Day 22

We wake up, pack the car, and tackle the Oregon coast once more. The driving is easier this time; the zig-zagging road has straightened itself out, and we're able to enjoy the ocean views without getting carsick. The Pacific Ocean looks white where it collides with the rocks below.

Bandon, OR is home to something Emily has been awaiting for days now: the West Coast Game Park. After putting on proper shoes (flip-flops aren't good for walking through animal poop), we pay our $8 fee and enter the gates. We're immediately greeted by a group of goats, deer, and donkeys, all of whom are unleashed and free to roam the park. They can smell food, and they know that Emily and I both have cups of animal feed in our hands. I dispense my own food and look over at Emily, whose lower torso is sort of invisible in the sea of mammals surrounding her. "The deer's antlers are fuzzy!" she yells. After her flock is fed, we set off to tour rest of the park.

It's an animal-filled visit. We touch a bear cub as it drains a baby bottle. Emily holds a young fox named Lucy, who nibbles on her fingers (this is Emily's fault -- we were told not to put our hands in the fox's mouth, but she does it anyway). We have a few encounters with cross-eyed llamas who sit in the middle of our path. We also see some caged animals, from lions and evil-looking felines to a hilarious baby duck. The Redwoods await, though, and we have to reach Crescent City before it gets too late. We continue driving south.


The scenery en route to Crescent City is significantly prettier than the city itself. Still, we manage to score some good Thai food in the area, and we fall asleep to thoughts about towering trees.

- Andrew