Vacation Day 3
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Day three: we enjoyed a scenic drive down the coast from Tillamook to Umpqua Lighthouse State Park, just south of Reedsport.



We didn't stop much on this road trip, but we did stop a viewpoint near Waldport to watch the whales. This was the first time I've ever seen humpback whales in person (not at some sort of aquarium, but in the wild. It was really cool! This isn't a really great photo. We saw them blow quite a few times but I was unsuccessful at catching a photo of it. I think Xenia might have got one, and I'll post that later if I can.


We also stopped later at the Yaquina Head Lighthouse, home to some great Ghost Stories, which I have been working on
integrating into my story of a pirate-turned-cowbowy in the 1850s in Southern Oregon.




In the 1890s the first ghost story was written about this lighthouse: how a sailor came into port one day and left his daughter in town because she was seasick, and how she disappeared in the lighthouse after some teenagers discovered a secret passage way that went beneath the lighthouse itself down to the sea. Well, I won't spoil and tell my version of the story, which fits perfectly with he historical facts, but tells the "true behind the scenes" story of pirates and smugglers.

Anyway we made the rest of the trip safely to Umpqua Lighthouse State park where we stayed in a beautiful cabin overlooking the lake there and enjoyed roasted banana's on the camp file and munching on huckleberries, both black and red.



The Roasted Bananas: I got the idea from the girl scout who put those things inside aluminum foil with chocolate and throw them on the coals in the fire. Only we didn't have any aluminum foil so I improvised. You cut an opening in the top of a banana. You slit the banana itself it three times (or four) and insert three (or four) squares of chocolate. You stick on a regular wiener/marshmallow roasting stick and hold over the fire until the banana is sizzling and the chocolate looks melted. You remove and let cool. You eat.

If you do this with good chocolate (we used some gourmet 65% cocoa chocolate bars) it tastes delicious!


We had a great time once again at Umpqua Lighthouse State Park. This time staying in a beautiful cabin.

~ Basil