Stormy Visit--Day 1

I love showing off Oregon. 

Eight years after I moved here and almost as many since I first encouraged my friend Gary to visit, he finally booked a flight.  When we were talking about dates to come, he mentioned late September as an option, and I jumped on that because everyone knows Oregon weather September is fantastic, right?  A week prior to his visit, I sent Gary a screenshot of the 10-day forecast.  It looked perfect for an itinerary that included a one-night stayover in Yachats.   Two days prior to the visit, though, the forecast changed to all rain for his four days in Portland.   As Friday approached, the talk was of record storms in the city and on the coast.  I stuck with our reservations at the Fireside anyway.   A "little" rain can't shut an Oregonian out of plans.

Well, yes it can--it can alter them a bit.   The first stop on this journey (a 100 mile or so sojourn down the coast) was to be the Farmers Market on Saturday morning at PSU, but it made no sense to walk around in the deluge, so instead we headed west and stopped at Camp 18 for breakfast.  This wouldn't have been my first choice to expose anyone to the Oregon food culture, but it did offer a cool rustic Northwest vibe and it worked. Gary ordered and omelet and loved it.   He still did not have any idea what he was in for.

We headed west.  It was raining and windy, for sure, but we had no idea how windy it was at the coast until we got out of the car on the first overlook south of Cannon Beach.  When we opened the door, it was like a vortex.   We walked a few steps northward to see Haystack Rock (which was tough to see through the thick wet air).  When we walked back to the car, it was hard work.  That wind had to be north of 50-60mph.  Opening the door of the car was seriously a chore. 

Against the wind

We were running against the wind

We were young and strong and we were running (Creative license)

Against the wind  

It wasn't until we got to Manzanita that we really got to experience it.  We walked out a bit onto the beach, and Gary's hat was easily 100 feet from him in about five seconds.   He and Oakley started to retrieve it, but saw the fruitlessness in that.  Then the hat burrowed in the sand.  By the time Gary got there, already a quarter inch or so of sand had already piled on top of some of it.

When we got back in the car, all we could do was let out a big sigh and swear--out of sheer excitement and amazement.  I had been to Manzanita in just about every condition before, but this one... wow.

We continued south.   We took advantage of one of my favorite photo opps in Tillamook.

I figured Gary could use this in his role as owner of a VW dealership in come capacity.  I suggested it could be most effectively used when an impasse ensued with a customer.  He could pull this out and say, "You know where we are right now?   Here.  Now are we going to get real or did you want to go further down this road?"

Speaking of VWs, about a half hour past Tillamook, we ran into a lot full of old, old VWs.

"This Saturday we're giving 'em away!"

  

At one with nature.

We needed a pit stop.  I had stopped here before

But never been to the back room.  We could not believe how many samples were available.   Tables and tables.  It must have taken them at least an hour to set this up and another one to break it down each day.  We we amazed.  And pretty much had lunch.

We drove for a couple of hours, through Lincoln City and Newport, and of course, had to stop for my favorite fish and chips at The South Beach Fish Market.  We ordered some halibut, salmon, shrimp and scallops.  And Gary said it was the best fish and chips he'd ever had.  I can't argue with that.

We continued down the coast towards Yachats.   We got to Seal Rocks and I had the bright idea to say, "Hey, it's not raining.  We may as well go down to the beach."

When we got down there--only about 15 steps from 101--a deluge commenced.  We were absolutely drenched by the time we got back to the car.   Awesome.  And more "holy shit"s.

But I did manage to get one shot in before we scurried back up.

The skies were  getting darker than usual around 5:30 with so much cloud cover when we got to The Fireside in Yachats, our stay for the evening.  Gary had a room with a balcony.

It was a long drive down the coast.  But perfect.  We took some time to dry off and relax.  That includes Oakley. 

Nothing like a massive storm on the coast.   But wait, there's more.