Trip Report

Thirty youthful Obsidians enjoyed a 440 mile trip through Southwestern Oregon, with an overnight stay at Gold Beach. Following some back roads, our leader Ewart Baldwin knows by heart, we visited some out-of-the way places as Remote, Broadbent, Gaylord, and the famous town of Powers. Stopped by Elk Creek Falls, which are a surprises one beauty coming down over curved rock right along side the road. Surprise! Ewart tells us there are more up a short trail! And he was right. Two small ones and one massive one, little seen by travelers. We stopped on what is left of Illahee on the Rogue, and looked across the river to Agness, famous for the mail boat run, chicken, and antiques. Saw the clear blue Illinois River join the brown Rogue at this spot, with Osprey overhead. Down to Gold Beach, which is one long main street, and walks on the beach and in town.

Up the coast through Port Orford, Sixes, Denmark, Langlois, with geology and history described by Ewart along the way. Stopped at Whiskey Creek for lunch, where Frances Newsom and Grace Smith got caught (temporarily) by one of those larger than usual waves we often hear about. Cheese factory at Bandon closed (Sunday). Stopped off here at the South Jetty where Ewart showed us garnets in the rocks; anyone could have his own. Stopped in at formal gardens at Shore Acres north of Coos Bay, which were beautiful. Formerly the ground of an early lumberman, Lewis Simpson. And home in good season by way of Reedsport, seeing steelhead fishermen on the Umpqua River.

Busing along with driver Don Moorehead were Ewart (leader) and Margaret Baldwin, Mary Bridgeman, Riva Dildine, leader Bill Eaton, Jane Hilt, Art and Lillian Johnson, K.C. and Florence Kraft, Elwina Meachum, Frances Newsom, Ruth Nichols, Daisie Niccolls, Pat and Janice Pattison, Bonita Richard, Lois Schreiner, Grace Smith, Cliff and Hazel Stalsberg, Betty Stamm, Mary Douglass Stovall, Ruth Williams, Mac and Nellie McWilliams, Myrtle Smith, Paula Vehrs, Dorothy Leland and Mildred Weatherby.