Tillamook, Oregon

    We had such a fun day today!   We had a leisurely morning, sitting at the picnic table in the sunshine and chatting with Mark and Joyce, Sue and Dan.  Lots of campers were clearing out and heading home after the holiday, but we had another day at the beach.  We decided to head south along the coast to the Tillamook area.

     Our first stop was the Tillamook cheese factory.  They make delicious cheese and even better ice cream so we had an ice cream cone appetizer before lunch.   We also bought a couple big chunks of cheddar cheese and some goodies for a picnic.

    Just outside of Tillamook is a scenic drive called the "Three Cape Loop."  Our first stop on the loop was the Cape Meares Lighthouse.  We stopped there for lunch in the sunshine.  We continue to be amazed at the temperature difference when the sun is out we are in shirtsleeves and shorts, then when the sun goes under, it is time for the fleece jacket and warm jeans.  After our picnic we walked out to the lighthouse point where the wind was blowing like crazy.  The area is a U.S. Wildlife Preserve for nesting coastal seabirds, so it was a good bird watching spot as well. 

    Our drive continued to the village of Oceanside - one of many beautiful little coastal towns that we saw along the way.  (Although most of them now have hundreds of new homes clinging to the hillsides above the towns). Just offshore from Oceanside is Three Arch Rocks - often included in pictures of the Oregon Coast.  I had in mind that the coast was mainly rocky, but the last couple days I have been on many broad, sandy beaches.  

    It was very low tide and our next stop was Netarts Bay which is considered one of the best coastal locales for clamming and crabbing.  We saw whole families out digging in the low water.  The wind was really howling at this point.  Then we turned inland a bit and came to a spot that amazed all of us.  It is called "sand lake" and is a huge area of sand dunes with no water in sight.  Pine trees grow right out of the middle of this sea of sand.   A portion of the area is set aside for use by off-road vehicles.  It looked like fun.

    Finally we got to the town of Pacific City and Cape Kiwanda.  There was another wonderful sand beach with a huge sand covered hill that ambitious kids mostly were climbing so that they could run down it.  When we returned to the trailer we said goodbye to Sue and Dan, had some great dinner cooked by Mark (I am spoiled now after having a personal chef for a few days), and then finally got some sunset pictures at the beach (this is one of Joyce's).  It was just a great day.  Tomorrow we say goodbye to Mark and Joyce and head off on our own again for a few days before meeting up with Jo Ellen.