A COAST TRIP IN MAY
May 18 to 20, 2008 by Don Kleczynski
Oregon has been struggling with early-type Spring temperatures of 50’s to mid 60’s into mid-May but the weathermen is predicting 88 degrees on Friday the 16th followed by 95 degrees on Saturday before tapering off again into the low 70’s for Sunday and rain showers for Monday evening and Tuesday. That’s a 30 degree swing in just a couple days time, up and down!! The cool of the Coast is a big draw with 90 degree temperatures inland; however, we had “irons” to cool before thoughts of us heading that way could come about.
On Wednesday the 14th we began getting the idea we could dash the “irons” in a cold bucket by Saturday night and head the horses over the hill Sunday morning for two nights along the salty sea. Better make reservations on Thursday this time, as lots of people likely thinking the same. Too late already for our favorite Sandcastle Motel. Sailor Jack the only other reasonably priced motel with low beach access. We hadn’t stayed there for several years, so now forgot why. Okay, they had a room but none with a kitchen unit … just microwave, refrigerator, and coffee maker, and yes, this was on the top floor. Guess we’d better take it and discover why it was we looked elsewhere before!
Saturday came and the temperature went to 98 degrees in the Valley, and we later learned, to 100 to 103 degrees along the Coast. That’s unheard of for the Coast to have higher temperatures than inland!! It’s also unheard of that Oregon would reach a 100 degree day for the year before Phoenix, Arizona!! … so said the TV News.
Sunday came with continued warm and a bright sun. Stash the gear in the trunk, give the horses a kick. We are out and down the road with a clickety clatter. Nothing holding us up except that slow driver that always seems to be ahead of us. No problem, as he is going 50 mph most of the time on this two lane highway, and, we have lots of time! Yep, time but little patience. Can’t pass so ride it out until the passing lane appears.
Finally we are just a couple miles from our junction with Hwy 101 at the Coast, after traveling in bright sunshine on a warm day. Whew! Look at that densely grey, fog bank above the last hills to the ocean! The hookup with Hwy 101 southbound and into Lincoln City, we are still in the sun. Traffic is like a summer Sunday afternoon. Kinda’ figured all you people would be here today too!!
We are early to the Coast as planned, so we could slurp a bowl of clam chowder in Depoe Bay for lunch, then stop into see my cousin at his shop. Lots of people in Depoe Bay. Both sides of the Highway parking spots are taken. More parking up the hill and we did … go up the hill to park in one of the few left there too. Clam chowder was good. With a little spit and polish you couldn’t see the drips on the shirt front.
Really short visit with my cousin since lots of shoppers this day. Didn’t want to interfere with his business prospects as this winter has been really rough for shop keepers. Weather and economy having great effects! Joan found a really nice jacket for me there. What a great Birthday present to her, for me!!! We find pleasure in our own different ways!!
Nearly 2:00 pm. when we got back to Lincoln City and check-in time at the motel and we begin to learn … “why”! For some reason we don’t have the third floor but now it’s on the second floor. A top floor unit that is available would be $10 higher price. Okay, guess we’ll settle for the second floor. Our room is set back in from the rest because of the stairwell outside. Now we are on the second floor with a much smaller room and the windows have a haze in them to make visual more difficult. There are two chairs and a small table that you can sit at if you maneuver just right. The TV and appliances are governed by a light switch by the door that we weren’t alerted to. How come nothing works? Spotted the switch marked “TV” as I’m headed to the office. We sat down and thought…. “Where did we go wrong with this trip?” Hey, guys and gals, when you seek first the cheapest, chances are that’s what you are going to find!! Sit back, relax, enjoy your days here. We have found much worse conditions, circumstances. We are gifted?
Grab your hat, get your coat, leave your worries at the doorstep, and let’s hit the beach!! We can see the beach but not the water from our room at this time. The dense fog is just at that line. Only slight breeze when we get down there, so let’s hike it. Aye, and there’s the ocean! Pretty sure it was going to be there! We walked north for a long, long ways it seemed, in this leisure mode, to watch the waves and to just be walking on the sand without a hurry, without a care, without any anxieties of life. Peace and contentment and relaxation to hear the waves rolling and breaking onto shore. This is why we came!!! A walk back without dally only took 15 minutes.
Extended evenings at this time of year, a month before the longest day of the year on June 21, that day too, of our wedding 50 years ago. With such a dense fog bank off shore there certainly wouldn’t be the beautiful sunset as we’ve enjoyed on several other occasions. On many of our last trips to the Coast, some rare and wonderful happening has occurred for us. What will it be this time? Would there be anything? Yes!! And it was about to happen, although again it took a while to realize this pleasure granted.
It was the fog!! The fog that sat dense just off the surf line all day, moved in to obliterate the ocean completely and then kept coming to obliterate the sandy beach, coming up to the 20 foot of bank outside this motel. Then it stopped, as if a curtain. All fog beyond, no fog within! Ten minutes later the fog retreated to give us a glorious, sunny view for maybe 5 miles out to sea. Then within a few more minutes the fog again came to the surf line and then to the bank line, to stay through the night. The electric lights set in the bank by this motel came on as usual after dark, to high-light the surf. They shone against the dense fog but it consumed nearly all the light, allowing very little reflection back to us, and certainly nothing outward!
Monday morning came up sunny and warm, the fog had retreated far off shore. Short sleeve weather all day. What a gorgeous day to walk on the beach for an hour before the legs suggested a car excursion to Lands End on the northern end of Lincoln City, then a leisurely drive south down the Coast, stopping at every wayside and enjoying the wonders of the sights and sounds of the ocean and it’s adjacent scenery. Scotch Broom plants are at their glory of full bloom in striking yellow against the greenery. Unfortunate that it is a noxious weed that spreads so rapidly. Only the yellow flower of it’s species seen in most areas and not like the numerous variations of color from the yellows through deep maroon we saw near Bandon, Oregon last year.
Continuing south we dropped off Hwy 101 towards Agate Beach but saw the expanse of soft and shifting sand to the ocean, a greater challenge than we needed. The road took us into Newport where we figured to connect with Hwy 101 northbound for our return. Whoa, the traffic backed up, backed up for miles because of an apparent traffic accident. A couple right hand turns got us going back through whence we came, having skirted the problem.
Back to our motel in time for a profitable treasure hunt on the beach. Treasures to be sure, of those rocks that beg us to gather. It’s gotten so that I do it too! We walk and walk, pick and gather until Joan has both hands full and no pockets to carry. Would you? Could you? Is there but one answer?? Of course I could and would!! Finally I had to say, “Be more selective”. The pockets are filling, the pants are sagging. My strides are narrowing; the belt won’t keep up much more. It’s no longer a leisure walk but now a struggle!! We turn for the motel and the 25+ stair steps up the side of the cliff and several more to our room. Whoa … and … Behold!!!
Tuesday the 20th came upon us with a refreshingly clearing of fog, but now a threatening of a lingering overnight rain. Still no wind and its not raining, allowing us one last beach walk. And walk we did for another hour, going south to the D River and then north to … way up that way!!! “Enough” led us back to the motel. Only 9:30 am, but it seemed time to head for home as little else left here this trip.
Drizzle rain now out of Lincoln City and stayed with us to shortly beyond the 760 foot summit through the Van Duzier Corridor on Hwy 18. We broke out of the clouds and rain into a sunny, bright and beautiful valley.
A highway cut-off to Amity came up shortly. Good chance to check-out the antique store going out of business and a route through the scenic countryside that gets us away from the traffic to McMinnville. The store is … closed on Tuesday’s!! Probably a good thing as that could have cost me money!! They used to have the most beautiful earrings and necklaces ever …. "imported from Russia", she said.
Our route now took us to Hopewell and then to the Wheatland Ferry crossing of the snow-melt-swollen Willamette River, on through the agricultural land of Mission Bottom before taking us past our old home area of St. Louis and then on to our home in Hubbard.
We had a great time at the Coast again this trip by not letting the start … upset the end. We put a lot of footprints in the sand those two days, plus those on Tuesday morning, as we searched and found those many memorable treasures awaiting us on the beach. Such beauties couldn’t be left in their solitude!!!
And so we return refreshed, rejuvenated, by the wonders we have been granted again this trip. We thrill in these days, and hope the rewards of your days might be as fulfilling!!
Don
|
