Day 21 - On to Oregon!

Elevation = 23 ft

Song of the day = “Long Time Gone” by The Dixie Chicks

I awake to the light patter of rain (then ignore it, roll over and go back to sleep). I toss everything in the car, soaking wet. It doesn’t matter – I’m at the half-way point tonight and my special reward. A 2 night stay in a very nice B&B in Pacific City, Oregon. But first, a day driving up the Oregon Coast. Reward enough!

I turn back north onto 101, which follows the coast all the way to the Olympic Peninsula. Near the town of Brookings, at the CA-OR border, I turn off the road towards the beach access. It is amazing! The early morning fog is beginning to burn off, and I decide to treat myself to a walk on the beach. I climb over the low dunes, and stroll across a tidal flat. The sand is deeply rippled as if by waves, and is still wet. “I bet this is covered during high tide”, I murmur and keep walking. As I crest the dunes on the other side, I realize that that statement is true. The tide is coming in (I find out later that I arrived just after low tide), and is slowly, almost imperceptibly, beginning to creep across the sand. Huh. It would not be a happy thing to get stuck out here (at least not all day) and so I immediately turn around. I stand atop the dunes near the car, and watch for the next 30 minutes as the flat slowly begins to fill with water. 

Flat between the dunes

See those footprints... I was just walking there.

Beach near Brookings

One of the plans for today is to visit Prehistoric Gardens, just north of Gold Beach. The RoadTrip USA Guidebook refers to it as one of “the Oregon Coast’s tackiest but most enduring and enjoyable tourist traps”. Sold! I am the only visitor, and for the bargain price of $10, I spend a happy 45 minutes wandering among life-sized concrete dinosaurs (it’s truly fabulous and tacky and worth every penny… almost as good as the Mystery Hole). The park was started by EV Nelson in 1953, when he first sculpted the T. Rex out front, and now there are many more concrete dinosaurs scattered along the lushly forested path. Most are in need of a good scrubbing/re-painting, and there is a delightfully seedy, dilapidated air about the place. Of course, I read every sign about the evolution of plant and animal life (explanations of the Cambrian explosion are noticeably absent).

He's a happy dinosaur!

Rowr!

Why is there a fish out of water? According to the explanation "The Icythosaur would be helpless in low water like this." Indeed it would.

Rowr!!!!

Happy, I head back up the coast, passing through small, picturesque tourist towns every 20 miles or so. The sun comes out, and 101 rarely loses sight of the ocean. It is amazingly scenic. In the town of Reedsport, I search for Don’s Diner (recommended by RoadTrip USA), but am unable to find it. Saddened, I pull through the McDonalds and continue up the coast through Oregon’s Dune Country. Here, you can’t see the ocean from the highway – the view is blocked by sand dunes almost 250 feet high. I almost pull into Honeyman State Park, but am put off by the long line of ATV’s heading in. Instead, I head up the road to Point Jetty State Park, which has ATV restricted areas of beach. Bless you Oregon for honoring the National Parks Pass (my admission is free!) and head to the ATV restricted area. The dunes are almost 100 ft high, and climbing them is a work-out, but the reward is a stroll on a deserted stretch of gorgeous beach. I walk for at least 2 miles, and don’t see a single person (of course, it’s 55 degrees with a stiff breeze blowing – not exactly beach weather). Afterwards, I climb up and down the dunes several times (got to work off that McDonalds) and continue north.

View along Jetty Beach

Nice long stroll on the beach

I pass through the industrial town of Coos Bay (the world’s largest lumber port) and up to Cape Foulweather (yes, it is), which was named by Captain Cook (the same Captain Cook that discovered and was summarily killed in Hawaii). BTW – If you are interested in Captain Cook and his many voyages, there is a wonderful book named “Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going where Captain Cook Has Gone Before” which gives details and modern day views of his travels. It’s an excellent read.

View from Cape Foulweather... yes, it is. It's sleeting.

Finally, as I pull onto the Three Capes Loop towards Pacific City, I notice signs for a “Tsunami Drill, 5-17, 10AM”, which is the day I am scheduled to leave. Might be cool. I am warmly received at the Craftsman B&B, Pacific City, OR with “Kahlua or Bailey’s flavored cupcakes” and am shown to my room (with the extra large clawfoot soaking tub). I sit in the tub and eat cupcakes (one of each… yum!). Dinner at the Pelican Brewery (locally caught fish and Chips) with a tasting sampler of their beer (beer is okay… Mirror Pond is much better). And fall into a huge sleigh bed with extra pillows….. zzzzz….