"Yellow Brick Road"

We met Kiki at the Prehistoric Gardens Dinosaur Park, a roadside gem along the Southern Oregon Coast that caught our eye with its towering T-Rex statue. Curiosity pulled us off the highway and straight into Kiki's gift shop, where she welcomed us with a warm smile and a story that stretched back generations.

Kiki chose "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" by Elton John, not so much for the lyrics, but for the way the song makes her feel. She loves its tune, its rhythm, and the way it lifts her mood. It's become more meaningful as she's grown older.

Kiki has lived on the Southern Oregon Coast her entire life, and the Dinosaur Park has been part of her world since before she was born. Her grandparents opened it in the 1950s, sparked by her grandfather's childhood love of dinosaurs. In his 40s, he began building the park by hand, turning that passion into a creative legacy. Kiki never expected to take it over, it just happened. "It's alright," she said with a small smile, pointing out old black-and-white newspaper clippings from a 1958 Popular Mechanics article featuring her grandfather, along with snapshots of him posing proudly at the park.

After decades of carrying on the family legacy, Kiki is now looking ahead to retirement. First stop? A visit to her daughter in London.