Oregon Coast Travel

February 9-19 – HGTV's Former "Collector Inspector" Harry Rinker – Lincoln City – During Antique Week Mr. Rinker, nationally known for his expertise in antiques, will make a variety of special appearances, hold workshops, in-home appraisals, and appraise-a-thons. FMI 541-996-1273

February 10 - Pistol River Friendship Hall - Just South of Gold Beach - Jim Malcolm -

Traditional Scottish Folk Music, 8 PM. FMI 541-247-2848

February 10 – 22nd Annual Charleston Crab Feed – Charleston – 11:00 am - 4:00 pm at the "Old" Charleston School, 64065 Seven Devils Road. Fresh Dungeness Crab Dinners, Whole or Half Crab at Market Price, includes beans, salad, bread & beverage. FMI 800 824-8486.

February 10 – Triple Creek – Kernville Steakhouse – Lincoln City – Our favorite guitar trio… Crosby, Stills & Nash, look out! Every time we hear these guys, they get better!They rock! Get in here and give ‘em a listen! FMI 541-994-6200.

February 14 – St. Valentine's Wedding Vow Renewal Ceremony – A Celebration of Renewal and Commitment. Little Log Church, Yachats. FMI 541-547-3976.

February 14 – 2nd Annual Sweethearts Day Crab Crack - Event Center on the Beach, Gold Beach - 6pm to 10 pm - Dungeness Crab, live music, dancing, auction and fun! FMI Gold Beach Chamber 541-247-0923.

February 16 – Rita Coolidge in concert at the Mill Casino Hotel – North Bend – Two shows, 7 and 9 pm. Tickets $13-$18. FMI 800-953-4800.

February 16-17 – Beth Willis – Kernville Steakhouse – Lincoln City – She’s a sweetheart and it’s kinda like Valentine’s day, well, weekend , sorta… Beth’s great with a crowd, so get in and give her a listen, you’ll be glad you did! Psssst! She’ll play songs you know, and some you don’t… but you’re gonna love it, no matter what! FMI 541-994-6200

February 17-18 – Chinook Winds Arts & Crafts Fair – Chinook Winds Convention Center – Lincoln City – This event is open to all ages and there is no charge for admission. This is your chance to purchase hand crafted items direct from the skilled individuals who create them. There will also be a Tribal history display as part of Antique Week. This event will be held in conjunction with the Harry Rinker Appraisathon. FMI 1-800-CHINOOK.

Highway 38 is being considered for recognition as an Oregon scenic byway. The state has more scenic routes than any other, for reasons that are apparent to anyone who drives much here. Highway 38 leads from Interstate 5 through Drain, westward to Elkton, where it joins the spur from Sutherlin and continues along the Umpqua River until it reaches Highway 101 in Reedsport.

Elkton has begun to grow. The city has a built a butterfly pavilion and there is an associated art space. Four wineries now operate in the area. Two of them have tasting rooms on the Highway 38 -- Brandborg in "downtown" and Rivers Edge Winery at the western edge. There is also a new subdivision on the hillside above the downtown area. It also has a couple of interesting cafes and an RV park down by the river. I expect Elkton to remain a unique little community even as it grows.

Our local newspaper in Eugene has noticed the onset of Naples Beach in Waldport on the Oregon Coast. They forecast that it will double the size of this seaside town. Those of you who follow my blogs will have learned this before.

Mark Campbell, who owns Crestview Hills Golf Course and is involved in Naples Beach, told me that the number of housing units for which they are getting permits may be more than they end up with. That's the same thing I heard from the developer of Villages at Cascade head in Lincoln City. I don't know much about land use planning, but it seems that people go through the process for the largest conceivable number of units and then actually develop less.

As usual, there was the local resistance. One gentleman was quoted as saying that his property taxes had gone up 83% in 12 years and if it got to bad, he'd just move on. Well, 83% in 12 years is mostly accounted for by inflation, but if he wants too go, then "Sayonara." I hope he isn't planning to move somewhere else in Oregon with low property taxes and no sales tax.

Yachats is pronounced "YA-hots" and at one time had the slogan "When Yachats, Yachats," with the stress on the second syllable. It may have been unofficial. It was at one time a place where a number of gay men lived. This may still be true, but there doesn't seem to be much sign of an active gay lifestyle anymore. Yachats seems to be gradually growing upwards along the hillsides. Twenty years ago, there weren't a lot of homes on the inland side of Highway 101, but as Oregon Coast real estate has become more in demand, ocean view lots have been developed a little higher and more inland. As I look at some of the driveways, I try to imagine getting up or down during one of the Oregon Coast's infrequent snowstorms. Not a pleasant prospect.

I'll be on the road later this morning, taking a truck up to Newport with the last copies of last year's Oregon Coast Magazine guide to Highway 101. OCVA needs them to mail out.

We could have distributed more. The print order is going to 341,000 for the next run, which will be available in a month. That's up by 50,000 from the previous run and 111,000 from two years ago. People just can't get enough of them, it seems.

It's all due to my wife and not me. I occasionally help out with some writing and I try to sell a few ads. I drive up and down the Oregon Coast looking for new things on Highway 101 to mention. But she does the real work. I don't think people on the coast appreciate how much she does on their behalf. Good job, Alicia!

It's been cold here. OK, cold by the standards of the Oregon Coast, if not the Pacific Northwest. Let alone Fairbanks. But we're not used to a lot of frosty mornings. I made an effort to time my firewood gathering so I would run out of dry, conveniently placed wood around May 15, when it stops making sense even to take the chill off the morning. I was probably a little enthusiastic, but there are always people who want a few extra bundles late in the winter, so it should work out. I have a lot more down, mostly bucked up, some of it split. It's out in the woods and I should get it into the warm sunshine so that by the middle of September, I can shelter it and it will be well seasoned for next winter.

People buy Oregon Coast real estate in order to have experiences like this.