Well, where were we when we ran out of time in the last report?  Oh, yeah.  Sitting by a fire pit, toasting our toes, and watching the sunset over the Pacific Ocean.  Pretty cool!

But we had places to go and more to see.   We had two stops in Yachats before heading out.  There is a small art gallery called Earthworks Gallery and a small shop in town called Styx, Stones & Bones that specializes in all kinds of rocks.  They were both closing the day before, so we wanted to get there right as they opened.

The gallery was one of the best we have visited from a variety and presentation standpoint.  Mostly local art, the different artists’ pieces were not just grouped in one place but placed randomly throughout the gallery.  It had a very nice effect and made the gallery seem larger than it really was.  I really like one particular piece for its visual view of a man walking into the clouds.  Very nice.

The rock shop was packed with people even at the hour.  I have no idea how they managed to keep track of their inventory.  There were displays of rocks of all sizes and types everywhere!!  Gail found the owner and had a very informative conversation about some of the rocks we had seen on the beaches.  And she broke down and bought a unique Oregon Thunder Egg (the state rock) which are special for the formation of an agate/silica interior.  And very pretty, as well.

But, as John Wayne said, we were “burning daylight’!!  We went to the RV, hooked up, and headed north again.  Our first stop was Beverly Beach where we unhooked the Jeep and left the RV for a couple of hours of exploring.   We headed out to the Yaquina Head Lighthouse then on to the Devil’s Punch Bowl (not to be confused with the Devil’s Churn in Yachats!) and another beach feature where the waves came through the natural arches. 

Our last stop was at Depoe Bay.  You hear a lot about this little spot as it claims to be the smallest navigable harbor in the world.  The inner harbor is very small.  And just the narrow harbor entrance would be enough to make you think twice about trying to enter.  The sea surge is dramatic, and we weren’t even there when the seas were high!  Unfortunately, there was construction tarps over the Hwy 101 bridge above the entrance which didn’t allow for good photos.  But you get the picture! 

Back to the RV, with a few extra turnouts along the way, we got hooked up again and headed to Tillamook and our next RV park and hopefully a “yummy” adventure!

The Tillamook brand is now seen all over the Northwest and now all the way to Miami.  They are making a name for themselves for their cheeses and ice cream.  And I think they are giving Ben & Jerry some competition.  (Although I am still a Blue Bell fan!)  And it all comes from the little town of Tillamook, OR. 

But our first stop was Munson Creek Falls nearby.  After a quick 20 minute drive and a ½ mile hike we came to a blockage in the path with view of the falls but no closer.  At 319 ft, this waterfall is the tallest on the Oregon coast.  And it is very majestic and worth the hike. 

Then on to see the Cape Mears lighthouse.  (Yes, waterfalls and lighthouses on the same day!)  This one is unique as the shortest lighthouse on the Oregon coast at only 38 ft.  But sitting out on a high cliff, it was visible for 20 miles out, although it is not in use anymore.  We were amazed at a special tree on the way back to the Jeep.   It is a Sitka Spruce with 8 arms/branches called the Octopus Tree for obvious reasons.   Not sure how it happened but it was pretty cool. 

And then to see the Kilches Point look out on the bay but could not find the turnoff.  But we did find the Bay City Fish Peddler and sat outside to share a crab/fish melt sandwich and get a nice view of the bay. 

And then for a treat we headed to the famous Tillamook Creamery.  The visitor center was very busy, but we saw one of the cheese making parts of the factory and info about the history.  We bought some cheese and then 2 huge scoops of very good ice cream.  We sat outside on the lawn with others eating ice cream and enjoyed the end of the day.

The next day we headed on up the coast.  The first stop was for a corny dog at the Pronto Pup in Rockaway.  We had heard there was a kite flying event in town and were concerned that the traffic and parking might be a problem. But we found a good spot to stop and ordered our dogs.  We had to stop here because the Pronto Pup is where the corny dog was invented.  The story goes that in 1939, the owner of the Pronto Pup was having trouble getting buns, so he made a pancake batter dip and fried the dogs.  And has ever since.  For you Texans, the Fletcher Corny Dog that we all love at the State Fail was not introduced until 1942 and it was made with a cornmeal dip.  But I’ll tell you they are both very good! 

Onward up the coast with our belly full of corny dog, we headed to Seaside and Cannon Beach.  Our RV park was located about halfway between the two towns so very convenient.  In my mind, I had imagined that Cannon Beach was the larger of the two but actually it is the quainter while Seaside is the more commercialized. 

So, we took advantage of that and did some grocery shopping and a walk around the town. It is known as the end of the Lewis & Clark Trail. At an Oregon Market Place specializing in local items, we learned that there was to be the annual Sandcastle Carving exhibition on the beach in Cannon Beach the next day.  And we learned about marionberry pies!  We decided to check out the sand carving and bought a pie! 

Cannon Beach is noted for the Haystack Rock feature on the beach. It is a huge (235 ft tall) rock formation that is at the tide level.  At low tide you can walk out to the base of the rock but at high tide you can only observe the rock from the beach.  We headed to the beach, and it happened to be high tide.  But we got some great photos with the waves coming in.

The next day we hurried to the beach to get a good parking place. (We had scoped it out the day before.) They were parking cars on the sand, but we found a spot in town and walked over.  The sandcastle carving was not going to start until 11:00 am so we went to explore Haystack Rock again but at low tide this time.  And the crowds were stopping here first from the parking area to the carving.  Getting to see the sea life on the rocks up close was cool.  Starfish, urchins, shellfish, and lots of birds including some pacific puffins.  It was also interesting to see the rock and the area from different angles. 

The beach parking was really filling up by now.  The sandcastle carving was further up the beach, so we wandered that way to see what was happening.  The crowds were gathering around the groups beginning their artistry.  We were told that the contest has been going on here since 1964.  There had been a very large earthquake that year in Alaska and the resulting tsunami waves had damaged much of Cannon Beach.  The city decided to form the event to show everyone that they were fine and back in business.  And it has been held annually since then.

There are five groups competing from youth (their sandcastles were pretty youthful) up to the pros.  We walked down the beach to get an idea of the techniques and tools.  We got an idea of the theme of each but not the actual carving.  And they could only be made with sand and water with no internal structural support.  I was particularly impressed with the technique of forming small pine trees out of the sand.  The carving had to be completed by 3:00 for judging.  Then, we were told their artwork would be gone by high tide at about 6:00.  Sad but true. 

So, to pass the time, we went back up the beach head to town and did some window shopping and grab a bite.  At Bill’s Tavern & Brew House, we found a place to sit outside, share a great hamburger and a carrot cake dessert, and watch the people go by! 

Back to the beach about 4:00 to check out the results.  We were disappointed that they had not identified the winners and there was actually only one entry that included a castle!  They had also taken down the barrier ropes around the carvings and people were walking all around the works.  Some with less respect than you might expect. The professional’s works were artistically very good. 

The crowds were thinning and the cars were clearing off the beach as the tide was coming back in.  It was already impossible to walk out to Haystack Rock.  So, it was also time for us to head out.  But it had been a fun and educational (and with some good exercise) day. 

This is enough for now.  I think my friend Jay has been honored and proven right!   And now our next destination will be in Washington state with a couple of stops along the way.  Let’s see what’s going on up there.