Hay you guys!!

Even though I gained some time on the return trip up the trail, finding a parking spot to access Cannon Beach proved to be difficult. It was a picture perfect Friday (as I said earlier), so I held back the frustration. After a few laps and u-turns around the town, I finally found a spot and headed to the beach.
Looking back toward Ecola...





Looking south...



And finally, Haystack Rock...







Birds chillin' on the rock...



I hung out for awhile and searched for sea life in the tide pools. There were signs everywhere warning visitors to be careful of your steps, and if you looked closely you could see why. I didn't see starfish or anemones, but did see barnacles "breathing" in and out, grabbing nutrients from the water. Very cool. I have some video, but it's HD, and needs to be trimmed down. I'll post on FB at some point.

I left Cannon Beach and headed south to Tillamook. Again, having no idea what I'd see, but knew I'd be eating cheese before the day was done.



Haystack Rock II? I had to get out at this overlook...



Looking out over the Pacific...







South toward Tillamook and Tillamook Bay...



Wow...






I headed down into Tillamook, and its Bay...more breath-taking landscape.









Cheese!! Yes, I took the tour, and I must say, this cheese was tasty...



Could this day have ended any better?



Why yes it could. I synced up with Bradley on my drive through the Cascades and into Portland and he told me to pick him up at his friends' house. I gladly obliged, and was greeted with the friendliest group of strangers I've ever met. Hospitality and a fresh cold one go a long way in my book.

E-Cola

Woke up early to take advantage of the free breakfast, and decided to stroll back down to the beach with the high power lenses.



Picture perfect day...







After my pledge of allegiance, I packed up the Corolla and headed southward to Cannon Beach.

Since I was still working the spontaneity angle on this leg of the trip, I had no idea what was in store for me. My man Bradley advised me to check out this place called Ecola State Park, and knowing he would never steer me wrong, I typed it in to the Inc.

And of course, B Love's recommendation did not disappoint!





Had to show the shot with the Coast Guard chopper...




Remember the other side of this ridge from Seaside?



It was still early, and I was in need of some cardio. There were two trailheads calling my name, one to the south, and one to the north. I knew I was heading south later that day, so I chose the northern route (toward the ridge above), and man...

I thought the view of the ocean was beautious (made up word) from the parking lot, but what was in store continued to blow my mind.

The trail quickly turned lusciously green, and a little muddy...



The mist rolls in...





The mist rolls out...



Am I still on Earth?





The destination...



I finally reached the beach, even though I wanted to keep walking.



If this beach looks familiar...think of Bodhi and the 50-year storm...yes, this is where Johnny Utah takes him down, then lets him catch "one last ride, man"...



I must have taken 50 shots of the ocean slamming into these rocks, and every one was just as good as this...



Somehow I lost track of time (can't imagine how that happened!), and needed to hightail it back to the car. My next stop was Haystack Rock at/on Cannon Beach (Goonies stop II), and the best time to view/explore was at low tide, which was a mere 1 hour away. Considering the fact that it took at about an hour to hike from the parking lot, to the "Point Break" beach, I figured there was no way I'd make it. But why not try?! I either ran half the trail or hiked through a time warp, because I made it back to the car in 23 minutes.

Seaside

Since there was no tenting at Ft. Clatsop, I needed to find some lodging. I decided to head south toward Seaside, but before I left Astoria, I had to try and find the Goonies house. After driving the streets I decided to consult the Incredible, which quickly led me to right address.





After getting some uninviting looks from the locals, I decided to skip parking the car and walking up the street to the house. Instead, I left Astoria and headed south toward Seaside...

After stopping to see what Mr. Incredible could provide as far as lodging, I located a Comfort Inn about a block from the beach. I checked in, and asked the desk lady the best place to dine. She told me that Doogers had the best seafood, so I grabbed my p&s and headed for the boardwalk and dinner.

Perfect timing...







Swingset in the sunset...



Fires on the beach...



The boardwalk was quaint, certainly nothing like Ocean City or even Rehoboth Beach. I walked back toward the motel, and stopped into Doogers for din-din. While the food was not the absolute best, the service was impeccable and the price was just right for a solo traveler. After dinner, I called it a night so I could rise early and hit the road for Ecola State Park and Goonies landmark II.

A Story Ya

I backtracked from Ft. Clatsop into Astoria and looked for a way to reach the column. Apparently it was more of an attraction than I realized because as soon as I made a turn at the first sign, mini white columns painted on the road showed me the way. I'd seriously never seen a town like this before. It somewhat reminded me of San Francisco, built on hill(s), over looking a waterway leading into the Pacific Ocean with a long bridge spanning the skyline, but with about 1/10000th the size and population. There is also a "tower" on a hill in San Fran that enables you to look over the cityscape.

The view as I stepped out of the car...





My ride...



The Astoria Column! Yes, I'm going to the top.







Views from the top after 164 spiral steps.

Hello Ms. Helens...she's everywhere...



Looking back up the Columbia River...





Columbia River Maritime Museum...





Looking south towards Seaside...