July 01 -02, 2013 Garberville, CA to Bandon, OR to Tillamook, Oregon

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Hard to believe it is July!

We took off for the Avenue of the Giants, meaning the Red Wood Trees.
The forrest is thick with vegetation, the sun barley is able to stream through the heavy branches
of these gracious majestic trees

It is so easy to feel the magnitude of these giants!

We discovered a sign that was surprising by a fallen Red wood, “Lansdale grove” !

On either side of the road wherever the sun’s rays hit the soft baby ferns and sweet peas were covering the ground. Everything grew happily in the moist air and filtered sunlight. What wonder of nature, what beauty surrounded us, a place to come back to and just take it all in .

The last town we stopped at was Ferndale, what a lovely town, the locals proudly call it the most Western town of the United States. Something we did not know is that particular part of the coastal road is called  the “Lost Coast” as many people miss it. It also happens to be another area of course being by the coast that a Tsunami could hit!

The town is absolutely lovely with Victorian architecture, with immaculate homes, gardens and a great Main street. Being Monday we had very little choice for lunch. Once more we were in luck, we came upon a very small little place 

The" Lost Coast Cafe” Mario the owner a wonderful welcoming and free spirited man a great chef who left San Francisco and all the stress of the big city to find
quiet and a new start in this remote part of the country "where he did not need to lock his door". 

He served us the best sandwich ever with the marvelous bread ( he mills his own wheat and bakes everything himself) with caramelized onions, eggplant, red yellow peppers,cheese, mushrooms with great baby greens and pesto,  as well as a delicious lentil, potato curry  and veggie chilly soup. YUM!

The incredible Oregon Coast appeared in it’s glory, I need to share that after a few miles we agreed that it is the most spectacular coast we have seen thus far!

Unlike the very high coastal vistas  in California, now we were near the water with some intermittent elevation, and the vista were one Japanese painting after another, with it’s monoliths coming out of the water so prominently breaking the calm of the Pacific. 

We passed by a town called Crescent City which was hit by a Tsunami by an earthquake in Alaska in 1964 and by the earthquake in Sendai, Japan in 2011. The city was covered by the fog that had covered the West coast seashore area due to the cold ocean and very warm weather on land. As we went inland once more the sky became blue and we continued on the road with still plenty of the majestic trees.

Obviously they are really serious.

July 02, 13

Another grey foggy morning by the seashore, we took off around 10.15 as we drove further in land the blue sky appeared and the sun shined over the glorious peaks covered with forests, 67F.

We drove to an area near the sea filled with huge sand dunes and in between beautiful trees that gave us perfect shade for our lunch, there was a lake as well as the sea beyond incredible sight. The children were walking up the tall dunes and sliding down on sand boards.

 You can see the sea on one side,

and the lake on the opposite side of the dune.

Ron and I looked so out of place with our jackets as it felt so cold , it was about 70F but the wind was strong and cold, our body temperature has not gotten used to the cooler weather here. It was lovely sitting on the warm sand looking down at the views.

As we passed north of Brandon, we came upon and area  were there were serious fires yesterday, you could still see the smoke coming from the burned out part of the forrest, how sad. Of course not as bad as the tragedy in Arizona.

We also passed by the most photographed beacon in the U.States, Heceta Head lighthouse. 

A close up of this beautiful sight.

We stopped in a town called Yachats where the river banks run into the Pacific as so many other rivers have during our trip , they call it the gem of the Oregon coast, a huge beach which runs on either side of the river,

in a small town of 690, grey whales migrate offshore in this area during winter.

The edge of town.

We went across this incredible bridge while still on 101 on our way to our overnight stay. 

We arrived in a town with a population of 4,400, they say there are more cows than people here, it is called Tillamook, on the way we passed many farms with endless lush pastures and...cows of any kind.
The highlight here is the famous Tillamook cheese factory, one of the largest tourist attractions in Oregon.

Oh, yes and the huge Air Museum which houses World War II
history, it has housed the Hindenburg and has memorabilia on the blimps as well
vintage planes.

No it is not an abstract painting at the local Gallery, just thought you could share our excitement

when we went through the car wash at last!!!

Amazing what over 4.800 miles will do to one's car. 

Oh, by the way I did not mention that these little kiosks are EVERY WERE, in Oregon,
no wonder we have yet to see a Starbucks! 

Our July 2nd. sunset!