Oegon Coast 2011 – Day 7 – 9

 

I cannot believe it is my last full day on the coast already. It sure does go by fast.

Day One: Drive up the through Utah and Idaho, Shoshone Falls, Twin Falls and Baker City, OR.

Days 2 and 3: Multnomah Falls area and Bridal Veil Falls, Vineyard

Day 4: Silver Falls State Park

Day 5: Beach, Whale Cove, Cape Foul Weather.

Day 6: Tillamook Cheese, Canon Beach, Cape Meares.

Today we slept in rather late, late enough that the hot tub guy knocked on the door for quite a while until we finally got up and let him in. Oops, sorry man.

After having breakfast we drove down to Devils Punch Bowl to see the tide pools again. Apparently there are a few tide pools here in Lincoln City, but nothing spectacular. There are also tide pools in Depot Bay, but they are extremely dangerous. So, we went back to the ones we visited last year. Unfortunately, the trail down is a bit too much for our parents to do with us. So they turned back, and we wondered around and snapped pictures. (I secretly love that I am slowly, ever so slowly turning Landis into a shutter-bug like myself).

Little waterfall.

I don't know what it is, but I am a little afraid of it.

Really good place to see Sea Stars, as they have apparently been renamed. My guess is some Marine Biologist finally freaked out and went: “THEY AREN’T FISH!!!” and they got a new name.

The Punchbowl from above.

I have been trying to get a good shot of the crows all trip.

The squirrels are not shy here.

This was as far south as we had originally anticipated, until my mom (bless her heart) subtly mentioned to me that perhaps Landis's mom would like to see a good light house. So, we decided to head a little further south and visit Yaquina Head Light House again.

I have already climbed up this lighthouse once and had a panic attack, so I felt no need to go up again. Not to mention other than Landis, the rest of the group couldn't so we opted to skip that this time.

 
After that we walked down to cobble beach again. It was low tide this time, so at first we did not get to hear the wondrous sound of the cobble stones clacking around with the ocean. Apparently there is also a small tide pool here. I didn’t realize that last year.

 

However I did snap a shot of this sea star with the lighthouse in the background. This is my personal favorite shot this trip. I love when I take a photo, and know instantly that THAT is an amazing shot.

I also managed to scramble up some rocks I was not able to access last year and snapped some different shots of the lighthouse.

Some seals chillin.

After getting to the other end, the cobbles finally started "talking to us" as my mother puts it. Kicking myself for not thinking to pull out my phone and trying to record it.

I really, REALLY love this unique beach. I would highly recommend it to anybody traveling in the area.

This is a really photogenic lighthouse.

We then decided to explore Agate Beach. Which is just south of Yaquina Head. It's a beach,

although I found this random stream to be interesting. How often do you find a stream running parallel to the ocean? Other than that, it was a beach.

We then decided that we really wanted to see Drift Creek Falls, as we planned on that last year but it was closed for construction.

Dad: "How long is the hike you're doing?"
Me: "3 miles round trip."
Dad: "Well, that oughtta take you an hour."
Mom: "Not with Andrew stopping every ten feet to take a picture it wont."
Me: "Oh, you noticed that did you?"

After 3 short hikes with my mom (one with my dad again) my mom realized I do see pretty every where, and I do stop every few feet and take a picture. In fact I like to think back to my favorite Calvin And Hobbes book: "It's A Magical World" It really, really is.

Anyway, after a rather scary drive up a 1 lane road (meaning the road is wide enough for 1 car, and there are random pullouts for passing cars) 12 miles, we finally found the trail head. People, I tell you what, this is worth the drive!!! This is absolutely the most beautiful hike I have ever done my entire life!!! This is a Deciduous Rainforest, and there are quite a few old growth trees along the path.

You have GOT to do this hike if you get a chance. It is absolutely gorgeous!

I knew my battery was low, which was why I brought my spare... and then I went and left it in the car. It died right before we got to the falls.

Then we got to the bridge. I knew about this bridge, and I was a little hesitant of the hike because of it, but decided to do this hike anyway.I am proud of myself, I tried to do the bridge. i got about 10-20 feet out until I felt it swaying. Add the roar of the waterfall, and it was just too much, I turned back. (Have I mentioned I am deathly afraid of heights?) I am a little mad that my fear of heights got to me. It is a perfectly safe bridge, its just 100 feet of the ground is all.

Landis however decided to go for it. He had my old Kodak camera, here is what he caught.

hehe, I think I was shaking a little too hard.

Here is what I managed to catch with my cell phone.

I cannot say enough about this trail. It is classified as "moderate" but I would classify it as easy myself. It is comfortably wide, there is some elevation gain on the way back (yes, you start up and go down, then return up which is always tricky. You don't know how hard it is going to be until you have to get out.) but it was a very gradual grade up. Also, it is the next best thing to a paved trail. It is like a paved trail without being paved.

This trail gets 11 out of 10 squirrels. Yes, it was that amazing. If you are in the area, DO IT. It only takes about 30 - 45 minutes to get to it, and then an hour to 2 (depending on your walking pace) to do the trail. It is absolutely amazing to do!!!

On the way back we neared D river (the worlds shortest river) so I decided we should walk it. How many people can claim to say they have walked a river from mouth the end? We can now!

Here is where it meets the ocean.

And here it is, in entirety. I have a picture of a river at it’s mouth (Devils Lake), all the way to its end in the ocean.

We ended our final evening on the coast sitting in our private hot tub on our private balcony on the beach. I really, really did good in finding our stay accommodations. I would highly recommend Blue Pacific Vacation Rentals if you want to stay anywhere on the coast. The rooms are amazing, the price is right, and the staff is awesome.

  

PSST: The Coastal Treasure in Lincoln City is a duplex so only one neighbor. And as you can see is the larger side (we’re on the left in this last image) Just saying.

After a sad farewell to the coast, we started our long journey home.

Cute squirrel posed on the bushes for me at a rest stop.

 

Volcanic rock of the Columbia River Gorge (DBP Album). Shortly after this shot we passed a large herd of mountain goat. Unfortunately I didn’t get the camera up in time.

Farewell Bend err, just south of it anyway.

View from another rest stop.

Wow, apparently I was done and ready to be home as I did not take many pictures at all between the coast and home. Even when Landis’s mom asked us if we were going to do the 2 things we skipped when we went north right as we started heading west we just kind of went, nope, lets get home. I kind of wish we had as we may have had the previous drive home in one day that we did last year mindset. But we stopped this year, and really did have the time to do these 2 things. Meh. There is always next time. Although next time I visit the coast my plans are for the redwoods area, crater lake, and hopefully in the not too distant future Yosemite.

Wow, this was one of the longest vacations we have taken, but I honestly didn’t expect the posts to be this long too! All in all, it was a wonderful vacation. The perfect blend of nature at it’s finest, family, hiking, and relaxation. That's all folks! If you missed them, here are some links to the previous posts.