Oregon Day 2: Wildlife Safari and the Ocean (Finally!)

After a hellish night in Roseburg (more on that later), we were ready for an adventure.

The Wildlife Safari in Winston seemed to fit the bill.

"We are free; you are the captives" is the motto, and the animals roam free while the patrons stay in their cars. And the staff was serious. "...And don't stop by the rhinos," were the last words from the gal at the ticket booth.

We were greeted by a very agressive ostrich. Our AAA sticker seemed to really make him mad- he kept trying to peck it through the window.

This buffalo engaged us in a standoff. He had crazy eyes, so in the end, we went around him.

The predators were in large enclosures, but the only thing between us and the bears was a small electric fence. These bears played and played. It actually reminded us of the way our dogs used to play with each other.

It's hard to really conceive how large a giraffe is, but this should help:They are right alongside those cars.

We took so many pictures of animals that I don't have the patience to upload them all, but we saw lions, tigers, rhinos, elephants, bears, giraffes, zebras, a cheetah who'd been raised with a dog friend, yaks, buffalo, elk, ostriches, emus, and they were all up close and personal.

After all of that, the petting zoo on the grounds seemed a little lame. "A goat? All you've got for me to pet is a goat?"

Another couple of hours on the road (1100 miles so far...) and we are at the coast.

We are staying in Florence. We finally made it to the ocean.
We gathered shells, took a little walk, and breathed deep.

I've made my list of "Must-Do's" and hope that they all happen, but I am a little worried. Kate had a terrible night last night. She threw-up several times during the night (Sorry to the housekeeping staff at Travelodge. Even though your hotel is really sh***y, no one deserves that.). Today she has been feverish and lethargic, and keeps complaing that her right side hurts. We are a little scared that it is her appendix, so Bruce is currently at the ER with her. Hopefully we are just worrying for nothing, but better safe than sorry.

Update: Bruce and Kate are back from the doctor- it's just a virus. Symptoms include low-grade fever, loss of appetite, and non-stop whining.