Coos Bay Day 7 Seafood Festival Last Day

Coos Bay Day 7 Seafood Festival
We got through the entire week without rain, sunshine every day. The wind is kicking up now but we have been so lucky with the weather so far. Today was the Seafood Festival in Coos Bay. Most of the group wandered over. It is a small festival, lots of seafood and some crafts. There was a pancake breakfast which Ed decided to try.
Ed and I took a ride and checked out The State park campground next to the one we are staying in. It looked pretty nice, advantage concrete pads and grass but they did not have the beach access as we do here in Oceanside RV Park. We drove down the road a ways just to see what is in the area. It is so pretty up here, everything is green.
Ed and I took the last walk on the beach today. I love the ocean and one of my favorite things to do. The wind was a problem but had to take the last stroll down the beach. There were body surfers and lots of kids on skid boards.
The evening is ending with a trip to the Casino for dinner. Rosie arranged for the shuttle to pick us up here at the park, we have dinner reservations then an hour or two of gambling.
Tomorrow, we break camp; Ed and I are heading home, as well as Gary and Phyllis, Pat and Jane, Gary and Marilyn, Ken and Betty, Bill and Lil, Arnie and Marilynn, Dave and April. George and Bev are on the way to Cobourg for repairs, Leonard and Paula, Rosie and Mike, Butch and Betty, John and Adele are going to be on the road next week and meet up with SIRS 96 in Lebanon Oregon, a week of golf and more good times with good people. Thanks to everyone for a great time, all the good food, and SAFE TRAVELS to you all!!

Life Is Good

Can't Get Any Better

Coos Bay Marina

Maureen and Ed

Rosie and Mike Ken and Betty

Marilynn and Arnie

Leonard and Paula

Gary and Phyllis

April and Dave

Trisha and Tom

Betty and Butch

Jane and Pat

Bev and George
Adele and John

Marilyn and Gary

We also had Bill and Lil on the trip but they are extremely camera shy!

Day 6 Shipwreck Breakfast/ Potluck and Pirate Raffle

Another great weather day, just a bit of wind but sunny and warm. The day started with a “Shipwreck Breakfast”. A very unique way to cook breakfast. Bev, Jane and Lil spend quite a bit of time getting the ingredients prepared. Shipwreck breakfast … Use a zip lock bag, put in beaten eggs, ingredients that would go into an omelet, such as cheese, onions, peppers, ham, crab, mushrooms, just about anything you would like in an omelet. A ladle of beaten eggs and the ingredients of choice, take the air out of the bag, zip and drop in boiling water for about ten minutes. The omelet comes out perfect and even. I enjoyed this breakfast and I generally do not eat eggs. There was also Bloody Mary’s, Mimosa’s , fresh fruit, what a feast to start the day. Butch and George were the outside chefs, they monitored the boiling bags and only one exploded. This was a lot of fun and something easy to do on a campout.

Good news , Butch got the parts to fix his hitch. I think all of us out and about today wanted to follow the UPS trucks to see if the part was being delivered. The hitch is fixed and Butch and Betty are ready to travel. Folks just went in different directions today, a few of the gals did go to Coos Bay for a little shopping but nothing really exciting.

This evening we had a potluck and we had quite a bit of leftovers from last night’s catered dinner and with side dishes and dessert another festive meal. Tonight was also the Pirate Raffle. Each rig provided a gift and we had tickets, pick a gift then three steals, there was a very popular bird house, lighthouse, and scrabble game.

Our week is winding down, tomorrow will be our last full day. I have to get at least one more walk on the beach.

What are they up to?
Pirate Loot

Potluck/Pirate Raffle

The "real" cooks Shipwreck Breakfast

Shipwreck fixins

Outside cooks boiling the bags

Distributing the crab

Hard at work

Lots of crab

Coos Bay Day 5 Crabbing

The Crabbers

Coos Bay Day 5 Crabbing and Catered Dinner
A big thanks to the weather God’s again for an amazing day. A bit of chill in the early morning then a sunny warm day. The big adventure of crabbing out in the ocean was the main event of the day. Twelve of us, Ed, Maureen, Pat., Dave, Gary A. Marilynn, Ken, Betty, George Gary K., Butch and Betty were off to the wharf in Bandon for the day’s festivities. The outfit that we used was called The Prowlers. We were on the MIS-CHIEF boat and my first thought what an appropriate name for this bunch. We left the dock about 11:30 am and the ride was rough for a few minutes then settled down. The first catch was amazing; I think the count was 20 crabs in that first catch. The guys on the boat threw out some RINGS as we went out and there were two more crab pots that needed checking. Quite a bit of fun and everyone not only enjoyed the day but limited out on crab. There were some pretty good size crabs in those pots. We took the crab to a facility that will clean and cook them, a few exceptions; couple of folks brought them back to camp and did the cleaning and cooking themselves. Now all we have to do is figure out how to get all these critters home.
Back to camp and quite a few of us decided to walk the beach. Marilynn brought along Sugar who thoroughly enjoyed the beach and fetching of the sticks into the surf. Others on the walk, Dave, April and their dog Buddy who also enjoyed the surf, Betty F, Adele, Leonard, Paula and Mike. We were watching some body surfers out there and there were a few “our” age and some of us gals just looking on with envy.
Tonight we had a catered dinner, very good and so many choices, provided by FISHERMAD'S GROTTO, 541-888-3251 ask for Davine Evanow, located in Charleston, Oregon. There were appetizers including oysters in the shell, the main meal, had salmon, bacon wrapped tuna, deep fried cod, beef brisket, salad, bread and of course clam chowder. Enjoyed by everyone!! A campfire is going to top off the evening and what a fantastic ending for a fun filled day!! Life does not get any better!

Gary, Pat,Gary and Butch

Silly Boys Two fisted George

Betty and Ken

Correction on the boat.... we went out on MIS-CHIEF

Female crew Betty W. Betty F. Maureen and Marilynn

Another picture of the crabbers

Butch and Gary

Betty and Butch

The FIRST Catch

Coos Bay Day 4 August 12,2009

The weather Gods have been kind to us this week. Even though a bit of fog rolls in from time to time the days are spectacular and the evenings very pleasant.

Today a caravan left the park; the first stop was the rose gardens. Very pretty grounds and ocean views that are breathtaking. We stayed there about an hour then on down the road to seal cove. The seals blend into the rocks so well they are difficult to see but you sure can hear them.

Traveled back to Bandon and visited Old Town and met up with most of our group at a restaurant there. Food was good, view was amazing and to top it off, good friends. We all sort of scattered after that in town to seek out bargains in the local stores. Bev and I found some bargains at a little shop, got a bit of retail therapy in. Some ventured off to a shop that sold jams and jellies, some ventured off to a lighthouse. We did see the boat we are going out on tomorrow to do some crabbing, needless to say I am along only for the ride, and I am not picking up those nasty little things. Brings back a memory, when Katie and Sarah were little and The Little Mermaid was so popular all family members were given a character.. ummm, like I was Sebastian the crab!!! They said because he was cute!

When we returned to camp, Ed and I walked on the beach a bit and got back in time for the 5:00 Happy Hour. Quite a variety of snacks and everyone had a great day. There may be some card playing tonight, we will see if anyone is up for it... Until tomorrow........



Seal Beach

Crabbing boat we will be on tomorrow

Ed and Maureen

Bandon docks Rose Garden

PS... Trish and Tom just got back from the casino, my $5.00 bet did not do to well tonight... oh well easy come easy go.... Trish brought me back a dime!!!!

Coos Bay Day 3 August 11, 2009

The sun was shining early morning and then the fog rolled in. Fortunately it did not last too long and the sun peeked out to a lovely day. The plan today was a trip to the oyster farm. Everyone but Maureen pulled out about 10:15 am, I decided the odor of oyster farm and my icky feeling in the morning due to meds would not make a "good start for the day". Some people enjoyed the farm but others just were grossed out. A few were brave enough to eat the raw oysters.
Trish and I ventured off to the casino in the afternoon, Mils Casino in Coos Bay. We did OK, played on the casino money and came home with a few bucks. Others in the group went shopping, rested, read books, just a nice day.
This evening we had a fantastic spaghetti feed put on by Gary and Marilyn Anderson. It was a feast and the ladies provided salads, breads and dessert to go with the meal. Gary was a chef in the Army and then owned a deli/catering service in Novato. They were cooking all afternoon and was appreciated by all that attended. Thank you so much Gary and Marilyn.
We are ending our evening with a great campfire, dessert and songs and guitars playing. Butch and Rosie playing the guitar with everyone singing. Of course Butch threw in a few jokes. This is one of my favorite events of our camping trips with this group. Amazing people! LIFE does not get any better!!!


Trish and Tom Oyster Farm

Rosie and Butch
The Musicians

Gary and Marilyn
The cooks

Group gathering


Leonard eating a raw oyster YUCK!!!!

Coos Bay Day 2 August 10,2009

Coos Bay Day 2

We woke up to an absolute beautiful morning here by the beach. The sun shining, no wind, the temps got to about 78 degrees today and shorts were in order. Ed took off with Pat E. and George to finalize some of the week’s festivities. Trish aka Patty and I headed for the beach with one of her dogs Max a Pomeranian, feisty little guy. We met up with Paula, Betty F. Rosie and Marilynn. Trish decided to sit on the beach as we took our long walk, and Max came along with us. Now he is a wee little thing but he thinks he can take on the huge dogs on the beach… We walked quite a ways down and on the way back there was a huge dog behind us NOT on a leash and two heading toward us, with Max wanting to take them all on, he and I headed for the water where a huge wave got us. Well if you ever seen a wet Pom, everyone asked where is the rest of him… without all that fur he was quite slim. I figured I am in big trouble now, almost drowned the dog and by the time we got back he was filthy. Trish was good natured and glad Tom was in town. Absolutely gorgeous beach by the way.

In the afternoon, Trish and I took a ride into Coos Bay and even managed not to get lost. When we returned, Ed and I took another stroll down the beach. I am thinking tonight, maybe not a good idea with leg cramps… oops! Today was a free day and the rest of the group was off in all directions. 5:00 PM aka cocktail hour brought more plans for the week. Trish, Tom, Dave, April, Ed and I decided to go to dinner at the wharf. It was ok at best but at least I did not have to cook. When we got back some of the gals were playing Canasta and Rosie was going to teach me, actually pretty fun and hopefully by the time we leave this week I will have a clue. The guys were hanging outside yakking and no doubt getting into some kind of trouble.
A very pleasant day and far calmer than yesterday. We thought we had some damage to the rig hitting the tree limbs but Ed thinks he can get most of them out.

Some of the rigs

Maureen on the beach
Our campsite at Coos Bay

Travel Day from Hell

Oh My What a travel day!!!
The day started out gorgeous as we all pulled out of Benbow about 8:00 am. Ed started out driving and we switched and I got about 82 miles in. I asked about the road and was told it was so/so… well it was a curvy road but for some reason did not bother me that much. We stopped for lunch in Brookings where the entire group caught up. The restaurant where some remembered from trips past was no longer so we picked another and had lunch on the deck. A bit chilly but we enjoyed the meal. All was well until this point then all hell broke loose. There was a detour sign on the road for motor homes and RV’s to take. George who was in the lead missed the detour but we took it with Ken and Betty, Dave and April following. The road got worse and worse and down to a one lane road. Dave and April turned around as soon as they could because of fuel issues; we stopped just before the one lane road. We had to unhook the tow vehicle then get the rig turned around. Ken and Betty had not come back yet so we went in search for them and found them heading back. Whoever was the idiot that put up those detour signs should be hung by the you know whats!!!! Finally back on 101 we decided I would just drive the smartcar and Ed would follow. We tried to reach Dave and April but no response so assumed they were on the road ahead of us. By this time it was late afternoon and nerves were rattled and Maureen was getting very bitchy. YES, I admit it!! Even after we took the turn off from 101, Ed hit a branch that he thought tore the side of the rig, in the meantime dropped the two way radio and therefore could not answer Maureen. After several calls to George we made it in to camp. We found out Dave and April were still out there somewhere. They finally arrived about 7:00 pm. What a day….
The group were in Yurt with snacks and adult beverages. We had a meeting to discuss the agenda for the week. After that a nice walk on the beach that soothed the soul… I sure needed that.
More adventures tomorrow and I will try and get some pictures on the blog soon. So glad that everyone is here safe and sound and cheers to a great week.

Benbow August 8, 2009

Some of the gals

Some of the guys

Betty and Jane having tea

Benbow Inn

What gorgeous country here in Benbow. The weather is perfect and the company is awesome. The day started out with several of the fellows venturing off to the golf course. I have not heard any bragging so guess it was a so/so day. Some of the ladies drove into Garberville to check out the local sites. Ed and I went into Garberville to have lunch with Cousin Steve and Annie. Cute town and the food was good at the local cafe.

This afternoon, Rosie, Betty W., Jane, Betty F. and I walked up to the Benbow Hotel for tea and scones. A beautiful historical hotel with lovely grounds. We had a pleasant afternoon and just nice to relax and visit.

Tonight we had a Burger BBQ with Chef Butch and Mike. Everyone pitched in with go with's and side dishes, and of course dessert. We always have a great time and tonight was no exception. Thanks to the chefs of the evening, was really good.

Seems we are leaving tomorrow morning at various hours, Butch and Betty said 7:00 am and most of us are talking about 8:00 am. If Ed had his way it would be noon... It is about a 5 hour drive but with pit stops and a lunch stop it will take about 7 or 8 hours. Looking forward to meeting up with the rest of our group in Coos Bay.

Having trouble with the photos tonight so I will add more to this blog tomorrow.

Back on the Road Again.. Coos Bay here we come!

Sugar Max

Buddy Benbow Campsite

Back on the Road Again…
Fantastic!! Seems like such a long time but the SIIRS 15 RV group is on the first trip of the year. The trip “officially starts” Sunday in Coos Bay Oregon, but as usual some of the group took off a day or two early. The commuters on Highway 16 (Jackson Highway) probably groaned when they saw seven rigs in the Scales area ready to pull out at 8:00 am. The advantage we had as travelers is it was Furlough Friday so the traffic was not as bad as it could be at that time of morning. Butch and Betty (hey Butch it was 8:00 am right) Rosie and Mike, Arnie and Marilyn and of course Sugar, and Lenard and Paula, were the firt group to pull out, they were going a different route than the other three rigs, George and Bev, Dave and April and Ed and I followed. There were a few tense moments with idiots trying to pass our caravan. Butch and company went down Highway 80 through Vallejo then up the coast, from what they said it was a hell of a ride, lots of traffic, lots of construction and major bad roads. I doubt any will return that route. George and company went up I-5 to William then around Clear Lake and Lake Mendacino which is a pretty lake. Ken and Betty met us at the restaurant where we all had breakfast, so our group was a party of four. We also ran into quite of a bit of construction but lucked out getting through without too much delay until we hit Willits. Oh boy!!!!! WHAT A MESS!!!!! We drove about 265 miles today and I got in about 80 miles.. While we were stuck in Willits Ed and I switched and he drove the rest of the way. I managed to get around the Lakes on those winding roads without incident, did not hit anything and pretty sure I did not scare Ed. Can’t say that for other drivers on the road but hey what the heck!! Our group was the first to hit Benbow RV park, and glad to see it, we were on the road almost eight hours with a stop for breakfast. Pat and Jane, Gary and Phyllis were the next to arrive and I am not sure what route they took. Butch and company shortly arrived after that. After many hugs and stories about the adventures of the road, it was 5:00 somewhere. Cocktail time…. It was great to see some of my adoptive dogs, Max of course who traveled along with us, my sweet Sugar who I have not seen in quite a while and a new dog Buddy traveling with Dave and April. I do miss my pooches. The RV park had a Mexican dinner for those that wish to participate and then had a Bingo game that night. Betty F. Betty W and I were the only brave souls to attend. I think half way through we wish we were tucked away In our rigs but we stayed to the end. Betty W won a game for her grandson, I won a Snickers Bar, real high stakes!!!!

A big welcome to Dave, April and Buddy, this is thier first trip with the RV group.

One of the highlights for me here in Benbow, I was able to spend some time with my cousin Steve and wife Annie. It was so good to see them and makes me appreciate the extended family I have even though we all do not get together often. Hope to spend some time with them tomorrow before we leave on Sunday.
I am having problems getting on the blog site but will get the posts up as soon as possible. Not sure what is on the agenda for Saturday, but with this group it will be fun!!!! Travel Day on Sunday morning August 9th to meet up with the rest of our group. We have 16 rigs meeting in Coos Bay with many adventures and lots of laughs!! Safe travels!!!

SIRS 15 RV BBQ JULY 25, 2009

July 25,2009. The SIRS 15 RV BBQ was held at The Nunnally’s with an attendance of 27 guests. The menu was BBQ Steak and fantastic side dishes and salads provided by the ladies of this fine group. George was the bartender and made some amazing mudslides. Ed really liked them and said they tasted like milkshakes. I said they sure do honey, how about another? the cooks Butch and Ed R. did a fine job of cooking the steaks, everything was so yummy. Eventually some of the guests ventured into the pool which was a perfect temperature. A very pleasant day and it was a pleasure to host the event.

Attendees

Ed and Maureen
George and Bev
Ed and Dorothy
Butch and Betty
Mike and Rosie
Gary and Phyllis
Ken and Betty
Leonard and Paula
Arnie and Marilyn
Darrell and Jean
Stan and Patty
Ed and PatL
Pat E/ Jane was on a flight home.

A huge thanks to everyone that attended all the support and help and of course the great food, but most important the great people..