Tu Tu Tun

Thursday – 1 June 2006:  Gold Beach, Oregon - We had a very relaxing morning as it was pouring rain and we didn't want to leave our warm, dry digs. The jet boats did arrive (about one hour late) to fetch our fellow campers from our campground dock to take them upriver. We will take the jet boat tomorrow, so had the day to explore around Gold Beach. We headed out up the Rogue River in our car, crossed over a one-lane bridge about ten miles upstream and drove into Gold Beach along Jerry's Flat Road, which follows the south side of the Rogue to the ocean. We found several campgrounds and several myrtle wood groves along the way. Everything was covered in misty fog, adding a mysterious element to our adventure.

Once in Gold Beach, we checked on our reservations for tomorrow's jet boat trip at Jerry's Rogue River Jet Boats and then toured through the Fisherman's Direct Seafood market. They sell all sorts of tinned fish and after sampling we have decided they are worth a second trip and will go back before we leave to stock-up on their alder smoked tuna. We also visited the Rogue River Myrtlewood Shop - one of the best on the Oregon coast - and took a drive south to Sebastian Point. At Sebastian Point, in 1942, a caretaker heard voices speaking Japanese and looked below the point to see a Japanese submarine surfacing - one of the few sighting of an enemy ship during WWII on the US mainland.

Sebastian Point

Our campground arranged for us to dine at Tu Tu Tun (next door from the Four Seasons RV Resort) tonight and we arrived promptly at 6:15 for the cocktail hour. The stunningly beautiful, and award-winning, Tu Tu Tun Lodge serves a family-style set-course dinner each evening in their dining room. You sit down with strangers and you leave (well-fed) with new friends. Wine is flowing and the meals and lodging are rated some of the best in the world in most of the travel magazines.

Rack of Lamb

Tonight we gathered with Tu Tu Tun Lodge guests, family and locals around the stone fireplace to enjoy fresh oysters on the half shell, brie with apples and assorted raw sea foods. Wine was served by the husband/wife owners at the fireside bar. At around seven o'clock, a bell was chimed and we were seated at tables for ten. Lentil soup was in a huge tureen on the ample lazy-susan in the middle of the table, then a salad of fresh greens, blue cheese, cranberries and walnuts was served. Later gigantic platters overflowing with rack of lamb and roast vegetables were placed on the rotating platform, followed by platters of potato croquettes blasting garlic and their famous Tu Tu Tun Popovers. Dessert was a lemon tart with fresh seasonal berries. It was gourmet all the way and greatly appreciated. Of course, since DT knows everyone - we had friends in common with two groups at our table! The world is indeed small when you travel with My Driver.

The Popovers at Tu Tu Tun

RV Park: Four Seasons RV Resort