RV Trip to Washington, Fall 2021
Day 3, Garberville, California to Florence, Oregon September 8, 2021
We woke up to the sound of the fog horn that went off throughout the whole night in the distance. It did not bother us that much since we were all tired but did woke me up in the morning. Weather was a little gloomy but at least no rain in sight. After a quick breakfast, we packed up and set out for another day on the road.
Before leaving town, we stopped at the city park to check out the beach and the lighthouse. It was beautiful as usual at this familiar place that holds some precious memories of our time here. We did not plan on doing much this morning, not even going to the creamery nearby. I am sure we will be back in the future!
Such peace and quiet at the beachside park.
Enjoying a serene view of the harbor.
Battery Point Lighthouse
One more photo.
Gold Beach, Oregon
I had planned on making a stop at the Visitor Center at Brookings after crossing the state line but missed the exit. Oh well...
There are just so many places to stop for sightseeing and photos along the way on this coastal route. We had visited many of these scenic spots and decided we will check out the ones we have not been before.
Again, we have passed by this coastal town of Gold Beach many times in the past but have never made a stop here. I wanted to at least stop for a few minutes near the roadside before crossing the Patterson Bridge over the Rouge River.
Right by the highway before the bridge, an exit on our left took us to Jerry's Rouge Jets where we found the Mary D Hume remains on the river. I will not describe much since you can probably read from the sign boards. Definitely a place to stop for a little history. By the way, parking was a little tight on this day but we were fortunate to have found a spot for a little while. There were large tour buses bringing in tourists this morning and it was lunch time so it got a little crowded.
Mary D Hume and the Patterson Bridge, Rouge River.
Beautiful!
I believe one end of the Rouge River starts at Crater Lake...
with the western end reaching the Pacific Ocean.
Bandon, Oregon
Another town that we were stopping for the first time. This is a popular touristy town with a lot to see and do. Plenty of free parking with easy access. We found the huge lot that was for RV and buses near the marina, making it convenient to see the town.
At first, we planned on having lunch in town but there were lines of people everywhere we went so we gave up that idea and just had our own sandwiches. CC managed to get his favorite macaroni and cheese to go from the local Face Rock Creamery. He said it was really good. With the beautiful marina and shoreline, it was really nice to just walk around town under the sun.
Huge RV parking lot in Bandon
Very busy and touristy marina area of Bandon.
Florence, Oregon
This is where we spent the night, at an unusual campground--Port of Siuslaw Campground. Again, Florence is a town we have never visited before and I thought it would be a good idea to explore the old town a little. This campground is actually run by the Port of Siuslaw right by the river right by old town, making this an ideal place to spend the night. We were fortunate enough to have snatched a waterfront site with excellent views. Sites were a little cramp but the views were unbeatable.
I really wanted to try the crab chowder from Novelli's by the dock. This was run by a couple who caught the crabs on a daily basis and made their own chowder that have earned many awards in the past. Unfortunately, the couple's boat capsized and killed both of them a few months ago, leaving the tiny floating eatery to their son now to carry on the torch. When I checked into the campground, the gentleman at the office already told me that with such gloomy and cold weather, he thinks they would be sold out for the day and that means they maybe already closed. After we hooked up the motorhome, we walked over to the marina and found out that, indeed, they were closed for the day.
Picture and newspaper clipping of the tragedy.
At Novelli's.
We ended up getting some seafood to go from Mo's nearby.
As we were walking back to the RV, we saw a couple of gentlemen cleaning their catches of dungeness crabs. He said they had more than 30. I just asked if they can sell us a couple of those big crabs, he was so generous and just gave us two cleaned crabs for free. Bless their hearts and what a pleasant surprise! What's better than fresh seafood to end our day!?
Fried seafood plates from Mo's.
A good cup of clam chowder minus the bread bowl. They forgot to put in the bread bowl that we paid for but we did not want to walk back to the restaurant by then.
A whole steamed pot of fresh crab, the best!
After the delicious dinner, we went out to enjoy the beautiful sights.
Siulaw River Bridge on one side of the river.
The huge campground that was kind of tight.
What lovely sight!
For videos on this day, please click here for Gold Beach and Bandon and here for Florence.
"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve." -- Jeremiah 17: 9~10