Coastal Addiction--Summertime Weekend Fix

OK, it's getting bad.  It seems like every week around Wednesday now, I get antsy and start thinking about heading to the coast.  Fact is, the moment I get about 30 minutes from Portland, I relax, and I find this to be the best drug ever.  It's not that expensive, my dog benefits, and I have a fantastic time every time I'm there, whether it be a day trip or longer.  Being self-employed, if I don't have meetings, and I can find the discipline, I can get what I need to done just as easily from the coast--as long as I have coverage (thankfully I am not with AT&T, which doesn't seem to care about the coast), and an internet connection.

For the most part, it's really a better place to be as a solo human than Portland, and I have to say, there is nothing that gives me more pleasure than seeing my absolutely beloved Oakley dog have a great time on the beach.  If he's happy, I have a HUGE smile on my face.  Yes, it's the best drug ever.  And healthy (depending on where you eat--and how often).

I had made a reservation in Yachats earlier in the week thinking I might go with a friend, but plans changed.  But I went anyway.  It's hard for me to actually cancel a reservation on the coast.  And I thought I might give a second chance to the concept I discovered the week before--extending trips where I stay at hotels by a day or so by utilizing the utility of my Honda Element.  The week prior, I slept in it one night, and for $25, it's really a fun way to get out in the elements, see stars, wake up to rivers or streams or oceans, and be comfortable--and amortize the costs of my trips so that I can afford to do them as often as I like.  Earlier in the week I went to Fred Meyer to get a second cushion to sleep on just in case I was going to do it again.  While I slept well last week parked near the Wilson River, it did feel a little hard.

So, while my reservation was for Friday and Saturday nights at The Fireside, on Thursday afternoon I got the bug and it didn't take long to realize I could get my writing that I needed to do out there (I tend to let my mind flow better out there), and so I packed up the car and started on my way.   I had looked up a few camping deals (most were booked) and also some of the RV parks are devoid of cement enough for me to find somewhat appealing, so I had one in mind that I saw online in Tillamook on the river, that I would use as a destination.  Besides, it's kind of freeing to be heading out there without solid plans.  As a backup, I had my scrip that would afford me rooms at the Shilo I had bought earlier in the year.  But I didn't want to use it.

I got to exactly the point where I feel I'm gone, where Route 6 splits off from 26 toward Tillamook, and realized I forgot my laptop.  That was a problem since I wanted to edit and finish my writing for About Face over the weekend.. I drove till I got to the Shell station, about 10 miles further, and decided the right thing to do would be to turn back to get it.  I blew an hour and a half, but I didn't mind.  The tunes were great (Todd Rundgren on Pandora) and I was in no rush.

The RV park I had in mind, and arrived at at about 5pm, was just fine.  Not crowded at all, so I was able to find a spot where I didn't really even see anyone else the whole time I was there.   

I claimed the spot, and decided to head out to Oceanside, only 9 miles away.

I hadn't spent much time there before--just drove through it-- and it really is a beautiful beach.  Windy that day, for sure, but what a charming little town.  And I discovered a little tunnel through the cliff that took you about 120 feet to the other side of the beach.  It's a great beach for walking.  Nice sand, and it goes on for a good long stretch.

I stopped and had dinner at Roseanna's.  It was a cute place with a nice view and was packed (unlike Brewin' in the Wind across the street), and the menu looked good, but there were too many kids running around.  I made the mistake of asking the server what she recommended.  (This is something I need to get better at.  LOOK at the person and wonder if she's really in the culinary head you are, Chris!)  What I ended up with was just God-awful.  Petrale sole ruined with too much hazelnut breading, bland as shit rice, and a huge scoop of blueberries, blackberries and raspberries.  It was like having dessert during dinner.   Just an awful combination.  No pictures.  I'm saving you.   

I didn't complain, but I only ate about a quarter of it.  My fault.

Came back the next morning and had a nice breakfast at Brewin' in the Wind.  Just some eggs and great sausage patty.  The waitress obviously had something big going on in her life.  She must have gone outside to talk on the cell in 30 second segments about 6 times while I had breakfast.   She asked me if I wanted water, and upon hearing a yes from me, proceeded to head outside to talk on the phone for a minute or two.  Came back, took someone's order, and then said, "Oh!  How did I miss your water?"  

Gee.  I have no clue.

So Oakley and I walked the meal off at beautiful Oceanside Beach.  Very windy but wow, it is beautiful.  I will definitely be back.

View from inside a little cave. Actually, not so little.

Then it was off to Salishan to meet my friend Nancy, whose Mom has a place out there.  We tried to get into Tidal Raves for lunch, where I had never been,, but there was a 45 minute wait.  I am always looking for opportunities to go to Local Ocean Seafoods (Beck isn't open for lunch), but we ended up at the Sea Hag to avoid the 40 minute round trip drive to Newport -- the possible wait at Local Ocean Seafoods notwithstanding..  The waitress, upon hearing our not being able to decide, recommended the Seafood Sampler appetizer (called something like that) for two.  Two bay shrimp cocktails, smoked salmon, cod, oysters, shrimp and I am sure I am missing something (my Vytorin, perhaps?)... $25.  Can't beat that for this, below.

Then we headed to the beach for Doodle play.  Nancy's dogs are quite a bit larger than Oakley, and fun doods (one's a doodette).  They had a great time.   I complained about the soft sand (and heard about it the next day on Facebook!)... I am used to beaches like Manzanita (and Oceanside that morning) with hard sand that I prefer to walk on, even though the softer sand on this beach surely gave us better exercise.  

My back gets to me in the soft stuff.  Too much fish and chips, I guess.

Two colors--stepping in unison.

Afterwards, I loved the liesurely the drive down to Yachats, always enjoyable, and checked into the Fireside, one of my favorite spots on the planet.  (I didn't take any pictures of the place this time because I've taken so many before.  Here are some.

I decided to take a little drive into Waldport as the sun set.  Got this cool true sunset shot on Alsea Bay.  (These are all with my phone.  Did not bring the Nikon this weekend.)

Day 3:  Woke up and had breakfast at the Adobe, with one of the best views on the Oregon coast.

Then, decided at the last minute to turn left to Newport instead of right to Florence,

Oakley and I ended up at Seal Rocks.  I'd never gone down to the beach from the overlook.  This time I did.  What an incredible spot.  That's two amazing NEW beach discoveries for me in two days.  Now I'll never be able to decide where to go.  (It's like restaurants in Portland.)

So I was going to try something new, but ended up doing a late lunch at one of my favorites., Local Ocean Seafoods.   It's a great spot to go alone and sit at the chef's counter and watch them make everything.  I generally always have a nice conversation with Enrique, but he was at a catering gig, so I got to talk to Executive Chef Charlie Branford for the first time.  Nice guy.  We discussed the derivation of his name (since I used to live in Branford, CT), how infrequently he gets into Portland, and that he'd not yet been to Restaurant Beck.  (A shame!)  He said he'd tried, but with two young kids, yada yada yada....

I ordered the Halibut Crudo Crostini.  Loved it.  It had never been on the menu before and was there because Charlie said they had a lot of leftover crostini from a catering the day before. 

I was glad for that! I don't get to have raw halibut much.   Delicious.

And then one of my favorite coastal pleasures, their grilled calamari.  Comes with oyster mushrooms, mandarins, nicoise olives.  The char on the tender calamari is killer.

Had a quiet night listening to waves crash in Yachats, and then woke up late, tried to find my wallet for an hour (don't ask!) and called the Seal Rocks RV Cove, which I had driven through the day before, and really liked because it was all grass and trees and privacy.  If they had one of the sites I saw I liked, I thought I'd try it for one night.  And, yes they did, and yes, I did.  Awesome.  

Grabbed it.

Went across the street and played on one of the prettiest beaches in Oregon (and that's saying a lot).  Oakley loves to roll in the sand.  Over and over and over.  No wonder I have to go!

Oakley found a friend.  (He couldn't stop humping her.  Dogs get away with so much.)

And then we headed north to Newport.  I stopped for lunch at a place I've passed literally a dozen times.  It doesn't even have a name... it's part of a grocery store.   

For $14, I ordered a plate that came with two chunks of halibut, two oysters (they put a third on), two giant shrimp, and two humungous scallops.  This may have been the best fried fish I have ever had.  All beer battered, which I like so much better than panko... but what made it so excellent was that every thing was done so perfectly--tender tender tender, but not raw, and all I could think of was freshness when I bit into the huge shrimp and the scallops.  You must stop at this place, whatever the name is!  (It's just south of the bridge as you head out of Newport.). 

Sorry, I didn't take a shot of the food.  :-(  Sometimes I just don't feel like taking pictures of food.  I know, I know, I should--all the time.  But you go try it yourself!

Stopped for more cherries.  It's one of the things I love about driving around the coast in Oregon.  Cherry stops!  And they are all so good.  These were Bings from the Hood River Valley.

And then made my way back to Seal Rocks.  We set up camp... love this spot!  That's my (our) bed in the Element.

Oakley didn't much like the fire.  Note the drivers seat.

But this place is great.  Check out the view from my site, which was in this little carved out cove... very private.

I really am not a camper, and truth be told, one might think, including myself, that I've taken my quality of life down a notch by sleeping in my Element, but I have to say, once I had that fire going, wh ich warmed me in the chill of the night--with shorts on-- and the stars were plentiful in the sky, and I could hear the waves on the beautiful beach across the street, all that went away.  It was glorious.  Just zen.  And for $25 for the night.  

Slept better than I have in ages.  The car stays warm with the two of us sleeping in there.  The only thing missing was coffee in the morning.  But we walked over and took a beautiful morning walk on the beach.  We had it all to ourselves.  Somewhere along the way, since I lost my wallet the day before, it was Oakley's turn.  I noticed his collar was gone.  We retraced our steps, got an even better walk, and somehow it had slipped fell off.  That's never happened before.

I watched some gulls freak out that a crow stole one of their young.  The crow dropped the young gull into the water and flew off into the hills.  Two gulls followed him and circled over him for a while, probably telling him if he did that again,. he was going to be.... I don't know what.

Clearly, I needed coffee.  

I found that in Newport at The Coffee House.  Awesome breakfast of fresh locally harvested wild mushrooms, spinach in a delicious, mushroom cream sauce covered fluffy omelette.  Homemade wheat toast (seemed more white than wheat, but super delicious), and I was ready for the trip back to PDX.

Did our usual doggie stops at Rocky Creek State Park (so beautiful--shot from a few months ago) 

and HB Van Duzer State Park, just east of Lincoln City.

Stopped and got 10 giant peaches from a fruit stand in Dallas.  A pint of Salt River cherries, too.

Then home.  Great long weekend.  New, exciting discoveries.  I hope they help you.

I'll be baaaack.  Lots.