Wednesday, February 9, 2011

DAY 27 - TILLAMOOK, OCEANSIDE, NETARTS, OREGON

A MOMENT OF REFLECTION...ON A COLD MORNING NEAR BAY CITY, OREGON

MIST ON A COLD TILLAMOOK MORNING, RISING INTO TWILIGHT

A TOTALLY CONCRETE STRUCTURE BRIDGE FRAMING THE RISING SUN


SHIMMERING MIST JUST BEFORE SUNRISE...TILLAMOOK, OREGON



STEAM - FROZEN IN PLACE - RISING IN TWILIGHT FROM TILLAMOOK CHEESE FACTORY, TILLAMOOK, OREGON



TILLAMOOK RIVER...LOOKING NORTH



SALAL...HAVE BEEN ASKED WHAT I FIND MOST ON THE HIGHWAYS...IT HAS TO BE BUNGIE CORDS (BROKEN, OF COURSE)...ASK ME WHAT VEGETATION I FIND MOST...IT HAS TO BE SALAL...GROWING PROFUSELY EVERYWHERE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST...USED EXTENSIVELY AS HIGHLIGHT AND BACKGROUND IN FLORISTS' FLORAL DESIGNS...I KNOW ONE MAN WHO RAISED HIS FAMILY PICKING AND SELLING SELAL ON WHIDBEY ISLAND, WASHINGTON



I WALKED AROUND THIS CORNER AND WAS INSTANTLY SURROUNDED BY A CATHEDRAL OF STATUESQUE TREES.



VIEW SOUTH FROM MEARES' LIGHTHOUSE




MEARES LIGHTHOUSE, BUILT IN 1880...NOW A TOURIST ATTRACTION



LOOKING UP AT THE MEARES LIGHT, THE SUN ALIGNED PERFECTLY WITH MY EYE THROUGH THE RED LENS...A RARE OPPORTUNITY



OFF SHORE ROCKS BELOW MEARES LIGHTHOUSE...NOTE THE BELT OF EROSION ON BOTH ROCKS...THIS IS THE NORMAL HIGH-TIDE LINE, BEING EATEN AWAY BY THE WAVE AND WIND ACTION OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN



SAME ROCK FROM ANOTHER VIEW POINT




OFF SHORE ROCKS...REMAINS OF A MILLION YEAR AGO HEADLAND ERODED BY THE PACIFIC OCEAN...CURRENT HEADLAND IS ON THE RIGHT...FROM OCEANSIDE, OREGON


ROSEANNE'S WATERFRONT RESTAURANT, DOWNTOWN OCEANSIDE, OREGON



ASHLEY



BEACHCOMBER, IN FRONT OF ROSEANNE'S RESTAURANT



BEACHCOMBER IS NOT ALONE ON THIS SPECTACULAR SUNNY DAY...NOT A SINGLE CLOUD IN THE SKY.



THIS POOCH PLUNGED OVER AND OVER INTO ROLLING WAVES TO RETRIEVE A THROWN STICK...WATCH THESE TWO FOR AT LEAST 15 MINUTES PLAY "FETCH"



PACIFIC OCEAN SURF NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO NETARTS BAY, OREGON




NETARTS BAY, OREGON...THE TREES HELP GIVE SCALE AND CONTRAST TO THE PIC.



BOATER ON NETART BAY, APPROACHING THE HAUL-OUT RAMP AND DOCK



MUD FLATS OF NETART BAY...THIS BAY IS "VERY" SHALLOW.



OCEAN SHORE IN FRONT OF OREGON STATE CAPE LOOKOUT PARK...WHERE SPIA, SAM & ME ARE STAYING THE NIGHT



SURF IN FRONT OF CAPE LOOKOUT STATE PARK - A NUMBER OF MILES NORTH OF THE ACTUAL CAPE...WHERE I WILL WALK IN THE MORNING



SPIA AT REST FOR THE NIGHT AT OREGON STATE CAPE LOOKOUT PARK.


DAY 27 – TILLIMOOK, OCEANSIDE AND NETARTS, OREGON

There was frost on the Pumpkin this morning. Rested well in Fred Meyer’s parking lot. Up at 5:00 am…Breakfast, and on the road by 6:45am walking BACK US 101 to Bay City, Oregon…where we left off yesterday afternoon.

The roads were covered with frost and ice where standing water had been. The fields were shimmering in low lying haze…eerie as the Sun rays beamed overhead from behind the Cascade Mountains 80 miles to the East.

Traffic on US 101 coming South into Tillamook was like I-5 in Seattle on a Monday Morning…and, there was little or NO berm for me to walk…many a time, I stopped, leaned against or straddled the guard rail to keep from being hit. Had to be very careful where I stepped, as it was still twilight and the entire road was frosty or ice; i.e., slippery to walk on.

Arrived back at SPIA at 8:30 am. Drove across US 101, filled with gas, and had another bite at the Restaurant waiting for RADIO SHACK to open. I needed to contact Verizon about my January Bill…as I am not at home to receive it. Radio Shack is the Verizon Dealer and was very helpful in helping me phone Verizon.

I have a 5 Gig per month contract and wanted to make certain all the pics I have been loading did not go over the 5 Gig limit…is VERY expensive to do so. Found I only used one (1) Gig for all of January, so we are in great shape. Paid the Bill on the phone.

Drove to Oregon Highway 313 to take the Ocean Scenic Route with it’s three (3) Capes and Lighthouses. Walked out to the cutoff – about 3 miles – and return…then drove to Cape Meares Lighthouse…magnificent. Parked SPIA and walked in the final mile or so…gotta get in those miles…took some pics and walked back out.

Drove another 2 miles to the town of OCEANSIDE, OREGON…what a Treasure…snuggled into a small cove behind a tall headland, homes climbed the steep hillsides all the way to the top…this is a place I could come spend a week or two. Stopped in at Roseanna’s Restaurant for lunch. Received a corner table looking directly onto the Beach and the awesome headland and off-shore Rocks.

Ate a great big bowl of Paella (Seafood Soup/Stew/Chowder) followed by a huge bowl of Marionberry Cobbler…Yum Yum.

All served by ASHLEY…Ate slowly, enjoying the scenery.


Walking called, so, walked the town from end to end...strangely, did not walk the beach...wonder why? Then drove SPIA to NETARTS, OREGON, down the road another 3 miles or so…walked down to the beach and boat launching ramps…chatted with the fishermen (and fisherwomen)…Dungeness Crab was the main menu today…taken out of Netarts Bay, a VERY shallow bay without a single Navigational Aid…without local knowledge, better stay out of this bay.

Continued driving another couple miles to the Anglers Volunteer Fish Hatchery, where the Caretaker, Andy, gave me a personal tour…he has a pond about 20 feet by 50 feet…

Watch this, he says, throwing some feed into the water.

It instantly boiled with dozens of BIG…I MEAN REALLY BIG…Rainbow Trout.

Andy says most of those trout weigh in at about 20 pounds and are just for show…

WOW, WHAT A SHOW…Never have I seen Rainbows as large as some Chinook Salmon.

Once a year, the Hatchery invites disabled youngsters from across the USA to come for a day of trout fishing. Each receives a person to help them, but they catch their own trout, which are then cleaned, wrapped and packed in ice for the journey back home…Over 200 kids usually show up and is open to EVERYONE (disabled Everyone).

Then drove another mile to the Oregon State Cape Lookout Campground, where I took Spot C59 for SPIA. We are comfy with electricity and “dump” privileges. In the morning, will walk back to the town of Netarts and on South up the hill towards Cape Lookout.

DAILY REPORT: Did not count the miles, but lets say 8 miles for today

SEE YOUR IMPACT: Credit 8 miles @ $0.02 = $0.16 for the day.

Saw some exquisite seascapes today and met another exquisite lady.

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