End of McMinnville and on to Florence

 We were only in McMinnville for 8 days, but we had lots of fun.  As you saw in a previous post, we enjoyed good meals, wine tastings and plenty of exploration. 

Cuvee in Carlton

starting to look like Fall

 The last two days turned out to be the best!   Both days brought us something we (I) hadn't planned for but very much enjoyed.

Pam and John's fall travels put them in Salem, Oregon, only about 25 miles from us!     We were so happy when they said they'd come up for a visit.      We talked and talked (we haven't seen each other for a while ya know.....) then visited the next door Evergreen Air and Space Museum (where Dave and John strolled the exhibits and Pam and I sat in conveniently placed airline seats and continued our talks).

 

under the Spruce Goose's huge wing

 

Waves and Wings waterpark on the Museum grounds

  

John ogles Margie?

an earlier version of Dave's first plane

After the museum we drove into McMinnville and had dinner on the patio at the Golden Valley Brewery.    No pictures.     It was a grand afternoon.   Thanks Pam and John!

The second wonderful, unplanned event was sitting in (yes, IN) the campgrounds landscaping to watch the fabulous Oregon International Airshow taking place directly across the street.     

see Dave?

When I originally made our reservations at Old Stone Village RV Park, we were to leave on Friday.    The wonderful woman on the phone asked if we were in a hurry to leave....I said we weren't in a hurry, and she replied that if we stayed one more day we'd get to see a great airshow.    Done!    thank you very much lady on the phone.

We got to see the entire show, all day long, free of charge.    We both pronounced it one of the best airshows we'd ever seen.   We were up off our feet with surprise as an F-18 Hornet came up from behind us......very low and so fast that moisture boiled off the leading edge of the wings as it passed over us.      Yikes!   So many planes, such unbelievable exhibitions and aerobatics.    My pictures are pitiful, the planes were going too fast, two high, and I was too excited to hold the damn phone still!

F-15s, F-18s, a Heritage flight of a F-16 and a P-51, a Mitchell, a F6F, two T-6  trainers, and a couple civilian planes - a STOL Maule demonstration team, and a Long Easy. The Canadian AirForce's Snowbird team show finished the day. Phew!

low and fast flyover

The next day we left and headed down the coast to Florence.   The weather alternated between dense coastal fog and brilliant sunshine.    The views were stunning.

At one point, we almost got ourselves in trouble.   We pulled over at what we thought was a "viewpoint' to eat lunch.   Before we started off again, through the pull off (or what we thought was a pull off) and back onto 101,  I realized that this was actually the beginning of a very narrow, very twisty road paralleling 101 down along the shoreline.    "RV's and trucks NOT advised" said the sign, I noticed.   Uh oh.

lunch view

Dave calmly unhooked the Jeep, backed Beluga out of the wrong place, hooked back up and off we went!    Oh Dave....💕

We're now sitting in our beautiful, silent, bird filled site (26) at the Florence Elks Lodge RV Park.   Ah....

Sunday we had a sunny day, so we checked out some of the places we've enjoyed along the north and south Jetties, listened to the NASCAR race on Rocky's radio, had dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, the Waterfront Depot, and did a little grocery shopping.

Today, Monday, it's raining.   Rain is forecast for the rest of the week.   

We're going to the movies and out to dinner.    I don't know the last time we were in a movie theatre so we're looking forward to it.    Tomorrow we move east to Eugene.

Here's Annie!