Finally Making the Connection in Newport

July 2-11, 2019
Newport, Oregon

Two years ago we were returning south from Tillamook to meet up with my BFF Janis and her hubby Nick in Newport, Oregon. Before we arrived she called to say her mother wasn't well and they were going to leave in the morning. Damn. Fortunately Mom was okay, but it sucked to miss having that time to play with them!

Incompatible geographic positioning and family/life realities keep us from getting together for too long. Last October we make plans with fingers and toes crossed.

When she calls on the day before we're trying it again this year, I almost don't answer the phone. When I do, I wish I hadn't. Their reserved site won't fit their rig, and there are no other sites available over this holiday week - no!! Fortunately our pull-through site will fit their 40 footer, and we will fit in theirs. Changes are made and confirmed, and we're still on for this long overdue meet up - whew!

We get set up at Port of Newport RV Park on Yaquina Bay and end up with the better of the two sites. We have a great view of the bridge from our windows. Level asphalt with small strips of green in between, this is a large, well maintained park.

Ten days fly by and we don't do half the things we thought we would - but we do have a great time getting caught up with our good friends. A couple afternoons of girl talk are very good for the soul :-)

So happy we finally made this happen!

One Jeep excursion and we transfer to their cushy Explorer where Nick becomes our official chauffeur for exploring. Sweet :-) Tessa makes herself cozy in her bed in the back (most of the time). We've all been to the Newport area several times so mostly we're revisiting places each of us enjoy. 

Pretty drive along the Yaquina River to the little town of Toledo.

Janis and Nick - we need to do this more often!

Yaquina Head Lighthouse

Rookery off Yaquina Head (quite odiferous even from a distance).

Enjoying the beautiful views.

Basalt caves

Common Muirs in their uncommonly flashy footwear.

Basalt rocks at Fogarty Beach

Dark from the natural tannins collected upstream, Fogarty Creek makes its way to the ocean.

Pausing to appreciate

One of the reasons we choose Newport is watching the fireworks on July 4th from our own yard. We hang out at their place where they feed us all day. Warm and sunny, it's a perfect holiday with friends. Clear skies guarantee we'll have a great view of the fireworks.

Their poodle Odie applies the guilt stare.

The locals put on a couple hours of pre-show, and then we enjoy the big ones lighting up the skies over the park. Lots of orange this year, I love it! It will take people hours to get out of the nearby parking areas to find their way home - we walk 50 steps to our place. Life is good.

Yaquina Bay Lighthouse

The beach below the lighthouse where on our last day the mayor of Newport crashes his small plane. We see the plane on the sand just hours later. No visible damage but one of the two passengers was hospitalized. Her seven year old son sustained minor injuries. 

Bill and I are big Irish Pub fans and Nana's in Nye Beach is our favorite. The two of us catch an early dinner one evening. Once again both my meat loaf and his steak and Guiness pie are excellent. Highly recommended if you're in the area!

I really wanted to eat the whole thing, but it was even better the second day :-)

Bill and I loved our recumbent trikes, but carrying them was a pain for as little as we were able to use them, so we got rid of them after our first year. Nick and Janis have room to haul theirs in their toad, and the port has a lot of nice paved riding trails. Janis and I ride out on the jetty and the pier and over to the NOAA facility, enjoying the perfect weather before the rains come.

Gorgeous views along the jetty.

So much fun with my athletic friend!!

Yaquina Bay Bridge from the pier.

We're all Toy Story fans, so spending a rainy day seeing the latest one at the theater is so fun. And it's the best since the first. We all laughed a lot!

Bo Peep is my new hero - go see her and the gang!!

Another cribbage player. I'll never get it :-)

The Hazelnutely Choctabulous Stout is delish, and I can't remember what Bill had. The food is okay.

Sweet views from the first floor of the brewery which shares the property with our RV park.

I can't believe we were finally able to spend some time on the road with these two! It was over way too soon, and hopefully won't take another four years to repeat. 

On Friday they head south and we continue north to our favorite Oregon stop for a week on the river.