Tuesday, February 8, 2011

DAY 26 - WHEELER - ROCKAWAY BEACH - GARIBALDI - BAY CITY - TILLAMOOK, OREGON

THIS IS A SAILBOAT...My first sailboat was the size of this one...Good Ole Days
KELLY'S MARINA, BRIGHTON, OREGON

A STUMP WAS ONCE IN THE SLOT BETWEEN THESE TWO MATURE TREES...Who called the Stump "MOM".


MAUREEN


SUNRISE OVER OREGON CASCADE MOUNTAINS



RAILROAD TRESTLE...Belongs to the Tillamook Bay RR


HIGH SCHOOL AT ROCKAWAY BEACH, OREGON



ROCKAWAY BEACH, OREGON...a "STRIP" TOWN Pacific Ocean on one side...Wilderness a block away on the other.


MYRTLEWOOD HAND CARVED DEER



GARIBALDI, OREGON


TILLAMOOK BAY, NEAR GARIBALDI, OREGON


TILLAMOOK BAY LOOKING WEST...PACIFIC OCEAN IS BEYOND THAT NARROW STRIP OF LAND BELOW THE HEADLAND


TILLAMOOK BAY LOOKING SOUTH


MUD FLATS ALONG TILLAMOOK BAY



BAY CITY,OREGON...WHERE MAUREEN RAN ME DOWN FOR THE SECOND TIME.



YOUNG ADAM, SERVING UP SUCCULENT SEAFOOD AT THE FAMILY STORE "OLD OREGON SMOKE HOUSE" IN TILLAMOOK, OREGON...THEY HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL SHOPS - ONE ON HIGHWAY 30 NEAR LONGVIEW, WASHINGTON AND ONE IN ROCKAWAY BACH, OREGON


TILLAMOOK CHEESE FACTORY, TILLAMOOK, OREGON


CHEESE PRODUCTION LINE AT TILLAMOOK CHEESE FACTORY. TAKEN THROUGH A PLATE GLASS WINDOW...BEAUTIFUL SPOTLESS CLEAN BUILDING


CAPTAIN GRAY FIRST VISITED TILLAMOOK BAY IN HIS SHIP "LADY WASHINGTON", WHICH HAS A REPLICA SAILING THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AT THIS TIME. I have been on board the Replica.


GARIBALDI, OREGON


ROOTS HANGING FROM A LIVE TREE...ESTIMATE THE ROOTS TO BE ABOUT 15 FEET LONG...THAT TREE JUST MIGHT SOON BE ACROSS US 101 BLOCKING TRAFFIC.


US COAST GUARD STATION, GARIBALDI, OREGON, OVERLOOKING TILLAMOOK BAY



MYRTLEWOOD BOWL - RESTING ON A MYRTLEWOOD SHELF


NOTED FOR ITS UNUSUAL AND FASCINATING GRAIN STRUCTURE, MYRTLEWOOD IS PRIZED BY ARTISTS


THIS IS A "MONKEY TREE" IN GARIBALDI, OREGON

DAY 26: BAY CITY, OREGON

At 7:15am, walked out of Kelly’s Marina, heading North on US 101. It took one hour to walk back to Wheeler, Oregon, where we left off yesterday. The road in this area is particularly bad because of many areas where the roadway has slid off the hillside and has been repaired over and over again. Major work needs to be done to stabilize the roadway.

Walked back to SPIA, but did not stop. Continued South on US 101 to the town of ROCKAWAY BEACH, some 4 miles away. This roadway also is DANGEROUS because of slides and only temporary repairs. Half way back to SPIA, a young man in a “raised” pickup stopped to offer me a ride…took four tries before I pulled myself up the 4 feet to hop in. As I sat, he introduced himself as Justin and Lorraine in the back seat…I turned to the backseat of the crew cab and was met with the jaws of a dog biting my face above my eye and my eye glasses…she did not draw blood, but sure startled me…

Now, what was that for, I said

Justin grabbed her mouth…still at 35 miles per hour in traffic and scolded him.

No harm done, I said, resetting my eyeglasses.

I again turned to Lorraine and said…”Hey, Lorraine, I’m one of the good guys…you don’t need to be afraid of me…

GRRrrr and another snap at my nose…missing.

OK OK, I get the message.

Justin again scolds her…

My fault, says I…she is just protecting you…

No more communication between Lorraine and Me…and no harm done.

Leaving the cab…had to lower myself using a big hand grip, Lorraine was leering between the back seat and the door jamb…smiling, I think

Said Goodbye and thanked Kelly; drove SPIA to Rockaway Beach, Oregon, where I parked outside of town and walked the 5 miles to GARIBALDI, OREGON. This roadway is ultra-modern…no problem here…with wide berm and many pull-outs for viewing beautiful TILLAMOOK BAY. Walked back to SPIA.

Drove into Garibaldi and parked. Walked through town and back to SPIA, stopping in the MYRTLEWOOD FACTORY. Forty Years ago – or more – stopped in such a factory and purchased a Myrtlewood Goblet which sat on our Mantel for years. During one of the three times in my life when EVERYTHING except clothes on my back were taken from me, my Goblet “went the way of my Wine Cellar”, as I used to say.

Stepping into the store, Phil showed me some history of Myrtlewood in Oregon and the Jordan Valley, Israel – the only two places in the World where this Biblical wood grows.
Hard as Ironwood, more beautiful than Redwood, Oak, or nearly any other wood, Myrtlewood is NOT exported from Oregon…even to other States. It grows from COOS BAY, OREGON, South along the Pacific Ocean to the California border and East to GRANTS PASS, OREGON…about 200 miles long by 50 miles wide. It grows in small Goves – kinda like Family Groups. Myrtlewood has a leaf like Bay Leaf, but twice as potent, and a small nut and white flower. The nut and flowers are processed for their oil which is highly prized.

Artists use Myrtlewood extensively, creating exotic pieces for display and home use.

I purchased another Goblet. Phil allowed me to take selected photographs, as the art is quite extraordinary and highly competitive between artists.

I then stopped at a Grocery Store, stocked up on Tuna Fish, some Wine, and Bread; then drove to a wide spot on US 101, parked SPIA, and walked to BAY CITY, OREGON, some 5 miles short of TILLAMOOK, OREGON.

Yesterday, walking back from Nehalem to Manzanita, a young lady, Maureen, offered me a ride for a mile or two. When delivered to SPIA, we sat in her SUV next to the Blue Wave Restaurant, chatting about her 9 kids and my walk. One of those contacts one remembers years later.

Today, walking back from Bay City, who but Maureen pulls over. I hop in, a bit shocked, but not too much because I kinda expected to see her again…

Hi, Bruce…been watching for you, she says…saw your vehicle parked back at Garibaldi a few hours back on my way to Tillamook and figured you would be around here someplace…

So,, guess Maureen and I were destined to meet again…gave her my e-mail…she told me about her 9 year old daughter and Downs Syndrome they are living through…stopping at SPIA, we again chatted for a few minutes and said Goodbye – perhaps for the final time.

Another moment in time which I will take with me forever. Wish you well, Maureen.

Drove SPIA into TILLAMOOK, OREGON, where I parked across US101 from the Tillamook Cheese Factory. Before touring the factory, which I did, I stepped into the small shop of OLD OREGON SMOKE HOUSE, where Adam, the 32 year old Son of this family owned business, whipped up a monster cup – about 32 ounces – of Clam Chowder…among the best I have ever eaten…and I ate every last drop…Thank you Adam and good luck to you and your family.

Suggested by Maureen, I then drove to FRED MEYERS in Tillamook, where I chose a space in a far back corner. I have been buying from Fred Meyers for 25 years, so figured I could qualify to park even though the sign here and there said …”parking for customers only”.

Walked many miles today, and was VERY tired. Even though it was only 4:30 pm, I climbed into the feathers and awoke at 8:00 pm. Cooked up some shrimp, but am really not hungry…

DAILY UPDATE: Walked 35 miles – count 20 miles

SEE YOUR IMPACT: Credit 20 miles @ $0.02 = $0.40 for the day.

Being pushed off the roadway back in Washington State, I twisted my left knee. It is starting to act up a bit…kinda like hyper-extension…but I think I can control it…hurts only when I turn to “stick out my thumb” for a ride…must learn to pivot properly.

Tomorrow, walk back to Bay City – about 5 miles; then, South again on US 101.

Our Saga continues… pics later...no electricity in Fred Meyers..will crank up SPIA later and upload the pics.

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