9/15/04 - Painting Class #1
Today we did some business related stuff in the morning and then packed to leave late that afternoon for the Oregon coast where my wife will take a class in Russian Zhostovo painting for the next several days. She has been doing decorative or tole painting for over a year and has looked forward to learning the Russian technique for a long time. We had hoped to have our new Newmar motor home by this weekend, but it will still be a few weeks before it is ready for us.

The packing went pretty well, considering how much stuff we took with us in our Toyota 4Runner including our three puppies and two adult Chihuahuas. The hardest part was leaving our biggest dog at home by herself which we had never done before. We left her locked in a covered 8x10 kennel with a blanket, dog house, big bowl of food and plenty of water which we had done before. But this time she will be all alone for a few days which will be hard for her. We have a couple of neighbors that will check on her periodically too.

The drive to the coast was very nice. We stopped at a Mexican restaurant in Sheridan on the way and drove most of the way down to our motel in Newport (Map) in the dark. When we got to Lincoln City my wife wanted to stop for ice cream and we found a little coffee shop which had some. It just so happened that there was a small string ensemble playing for a half dozen people. The group which was composed of a double bass, guitar and violin. We stayed for a few songs, one of which was without the guitar player who happened to break a string.

We had a little trouble finding the Waves of Newport motel (it seems there are two Coast streets in Newport) but once we checked in we found ourselves in a very clean room with a good king bed, refrigerator, microwave, coffee pot, etc. We left the puppies in the car for the night in their kennel and the two parents spent the night with us in our bed as usual.

Fishing Floats, Waldport OR

9/16/04 - Exploring the Central Oregon Coast
This morning we got up early and drove to Waldport where my wife's class is. After getting her settled in I left to explore the coast for the day. First I drove south to Yachats where i discovered Oregon Coast Garden Center along the way. Here are some photos I took at this beautiful place. I also discovered a store that sells Tole painting supplies which I'm sure my wife will be very interested in.

I discovered a few collections of fishing floats along the coast. They are very colorful and come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Here are a few examples...

As I worked my way north on Hwy 101, I stopped at many of the Oregon State Parks, taking photos and making notes of possible places to air the dogs in the days to come. Here are some photos of Siletz Bay, Smelt Sands and the Alsea Bay Bridge. The bridge was made much more interesting by the Historic Alsea Bay Bridge Interpretive Center which explained in great detail the history of Oregon, its transportation systems (especially the many coastal bridges of course), and the bridge itself which was built in the early 1900s and then rebuilt in 1991.

I stopped the World Famous Mo's Chowder at the Devils Punchbowl for lunch and then set up some portable fencing so the puppies could run around for a little while, be fed, etc. They drew quite a crowd for awhile, but then I started to get cold and decided to pack up and drive up the coast some more.

Boiler Bay Waves Crashing

I finished my trip north at Boiler Bay which is one of my favorite places on the North Oregon Coast. I spent quite awhile taking photos, some of which are presented here...

After I picked up my wife from her class we drove to the historic waterfront in Newport and walked around for awhile before deciding on a very nice little restaurant on the bay. We had an excellent dining experience at Shirley's Restaurant and a pleasant evening.

9/17/04 - Encounter With An Octopus
This morning after dropping my wife off at class I drove up to the Aquarium in Newport. I happened on this very interesting group of shops near the Aquarium.

I decided to skip the Aquarium until a time when my wife and I can go together. I did spend quite a while at the Hatfield Marine Science Center which has dozens of interesting exhibits and is affiliated with Oregon State University. Here are some photos of some small aquariums and tide pool exhibit.

Octopus at Hatfield Marine Science Center

The highlight of the experience was watching them feed a Giant Pacific Octopus. Here are some of the many photos I took of this fascinating creature swiftly capturing a crab. I didn't wait around for it to finish eating it since that takes several hours.

Near the Newport Aquarium is the South beach RV Park and harbor. Here are some photos of a Great White Heron that was fishing near there and an interesting mural. Newport has many beautiful murals, but this was unusual because of the mosaic work incorporated into the painting. I think this must have been created as a school project.

Seal Rocks on the Oregon Coast

This afternoon I spent a few hours at Seal Rocks, taking pictures, letting the puppies eat and play, etc. Here are some photos of this beautiful spot on the Oregon Coast.

In the little town of Seal Rock there are a few places that feature wood carvings. Brian McEneny's Woodcarving Gallery has some extraordinary work by many artists. Brian's Dolphin sculptures are remarkable. Here are some photos of his work and the place next door which has many lighthearted chain saw sculptures.