Yaquina Bay

"Travel Day"...is far more than starting the ignition and driving off to the next destination. To be road ready, Hannah is dusted and wiped free of any dirt...a clean coach equals a happy driver...all coach fluids and tire pressure are checked, holding tanks are emptied and hoses cleaned and packed, cable and electric service disconnected. Next the interior. Imagine putting your home on 6 tires, driving roads with stop and go traffic, winding curves and up to speeds of 65 mph. What would you have to do to prevent precious cargo from breaking? No different here. All items are removed from counters and packed snugly in our cabinets. Plants are placed in a box to prevent toppling over. All "air space" in our refrigerator is organized with food, cans, storage containers, etc. to prevent toppling over. All drawers, cabinets and pocket doors are locked shut. Slide outs are retracted and turned off. Now then, just maybe...yes maybe...we have not overlooked anything and our coach is ready to move out.

Outdoor Resorts Pacific Shores in Newport, Oregon…self acclaimed as “The coast’s finest exclusive Motorcoach Resort” does offer stunning ocean views, pool , spa and sauna, manicured pads and very “orderly and quiet” surroundings…but falls a little short of being the best of the rest (minimum $50.00 per night and still a fee for wireless). Our perspective on this trip is that this resort is “black & white”…not the “tapestry” of colors we so much enjoy to experience while on the road. Part of the joy of being in a motorhome, is the opportunity to not only experience scenic wonders, but also to meet a rainbow of unique fellow travelers. Here we found little contact with our neighbors (we tried), who seemed to prefer to hold court in their high line coaches or sitting alone in monogrammed lawn chairs…this felt like a pre-planned community without much personality...during this visit.

But we do have some very nice takeaways from Newport. The wide, white sand strands are gorgeous and uncrowded…you are truly a lone “castaway” as you walk the shoreline. Standing alone and bold on the point of Yaquina Bay is the Yaquina Head Lighthouse, the tallest lighthouse in Oregon.

A tour around the Otter Crest Loop brought us to Cape Foulweather, a 500-foot high point named by Captain James Cook in a blustery March day in 1778. Backward leaning shore pines give witness to the 100 mph winds that still materialize along this shoreline. We could easily entertain ourselves for a week, but we now must head our nose east over the coastal range toward the Willamette Valley…next stop the…the RV Resort at Mallard Creek Golf Course in Lebanon.