But I'm getting ahead of myself. The first stop was in Astoria, Oregon. You see, we were sort of going on a "Goonies" trip. The movie "The Goonies", which came out in the '80s, was filmed at the Oregon Coast, and the house where the two main characters lived is in Astoria. So, we crossed the bridge where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean, and into Oregon. It was a lovely drive.
That last picture is the actual bridge we went on. It's pretty long, maybe 2 or 3 miles. As you can see, it was a lovely day.
As I mentioned, the first stop was "The Goonies" house. The current owners understand their home's cult popularity, and they have a sense of humor about it:
Lorelei is throwing this huge, unexplained fit in the picture above. She threw a tantrum the size of Utah. I don't know what got into her, but I'm posting this so everyone can know what a monster she was at "the Goonies" house. Here's the house:
After our diversion to the house, we left for Cannon Beach, also a film sight of "The Goonies". I'm not sure I have words for Cannon Beach.
Yep, that's Haystack back there. It was a perfect day, but just a little bit of rolling fog that we watched come in off the sea. I can only imagine what it's like to watch a storm roll in.
Shawn and I feel most at home at the ocean. Maybe it's our Piscean nature, maybe it's just one of those important things we share, but I can see in Shawn the same reaction I have to the ocean: peace and joy. This is where we are truly alive. Similarly, Lorelei is enchanted and engaged at the ocean. She did not have a single toy, beach gear, or even a warm enough jacket, but she was constantly entertained and busy. She was far more excited and happy than I've ever seen her. This is her place, too.
We spent the afternoon at Cannon Beach, and then followed the coast down about 60 miles to Cape Kiwanda (in Pacific City), where we stayed the night. Cape Kiwanda has its own "Haystack":
The Pacific Ocean, at least in Oregon, is a wild animal. It's crazy and dangerous. It's not for the beach bunnies who are after the relaxing heat and a dip in the calm Atlantic for relief from the sun. No, the Oregon Coast is for the thrill-seekers, the ones looking for a challenge, those who need to be reminded that they are nothing but a speck of sand in this great world. That water is too cold to swim in, and the surf is so loud - you can hardly talk about the roar of the waves. The wind is so strong coming off the water that a ponytail is useless and a sweatshirt is a must. The Pacific is not your backdrop for a beautiful vacation; no, you can't make that the background. The Pacific is the main attraction and will not be ignored. The Pacific will not be trifled with.
Cape Kiwanda is a lot less busy and touristy than Cannon Beach, and we liked the isolation. We wrapped up the day at the brewery across the street from our hotel where we watched the sunset from the patio:
The beer was pretty amazing.
Lorelei also challenged us to climb up this sand dune that was, I don't know, 100 feet high? I'm not sure. It was ridiculous though. The view from the top was stunning.
These pictures are gorgeous, right? They don't do it justice. You can't smell the sea from these pictures and hear the ocean. The sand is that perfect soft sand that warms your feet in the midst of the chilly breeze.
The next day, the skies were overcast and there was lots of fog. We loved the beach just as much, if not more.
The above picture is our view from the hotel room balcony. That is what we woke up to.
We decided to have breakfast in Cape Kiwanda and head back to Cannon Beach for the afternoon before heading home. We walked to "Haystack" and got a good, up close look at it.
These formations are amazing. I can't imagine getting used to seeing them.
Of course, Shawn talked to a realtor on the way out of Cannon Beach. As it turns out, she is originally from Cleveland and a Kent State grad! We have been discussing the idea of buying a house along the Oregon Coast. We aren't sure yet - it's in the Tsunami zone, so, uh, you know, that's weird. But we'll see. We love it too much to at least not go back several times a year. We have to give this to Lorelei, too. It's her place as much as ours.
One thing I know: we won't wait to go back. As long as we can get there in the winter weather, we will be back. The sooner the better.
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