It is a beautiful drive out of Washington heading to Oregon and as we reach the Astoria Bridge which will deliver us to the start of our coast drive, we start to truly anticipate the excitement that awaits. This drive has been on our wish list for quite awhile and it's about to become a reality! Yeah!!!
The bridge is the perfect entryway for our excursion, and after the initial traffic in Astoria, the coastal trail opens and peeks of the magnificent Pacific Ocean begin. It has been over three months since we left the Atlantic, and we are welcoming the ocean smells and sounds fully!
Though we've had rivers, sounds, canals, lakes and straits, along our journey, there is nothing like the ocean and we embrace it's magic! As different as the two coasts are in their terrain, it still almost feels like home for us and that feeling is just wonderful.
As we pull into Manzanita, the quaint little village proves to be the perfect first stop on our Oregon Coast adventure. Cathie, Linda's friend, has provided a cozy little beach cottage, complete with fire pit! (It's the same one we had back home - a gift from Linda, of course) and it finishes our nostalgic moments. Settling in for our stay here, the fire is lit, yes, a fire in August! Unheard of, we know. But, the 50 degree temperature on this balmy evening allows such a pleasure and we enjoy thoroughly after our busy travel day.
Welcome to Oregon!
After a good night's sleep in our little beach cottage and a slow wake up this morning, a beach hike seems to be a grand idea. Though chilly and foggy, the coastline is spectacular and we enjoy an amazing journey along the shore.
The beach is easy to walk on once we pass the deep white sand at the entrance, the low tide brings hard packed sand and a very wide walking path. Exposed rocks toward the cliff area provides a fun and good workout, as well as a discovery spot for interesting marine life.
Horseback riders saunter down the dune area as we head back toward the little city's town core. The quaint town has a wonderful little book store where we spend a good amount of time finding new reads and make some great purchases for future escapes. It is well past noon by the time we finish our walk and book tour and the sun has still not peeked through. As we have several days in this area, we opt to stay close to home this afternoon, reading and enjoying the sleepy town's energy.
Later in the day, dune buggies traverse the pretty beach and kites easily float in the windy skies. With all the beauty surrounding, we don't even miss the sun. We throrougly enjoy our lazy day and the comforts provided by our little beach cottage. Resting up for a big excursion tomorrow seems to be the perfect decison. The quiet we experience here is very welcomed!
