Trip Report
We boarded the Experience Oregon bus at 8:00 a.m. at Valley River Center and headed up the Northwest Expressway and Hwy. 99W. We stopped at Awbrey Park in Corvallis for Marian Kloster’s delicious cinnamon rolls, coffee and the leader’s cookies. We arrived in Newport under cloudy skies but it was very mild (almost coatless all day) and no wind and we didn’t have rain (perhaps my luck is changing!). A very happy-go-lucky group of people who rapidly entered into enjoying the day. We arrived at the tide pools at Yaquina Head but alas no one to open the gate (as promised), so we went back to the Interpretive Center a short distance away and toured this; it is well worth a trip. It has lots of information about the tide pools as well as the history of the light house, built in the 1870s. There is even a simulated lighthouse complete with flashing light. There are two movie theaters with continuous shows. We returned to the tide pools and a BLM agent there gave a short talk and opened the gate (they will not let large buses down there). The tide was coming in but we saw some sea life. This area was formerly a rock quarry which was blasted away so the area is now sea level and is wheel-chair accessible with side walks and ramps. We arrived at the Sylvia Beach Hotel about 12:30 and entered the Table of Contents Room on the lower level with ocean views for everyone. We were served a gourmet lunch, family style, complete with salad pasta, homemade bread, coffee and a delicious chocolate mousse with strawberry base. The hotel has been named a historic place on the Oregon Coast and is very popular. Our group was allowed to explore it and look into several rooms, all of which are decorated and named for famous scholars. We left about 2:00 and drove south, stopping at the Triad and Earthworks art galleries. The Triad was designed by Glen Howard Small and the building is a traffic stopper with the rolling lines reflecting the movement of the ocean. Earthworks is close to Yachats and has a wonderful display and collection of glass (Frances and Rosella found glass eggs to add to their collection). We arrived home at 5:30.
Our driver was Bud Kloster of Experience Oregon, who is an expert at maneuvering the small bus and is very helpful to the leader in locating every place. He is a real gem. The fun-loving group was: Rita Baxter, Rich Bentsen, Ingrid Carmichael, Mary Lee Cheadle, Clair Cooley, William Eaton, Margaret Fea, Lucy Fleischman, Dora Harris, Herman Hendershott, Cecily Joost, Rosella Jones, Dodie Leppmann, Marie Loome, Frances Newsom, Liz Reanier, Kathleen Schlenker, Edna Robertson, June Smith, Janet Speelman and leaders Bette Hack and Mary Bentsen.
