some beautiful star fish.  We ate my Birthday dinner early at the Casino.  We went for their prime rib special but it doesn't start till June.  We had dinner at the Plank House anyway and had prime rib.  We went to movies yesterday afternoon and saw Star Trek (good).  We also went to cranberry candy factory, checked out the small mall and had Mexican Food for lunch. Well that's all for now taking showers and on the move touring. JVP

COLD AND RAINY DAYS

Well, last night was very windy and rainy here in Port Orford.  We watched the Hobbit movie in our motorhome since sight seeing was out.  The RV park invited us to a potluck.  We had huge baked potatoes in the clubhouse.  We had all kind of stuff to put on it, lots of different coleslaws, jello salads, cake, flan and such.  It was very good and nice people here.  We played a game of Play Nine with the Manes, since we had an early dinner.  We leave in the morning (50 miles up the coast to Coos Bay).  It is rather tricky getting out of here as the street is narrow, with soft evergreen trees along the side and some curves to go around in the park.

Port Orford

We are in a pull through spot and Pat & Elmon are down aways from us.  People here are friendly, a lot of navy guys here and the guy next to us grew up in Glendora.  Mattie has met a lot of dogs here to play with.  Last night it rained and we have had some sunshine today.  We went to see the Cape Blanco Lighthouse, while it was sunny.  It is the oldest operating lighthouse here in Oregon.  It was interesting to look through the lens and see the light inside.  We had dinner in and watched the movie Argo on DVD.  Today is Sunday and cloudy this morning.  We went out to the Hughes House (picture) made in  1870 by a dairy farmer.  We also visited the Historic Life Boat  Museum. They saved a lot of people in stormy weather on the coast of Oregon. The port here is interesting since they take all the boats out by hoist and put them on trailers instead of leaving them in the water. We watched several of them put on the trailers.  We ate at the Griffs (picture).  Lady told us it had good food even if it didn't look like much.  It was good!  Today Memorial Day is a blustery, rainy day so we are in motor home until it clears up which is doubtful.  If it clears up we might go further up the coast to Bandon, Oregon, for a ride.  tomorrow is a moving day. Hopefully the rain will stop for the trip. Our destination is Coos Bay, Oregon. We have a lot planned there. Hope you all have a great day and thank a Vet for their service, it is because of them that we have the freedoms that we all share. JVP