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“It’s creepy here!”

A few times we have pulled in to camp and Melissa has stated, “It’s creepy here, this place has a funny vibe!”. The first was Suwanee River where after swimming in the spring we discovered the site was an old chain gang prison where all sorts of abuse, and murders took place.

On yesterday’s hike on the 804 Trail in Yachats, M states, “It’s creepy here!”, so this morning I checked out the history.

Yachats, as the sign states, is the gem of the Oregon coast. It is a cool, artsy, eclectic, old hippy community with beautiful views and amazing hikes along the coast, but a number of years back, it was also the northern terminus of Oregon coast’s version of the Trail of Tears. Coastal native tribes were force marched, bare footed to prevent running away, to a reservation near present day Yachats. Once there, starvation and disease killed most.

While building the first roads, including Route 101, and putting foundations in, massive numbers of Native American burial remains were discovered. The remains were looted and paved over where they lay. It has all the makings of a horror movie: A quiet coastal town cut off from everyone built atop an ancient Indian burial ground.

Yachats is a beautiful gem, with the old buildings, the coastline, and river, but unfortunately, given one walks over the unmarked graves of tortured souls, it’s a bit creepy here.

The Amanda Trail in Yachats is a memorial to the Native Americans who were forced to march to the reservation. Amanda was a blind old woman who was forced to leave her husband and daughter behind and walk to the reservation. It is not known what happened to her after she arrived.

Tidbit: The hike on the Amanda Trail was beautiful and sad.

Joseph’s Pregunta

Midden?
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Thor’s Well

Thor’s Well at Cape Perpetua is an amazing natural phenomena. We waited patiently for the tide to go out just enough so we could walk out and get this video. Somewhere far below the surface, the ocean sneaks in and out of this hole causing this really cool gem.

Tidbit: No shoes were dampened in the making of this video.

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Strawberry Hill

Tide pools are fascinating! We spent another day wandering around, peeking under rocks, peering into little pools and gawking at the amazing scenery. This time we were at Strawberry Hill, a little pull-off on Hwy 101. You can barely fit maybe 10 cars into this little lot, so we went early and enjoyed a picnic lunch and a thermos of coffee while we waited for the tide to ease on out. Our hunt was happily rewarded with some more pictures of the abundant life that lives at the edge of the rocks and the oceans, what a hardy bunch of little critters.

Purple Sea Urchin
Spiny Chiton
Northern Striped Dogwinkle
Sea Star, Giant Green Anemone, and Goose Barnacles
There were about 30 Sea Lions lounging on the rocks of their own little island. They were soaking up the sun on this beautiful day.
This little one kept an eye on me. I think he was worried I might dive into the ocean and swim over for a visit.
Now this is a rare species for Oregon, Hominum Scotus, from the northwestern edge of Scotland. I wonder how he ended up on the Pacific coast?

Tidbit: There is a very different type of pool in Colorado called Strawbery Bank Hot Spring. We highly recommend it if you ever get out that way.

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High Ground

In Vermont, we watch the weather for ice because it means travel will be dicey. When we go to a hotel, we always look for the exits, in case of fire. When we stay in a campground we look for the bathrooms, you want to be close, but not too close, if you know what I mean. On the Oregon Coast, we always look for the high ground. No, it isn’t because we are from the mountains and crave altitude, it is because of tsunamis. You can’t go anywhere on the coast without being reminded that you are in a tsunami zone. It doesn’t keep you awake at night, but all the signage certainly keeps your eyes searching for higher ground.

Everywhere you go, there are maps of evacuation routes.
And signs on the benches reminding you.
And signs on the roads letting you know when you are enterring or leaving tsunami zones.
Even the places we stay have maps or directions on how to get to higher ground.

Tidbit: The last tsunami to hit the Oregon coast, that I could find, was in 1964. It was triggered by the great Alaskan quake in Prince William Sound.

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R-E-S-P-E-C-T (cue Aretha Franklin)

I have always appreciated Mother Nature. Darrin and I both grew up outside. We played in brooks and forests, hiked mountains and paddled large lakes in the outback of Maine and Canada. We live in a state where 2 feet of snow at a time is normal and winter lasts 6 months, so you either go bat shit crazy (to quote our good friend, Jen) or you learn to spend a lot of time outside in the cold. Mother Nature has always been a part of our lives, and we respect her immensely. This respect was reaffirmed by our recent visits to the Oregon coast. Her rocky shores combined with the ocean’s rushing tides create incredible energy that can be felt, seen and heard. The pictures we took in no way do justice to the awe inspiring show Mother Nature displays, the rush of waves, the spouts of spray, the booms of the waves echoing through chasms, the vibration of the tides hitting the rocks under your feet. The pictures below are but a shadow of the true experience.

A bridge chasm on Yachat’s 804 Trail.
The Spouting Horn at Cape Perpetua
These 2 young ladies were lucky to only get drenched a few minutes after I took this picture.
These 2 young men were not so lucky.
Ocean Spray (cranberries not included)

Tidbit: Never turn your back to the ocean, watch for sneaker waves and always carry a Snicker’s bar in your pack (unless you are in Grizz country).

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A Day at the Pool!

A tidalpool that is. Being good Vermont kids we grew up playing in the woods, brooks, and ponds of our childhood. Well we recaptured that feeling today when we hit the Heceta tidepool at low tide and proceded to spend a couple of hours dodging waves, getting our feet wet, and peering into the tidepools for urchins, anemonies, and starfish.

Giant green anemone
Aggregating anemone
Giant green anemones closed and drooling and Ochre sea stars (starfish)
Ewwwwwww….

Tidbit: On our way back we stopped at an overlook and saw our first spout from a Gray Whale as they pass on their northward migration to Alaska. We hope to spot more in the coming days. Maybe by fluke and we’ll even get a fluke pic!

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Heceta Lighthouse

Today, we hiked the grueling 1/2 mile trail to the Heceta Lighthouse:) One of many lighthouses along the Oregon Coast, it is a beacon of warning for ships, and originally land travelers, as well. The lighthouse is just north of Florence and was built in 1894. It stands 205 feet above the ocean and is only 56 feet tall, but its light can be seen 21 miles away. Originally, the lighthouse was faithfully manned by 3 light keepers and their families who tended gardens, hunted, fished and oh, kept the lighthouse running 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to warn sailors of the treacherous basalt ledges and cliffs.

Tidbit: In October of 1910 a disastrous fire struck downtown Florence destroying 10 buildings. The fire could have been much worse because stored in a nearby warehouse was 50 cases of coal oil for the Heceta Lighthouse. Because of someone’s quick thinking the coal oil was loaded on a steamer and moved away from the wharf.

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Beach Rhythms

Miles and miles of Oregon beaches and only a few other souls around. A drive out the South Jetty Road south of Florence, a quick hike over the dunes and we are back on the beach. We walked for miles and only saw a few other people. We wandered out onto the jetty and watched 3 seals watch us. The waves roll in and out with their soothing rhythm, we could sit here all day watching the seals and the fishing boats.

Miles of sand and ocean. A beautiful 55 degree day.
I’m not sure who was watching who. Three seals kept us company while we sat on the jetty.
A fishing boat working hard.
Darrin found a beautiful sand dollar. We threw it back in the ocean, just in case someone was still living in it.
Driftwood art.
Sea Lion or driftwood?

Tidbit: The beach we were on is part of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area which stretches approximately 40 miles along the coast. Oregon really has done a nice job preserving the coast for all instead of the few.

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Down the Hobbit Hole!

Beautiful day, Beautiful hike! We traversed the Heceta Headlands and down the Hobbit Trail to the beach. We are getting our legs back in shape! Just under 6 miles today. We wanted to give a shout out to our friend Bundy who is on the mend from a pretty nasty fall down a winter Hobbit Hole; all the best and get well soon!

Looking south down the coast. We love hikingthe headlands above the ocean. We could hear Sea Lions, but never caught sight of them.
At the top of the trail looking north.
Our first view of Hobbit Beach.
No fun on this beach…I guess on the weekends and during the summer this area is overflowing with people.
The trail to Hobbit Beach.
Ahhhhhh, young love?

Tidbit: All of the little trails along the coast are part of the Oregon Coastal Trail, a long-distance hiking trail that goes from the mouth of the Columbia River to the California border, similar to the Long Trail or Appalachian Trail back home.

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Darrin’s Birthday #59!

What do you do for a fun day on the last birthday before the big 60? Since we are in the middle of the trip of a lifetime, that doesn’t count as new. We have ziplined, and both grew up skiing. We already rock climb, mountain bike, and ride motorcycles. Darrin has learned to fly and flown solo, and we went up in a hot air balloon many years ago when we were courting. Skydiving is out till at least 60! Enter the Oregon Dunes and a Sandrail tour! Of course, he doesn’t go for the humdrum tour, he chooses the fast dune buggy 1 hour tour in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. Being the wonderful wife that I am, I said “Sure, why not!”.

And once again, SILLY ME!!!! We bounced, we zigged and zagged, we dropped and went straight up, we had to have been going over 60 mph. I found sand inside places there shouldn’t ever be sand. But, I can proudly say, I didn’t thrown up or jump out and run screaming away! I kept my composure and my lunch. I must admit, the dunes were breathtaking and magnificent even at this time of year when they are at their lowest. Mother Nature is an amazing artist. But…I get to pick the next adventure, something that doesn’t require I leave parts of my bone structure behind while mimicing a ragdoll!

The staging area. Cue the theme to Jaws or any well known horror movie.
Our first hint should have been the googles and the 3 point racing harnesses. Isn’t my birthday boy cute?
Halfway through. Can you tell I am ready to chunder?
Oye! The things we do for love. Payback baby!

Tidbit: Sorry, no action shots. We were hanging on for dear life, and the sand blowing in our faces would have ruined the camera. I’m gonna need some ice cream!