A Rose By Any Other Name

Shore Acres continues to impress as we explore and peek into its beautiful gardens. We are not prepared for what we find. Victoria could easily be challenged by this perfectly manicured treasure.

The greenhouse is stocked and staged better than any we've seen.

And, the roses found in the display garden stand up to all the awards they evidently have won. It is just extraordinary.

The reflecting pond in the Japanese Garden is total serenity and we could spend much longer than time has allowed. This is one special, special place.

At each turn, we find more flowering wonders. And, between the cliffs, beach and magnifcent Pacific, we are hard pressed to find any fault. Ths place alone is worth living in Oregon.

The final path today retreating ouf of this bliss - have we sold everyone on Oregon by now!?

On The Coast Again

The much heralded detour to Crater over, we wind our way back to the coast, through the ever present scenic glory that is Oregon. Highway 138 is a spectacular maze of cliffs, rivers and pristine vistas where, as the hour gets later, we find the road virtually our own. An overnight rest in the somewhat more populated town of Roseburg proves something of a challenge in finding a vacancy, but the Windmill Inn comes to our rescue and we sleep nicely in very comfortable beds.

Early we venture to complete our destination arriving near Coos Bay to continue our coastal journey. Backtracking to the north a bit along Highway 1, we want to be sure to see some of the dunes that make up a 45-mile section between Florence and Coos Bay. The Oregon Dunes National Recreational Area has numerous spots to take in some of this beauty, and dune buggies are the prominant attraction.

We get a good morning workout traversing through a wide sandy beach, miraculously lone hikers taking in this riding sport. It crosses our mind to join, but the hike seems sufficient as we continue north a bit up to Wincester Bay.


At the quaint village, we stumble upon a little marina teeming with fresh seafood, boats, and fishermen. We choose to have a quick bite at Griff's and savor a delicious shrimp cobb salad and clam chowder. Al fresco dining overlooking the water adds to the fresh flavors and we are quite thrilled with this spontaenous option.

A stoll through the quaint area after dining is equally enjoyable as we take in this unique spot. It definitely makes it seem worth the backtracking this morning as we turn and head south again toward Bandon-by-the-Sea.

A side trip from Coos Bay takes us directly along the Pacific coast and allows for several stops at state parks. The first is Sunset Bay and though we arrive mid-afternoon, the coved area is a fun walk and definitely worth a peek.

As we continue along this Cape Arago Highway, we find several pull offs and a spattering of connecting hiking trails that access all of the state parks along the route. We venture along a few at different points, all allowing more incredible views. Kayaks are spotted at one cove and the apparent joy they are experiencing is quite evident in their laughter and singing (yes, pirate lore is what we believe we overhear).

As we come upon Shore Acres, the park we're most anxious to explore, we are anything but disappointed. There is so much here we could have easily allowed a full day. We do our best to fit in as much as possible during the couple of hours we have reserved and enjoy every solitary moment. The dramatic drop offs are stunning, and we happen upon a couple who have made their way down the cliffs to the beach and out among one of the many rocks. A picture postcard view.

Strawberry and Rock

Since we are only a couple of miles from downtown Yachats, we take an early afternoon break from our natural wonders and grab lunch at an adorable little restaurant that's been highly recommended. The Drift Inn Pub is hopping and we take that as a good sign. It is. Celeste's Cobb Salad with homemade bleu cheese dressing is one of the best cobbs we've ever tasted. Loaded and lucious, there is not a morsel left at our lunch's end. I'm equally pleased with a Thai Beef Lettuce Wraps appetizer that actually turns out to be a substantial and delicious salad in it's own right. Service is amazingly good considering the bustling crowd. The full bar, eclectic menu and very warm ambiance complete with dangling parasols makes this a very good find for a small, quaint village such as Yachats. We are pleasantly surprised at our find.

Following our very successful lunch option, we continue on our coastal exploration. A few miles south of Perpetua is Strawberry State Park where harbor seals lounge in abundance and marine life flourishes.

The brief detour is well worth the side trip before we return for one last hike back in the National Forest. The Whispering Spruce Trail begins 800 feet above the Pacific coast and though the trail is less than a mile loop, it packs quite a punch. One stop is the historical rock shelter built in 1934 by the Civil Consevation Corps, boasting it provides one of the most spectacular views available along the Oregon coast. Alas, with today's fog, our view is limited, but still beautiful.

Perpetua

Yachats is our stop for exploring the middle section of Oregon's coast. A quaint little town. Cape Perpetua Scenic Area is just a couple of miles from here and we plan on spending a good portion of our time at this beautiful place. Located within the Siuslaw National Forest, it has it all.

Our first hike this morning takes us along the tidal pools, Spouting Horn and Devil's Churn, all providing dramatic water shows. As they are best viewed at high tide, we have planned accordingly to take this in as the tide peaks today. And, what a show we get. Again, with the magical fog that permeates the area, it only enhances the scene.

The horn functions like a geyser, with water spouting from a small enclosed rock area as the tide forces in. The churn similarily explodes within a chasm, more powerful with each breaking wave. We are completely intrigued as we absorb both natural wonders and enjoy the rocky hike along the tidal pools and peaceful shoreline forest connecting the two.

As we make our way back up from this coastal paradise, we continue to enjoy some beautiful vistas that lead us to a second hike through beautiful flowering areas and huge spruces, a tease for the redwoods we're heading toward. Again, the diversity of this terrain has us in awe.

The majesty of these grand trees is something to behold.