Fri. Sept 27, 2013 - Stormy off day

We had the use of Jack's Crabbing equipment for today, but high tide was about 5 in the afternoon, and by then it was gusty windy and raining, so we did not go.  We went to the library in the AM,

the took a break for lunch at the Chowder Bowl in the cure beach neighborhood of Nye Beach.

 

the after lunch coffee, and back to the library until it was time to go home and hunker down in our cozy home on wheels.  I went up to the Hospitality Center to chat for a few minutes with Wendy,

 

the Host on duty who was all alone due to the bad weather.  She and her husband are full-timers, and have been at this park for three months.  She is getting ready to drive south to Disneyland to try and get a gob there for the Christmas season.  Interesting life.

 

Thurs. Sept 26, 2013 - Gone Crabbing

The rain is gone and it is another beautiful day. After our three yurts, mike went crabbing with neighbor Jack

at the fishing pier in the south side of the Yaquina Bridge in the Yaquina Bay - a
short 5 minute drive from the campground.

They came back with two red crabs

 

which we ate with salad and cole slaw at the picnic table outside after dark.  We had a roaring fire and talked for quite a while - well, actually Jack talked - he is hard of hearing, so doesn't really hear many of our responses, but he is a good story teller.

Wed. Sept 25, 2013 - Scotch Broom

                                                         Today was a beautiful day. 

We had only three yurts, so after they were done,

 

I went back out to the boardwalk 

 

 to take a look at the boardwalk that Mike and I cleaned up last Thursday before the weekend storm.

 

and enjoy the view of the ocean and south jetty in the distance.

 

Finally, I took the golf cart to a patch of scotch broom along the incoming park road and used the root puller tool the park has to pull the invasive weed for about an hour.  My pile is big, but there are many more still growing in the area.  Clearly, it is an ongoing project.

 

Tues. Sept 24, 2013 - Host Appreciation BarBQ

Today was another rainy day, and it was pouring down at 11:30 when we all showed up at the Beaver Creek Natural Area

for the annual Volunteer Appreciation BarBQ. 

Gratefully, they were able to cook in the garage out back,

 

and we all ate inside.  It cleared up while we were there, and we went back to do our three yurts a little later than normal in the afternoon.

Mon. Sept 23, 2013 - Monday Night Football

Worked in AM, then did 4 yurts.  This time of month they want us to flip the mattresses, so it took longer.  We did not stop for lunch, so ate an EARLY dinner for leftover jambalya,

then went to the local Rogue Brewery

 

right next to the Yaquina Bay pleasure craft harbor

 

 

 

and the Yaquina Bay bridge

 

to watch Monday Night Football.

 

 

 

 

Sun. Sept 22, 2013 - wind and rain storm

Campers left early today to beat the rain. We both went for runs this AM ( mike does most every day)  then we cleaned six yurts. The sun broke out for a short while this evening, but we stayed in - Mike cooked jambayla with fresh bay shrimp from Yaquina Bay for dinner.

Sat. Sept. 21, 2013 - Depoe Bay Salmon Bake festival

Today we drove north about 17 miles to Depoe Bay - a small costal town known for whale watching.

We didn't see any, but we enjoyed the coast

and the rough seas crashing

 through the blow hole - splashing water up onto Hwy 101.

Then we walked a short distance through town

 

to the 18th annual native American style Salmon Bake festival. 

 

Each pole surrounding the fire holds an entire salmon....

which was delicious.  We ate it with garlic bread and coleslaw under a tent nearby

while watching the traditional native American dancers.

Fri. Sept 20, 2013 - full moon

Today was an off day, so we worked in the library.  Mike went to the harbor to get some fresh bay clams for dinner, then we took our first nighttime walk out to the beach along the boardwalk to celebrate the full moon.

Thurs. Sept 19, 2013 - Shoveling sand

Today we only had two yurts, so after we were finished, we took a broom and shovel out to the end of the boardwalk to shovel off the incoming sand. We heard comments like  "job security"  and "big job" from the passers by.

This is looking back toward the campground beyond the first row of trees.

 

 

  The dune hill to the right is the windbreak between the park and the ocean.  It keeps blowing sand in from beach.  Keeping the boardwalk clear a hopeless task, since the wind, sand and ocean are constantly moving in, but it doesn't hurt to try - to keep a path clear for wheelchairs and walkers.

 

 

 

Wed. Sept 18, 2013 - Things we like about South Beach State Park

Fog Horn and barking seals in the distance
1/4 mile bike path to the beach
Excellent internet at our site
Short drive to town for supplies
Campfires with the wood harvested from cleaning the yurts
Large campsite on the main road with lots of foot traffic to watch go by
Meeting the other camp hosts....

Tonight I made a crop pot of lentil soup and salad and we invited Jack to join us.  He is parked right next door.  His host sign says Jack and Alberta, but Alberta passed away in January - we heard the story during dinner.  Jack must be in his 70's, but has a long history of volunteering here, so wanted to come back as usual even if it is alone.  I know he cannot cook, because he asks me things like "how long to cook a baked potato in the microwave" and "how long to defrost a frozen meat pattie in the microwave before cooking it.  I felt compelled to invite him to dinner and he said "SURE!"

Tues. Sept 17, 2013 - Huckleberries and Scotch Broom

Believe it our not - today was a zero yurt day.  There were only 4 yurts to clean in the whole park, and the rangers gave them all to another host.  We were assigned the task of litter picking in the day use area and along the trails.  Perfect for us!  To celebrate, we did the day use area in the morning, them went in to Newport for a delicious fish taco lunch at one of the harbor restaurants we've had our eye on. 

Then back to the park to do the trails.  There is very little litter here, so we took containers and picked huckleberries which are in full ripeness and very plentiful in the park and along the beach trails

 

The greens in front of the pail with huckleberries is scotch broom - the invasive plant that is crowding out the native plants over a great wide area.  Eric has been chasing it in his job with the National Forest Service in Truckee and Nevada City for several years, so I was interested in helping out here.  Every little bit counts.

Mon., Sept 16, 2013 - five Yurts today

Just in case you forgot - here is the inside of a Yurt

Which received the standard excellent cleaning job by us

 

despite the unusual gift left by the vacating guest:)

and Mike in action with the golf cart at the burn pile where we drop the

spent ashes from the yurt firepits.

 

We finished up at a reasonable time and it was a nice day, so we went for a walk to the south jetty along the bike trail, and came home to a simple and easy salad dinner tonight.

 

 

 

Sun. Sept 15, 2013 - Happy Anniversary!

What a fitting tribute to our 29th anniversary we enjoyed this weekend at the campground.  There was a group of about 60 "vintage" campers from the 50' and 60's.

It was not just about the trailer....

but color coordinating their whole site,

and chatting with the passer's by

and displaying other vintage camping equipment.  Here is a '61 Shasta - the brand I camped in with my family when I was a kid.

 

Mike and I enjoyed the show then had our own trip down memory lane with memories of 29 years, then relaxed at home where we had a delicious steak dinner and a bottle of sweet red wine.

 

 

Sat., Sept 14, 2013 - Exploring the coast

First thing this AM, we went to Newport's farmers market - a really nice one.   

This is me crossing the street with the farmer's market crossing flags provided by the city.

Then we took an afternoon drive south along to coast to get an overview of all the state park properties in the Newport management unit.

First stop was a simple day use parking area along Hwy 101 - Rock Creek State Park.

 

Next was a much larger day use park where we saw a beach wedding in progress:

Turn right to the wedding, left to the reception...

Follow the bridge flags over the costal lagoon...

footwear optional.....

for a beach wedding - nice to see on our anniversary weekend.

 

 

Next stop was Seal Rock state Park

Where we enjoyed the view with a vegetable and fruit smoothie from home.

We also saw Beaver Creek State Natural Area which is a relatively new day use only park right now.  There was a camp host couple who lived on the site instead of at the campground where we are - we talked to them quite a while.  And finally, Beachside State Park - we wanted to check it out, since several hosts said they really liked that park, too.  We are partial to South Beach right now. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fri. Sept 13, 2013 - off duty - on duty at the library

Today was the beginning of our 2nd set of off days in the park.

We worked at the Newport Public Library for a while,

had some lunch out at Savory in Nye Beach and got back to the park early enough to enjoy the evening.

We ran in to John and Linda who were camp hosts with us in May at Cape Lookout. It is really cool to see people we've met at other parks.

Thurs. Sept. 12, 2013 - no beans

Today we did some morning work at the site, then did another 5 yurts.  We relaxed at our site in the afternoon - then Mike cooked us the fish fillet we picked up at the Krab Kettle in Florence on our way in to Newport Sept 1.  We had a campfire with the wood we have been gathering from the empty yurts we clean - a job perk!

Wed. Sept 11, 2013: Black Beans

We have great internet at the site, so we do not need to leave for the coffee shop - good thing too, since the yurt cleaning is taking longer than any park we've been to before.  We had another five yurts today. 

Tonight the hosts gathered at the meeting hall for a baked potato potluck.  We each brought our own baked potato and shared toppings.  I brought black beans of course:) 

This played very well into our whole foods diet which has now stretched beyond the initial three day goal to five days.  So tonight, after the baked potato, we both also ate from the dessert table and broke our streak.  Cheesecake - Yummy!

Tues. Sept 10, 2013: Black Eyed Peas

Today we were feeling good, so decided to go for a morning run through park

                                                            toward the South Jetty

before we started on TODAY's five yurts.  We are starting to get a system, so it is feeling pretty good.  Our site is conveniently located for a lunch break

of black-eyed peas leftover from last night.   We are experimenting with the raw materials we have on hand making different combinations of fruit and veggie smoothies. Today I made a really good one with orange, grapefruit, carrot and apple juice.