Lincoln City, Oregon: Hiding from a weather forecast

December 17, 2012

Last night's storm was truly ferocious, and the forecast called for more of the same today. Since the winter rate at this full featured motel is the same as a yurt in the State Park, we decided to wait it out for one day.

Looks a bit sparse but the breakfast offering at the motel was not too bad.

As it happens, though blustery and with some periods of rain and hail, the day was quite usable. So we blew it, mostly.

Sunshine outside the motel. Where is the storm we were promised?

Being off bike has allowed us, unfortunately as it turns out, to follow news events and people's reactions. The Sandy Hook massacre is a huge and terrible event, that has produced round the clock coverage. Naturally people are asking why this occurred and what can be done to prevent such things. Gun control and the health care system thereby come under the microscope, and with them some of the key aspects of the American system and culture.

The Connecticut massacre and the gun debate dominate the nation today.

To our horror we found people on TV expounding the view that only by arming everyone can gun violence be stopped, and we heard it said that semi-automatic weapons are anyway normal for hunters. And in Michigan, carrying of concealed weapons in schools was approved.

On the other hand we heard renewed calls for bans of assault weapons, and bolstering of mental health systems. At the same time, the "fiscal cliff" will cause cuts to spending, including cuts to Medicare.

It's a complex place, and though we live just north we have never completely understood it. At least right now (or maybe normally) I think most Americans feel pretty confused as well.

Although we have now spent most of a day in Lincoln City, we have not been in to the "city". The reason is not only that we are hiding in this motel room, but also that there is actually no city. Rather there is an 8 km strip of development along the highway, and with 12 km of nearby sandy beach. Tomorrow as we hopefully creep out of here we will have a better look at the area. Google Street View even showed us a bakery of sorts down the road!

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