June 22 – Mill Hotel & Casino, Coos Bay OR 97459

Bugger, we missed the coffee and pastries again today but we did make it to the first seminar at 9am ‘Audiology – I Can Hear Just Fine’ which was really interesting.

However we do make the Icecream Social again, I think the flavour is actually vanilla bean, really nice.  Only after I finish do I see they had a thick Caramel Sauce to go with, oh well I am sure I didn’t need it!

We do a couple more seminars, the boys go to Shocks & Suspension and I drag Joy, somewhat unwillingly, to the Holding Tank Solutions one – I am sure this presenter is the same we had at the last rally selling the same concoction.  It sounds good but you shouldn’t use it with any other cleaners which could destroy the bug doing all the good odour eliminating and sludge killing work.

Joy and Gary have invited us for a late lunch at Luigi’s, their all-time favourite ‘hole in the wall’ Italian sandwich bar in Coos Bay.  The building is unprepossessing, painted bright green and the décor was plastic chic - kinda how you would expect an American diner to be, but have to say the food was fabulous – even though we chose the Roast Beef Grinder without Garbage (vegetables) to J&G’s horror, rather than the deli meat sandwich with onions and garlic butter which they like.

Late lunch at Luigi's with Gary and Joy

Grinder with Garbage

We have time for a wee rest before the wine walk starts.  Once a month on a Friday night between 4.30pm and 7.30pm retailers open their doors and offer complimentary wine tastings.  We paid $12 and got an etched FMCA wine glass, we were taken by school bus to Coos Bay village and were supplied generous tastings at each of the venues on the list which we cared to call at.  There are 22 retailers within say six blocks, all within flat easy walking distance.  Even mattress shops, clothing and antique stores where spilt red wine could have consequences, were participating.  There were no problems as far as we could see, everyone was having a great time.  There was no hard sell by the retailers and the proceeds go to different charities each month.  Brilliant, I would love to see this at home, imagine meandering through Petone tasting wine and shopping of a sunny evening!

Yay - Lois and my fave Chardonnay offerred for tastings!

Even the Coos County Republican Committee hosted tastings and have to say it was a much nicer environment than the Democratic Party's offering down the road!

We get back to the motorhome and it is still light,  the boys call it quits and the girls go and donate some $ to the Casino for an hour or so.  One of us came out with winnings and one of us came out with memories : )