Today we awoke to a beautiful sunny day which was nice because we are moving today. We broke down our camp at Kamp Klamath and headed east to 101 where we turned north headed for Oregon. We really did not have a particular destination in mind for the next few days’ stays but the parks we have been passing for the last two weeks or so have had ample vacancies, probably because the weather has been crummy and intelligent folks do not normally intend to go camping in the rain or snow. Since we enjoy travel and are not intelligent, you can find us throughout the winter occupying RV parks almost by ourselves.
US-101 has not fared well during this winter and many road sections have disobeyed CalTrans by slipping off of their perches and falling into the Pacific far below. We would just about get up to speed only to be stopped by flagpersons lurking about the edges of road repair projects. When we checked the internet, the travel time from Klamath, CA, to Coos Bay, OR was indicated as about 2.3 hours in normal traffic. We kept moving as quickly as possible but with the road work delays, we covered the distance in about 5.4 hours. Fortunately, our long waits for road repairs occurred in absolutely magnificent surroundings. Some of the delays were in spectacular redwood groves and others along sunny sections of splendid coastline. I believe this was the first time I have ever been delighted with road work stoppages.
Between 4:00 and 5:00 this afternoon, we pulled into Bastendorff County Park which overlooks Bastendorff Beach west of Coos Bay. We had our selection of all but 5 sites within the park since some other hearty travelers had gotten there before us. We had camped here before and during that stay we pulled into a spot on a grassy knoll surrounded by spruce, cedar, fir and Monterey cypress trees. We took an adjacent site to the spot selected last time we were here and we have no visible neighbors. It is gorgeous here. It also only costs $20 a night which is dirt cheap for electrical and water hookups, no neighbors and majestic surroundings.
A zillion years ago I used to live here in Coos Bay and, as a matter of fact, I met and married my beloved spouse Peggy in 1979 not too far down the road at Shore Acres State Park. Way back then I used to patronize a restaurant called Luigi’s where they make a very meaty sandwich with the name of “Garbage Grinder.” I noted as we pulled through town on our way to the park that Luigi’s was still there and open for business. After setting up the trailer and paying our fees, we took off for Luigi’s for some heart-clogging food. The sandwiches were good back then and they are still good now. They are probably very unhealthy but I quickly devoured a large Garbage Grinder with olives, leaving just enough room for a 20 ounce root beer. I do not have any remorse about eating this tasty stuff although if I croak my opinion might change.