That Was NOT My Plan!!

Backing up a tad ... I actually did report the dog owner in Bandon.  She knew exactly who I was talking about, so apparently there have been several occurrences.  Next time I'll be sure to call early and not get stuck with the permanent residents.  It was WAY too close to the road for me to get any sleep ... akin to the trains in Harrisburg.

The views were spectacular along the coast just South of Port Orford.  It's one of the prettiest sections of highway and one of the roughest.  Driving was a breeze however, with only two stop signs the entire route.

Upon arriving in Eureka, I pulled in to the Shoreline RV Park and was given a spot just feet from the freeway.  UGH ... another sleepless night.  The good news is that I was actually in the end of town I usually spend the most time.  First up .... Samoa Cookhouse.  Unfortunately I don't have a lot of information other than it's been in existence for many MANY years as the cookhouse for the lumber companies. 

Still in existence today, they have a set menu you can check out on Facebook.  When I saw BBQ Ribs, I thought OH YEAH!!!  Turned out not so much.  You are first served the biggest slices of bread EVER (homemade every morning), the soup of the day, salad and pickled beans.  The entree comes in a huge plate ... red potatoes, corn and ribs along with a bowl of chili beans ... but the ribs were really rib tips simmered in sauce.  Not at all what I was expecting.  It's all you can eat for $14.50 for lunch.  

As you can see, it's served family style, so to save the waitress a little running, I sat near two other people and made some new friends.  Honestly, I thought they were two women.  Both had long pouffy curly hair.  One just wasn't as pretty as the other, to put it nicely.  When HE finally began to talk, I was shocked.  

I wanted to say what a lovely wig he had on, but I kept my mouth shut.  Really, I wanted to know where "I" could get one!!  Seems he was born and raised in Ferndale and she (who lived in Yuba City) had just bought a house there.  The names have been changed to protect the innocent.  FRED apparently lives in a barn and occasionally makes his way to the Moose Lodge for showers.  "See?  He's all clean!"  

We talked for quite awhile about the repairs on her house when out of the blue she invited me to come see it.  Yikes!!  You know me, I'm too suspicious of people to take up an invitation like that.  I'm thinking serial killers!!  Well just come to Papa Joe's for breakfast at 7:00 am ... we'll be there.  I thought about that one for a fraction of a second before declining.  

They went on to tell me about how his children don't want to see him, and vice versa.  He's had enough of those darn kids and never wants to see them again.  Well gee ... you live in a barn and wear a beautiful woman's wig ... I can't imagine why!!  She paid for lunch, so maybe he really DOES live in a barn.

As they left, I wandered through the logging museum INSIDE the cookhouse.  Lots of amazing stuff there you should check out.  Outside is another museum of ship related things.  In years past many ships were built in Eureka and sailed the high seas.

Instead of painting the name on the ship, they made these beautiful signs.  Unfortunately if the sign is here, the boat probably sank.  The waters here are just as bad as they are in Astoria Oregon.

Here's an amazing piece of artwork.  They have three of these boats, handmade with wood and nails.  Exact replicas of the original.

They even have some of the old Navy posters.  Men could make $17-70 a month and you got one whole outfit to wear FREE!!

This is the only one I've ever seen that showed a woman on the poster, least I'm guessing it's a woman.  Come to think of it, that hair does resemble FRED'S doo.  At any rate, it's a very interesting little museum.  They even have a radio room all set up where you can listen to current marine traffic.

So I left lovely Eureka thinking it has gone downhill terribly.  I've never seen so many homeless people camped out everywhere, not to mention people of questionable character roaming the streets.  At one point, I sat in my car and watched two guys hike through the parking lot looking for open car doors.  There was trash on every corner caught up in all the weeds and bushes no one cared to water.  Sad that such a beautiful little town has lost it's vitality.  

If you're up that direction, you will find that the town of Willits has completely been bypassed by the new freeway and there are two of my favorite round-de-rounds in the Clear Lake area, along with two new Indian Casinos.  

When I finally hit I-5 and headed South, my plan was to stop in at Cal Expo in Sacramento for the night.  There was the Hwy 50 sign ... nope.  There was the Hwy 99 sign ... no, not that one.  The next thing I know, I'm halfway to Stockton.  RATS ... I missed my turnoff to Hwy 80.  This was NOT my plan!!  I wanted to give Jonathan a long rest after the 7 hour drive from Eureka.  

Might as well just keep going now.  I went, but not very fast since the traffic was backed up through the entire city of Stockton, all the way through Hwy 120, Manteca and Modesto, clear to Turlock!!  I think I actually got up to 45 mph once ... it was 5-25 most of the very LONG way.  That turned out to be a good thing for Jonathan, but left me aching from the 9-1/2 hour drive in one day.  My bottle of Advil is close at hand.

I still have Bandon pictures ... I'll get those out tomorrow.  For now, it's unloading time.  Oh what fun!!!