Oregon Coast

Conditions on the coast can be hit or miss in the Spring, and our long weekend in Rockaway Beach this March was both. The weather went from dreary to drizzly to windy and soggy before the skies finally broke for the sun. This meant we had the beaches to ourselves most of the time, or maybe the fog was thick enough to create the illusion of isolation. Either way, it was the perfect break from reality.

We started with a visit to the Tillamook Cheese Factory for an appetizer of cheese curds before slamming some clam chowder and oyster shooters at the seafood market across the street. The rest of the week was spent on the beaches North and South, in the restaurants of the small coastal towns, and in our hot tub.

Cape Meares

foggy abyss

Cape Meares lighthouse

Netarts Spit

bracing against the wind outside our hotel room in Rockaway Beach

blue skies?

Nehalem River

salamanders galore

Nehalem Bay

Nehalem Bay State Park

rewarded with this spectacular sunset our final evening 

Elk Mountain

Earlier this Spring we did a quick hike up Elk Mountain in the Tillamook State Forest (here). There are two longer loops in this area, but after getting a late start we only had time for this out-and-back portion.

Elk Mountain summit is at 2,788 feet and while it's a short hike, it is pretty dang strenuous - you have to ascend 1900 feet over only 1.5 miles, which feels like more of a scramble at times.

the first steps foreshadowing what lies ahead

up, up, up

first lookout on a beautiful day

had to bear crawl up this one

almost there

view of Kings Mountain from the summit

aaand back home on the Willamette later that evening

S(L)Ojourn

In February we took a sibling trip to the sunny, happy, wonderful central coast of CA to visit the youngest sis in SLO. We hiked the coastline, bombed down sand dunes, wandered through town, soaked in the hot springs, dodged cooties in the dorms, and reminisced in the halls and rooftops of our alma mater.  That place makes my heart sing. I am so glad we have an excuse to visit again.

bougainvillea on the patio at Linnaea's

used hops & grains behind SLO Brew

Cambria

the brothas

on Moonstone Beach

elephant seal lazing around at San Simeon

giant eucalyptus

Hearst Castle on the hill

illuminated

SLO and Bishop's Peak

breakfast at Del Monte

trailhead at Montana de Oro

tidepools

breakfast at Sidecar

campus walk