Whalers Rest Resort (Thousand Trails) Newport, OR

Monday, June 18 - Packed up and left Florence, OR to drive US 101 on the coast to Newport, OR and Whalers Rest Resort. The lush green forests, rugged cliffs, impressive sand dunes and vast sandy beaches are breathtaking. The park has a new section that we decided to stay in after traversing rutted dirt and gravel road in the old park. The ranger said that the site was occupied, but the people were leaving. When we saw the location of the site, we decided to go further and lucked out with this site having all the amenities. Although it is tight for the RV, truck, and motorcycle.

Ray went to a seminar in the park on RV maintenance and found out a lot of information and we have to make an appointment to have the guy that gave the seminar come out and do an overall inspection of our coach since it has been almost a year. For $60 he will not only check our major appliances, but give us an overall inspection and answer any questions we may have.

Ray took off to get beautiful sunset pictures.

Tuesday, June 19 - So far Verizon air card has two bars and working. The park WiFi does not work at our location, but is available in the club houses. Ray is out riding on the bike to check out the area for a couple of hours. It is beautiful here and so close to the coast that our drive over in the RV was breathtaking, but we could not stop for pictures, of course.
We took a walk on the beach at Lost Creek State Park nearby around 9AM and we were the only people at the park until a young couple arrived to let their dogs run on the beach (two beautiful golden retrievers and they loved the water). Mitzy surprised us when she ran on the sand and wanted to smell all the new smells and kept on running. I could barely keep up with her. No, we can’t trust her without a leash. The rocks and pebbles are smooth from the constant ebb and flow of the tides. It was beautiful! Beachcombing is a thrill here because the beaches must be 300 yards flat out with the tides low in the mornings. The ocean was rather quiet and the waves were minimal, so the boats were out fishing. Newport (15 minutes away from the park) has a beautiful port and two major marinas that we plan to explore, eat dinner there, etc.
The days are sunny and high around 60, nights go to 45, loving life. We are on a site in the new section and all the RV sites are tiered so you don’t see your neighbors with all the foliage between us. We can hear the ocean when we are outside, but can’t see it due to all the trees.
The guy that did our seminar came over to inspect our hot water heater and drain it. Showed Ray things that he can do himself on an "as needed" or annual basis.
Picture of lighthouse off in distance is Yaquina Bay Lighthouse. Active from 1871-1874. Relighted in 1996.

Yaquina Bay Bridge

Waves usually strike beaches at an angle rather than head-on to create an off-shore flow known as the longshore current. This current travels parallel to the shore and, like a conveyor belt, moves sand along the coastline. The longshore current changes direction seasonally due to changes in the prevailing wind, transporting sand northward in winter and southward in summer. The movement of sand can create shifting sandbars at harbor entrances that pose hazard to navigation. Jetties diffuse the powerful action of waves and current, and by interrupting the movement of sand, they help keep harbor entrances open for vessel traffic.
Historic bayfront home to one of the largest commercial fishing fleets on the Oregon Coast. Every day, the fleet goes out to sea, returning with bounty that will give you a whole new definition of the word “fresh”. Shrimp, oysters, crab, salmon and other wonders of the deep.
Six beaches open to the public with no crowds, and plenty of sun, surf, and sand.
The birds like the Swainson’s thrush, passerines, wrentit, Anna’s hummingbird, woodpeckers, chickadees, mergansers, snipes, kingfishers, harlequin ducks, grebes, scaup, scoters, loons, bufflehead, are all known to this area.
Ttsunami warning signs. We became familiar with the signs and what they meant. When you feel the earth shacking, go to higher ground. If you feel the ground shake, it means the earthquake is close and there is no time to wait. Always be prepared. It may be the impending signs of tsunami. Although a tsunami cannot be predicted, the authorities along the Oregon Coast have taken measures to alert residents and guests of safe places to go if it seems a tsunami might be imminent. The signs show the way to evacuation routes. The warning sirens tone is different from a fire siren and will continue for a longer period of time. The signs also tell you when you are entering or leaving a tsunami zone. An earthquake may be felt. Large quantities of gas may bubble to the waqter surface and make the sea look as if it’s boiling. The water in the waves may be unusually hot. The water may smell of rotten eggs (hydrogen sulfide) or of petroleum or oil. The water may sting the skin. A thunderous boom may be heard, followed by a roaring noise, as that of a jet plane; a noise akin to the thumping of helicopter blades; or a whistling sound. The sea might recede to a considerable distance. A flash of red light might be seen near the horizon. As the wave approaches, the top may glow red.
Wednesday, June 20 - Woke up to an overcast day and chilly 52 degrees at 9:30 am.
Ray’s Reflections: Seaside, OR turned out to be a big small town and mostly tourist oriented. Nice wide beach with rock cliffs both north and south. In June, the business area and the beaches are very busy with mostly tourists. No one was in the water, so it must be cold. Many kites are in the air in all sizes and shapes. There is almost always a gentle breeze on the coast. Once again I picked a twisty, winding road on the GPS and rode the bike south on Rt. 53 through beautiful forests. The road was great for bikers, only passed two vehicles and lumber truck and van in over 30 miles. A lot of cut timber and newly planted tree areas. Had a very pleasant ride.
I also rode to Astoria and across the Columbia River’s high steel bridge on US 101 into Long Beach, WA. On the north side of the river, almost four miles wide at this point, there were many fishermen along the highway with their long 10-12 ft. poles fishing from the river bank. Cape Disappointment State Park on the Washington side was a neat park to ride. A lot of very heavy vegetation covered the hills and the roads were full of winding turns. The small town of Iwaco is a fishing village just inside the mouth of the river protected by the bluffs of the cape. The harbor looked like a picture in a magazine. This ride on US 101 for the most part was fast and comfortable.
We took a drive into Newport Old Town and walked the streets and ate dinner at Port Dock

One Restaurant & Lounge. We watched the fish docks and the boats returning home, some with a catch went to the docks and unloaded. Too bad a cold front was coming in and there was no sun out as it would have been a great picture. Of all things, the restaurant was out of crab cakes, which is why I wanted to eat there in the first place. Oh well. Ray had the Captain’s Seafood Plate, which was acceptable. I liked the grilled halibut.

Famous bridge in Newport Harbor “Port of Newport – Dock 7”

We took a lot of pictures around Newport Old Town. Until 1936, ferries shuttled people and vehicles to and from Newport’s waterfront. With the completion of the Yaquina Bay Bridge that year, however, traffic bypassed the old town area. Commerce and development moved to the highway corridor, and the Bayfront faded in importance. Within the last couple of decades, the pendulum has swung back, and the Bayfront District is now one of Newport’s prime attractions, with some of its best restaurants and watering holes, shopping, and tourist facilities. One of the first things that’ll strike you about the Bayfront today is that it’s still a working neighborhood, not a sanitized re-creation of a real seaport. Chowderhouses, galleries, and shops stand shoulder to shoulder with fish-processing plants and canneries, and the air is filled with the cries of fishmongers purveying wharfside walkaway cocktails and the harmonious discord of sea lions and harbor seals. On the waterfront, sport anglers step off charter boats with their catches, and vessels laden with everything from wood products to whale-watchers ply the bay. Unfortunately, the severe catch limits and cost of equipment make this less of a working port every year. In deference to the Oregon commercial fisherman and other endangered species, wall murals memorialize fishing boats and whales here on the Bayfront.

Mitzy all grown up and 16 lbs, instead of the

10 lbs we expected.

Did you know that US 20 starts in Newport, Oregon and ends in Cape Cod? ...

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