We stayed at the Winchester Bay Resort for two day while deciding what and where to go. The resort is not our normal type of a stop but it was very nice with bay view spaces.
It's worth the few extra bucks for a view like this and wifi to boot!
While here, we toured a few of the Southern Oregon highlights and one highlight for us are the beautiful bridges in Oregon.The bridge in Gold Beach that crosses the Rouge River was built in 1931 and spans 1898 feet.
This "rust-bucket" of a rail swingbridge that crosses the Umpqua River was built in 1914 but is no longer in use so they leave it in the open position.
As you enter Florence from the south you first cross the Siuslaw River Bridge as you approach the city.
The Conde B. McCullough Bridge is a cantilever bridge and spanns the water at Coos Bay and when built in the mid-30's was the longest of the Oregon bridges.
The inside frame work of the bridge was in great shape for steel that is over 85 years old.
I actually never thought that there were real bridge building companies but assumed architects designed the bridge and ordered the steel for it. I went inside and found out that they do all the designing and fabrication right here in this huge building.
This piece of steel was at least 100 yards long with three of these rolling cranes lifting it off the ground. I asked to take photos and was authorized as long as for personal use but I could not go onto the yard...I swear, this was the longest piece of steel I have ever seen. The lady in the office did say that after the steel rail was fabricated it was then taken apart for shipping.
Ungers Bay Fish and Chips was good...second best I've ever had...
We love a good lighthouse and this one at Umpqua was the first in Oregon.
Cape Arago Lighthouse was a long drive but worth it. The only way the public could reach this one is by boat but the Coast Guard has that off limits too.
Just a little south of the lighthouse is Cape Arago.
On the south side mouth of the Umpqua River jetty was another triangle rock jetty protecting farmed oyster and mussel beds. Here are thousands of barrels holding racks underneath filled with millions of shellfish.
I stopped on the highway to take a picture but then crossed the road because of all the noise. Here they are clear cutting a hill but the scar is not visible from the road because they leave a row of pines protecting the view. You can also see how they are planting trees from an earlier cut for the next generation of loggers.
From a distance this may be mistaken for a sand dune but it is one of the largest sawdust and chip piles I have ever seen. Most will be pulverized into a liquid pulp and shipped to Japan.
Florence is the "City of Rhododendrons" for a very good reason...they are everywhere! Lucky for us, we will be here for the "Rhody Days" festival in a week.
As we drove down the highway, through parks and campgrounds it is very apparent the the rhododendrons grow wild here.
There is a Veterans Memorial over looking Coos Bay and one of the plaques with this saying that I like is:
"There shall not be peace until the power of love
overcomes the love of power"
Can't say I saw it in person but was there on the ground at that time.
For nearly 50 miles along the coast are the Oregon Dunes. Part state and part federal ownership but all are recreation for ATV's, dune-buggies and horseback riding.
Even with the heavy off-road use, the area is still so pristine and beautiful.
Handyman's special for just $20,000...slightly weather!
You will find herds of elk through out Oregon, even on the beaches.
No comments:
Post a Comment