Oregon Dunes

So, today I felt like I was back to being a tourist. But not without a visit first to a local veterinarian, to have Jo Jo checked out. He is going on day 5 of diarrhea. I was there waiting in the parking lot, well before they opened, and the first through the door. With medical records in hand, I was amazed that they could take him in right away. Dr. Helen was super nice, and very personable. We actually had some nice conversation going on all kinds of topics, and I really felt so comfortable with Jo Jo in her care. She suspected a bacterial issue, so he got antibiotics, prescription dog food, and throughout the day I have already seen improvements. I think my sweet boy will be ok. Whew.

I went on to the Umpqua River Lighthouse State Park, and enjoyed a 45 minute tour regarding the history of this lighthouse. They are celebrating 125 years this year. I have been to many lighthouses, but the distinction here was a combination of the red and clear beveled glass, the only lighthouse in the country, with red glass, a unique signature. Red glass has a dusting of gold in it, and according to the tour guide: pigeon blood. We actually got right up into the rotating fresnel glass lens, my first lighthouse tour to get up that close to a working, rotating lighthouse. It was very interesting, and quite beautiful. 

From there, I continued to travel north, and entered the Oregon Dunes National Forest. I took a little hike along an overlook of the sand dunes, and then continued on to an area where I could hike the dunes right up to the edge of the ocean. The hike up and over the dunes was like climbing a small mountain, and reminded me of Indiana Sand Dunes, and Sleeping Bear in Michigan, on the other side of the country. The winds were fierce, sandblasting all around like a haboob. Wow, it was intense. Fortunately I had Jo Jo in my kangaroo pouch, and he was covered up and protected. The temperature was pretty cold at the shore, so I only took the time to walk to the edge of the water, then turned around to go back to the Gypsy. What a climb! I'm spending the night just around the corner at the Lagoon campsite, a very quiet site located around a pond-like lagoon. I even saw a beaver, and hear a serenade of bullfrogs.

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