Beachside State Park and then inland and North to Canada!
This was a Groot and Gamora approved park. The giant kitty litter outside their back door was astounding and it seemed Mike and Pamela loved it as well, as soon as we squeezed into our spot and set up our chairs.
We had checked it out on google earth and only three sites have those amazing ocean views. Beachside State Park, or recreation area, sites 63, 64 and 66 have oceanfront views, 63 being the best, we squeezed in 64 and let out a sigh of relief. We were expecting the gale force winds of Cape Blanco but it was quite quiet and civilized!
We’d expected some road noise from the US 101 right behind us but the sound of the waves and surf gently drowned it out. We needed this somewhat more peaceful stop away from howling winds and dark forested areas, my the trailer windows needed cleaning as well as the floors I couldn’t see a thing in Cape Blanco, maybe that wasn’t so bad;) ha! To the South of us was a small town called Yachats, (how do you pronounce that?) with a small grocery store to stock up, an average seafood restaurant, skip it, decor was the best thing about it and more state Parks to the South! Cape Perpetua and amazing tidal pools at Devils Churn.
We checked out the campground inland from the Cape but it was quite limited size wise for us, and we had a whole beach, at Beachside:). The path down to coast was alive with small wildflowers, the tidal pools were fascinating.
To the North of the state park lies Waldport. We explored and found an amazing bakery, Pacific Sourdough, that I’m sure it added pounds to both our middles. Amazing sourdough bread, the real deal, fantastic cakes and well, everything. We ate it all, no pictures;) Lucky us, we were there on a Thursday and they are only open then, and Saturdays, and often they have long lines down the street the grocery clerk at the Ray’s Food Place told us;)
We packed up sadly to leave the beach, the weekend was fully booked and it was time to make time and head North to Portland. Bye-bye beach-this is a place we’ll be back to!
Sun pillar lighting up the sunset- sun pillars form when sunlight reflects off the surfaces of falling ice crystals associated with thin, high-level clouds (like cirrostratus clouds).
We headed North along the 101, and then in Newport headed east on the #20 back to the freeway. Ugh, I hate freeways, traffic and bad mergers but hey, it was the quickest way to Portland, where everything came to a screeching halt at what looked like rush hour traffic at 1pm. We’ve since been told the traffic is almost always like that. Too many people moved in with too little infrastructure to keep it all moving. What we noticed the most was what seemed like a huge homeless population everywhere you looked, tent cities and shopping carts full of people’s lives.
We were in Portland to visit, and visit we did with our amazing friends Ian and Sarah. They took us on a tour and out for lunch at the Loading Dock Grill, McMenamins Edgefield-wonderful spot! Gardens to die for, amazingly restored older buildings and then onto Sauvie Island where we checked out an alternative RV park for our future returns, more up our alley with beautiful views of Mt. Saint Helens, not too close mind you;), and the Columbia River. We were cheek to jowl at the Columbia River RV Park right next to the airport fly over, both civil and military as well as right next to a busy street, not our cup of tea but we now know where we’ll go back to. Sauvie Island is a paradise of small farms and farmers markets, rivers, birds and views….and quiet! Even a nude beach we’ve been told, Mike could see some different birds there;)…I think I just heard “the Streak” playing;) Thank you Ian and Sarah for the amazing food and company, even a Mexican Market, also we had the privilege of meeting Dobby and he liked us:) Life can’t get any better:) You have a wonderful spot in a lovely town!
We stopped at a farmers stand at Sauvie Island and loaded up on strawberries, varieties that don’t travel well Sarah explained as she gave us a box earlier when they arrived, but taste out of this world…groovy they were! So wonderful to see our friends, and family even. My cousins two kids live in Portland with their fabulous significant others and spouses and they rock:) Enjoyed some great beer at ExNovo-an all profits to charity brew pub, we endured a rain shower and some friendly dogs, great to see pets allowed in public places of food and beverage:)
Portland is indeed a special town, as Arnie says” We’ll be back”…they may regret inviting us;) Ha!!
And North we went, clouds and light rain came and went as we passed beautiful mountain scenery and rivers as we made our way into Washington. We found a one night stop at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe, wonderful friendly camp host, your choice of sites during the week but car racing on the weekends can get noisy and don’t back up to the factory, horrible chemical smells emanating from the building in the morning, acetone like, not pleasant to be breathing in:) It was the Lakeside of Seattle, our San Diego friends will know. American flags on the back of pickups and well, very very white…we were happy to move on in the morning early:)
We had the absolute fastest and most professional border crossing in our history-Followed the truck route off of the 5 for the border to the Canada 15 North to the Trans Canada 1. RV park email suggested we come in this way. One car in line in front of us, large easy to manoeuver border, two questions, where are you going? Do you have firearms?-Vancouver-No-90 secound crossing…I LOVE Canada! Crazy Bridge going over the Fraser river:) Good to be home guys! Stay tuned for our Vancouver escapades!
Sky Bridge-Vancouver
Saludos amigos! Hasta Pronto!
Enjoyed the read and great pics as always, Pamela. Lots of good information….I’m busy scribbling notes for OUR trip that way next year. Thanks for sharing!
Welcome Home to Canada! Safe Travels 🙂