Roosters woke us up this AM at the crack of dawn so we just got up and hit the road.
No idea where they came from but it had been years since we'd heard chickens in the morning. Stopped in Ilwaco, WA and walked to the lighthouse - uphill through lots of mosquitos. Crossed over into Oregon at the Astoria bridge and went to Fort Stevens. This was an active Army fort from the Civil War to WWII and quite interesting with many exhibits, photos and a large group of volunteers who dressed in period costume and shot off cannons. Most times you are walking in any type of vegetation in this part of the country, you will find signs like these. Amazing the wild animals have adapted to living close in to small towns.
Off shore there were more sport fishermen at one place than I've ever seen. I'm more used to the solitary guy alone in his boat but there were swarms of boats so something fishy must have been running right near the bridge. I've yet to find a good place to buy some smoked salmon. Most have been closed. Today we did buy some sweet cherries at a roadside stand but found out they were from CA after the purchase. Still good and sweet.
Somewhere in the back roads off of Route 101, we came across big sand dunes right in the middle of a forest. Lots of ATVs roaring around but a good wind would remove all traces.
The coast of Oregon was much like I had imagined with steep banks, haystacks off shore and lots of lighthouses.
What I hadn't thought of was all the traffic and tourist shops in the small towns along Route 101. It reminded us of Route 1 in Maine during the summer which we avoid like the plague. Looks like school must be out and the Oregonians are hitting the road.
We walked many beaches today, stopped at most of the overlooks and read the information signs. Only made it as far as South Beach State Park just south of Newport, OR for the evening. Huge campground, power, water for $20. After all those nights way in the forests and all alone this feels like being in a gypsy encampment. We did walk out to the beach - uphill through the mosquitos and listened to the surf.
Truck and TC are performing great. The TC still looks good though it is very dirty and needs a scrub. We've never seen so many TCs on the road, every make, model, brand, configuration, truck, etc. Probably half are hauling boats.
Tomorrow we head south to Coos Bay to visit an online knit friend and then back up to Eugene to visit relatives. Last on to Bend to visit a friend and Host. We're thinking Crater Lake next and then down to CA to see redwoods. Isn't retirement grand?? Diesel is gradually rising from $2.39 to $2.69 but it beats last year's $3.80+.
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