Trip Report
Thirty-eight Obsidians and friends spent two interesting days on their trip to Bandon. Departed Eugene at 8 a.m. on a Willamette Valley Stage Line bus with Don Moorehead as driver. Traveled via Drain, west to Reedsport, then south on Hwy 101. Stopped briefly at Windy Cove, then drove through Umpqua Lighthouse State Park to the lighthouse which was built in 1894 but whose light was just restored in January 1985. Then to North Bend, to Charleston on Cape Arago Road, and the Seven Devils Road to Whiskey Run Creek with turn off to the windmill "farm" where we were met by Nancy Hougland, PP & L District Manager, who described the windmills and their operation. Twenty-five windmills with 80 foot towers operate when wind is blowing more than 11 mph and less than 40 mph. They began producing electricity in December 1983.
Returned to Seven Devils Road and continued a short distance to Hwy 101, arrived in Old Town Bandon at noon and boarded the Sternwheeler "Bold Duck" for a delightful two hour cruise on the Coquille River. The narrator pointed out places of historical and cultural interest. We ate our sack lunches on the boat. After the boat trip the bus took the participants to motels at Windermere and The Inn at Face Rock, about two miles south of Old Town. Our bus provided "taxi service" from motels to Old Town for sightseeing and shopping, for dinner at restaurants, and for Friday morning shopping. Popular spots were Cranberry Sweets and Bandon Cheese factory.
Friday we departed to West Coast Game Park seven miles south of Bandon. It is said to be the largest privately owned and operated exotic animal petting park to the nation. A baby spotted leopard was a favorite. Returned to Bandon at 1 p.m. to take route 425 through Riverton to Coquille, then route 42 through Norway, Myrtle Point, Bridge, Remote (stopped to see covered bridge over Sandy Creek - bridge recently restored and painted, picnic tables inside and out for a day picnic area), Camas Valley, then north to Ten Mile (vineyard near Reston) to Lookingglass to see 133 year old store, manhole cover, and parking meter (disappointed to find that parking meter had been dismantled and placed on wall inside the store). On to Roseburg where we had a short tour of the Umpqua Community College campus, then took old Hwy 99 through Winchester, Wilbur, Sutherlin to Oakland where we stopped to see the old town and have refreshments at Tolly's. Arrived in Eugene at 6:30 p.m.
The weather was sunny and pleasant but very windy at the coast for bussers Lois Baker, Elene Barker, Carlene Beck, Evelyn Blackwell, Ingrid Carmichael, Sophie Christopher, Clair Cooley, Euphemea Culp, Jan Gund, Virginia DeMers, Hilda Downer, Minnie Foskett, Harriet Friday, Bette Hack, Lois Hammond, Laura Hayes, Mary Hayes, Vera Heidenreich, Beatrice Hill, Jane Hilt, Gladys Jenkins, Elwina Meacham, Cleora Mersdorf, Lois Person, Frances Ness, Daisis Niccolls, Janice Pattison, Bonita Rickard, Wilma Simonsen, Grace Smith, Mary Smith, Hazel Stalsberg, Robert Walden, Ada Woberg, Mildred Weatherby, LaVerne Frazier and leaders Lillian Johnson and Frances Newsom. - Frances Newsom
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