Oregon Coast

With people coming in from the Midwest for our wedding, we have been asked about things to do in Oregon.  I realize that most of our family and friends have never been and may never come back to Oregon, so I wanted to share my favorite spots.

Today it's the coast.  When Rob and I used to live in Corvallis, we were an hour from Newport and would drive over for the afternoon frequently.  I never saw the Pacific Ocean until Rob moved out here (2009), and it is still one of my favorite sounds/smells/views in the world.  When we used to do our daytrips, we were unemployed, so would bring our PBJ's, apples, and just walk along the coast all day.  We couldn't afford a hotel, dinner, or entertainment, but it never disappointed.  The Oregon coast is different from any other coast I have been to in that it is all public, free, and clean.  It is not ideal for laying out and sunbathing.  However, it is perfect for walking for miles, watching surfers and sea lions, exploring tide pools, and just clearing your head.

Someday when Rob and I are rich and old, we plan on having our second home at the coast.  It's a little much with the wind, rain, cold to handle on a year-round basis.  But catch it at low tide, no wind, and sun, and it's like you stepped into heaven!

Here are my favorite spots for the coast:

Seal Rock just South of Newport, OR:

 Great tide pools!

Low tide                                        High tide

Devil's Punch Bowl, North of Newport:

From up above at high tide:

Exploring the beach at low tide.

Checking out the bowl during low tide.

At high tide, the bowl fills up and spews out the top.

At low tide, it is awesome.

Can you see them out there?

 Cape Perpetua, South of Yachats, OR:

We caught it at high tide and heavy fog:

The sea was angry that day, my friends

Foggy lighthouse.

That's all for now.  I am going to go dream of our next trip. :)

Happy Groundhog's Day!

I swear I started this blog with the intent of sharing pictures of Oregon.  Turns out I have more to share than I thought.

This February 2nd, Rob and I decided to head off to the "Death March" as it's called.  A steep hike into the Deschutes canyon.  I thought it would be great for both of us - lots of fishing for Rob, scenic trails for me to hike, and an afternoon picnic and book in case I got bored.  And the afternoon turned out to be just that: Rob fished, I trail ran, and we enjoyed the unusually warm sunny Saturday.

As we were heading out of the canyon, I decided I would just run on ahead.  Rob was lugging his backpack and fishing gear out and I have the impatience of a 2 year old.  But as I am heading up, Rob kept right on my tail.  He eventually asked if we could stop and rest, and I did, despite the fact I was trying to pass a group of slow movers ahead of us.

In hindsight, I should've known it was going to happen.  The scenic outlook.  The awkwardness.  The fact that Rob said we'd remember this day for the rest of our lives.  Groundhog's day.

Then he he fumbled in his pocket, got on one knee, and pulled this number out:

Turns out you can catch more than fish down in that canyon. :)