Thursday, July 19th, 2012

The First Thing I Learned about Lincoln City, Oregon…

… is that they take tsunamis very seriously around here.

Tsunami Warning System at the Beach, Lincoln City, OR

This is a photo of the Tsunami Strobe Light Warning System right at the beach. It’s got a klaxon which blows in the event of a tsumami to warn people off the beach and to get to high ground. [It’s also tested every Wednesday at 11 a.m. You can hear it for miles.] The light on top blinks blue.

Here’s a close-up of the explanatory sign on the Tsunami Early Warning System.

Photograph of a sign which reads: Tsunami Hazard Zone: In case of earthquake, go to high ground or inland.

And yet another sign, posted in the parking lot near the beach, warning that the beach is a hazardous area in the event of an earthquake (which will cause a tsunami.)

Photograph of a sign which reads: Tsunami Evacuation Route. An arrow points in the direction you should be going.

Here’s an unusually round sign (only unusual because all the other tsunami signs have been square) posted along the evacuation route. It makes certain you’re going in the right direction.

Photograph of a sign which reads: Leaving: Tsunami Hazard Area

When you’ve reached high enough ground, this sign lets you know.

Photograph of a sign which reads: Evacuation Site

And here’s a sign in front of an evacuation site, which interestingly enough, leaves off the word “tsunami.” Presumably the locals know it’s for that purpose.

Photograph of the Lincoln City, OR Movie Theater Sign

The sign just happens to be in front of the local movie theater, which I presume is an awesome place to ride out a tsunami. Because if the world is going to end, and Oregon goes floating off into the sea, you might as well enjoy a good movie (and some popcorn) while it’s happening.

Saturday, July 14th, 2012

Here and Safe in Oregon – And Alive!

I made it!

I’m here in Oregon safe and sound.

The trip was brutal:

My 8:25 a.m flight was delayed by an hour – so we had to sit on the tarmac while they figured out why a light in the cockpit wouldn’t shut off. The delay was mostly because of the paperwork that had to be signed off on.

And when my connecting flight to Portland, OR arrived, the yellow emergency slide partially inflated, and we couldn’t leave by that exit. Maintenance was called (this was a different plane, BTW) as well as airport folk, who were to bring a metal staircase to the opposite plane door so we could debark.

Whee! We would have had to go down some steps to the tarmac, and then up some steps to get back into the terminal.

It would have been kewl: but maintenance arrived the same time the steps did, so they decided to let us sit on the plane until the emergency slide was fixed. Ho-hum. I would have liked to go down on the tarmac.

I had to take a shuttle to the rental car place, and them embarked on a two-hour drive (really, longer due to traffic) to Lincoln City on the coast. The scenery was beautiful, once I got out of the city. I can’t wait to do some site seeing.

I’m staying at the Historic Anchor Inn – which is charming. It’s art-deco decor of the 40s and 50s is terrific. All the rooms are decorated with antiques. I so want the lamp that’s in my room.

View of Lush Greenery and a Landed Boat outside the Historic Anchor Inn, Lincoln City Oregon

Here’s the view outside my window:

Hotel Room with Cool 1950s Art Deco Lamp

Thanks for all the well wishes for the flight! More to come…