Catching Up---again

Circle Creek RV Park offered up a few good adventures: A hike in Ecola State Park up a steep mountain through lush green forests. This was a path that Mr. Clark of Lewis & Clark once trod; a round of golf at the Seaside Muni Course, which was halted after 9 when an onslaught of teens entered the course (to play). It was obviously the first round for many of them, so Seaside owes me nine holes—next time. Janice met the Cannon Beach historians.

After a mandatory stop at the Tillamook Cheese Factory, it was a one nighter in Lincoln City where we missed a sunset due to the staffing shortage at the restaurant we dined at. Slow to serve us and slower to get us the check. This was the replacement bistro for the now burned Dory Café.. Chowder was good, though.

The next day I departed in the rig for Florence, while Janice remained to inform the folks in Lincoln City. I had a date with Sandpines Golf Course, (over) rated as one of the best public courses in the state. Fortunately I downloaded a discount coupon on the internet and saved $40 off the standard $110 price. Nice greens, but a fairly boring course. The last 6 holes were gale-force conditions as the sea breeze moved in. Won’t be back to this one.

Finally meeting Janice after golf and filling the rig with $3.43 gas, we set up camp at Harbor Vista campground, a lane County Park (water and electricity). Good internet fix down a slot in the woods, but no TV ,which probably saved us from endless “Huuricane Ike” disaster videos. After visiting downtown Florence the next day, we decided to move out and dry camp along the waterfront, where we would be adjacent to the action at the Old Car fest over the weekend. For $22 a night, we were parked at the shore of the Siuslaw River and enjoyed watching the salmon trollers working the river. Of course, there was the matter of the $40 we had already paid at harbor Vista, but we reckoned that the crab dinner “in” would save us that much over a dinner “out.”

The car show was great, as old souped up hot-rods meticulously restored cruised the main drag Saturday night. Many geezers were reliving the good ‘ol days.

We purchased a couple of crabs and enjoyed a crab-fest in the rig, with French bread (and Chardonnay, of course). Later we sat in the front seats and just enjoyed the night-time river view as the moon rose. Janice did a gig in nearby Reedsport while I enjoyed the campsite and went for a bike ride. Very nice neighbors—Chuck and Betty Kaiser from Cottage Grove, who were also Suncruiser owners. They were battling the dead-batteries-no refrigerator blues that we suffered once in Mexico. As they departed, they were headed to Coos Bay to buy 6 volt golf cart batteries, the only way to go.

Traveling Highway 126 to Fern Ridge reservoir outside Eugene, we again enjoyed the canopy of trees covering the roadway. I commented that “Carly liked this stretch of road” to the amusement of Janice. Just one of many moments on this trip where the old yellow dog entered my thoughts.

Fern Ridge is fairly deserted except for a group of (apparent) mental patients on a camping outing, some walking the streets talking to themselves. We hope that all stay on their meds while we are here. This is also a Lane County Park, and we were credited the 2 days we abandoned at Harbor Vista. Wahoo!

Getting ready for a brief hiatus Wednesday, with Janice dropping me off in Mc Cloud for the 10th Annual Mens Mountain Golf, while she scrurries to Sacramento for a reunion with grandson Jonas.