12/11/08 - 01/02/09 Newport, OR - Whalers Rest RV

 We arrived at Whaler’s Rest RV Resort in Newport, OR on 12/11/08. To our TT friends, this is one of the nicest campgrounds we have stayed in and the staff is very friendly and so much fun. We had a really fun Christmas party with lots of games and singing and good cookies and hot cider. They made Christmas and New Years easier to be away from family and friends, but we still really missed everyone. I like the location of several other resorts better that are in the mountainous areas, but this park has the wooded setting we like. We have had snow here in the campground several times, but it melts pretty fast. We drove 50 miles north on the coastline one day to try and check out some of the other TT campgrounds for our next trip west.  We ran into snow and there was no place to turn around, so we had to go over the mountain pass. On our way back, we came around a curve, and a wrecker, a police car, and a small car were stuck on the ice. We had to stop, and after we came to a complete stop, our car slid sideways and stopped just before the ditch. We had to put chains on to get moving again, or should I say the guys with the wrecker put them on for us. So, we had a little adventure.  Never did get to check out the other campgrounds, but we did explore some of the beautiful Oregon coastline on the way back. We also had breakfast at Otis Cafe in Otis, OR. This restaurant was featured in the book called Roadfood that our granddaughter, Dawn, gave us for Christmas and it was very small. It had 4 booths, 1 table, and a few counter stools. This breakfast was the best we’ve ever had, thick homemade toast, including black molasses toast, hash browns with onions and covered with white cheese, sourdough pancakes, and much, much more! As Dawn said, this is the gift that keeps on giving! We met a couple named Steve & Judy at the campground. We became good friends, and we took them back up to the Otis Café for another breakfast! Yum! We didn’t do too much sightseeing, as it rained and was very windy most of the time. The first time we went to Seal Rock State Rec. Site, the wind was blowing so hard that it almost blew both of us over.  Needless to say we didn't walk on the beach that day!  We loved watching the waves crash in during the bad weather. We arrived in Florence, OR on Jan. 2, a day late due to 45 mph winds with 70 mph gusts along HWY. 101 on Jan. 1.