Day 6 Astoria revisited

Today we were up & out a little earlier because we wanted to make it back for some swimming time at the beach near our hotel. We arrived at the Uppertown Firefighter's Museum in Astoria as they opened at 10. They have some really neat, really OLD fire trucks

and some not quite so old but not exactly current fire trucks:

and some fun stuff for the kids as well:





Looking up a hose drying-tower:

Don't know what it has to do with firefighting, but there was a big comfy chair there as well!

Upstairs from the firefighter museum was the Astoria Children's Museum. They had all kinds of fun things up there for the kids, a fire station:

some Lewis & Clark dress ups:


A sailboat for fishing:

And even a medical area:


When I developed a sudden severe toothache, I sure was glad the equipment was there to get me feeling better FAST!



Kyra was a little OLD for this place, but she found a nice place to kick back & relax:

After we were done there, we went to Ft. Stevens State Park, which was WAY too windy to have a picnic for lunch, so we ate in the car:

And explored an old shipwreck on the beach - the Peter Iredale that has been there since 1906. (You can click on the name of the ship to learn more) Only the steel reinforcements of the hull are still there, but there are small iron bits popping up form the sand all over, so I wonder how much is still buried!




There was a guy there using an antique camera to take pictures - it was kind of cool!


We then explored a small concrete bunker just inland from the beach. This is the only place on the US mainland to take enemy fire since the war of 1812. It was shelled by a Japanese submarine in WWII. SOunds more dramatic than it was, though, since the sub missed, ther was no damage, no injuries, and no return fire. But it was kind of an oddly interesting place and the kids enjoyed exploring.



We then went back to the hotel, changed into our swimsuits and spent a couple hours swimming. No cameras there, though, so you'll miss the delight of seeing me in a swimsuit. Please contain your disappointment.
That evening we ate dinner at a small Oregon Coast chain called "Pig and Pancake" - it was similar to an IHOP - we all ordered breakfast and the kids ate the best they had all trip!

And they even sell these:

We spent the evening shopping for t-shirts for the kids. Brynn got bored with the shopping so Darrin took her back for more swinging on the beach!

And then we went back to the hotel and watched more Olympics, I got a foot massage (without even asking for it!) and then we went to bed.