HERE IN FLORENCE...JUST NOT IN ITALY!

Today, Thursday, was a big day of driving! Much longer than I had thought it would be from Medford to Florence back on the coast of Oregon. Since the weather is beautiful and clear here for the next week we decided to adjust out plans to do the eastern Cascades 2 weeks from now and catch the good weather while we could. Hopefully by then the fires near Sisters will be contained and out.

Beautiful drive today, but 3 hours on I-5 is more than enough.  Turned off at hwy 138 for a very peaceful ride west along the Umpqua River, with stunning views. That is one really wide river!!!

Can't imagine it in spring with snow run off.  We passed through the little town of Elkton, guess my connections to Elks just keeps on keeping on! Even came along another Elk preserve outside of the city of Reedsport. Our destination was the Elk's RV Park just outside of Florence.  Another AMAZING campground!!!! Full hooks ups, beautiful spaces and gorgeous forested landscape.

Friday morning was re-organizing time...slowly learning what really needs to be where in our little house, so it's an ongoing task moving things around. When we took off for this adventure we weren't quite sure what things we'd really be needing along the way, so slowly we will sift through items and donate.

The newest addition to my traveling garden is this beautiful hanging basket and stake.

Spent Friday afternoon driving around the beautiful Mercer Lake just up the road from our campground.

Might be a great place for the kayaks. Then south to the old town of Florence for views of the bay and dunes.

This is the Art Deco bridge built in 1936 that leads into Florence. Just gorgeous!

Friday night was an experience...dinner with dancing at the local Elk's club. Great prime rib dinner. Gotta love being an ELK!!!!  Though we were pretty much the youngest ones there, and not being waltzers we did sit out a ton until a good ole rock n roll tune came along.  Fun evening!

Today, Saturday we got on our bikes early to ride to a near by botanical area to view Darlingtonia Californica...also known as the cobra plant or the pitcher plant. A most interesting plant that devours insects

I thought that was the end of the bike ride, but PK suggested we get on the Oregon Bike Route (also know as the main highway) and head back to Florence. Along the way I always have to stop and check out campgrounds so we stopped at the Sutton Recreational Area. Just always wondering what other campsites are out there.  Once we get passed the Labor Day weekend, we will have plenty to choose from and if they are National Forest we have a 50% discount.  Pretty cool!  From here we continued into town stopping at our new favorite shopping stores, thrift shops.  So we found the Habit for Humanity ReStore and Paul was in contractor heaven looking at all the parts and pieces.  But he did find a fabulous buy: a small (motorhome size) space heater for $2!  he was tickled and it fit easily in my bike basket.

 Too fun! We did go on into town and had a little lunch

before heading back and stopping off at the Garden Shops we'd seen along the way.  So now...back at our campsite with my BBQing husband in charge of dinner...chicken cooked using his 6 briquet method! He cracks me up! We're very proud of our day of bicycling...15 miles!!! More than we've ever done and maybe some day I'll be riding with the Big Guys.... Ann, Tony, Sheri or Paul.