Day 9 - Travel Day to Coos Bay, OR

 Awakening to a sunny morning, we departed for Coos Bay. En route we pulled off at a viewpoint and took advantage of another lighthouse photo-op at Winchester.

After our arrival at the casino RV park, we went downtown to check out the farmer’s market which was 2 blocks long and had a nice variety of foodstuffs as well as crafts along with some musical entertainment.

Once our shopping was done, we hurried back to the RV park where 12 of us boarded the casino shuttle that took us to the visitor’s center. There we met the chief forester of Menasha Forest Products Corp. who would be our guide for a tour at one of their Douglas fir tree farms.

Our first stop was a clear cut, then replanted area where we examined equipment that cuts trees, then grabs them before they fall. Clear cut areas are replanted in 2 years, then harvested again in 40 years.

Our second stop was an area being clear cut now where we saw equipment (note CAT) that moves downed trees to enable another machine to measure, cut, and remove the limbs before being loaded on to a truck for hauling to the processor.

The next stop was an area being left uncut for use as an education tool. There we took a hike examining the vegetation and found lobster and golden chantrelle mushrooms growing which Marilyn happily collected. It was a great learning experience!!

Back at the RV park, we listened attentively as Hex briefed us on the plans for tomorrow. By then, dinner was beckoning us all!!!

Submitted by:  Jim and Rae Anne Hamp #9