The dance last night in Corvallis was just what I needed, even if the drive up, and that oh so long drive back, were more than I bargained for. I got to thinking on the way back to Coos Bay after the dance that it had been more than 5 months since I had danced at a really good dance with a premiere band and caller. Now that is not meant to take anything away from the local dances in Colorado, Washington and here in Oregon, but it is different, and for the most part better, when the talent is just that little bit better.
   There was a good crowd of locals there, most of whom were pretty decent dancers. It may not of reached the level of a really good 3 day dance group, but it was nice to have a beginner only once or twice in a line of dancers rather than every other dancer. It also seems to help them along better also as they don't all dance together in a group and get lost in a mass tangle of chaos.
   That being said, George called some pretty fun, though mostly easy, dances and the band was right on as usual. Pretty high energy right from the start, so I managed to get my 10,000 steps for the day in pretty easily. The drive home was a little longer than I wanted. It was nearly 3:00 a.m. when I pulled into the campground and then another 20 minutes of reading and relaxing before I was slowed down enough to actually go to sleep. My normal rule for driving is to not drive any longer than the number of hours you will actually be dancing. I sort of broke that rule this time, but it was worth it. I just wish I was going to still be in the area next Monday night when George will be calling in Eugene with the Great Bear Trio playing.
    So it was late this morning before I was up and about. Spent a little while at the trailer eating breakfast and reading my book before heading over to the local Wally World to get the oil in the truck changed. I had actually let it slip a little longer than I usually do, so it was approaching nearly double the mileage I usually change it at, but well below the 10k to 15k the experts say you can let it go for. I still have a hard time going much past 4,000 and it seems to have helped keep the truck running pretty good. It was particularly nice to note that the oil level was down by less than 1/2 quart this time, even though the interval had been longer than usual. So I guess the work they did on it replacing the timing chains and all the seals a couple of months ago really helped.
    Not a bad day here weather wise. The sun is out, but it is darn cold outside, down below freezing last night in the campground, and even now it is only around 50 degrees outside. I think it is really time to be on the road and heading south again. Only one more full day here tomorrow and that will be mostly taken up with doing laundry and some routine maintenance around the trailer if it is nice. I remembered last night that it has also been longer than usual since I checked the trailer batteries fluid levels. It is one of those things you forget about when you are basically hooked up to shore power most of the time and not relying on your batteries to run anything. I also need to check the pressure in all of the tires and make sure that is set right. Maybe it will be warm enough again to go take a last walk on the beach before leaving the area.

Umpqua River Lighthouse near Florence Oregon - Nov 7, 2014

Located on a bluff  above the ocean and the entrance to the Umpqua River, the tower is sixty-five-feet tall and has a focal plane of 165 feet above sea level. The tower, consisting of brick overlaid with cement plaster, is five feet thick at the base and tapers to twenty-one inches at the parapet. 

The tower's first-order Fresnel lens, originally illuminated by a mineral oil lamp. The lens has twenty-four bull's-eye panels and completes a revolution every two minutes, producing a signature of two white flashes followed by a red flash. Every seventy minutes the keepers would have to wind up the weight that revolved the lens.

The light was automated in the 1960s and several of the outbuildings were torn down. Before automation, the light was active from one hour before sunset until one hour after sunrise, and curtains were drawn around the lantern room during the day to protect the lens from the sun. After the light was automated, it was left on twenty-four hours a day. Over time, the chariot wheels, on which the lens turned, wore out. When the Coast Guard talked of discontinuing the Fresnel lens and installing a modern optic, the community rose in outrage and took over maintenance of the light.

The area around the base of the lighthouse is still owned by the Coast Guard and they have built some housing for the people who are stationed at the small boat station in town. Unfortunately all of the other original buildings were torn down long ago.  



brk*