Day Two in the Can, July 20, 2007

We’re in Gold Beach, Oregon tonight. That is, most of us are here. Bob & Patti are in Crescent City on an unscheduled layover, alone, with a broken Model A. It doesn’t even matter much what went wrong. The sad news is that the mechanical problem is so bad that they can’t continue. But the good news is that they are safe, in a good-size town with a U-Haul trailer reserved to carry the old Coupe home Saturday morning. Bob had the great good sense and experience to recognize the problem, and stop in a civilized place before they found themselves disabled on a wind-y, two lane road in the wilds of the Oregon coast. Sometimes, the old Model A DOESN’T get you there, so it helps to be smart…
Mel is having some problems with his “A” as well. Won’t be sure if he’s able to continue until later tonight or tomorrow morning…sure hope the trouble can be repaired. Two of the top mechanics in the club having problems tonight. Makes you stop and think. Long touring is a lot of fun, but it’s also real serious business with some consequences attached to all those primitive miles…
On the fun side, we started out this morning fresh, and ready to drive 270 miles after a continental breakfast at the Holiday in Fort Bragg. We drove through the rugged coastal redwood forest to Leggitt and paid $5 for the privilege of driving your car through a giant redwood …this one is named the “Chandelier” Redwood. Then we ferged on to Forndale to explore the shops and emporiums on Victorian Main Street. Another marathon lunch occurred at the Samoa Cookhouse today outside of Eureka, where many over-ate anonymously. We took a group picture outside the eatery. Some of us kneeled for the shot, and were unable to arise gracefully afterwards. Patti was heard to ask Bob for assistance after a loud “OOMPH”
From here, we took the sinuous, unforgiving two-lane up the 101 coast to Gold Beach. Magnificent scenery and a clear day to enjoy the rocky coastline. The farther we drove, the misty-er it got, until we drove into a rainy motel called Jot’s Resort in Gold Beach.
After some calls back and forth to Bob & Pattti, in an effort to forestall the inevitable, Bob called at 10:20 PM to advise that they are definitely heading home tomorrow morning, which is going to make the party less cheery. Dang…
On to Tillamook and beyond.
Ps: since Rot’s Resort only has wireless WIFI if you trot your computer down to the office and sit nicely at their station, we’ll send this tomorrow from a more civilized venue.