Unemployment, Day 12

It started out as a very beautiful morning in Newport. I got up and walked the dog a bit down the beach some. I have to admit that having the beach nearly right out your patio door is pretty cool. The bad part is being around all the other dog owners that don't seem to feel that they should clean up after their own dogs. Worse yet, why is it always the hippie mid-life crisis pot smoking guys who feel their dog is an angelic example of divinity and refuse to use a leash.

We drove up to the Yaquina Head lighthouse. It was pretty windy up there, but we walked around the National Park area, and then went inside to see if we could walk up to the top of the light house. There was a caretaker on duty, and quite a line of people waiting. We did decide to get in queue, and wait to go up top. Travis was right in front of two women who seemed to yammer on and on and on. I luckily was out of earshot. It was quite a trek up to the top of the tower. The light house is still used and is still in working order. They have long since converted the lard / kerosene wick burning flame with 1000 watt light bulb. 1000 watts. Two bulbs. Only one is used, the second is a backup. Should one burn out, they both get replaced. It was pretty cool to see it up close. Amazing.

Lunch was at a quite unremarkable 'Diner', greasy spoon. Wow. Food was ok, service was lousy, and the place was..... not up to the usual par of my dining tastes. I spotted it at the last minute, and picked it because it was along our route back to the hotel. Probably the only reason the place stays in business is because it is along highway 101. If someone had to drive any distance to go there, I'm not sure that they would. So unremarkable, I can't remember the name.

Took the truck in to AAMCO. The good news is that my transmission is fine. The bad news is that my transfer case is bad. Cheaper fix, but just as devastating if we have a failure. No transfer case = no go nowhere. Travis keeps reminding me that we can get towed once we get into the magic 100 mile zone of his AAA coverage. I don't relish having to have a tow though. Something stubborn in me wants to make it. The guys as AAMCO did say that they didn't think I was going to do any real damage that wasn't already done by driving it back to Portland. The malady is common enough that parts are common, and he is actually out of stock. Everyone in the near vicinity is out of stock as well. He could get the parts, but it would take him a few days to a few weeks. I can't afford to stick around in Newport for 2 more weeks, as attractive an option as that might be. :)

Dinner was at Georgie's, which is attached to our hotel. At the Hallmark Inn - Canon Beach, the affiliated eater was Dooger's, and I wasn't all that impressed by them. Georgie's was pretty impressive. Great view, good service, and excellent food. The food was lacking a bit of spice, they seemed to miss that garlic should be used in many applications. I'd give it an 8 out of 10.

Travis drank wine and I drank some sparkling wine while we watched Pulp Fiction on his laptop, which he'd never seen.

Hope that it isn't raining all Wednesday!