Oregon Countryside
Merrie and I started out our day with an early appointment with a travel counselor at the local AAA. We had our trip to Spain almost totally planned out but we wanted to find out what help AAA could give us in making air, train, and hotel reservations in Spain and in making a final decision on the hotels we would be staying at. Our counselor gave us an interesting website to look at, especially for hotels: www.booktravelbound.com. You can go on the website to look up information, but AAA (or perhaps another travel agency) will have to book your reservations with them. After this, Merrie drove us toward the Central Oregon Coast through lovely Oregon countryside of vineyards, orchards, and farms.
Oregon Countryside
Oregon Countryside
Toward the Oregon Coast. The snow–capped mountains are the Coastal Cascades.
Oregon Countryside
Oregon Countryside
Farther along.
Oregon Countryside
Oregon Countryside
The Evergreen Aviation Museum, on Highway 18, the route we were taking to the coast, was actually located before the first three photos, but I didn’t think my photos of the museum was the most interesting way to start this album. But the museum itself is of interest, as this is where Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose has ended up. It was moved here from Long Beach, California, in 1992. The Disney Company had acquired the lease of the Spruce Goose exhibit, and after two years, decided that it was too much of a “financial turkey” to hold onto. So Disney “evicted the Spruce Goose,” and it needed to find a new home, which it did in McMinville, Oregon.
Oregon Countryside
Oregon Countryside
You should be able to make out the Spruce Goose in this photo.
Oregon Countryside
Oregon Countryside
Going through a forest on our way to the coast. Before reaching the coast, we traveled through Lincoln City, which is located exactly halfway between the equator and the North Pole.
Oregon Countryside
Oregon Coast
My first look at the Oregon Coast. We were now on the 101, the coast highway. From this overlook, we drove south down the coast to the town of Newport. This section of the coastline is known as the Central Oregon Coast.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
This poor seagull was missing most of one of its feet, but it knew where to hangout so people would feed it.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
We stopped for lunch before arriving at this beach at Neskowin. The weather on the beach was crisp, cold, and windy. Photo: The path down to the beach.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
View of the Oregon coastline.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
A closer–up view.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
View in the other direction.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
Man on the beach looking for shells. Merrie found a perfect sand dollar on the beach. The name of the rock is the Proposal Rock.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
Rough seas here.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
We couldn’t figure out what this seagull had caught.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
Walking back the way we had come. There are many vacation homes and condos in this area.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
Cute little dog on the beach? We didn’t think it was still cute after it starting nipping at Merrie’s leg. The owner did call the dog to get it stop attacking Merrie, but the owner didn’t even bother apologizing to her. Perhaps the owner wasn’t from Oregon, as I had noticed how friendly and pleasant the Oregonians are to each other.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
Man and his dog on the beach. The man was throwing a ball into the water and the dog went into the water to retrieve it.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
The dog chasing the ball.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
We next drove to this overlook.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
The was a lone surfer in the water here at Whale Cove. I thought it was an odd place to go surfing.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
Seagulls all lined up at the overlook.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
A woman who had been feeding the seagulls had retreated to her car, but these seagulls were trying to catch her attention as they wanted more food.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
Posing seagulls.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
Seagulls waiting for a handout.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
Seagulls in flight.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
Coming in for a landing.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
The Oregon Coast from another viewpoint.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
This rock formation is called the Devil’s Punchbowl. It was formed by the collaspe of the roof of a sea cave. When the tide is higher, the ocean will spill over the top of the punchbowl.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
Closer–up of the Devil’s Punchbowl, showing the colors of the rocks.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
Rocky coastline.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
Another view of this area.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
Yaquina Bay. This is in the near vicinity of where the first recorded landfall was made from a ship to the shores of the Pacific Northwest––by Captain James Cook on March 7, 1778. The news of Captain Cook’s voyage led to the dispatch of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
The Yaquine Bay Lighthouse, established 1873.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
A room inside the lighthouse.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
Another room inside the lighthouse.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
View from a lighthouse window.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
The rear of the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
Bridge over Yaquina Bay.
Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast–Newport
We drove to the coastal town of Newport. The Newport Aquarium was the home of Keiko the Killer Whale, the whale of the movie Free Willy, before it was moved to Norwegian waters. Photos: stores in Newport.
Oregon Coast–Newport
Oregon Coast–Newport
Made in Oregon store, selling products, of course, made in Oregon––jams and jellies, wine, candy, clothing, etc., etc.
Oregon Coast–Newport
Oregon Coast–Newport
A tavern using an interesting spelling.
Oregon Coast–Newport
Oregon Coast–Newport
The sign over the tavern’s front door.
Oregon Coast–Newport
Oregon Coast–Newport
Salty’s Diner.
Oregon Coast–Newport
Oregon Coast–Newport
Fresh crab is available.
Oregon Coast–Newport
Oregon Coast–Newport
Whale watching trips are also available.
Oregon Coast–Newport
Oregon Coast–Newport
Warning to sea urchins.
Oregon Coast–Newport
Oregon Coast–Newport
Part of a mural on the pier. This used to be a big logging area.
Oregon Coast–Newport
Oregon Coast–Newport
A Wyland whale mural on the side of a building. There are now 84 sides of buildings throughout the world sporting Wyland whale murals.
Oregon Coast–Newport
Oregon Coast–Newport
California sea lions on rafts along the pier. Merrie asked one of the local fishermen about his feelings about these sea lions––I think euthanasia was one of the words that he used, in the context of what should be done to get rid of these sea lions so that they would stop eating all the fish that the fishermen believe should be theirs alone to catch.
Oregon Coast–Newport
Oregon Coast–Newport
Another view of the sea lions.
Oregon Coast–Newport
Oregon Coast–Newport
And another view. Notice that these sea lions have been branded. I don’t have any information about this (I have never seen branded sea lions before).
Oregon Coast–Newport
Oregon Coast–Newport
These sea lions look like they are enjoying the weather.
Oregon Coast–Newport
Oregon Coast–Newport
Singing sea lions?
Oregon Coast–Newport
Oregon Coast–Newport
The sea lions on the rafts wouldn’t let the sea lion that is in the water onto the either of the rafts. It kept trying and trying.
Oregon Coast–Newport
Oregon Countryside
It had started to rain and it was also time for a mid–afternoon snack, so we went to a cafe at Newport named Mo’s. It was also time to head back to Portland. I had mentioned to Merrie that there was an escorted tour that visited Oregon’s covered bridges. She remembered that there was one of these bridges near this area––photo of the Chitwood Bridge, first built in 1933 and rebuilt in 1983–84. It was the first bridge to span the Yaquina River. Oregon has 52 covered bridges still left of an original 300.
Oregon Countryside
Oregon Countryside
View from inside the bridge.
Oregon Countryside
Oregon Countryside
Side view of the Chitwood Bridge. Merrie and I ate dinner out this night and then worked some more on finalizing our hotel choices in Spain so we could give them to our AAA travel counselor tomorrow a.m. After visiting the AAA the next morning, it was time for Merrie to take me to the airport so I could take my Southwest Airlines flight back home. I very much enjoyed my time in Oregon (and I thank Merrie for giving me such a great time), however, I really was starting to miss (desperately?) the warm Southern California sunshine that I am so used to.
