Day Nine-From Coos Bay to Brookings, Oregon

Day nine-We took our time getting on the road today since we spent so much time on the road getting to Coos Bay.  We stayed in a Super 8 which was well kept and had a great bed!  That is always a top "must" for this old body!  It was about eleven when we left the motel and headed down highway 101 to Brookings, Oregon.  It is hard to think that the scenery could get more spectacular, but this was the best drive so far. Along with the sand dunes, there were much bigger rock formations and miles of isolated beach.  Pristine sights with grasses hills and then suddenly forested areas next to them.  Lots of reddish rock which stood out against the greenery.  From the highway, each curve seemed to show an ocean view that had larger and numerous rock and high cliffs looking down on the water.  As we drove, the blue skies started appearing giving the water a shimmering reflection against the stone.  There were many oceanside towns and the one we spent the most time in was Bandon, Oregon.  Since the last time we were there, they have developed the downtown into a commercial center for shopping. This area also has a big fishing industry and you can hire a boat with a professional guide to enjoy the ocean experience.  We walked out to a boardwalk that surrounded the area where the boats launched.  An artist from the area has created sea sculptures from wood and theses are scattered throughout the boardwalk.  Myrtlewood is a big product used for woodworking in this area and we saw many factories along the road.  Also along the boardwalk were pieces of artwork attached to the fencing in honor of Bandon's 100th anniversary.  A great array of work from youngsters to adults and they gave visitors a snapshot o life in this area.  Another thing that was interesting in the way of artwork were the sculptures made from trash that was washed up to shore.  Not only does it make a statement about how people litter, but the work is so creative.  There is a big art studio in Bandon that only does this kind of artwork.  Along the main street, there was a guitar player singing songs from our era.  Of course, he had his hat out, but he was really good and entertaining.  Many of our pictures for the day were taken in Bandon, but we did have to stop along the way at the "Dinosaur Park."  My great nephew loves dinosaurs and also Big Foot, so we are trying to capture pictures for him along the way, too.  We arrived in Brookings about four in the afternoon.  Our condo is perfectly located in a residential area, just a mile from the most beautiful beach and state park.  We are anxious to spend lots of time there while we are here.  Our condo has two bedrooms, two baths and a loft.  It has a high ceiling, so seems large and homey.  We have a wood stove which we laughed about, but actually the temperature got cold enough last night that we could have used it.  The daytime temperatures average around 70 degrees and sunny, no bugs!  Nighttime, gets down into the 50's, so great blanket weather.  The dogs were ready to stay in one place for a while, but they have been better than imagined.  They also are a super conversation starter with people along the way.  We have met so many people along the way just because of the dogs.  Lots of stories!