Oregon to Washington

Sunday, September 12, 2010
Several of the great sights on the Oregon Coast are the bridges, built during the 30's in art deco style, of concrete and green steel. There are several as the traveler crosses the many rivers that empty into the Pacific...Pistol, Umpqua, Elk. Smith. And, of course, the dunes. But first, the fish....chowder in Brookings for lunch, fresh coho salmon from a local fish market for dinner. A stop at Fred Meyer's my favorite store in Oregon, an amble up 101 on a beautiful day, over the huge bay at Coos Bay and the south end of the dunes. More dune sightings through forests and along beaches, landing at Honeyman State Park at the north end. Oregon State Parks are terrific with water and electricity hook-ups; this one is huge and well populated even after Labor Day.

Monday, September 13
On to Heceta Light House, seen from below another wonderful bridge, with its nearby B&B. Innumerable creeks and streams run into the ocean, 75 in the Florence area alone, so there are plenty of small beaches and picnic areas. Our walk to one such showed us what 'drift logs' are like. There are warnings and warnings about not walking/sitting on the drift logs as they can turn and take you to the ocean in a heartbeat. They are more like drift trees to me, absolutely huge, and some riddled with holes made by a particular kind of clam that burrows into them.

Yachats, a cute small town, provided coffee and fuel; Newpoert and Lincoln City are big slurbs except for Salishan resort. We crossed the 45th parallel, announced the sign. South of Tillamook, there are miles of dairy land, green pastures, horses, surrounded by forest. Nestucca and Beaver, small towns. And the world's largest wooden structure, it says, one of two that housed blimps doing coastal reconnaisance during WWII. (Where's the spell check when I need it?) Now the one remaining houses an air museum. Cheese was our main stop, of course, Blue Heron French cheese and Tillamook, where we watched the cheese making process. The aged Extra Sharp White is just the best. And Tillamook Bay looked gorgeous in the setting sun. Overnight at Newhalem, another wonder OSP, with a playground for Lucy to chase her ball.

Tuesday, September 14
Breakfast at Wanda's in Newhalem has inspired me to make omelettes with smoked salmon, cream cheese and scallions. Yum yum.
Astoria, on the Washington border, offered Fort Stevens, and Fort Clatsop where Lewis and Clark wintered after 'finding' the Pacific Ocean...a good replica of the log structures where the party of 24 or so lived in the rain. I don't think I've ever crossed into Washington from Astoria before..astounding how huge the mouth of the Columbia River is! A small Hoaquim River spot provided an RV park with a laundry, about time, but no wifi working that day.

Wednesday, September 15
Woke to real rain, what did we expect as we drove on to the Olympic Peninsula? Quinault's old lodge was a wonderful stopping place for coffee, reminding us of the time we spent there years ago on a road trip with friends. It's one of four lodges in the National Forest and National Park managed by a concessionaire. The Hoh rain forest is a perfect environment for Douglas fir (250 feet tall), Western hemlock, Sitka spruce, red alder and red cedar trees, combining an ocean influence with mountain environment. Everything, and I do mean everything, is covered with epiphytes, air plants that live on trees and bushes. The Olympic National Park and forest comprise close to 1 million acres and are 95% wilderness. One of the not-wilderness areas is Sol Duc (I have no idea what THAT means) with a lodge and cabins, but most importantly, hot springs.

Thursday, September 16
Having spent the night in the campground, we arrived bathing suits it hand to check into the springs, just behind 50 college freshmen from Seattle Univ. on a getting-to-know-you trip. Happily, the pools were large and the people watching great. Noticed that several obsese girls didn't go into the pools but stayed in their sweats, but others did. On the whole, not much obesity but lots of cute YOUNG girls and boys. Lunch at the outdoor cafe, noticed leaves turning on the trees, bought sweatshirts, headed for Lake Crescent and Port Angeles. Passed up the Log Cabin Lodge...although we were thinking of staying indoors one night....as there was nothing appealing about a plain wooden structure with no fireplace, and one the lakeside in the rain. Port Angeles provided wonderful coffee, a chat with the barrista about using lavender in cooking, new windshield wipers, and a solution to the problem of why the Passenger's seat won't slide anymore, preventing the Blogger from getting to the laptop which is hidden in the hidey-hole. A Coke bottle cap, courtesy of Lucy, was lodged somewhere in the track and a new body shop guy pulled it out.

Friday, September 16
Chestnut Cottage for breakfast and the best french toast Gene has ever had; he is eternally on the search, and this Creme Brulee French Toast did it. My Dungeness crab omelette with cheese and an apricot walnut scone also got rave reviews, and half saved for tomorrow. We've been to Hurricane Ridge twice before always in the rain and fog, so were reluctant to try it this time, again in the fog and rain. But a stop at the visitor center in Port Angeles showed us the web cam at the top, with a ridge of mountain showing above the fog and below the clouds. And by gosh, that's what we saw after the 18 mile drive up the mountain. Lovely, lovely, and I can only imagine what the scene would show in the sunshine, when and if. On to Sequim (skwim) and the Dungeness Spit, a dinner of cracked crab after a visit to Sunny Farms the most fabulous grocery/nursery...looks like a roadside stand that grew out of all proportion, but stocked like Whole Foods or the Woodland Market. Marvelous, and worth another trip tomorrow.

Saturday, September 17
We're off to the Farmer's Market here in Sequim, to amble a bit on the Spit, see the Railroad Bridge park, and shop for lavender products on the main drag. After we clean up Lucy, mop up the spilled coffee, and toast some of last night's sourdough. Maybe the fog will even lift!