After Van removed the Lego levelling blocks and we finished up other chores, TCBdeparted just before 10 AM, heading to the 101 again. Our trip to the beach would be short.
The skies were bright blue, filled with sunshine at a mild 46 degrees. The tire pressure warning light told us otherwise, as the chilly temps usually did that, so we made a quick stop to fill up.
The quick stop turned into a longer one, when the first gas station did not have an 80 psi air compressor required for TCB's tires. After another failed try, we resorted to a tire shop, where a young man kindly filled TCB's two low tires. We also stopped at a True Value to find a high pressure tire gauge.
Finally, onward and northward!
I was fascinated by piles and piles of wood chips and logs being processed in this town. One would never think there was a shortage of lumber during the building process with these scenes. We sent some pics to our builder, as a joke of course!
We stopped for an early lunch in Reedsport, at a small roadside restaurant, as their sign for halibut fish and chips drew us in. After catching an halibut during a fishing charter with Schuyler in Juneau, AK, my favorite fish became this tender, white meat of the frigid Alaskan deep waters. So delicious! The special, a bowl of chile with a side cinnamon roll was too tempting for Van to pass up. Top it off with a fresh pot of decaf made just for us and we were ready for the next leg of our short trip northward.
"I don't know what it is about boats here. They don't die either!" Refering to Van's claim that VW's don't die, they just end up in Santa Cruz!
We drove past some beautiful places. In Oregon Dunes National Forest, there were beachfront businesses and campgrounds dedicated solely to dune buggy adventures. I saw a 12 passenger dune buggy resembling the stretch Lincoln Navigator limos you see in Manhattan. Further north, the Suislaw Jetty appeared interesting, so we took some time to explore the beach and exercise.
Yachat Village, was a funky and upscale stretch of 10 blocks swarming with tourists. This was very different than any seaside city we have seen thus far. The Fabs would enjoy these shops! Driving on, Van commented that he was not a fan of the windy 55 mph cliffside roads with sudden 25 mph yellow signs.
We passed Cape Cod Cottages and Edgewater Drive, which was the street my mom and dad moved to when my dad retired. The beach sand is now more like Northern CA coast of slate colored sand on the surface, making waves on top of lighter sand.
The Oregon dunes were of the finest, yellow sand resembling sand at the Cape Cod National Seashore; only these dunes seemed 100 times larger. It was difficult to see the ocean past these mammoth piles of sand.
Beyond the dunes, we passed through Seal Rock with many sea stacks (isolated rocks in the middle of the ocean that had been eroded by the heavy surf over time. Thank you Chris, my geologist brother for educating me, yet again.) We didn't see any seals on the rocks - only sea gulls.
As we approached Newport, OR, we kept entering and leaving tsunami zones every 100 yards, it seemed, an indication of this diverse and beautiful coastline. There were signs along the 101 to share the road as the was a bike route. I imagined Eric and Monica on a bike packing trip here. It would be a gorgeous for them but somewhat harrowing for their mother knowing this terrain.
I was enamored by all the interesting bridges allowing vehicles to cross the many meandering inlets and rivers. Perhaps it was my past life as a mechanical engineer that drew me to photograph these amazing structures.
We arrived early at our campground, and yes, we were staying in a tsunami warning zone. It was too early to check in, so we found Newport Brewing Company to pay homage to the city of Newport, OR not Newport, RI.
The brewery was nestled near the bustling downtown on a short, steep hill. Van tried a Naughty Blonde and I had a Tangerine Wheat, which was delicious. We wanted to bring some back to the campsite to enjoy after we checked in, but they only filled growlers. No can sales here. Disappointment appeared on Van's face as we explained to the bartender that we left our growler back home in RI. After overhearing this back-and-forth, the young guy sitting next to Van disappeared then reappeared with a clean growler in hand. He reported that always travelled with a clean collection of growlers, just in case. He seemed very happy to reduce his ever increasing stash. We were so taken by his kindness, that we began a nice conversation with him and his wife about Oregon. They were frequent visitors to this area, hailing from Portland. She was an educator. He was a professional DJ. His tee shirt said, "Decolonize Education" which made for lively discussion. They, too, were #vanlife-ers!
It was a fun diversion and the first extended social interaction we had since being in CA. After getting our new growler filled and settling up, we left with smiles on our faces wondering when they would realize their next drinks were on us.
The campground was, again, gorgeous. Despite not being able to see the beach, I could feel it in the air. After setting up and a sharing a light dinner, we ventured off to the beach, only a short walk away, to enjoy the sunset.
We watched as one large fishing boat returned to port, while another was heading out to sea, despite the onset of darkness. There were serious fishing vessels here.
It was another memorable day. The Oregon Coast was making a lasting impression on this east-coast-ocean- loving-girl! Thank you TCB, Van and Quinnbo for taking this extended road trip with me.
Footnote: I was concerned about bringing Quinnbo with us, not knowing how we'd manage for 60+ days in 20' space. Now, I know our trip would not be the same without Quinnbo. He has been an absolute pleasure to travel with in TCB, sharing his own luxury dog house. I have grown to appreciate how he has learned how to protect us and his TCB territory. Life is safe on the road. Thank you Quinnbo.
