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The last time I was in a storm of this size was the Blizzard of 1978. But now I’m in East Glacier Park, Montana with no escape, hunkering down for the long haul of the three day historic snow storm which is reported to dump 4′ of snow on our poor souls. We’re riding the storm out.
Downtown Portland Oregon is a fun walking city full of Architecture, Art and history. It’s a great city to check out.
Before heading to the Oregon coast, I decide to revisit the Portland Japanese Garden. The last time I was there was 2002, it will be nice to see it again. It’s a beautiful sunny warm Saturday, in mid April, as I venture out from the tiny home. I find parking…
As a Designer. one of my passions is designing & building tiny homes. During my 6-month solo road trip, I rely on Airbnb to stay at interesting properties. I love unique homes, it’s part of the travel experience. Oregon seems to be the state of tiny homes. One can find…
October of 2015, I pack up my car, ship out my horses, and drive to Whitefish, Montana to start a new chapter of my life. All is good until the fateful day of December 10, 2015, when my horse Moonie is entangled on a metal wire fence at the horse boarding…
My original route from Eugene to Portland, but I only made it to Lincoln.
Mid-Coast Oregon: After leaving the Sea Lion Caves I drive north on route 101 towards Portland where I’m staying at a tiny home on wheels for a week. I’m checking out mid-coast Oregon. One of my goals on this trip is to see all Oregon’s coast. I’ve traveled from Brookings to Florence now I’m driving from Florence to Cannon Beach. I stop at a number of scenic vistas to admire the view.
The Oregon coast is breathtaking, from rocky cliffs to miles of sandy beaches, it would take a lifetime to explore every nook and cranny. I only have a few days, but I have the memories and thousands of pictures to remind me of the beauty of this magnificent state of mind. I stop and explore as much as I can. As I travel up the coast I stop at many vistas including Heceta Head Lighthouse Viewpoint, South Beach State Park, Yaquina Bay State Park and D River Wayside State Park.
Named after a Spanish Explorer who was surveying the Oregon coast in 1775 the Heceta Head Lighthouse which sits high on a cliff is still in service. It is one of the most photographed lighthouses on the Oregon coast. I understand why, as it stands proud against the onslaught of persistent waves pounding the coast.
After leaving Heceta Head I drive up the coast stopping at Neptune State Park and Seal Rock to admire the views. I’m looking forward to walking on a long sandy beach. South Beach State Park fits the description. Located in the town of Newport it has miles of soft sandy beach and grassy dunes. The temperature is in the mid 50’s on a blustery day but the sun is shining as I get out of my car and head to the beach. Wow! I practically have the beach to myself. Well, it is chilly April weekday, so that could be the reason for the ghost town. The only creatures I find are 100’s of colorful jellyfish sunning themselves on the beach. As I walk along the beach I see a solo windsurfer flying across the waves. I stop and watch as he glides across the water.
It’s close to 3 pm and I’m only a quarter of my way up the coast. It’s time to drive. I say goodbye to South Beach as I ramble up the coast. I see signs of the Yaquina Head Lighthouse and turn on to the road. I get out of my car and walk around. The 93 foot high black and white lighthouse stands in solace, protecting boats from the rocky cliffs. There is a trail which leads up the hill behind the lighthouse. It’s calling my name so I follow it. The rays of the late afternoon sun catch the blades of grass turning everything a golden hue. As I reach the top I feels as though I’m standing at top of the world. What an amazing 180-degree view of the coast.
I stay for an hour enjoying the views, but it’s time to go. One of my favorite activities is watching the sunset over the ocean. In Lincoln, I stop at D River Wayside State Park to watch the sun sink into the ocean’s horizon. The blue sky turns intense colors of orange, pink, yellow and red. It reminds me of a painting. The sound of the waves lapping the shore as dusk turns to-night. It’s a peaceful time of day to reflect.
I didn’t make it up to Cannon Beach since I have a reservation in Portland for the night at an Airbnb tiny home. Instead, I head inland on route 18 to Portland. I will save that trip for another day.
Heceta Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint
Mid-Coast Oregon Newport
Bridge over Cape Creek
Beautiful color jellyfish on South Beach, mid-coast Oregon
Mid-coast Oregon, Solitude: windsurfer enjoying the waves
Solitude: South Beach on a blustery day
Mid-Coast Oregon: Chilling at South Beach, Newport Oregon
Yaquina Head Lighthouse mid-coast Oregon
Newport, mid-coast Oregon view from Yaquina Head Natural Area
Mid-coast Oregon Yaquina Head Lighthouse
Views of mid-coast Oregon from Yaquina Head Lighthouse Natural Area.
Sunset at D River Wayside State Park, mid-coast Oregon
Looking up the coast from the Sea Lion Caves
After staying a few days in Eugene, I say goodbye to my gracious hosts of the Airbnb Robin’s Nest. I’m on the road again, checking out mid-coast Oregon on my way back to Portland via Route 101 aka Oregon Coast Highway. First stop, Sea Lion Caves, 91560 Highway 101, Florence. I find it very easily since it’s on the cliff overlooking the ocean. I find a parking spot and pay the $14 admission fee. The ticket saleswoman tells me that this is one of the largest sea caves in the world. I’m impressed. One would never know that fact from the road since it’s 300′ below the highway.
Stairs lead to the Sea Lion Caves below
I can hear the squawking of seals as I make my way to the elevator, which will take me down to the cave far below. Years ago before there were elevators, people hiked down the stairs. I guess going down isn’t as bad as going up but I’m glad for elevators. The elevator door opens to a dimly lit platform with stairs leading to the dark cave below. As my eyes adjust to the darkness, I see jail cell bars which separate the humans from the wildlife.
The famous Sea Lion Caves
Boy! The sea lions are talkative! Their voices echo throughout the cave. What an amazing sight to see, hundreds of sea lions in their natural habitat. I watch taking video and photos with my iPhone, careful not to have the flash on. After a few minutes, I head back up. As I reach the top, I once again refocus my eyes to the sunlight. Thank goodness for sunglasses. I follow the cliffside path which leads me to a viewing station. Close to the craggy coastline the water is a magnificent turquoise blue. Sea lions frolic in the turbulent waves. They must be strong swimmers to avoid getting pummeled by the powerful waves and rocky cliffs. It’s close to high noon as I get into my trusty Prius and head north on Route 101 to check out other sites.
Turquoise waters Sea Lion Caves
I’m back in Eugene for a couple of days checking out a horse farm in Creswell for my two horses. I’m trying to find a place to put down roots. I like that Eugene is a small college city right dab in the middle between Portland and Ashland. I can…
I’m 5 months into my 6-month solo road trip and I still have so much to see and do. I feel as though I’m in the movie European Vacation when they are rushing through all the sites before their vacation ends. At the same time, I like to relax and…
The next couple of days I’m exploring the Hawthorne district of Portland and Mt Tabor Park. I’m looking forward to my new adventure. My legs are sore from horseback riding the previous day, but I get out of bed and stretch. Feeling a little bit better, I jump in the…
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