Somewhere Beyond the Sea ♫♪

I kinda feel bad for all those bloggers who visited Oregon earlier this year and got nothing but rain, fog, and chilly temperatures.  In case you are still planning a visit, be wise!!  The best time to visit Oregon is in the late summer and early fall.  September and October are normally my favorite months and this year is proving to be no different.

We drove to Florence on the coast yesterday and we could not have picked a nicer day.  Although it was hot and smoky in the valley, the coast was picture perfect.  Temperatures ranged in the high 60s and the wind was almost non-existent.  There is something about the smell of the salty air and the freshening of the breeze that lifts my spirits every time I visit the coast. 

First stop was Subway to grab a couple of sammies for lunch.  Then to one of our favorite parks on the coast, Harbor Vista.  This is both a day use and camping area and it wonderful for both.


Lots of boats out today, on both sides of the jetty.  Fishing must be good cuz the boats on the Siuslaw River just past Mapleton were packed in like salmon in a can. 

We drove north on Hwy 101.  Last time we were over that way, we barely got a glimpse of the ocean.  This time the sky was clear, the sun was shining, and the ocean view was glorious.  It’s like being on the edge of the world and the vistas are unending.

We stopped at Haceta Beach, another one of our favorite stops. 


We used to bring our kids here when they were little and then the grandkids in the last 20 years.  Great memories here. 


Poppy even had a great time here and asked to be let off leash so she could run.  Normally Poppy likes her leash but she was straining against it and looking at me with a questioning look in her eye.  I unclipped her leash and she went galloping down the beach.  She can’t gallop too fast or too far anymore, but she did her best and had a smile on her face.


Thanks to Russ for the bridge picture.

The ocean was so calm that the waves were more like something you would see on an inland lake.  The seagulls were bobbing around in the surf like ducks on a pond.  One lucky fella caught himself a crab and he was anxiously trying to get all the good stuff out and protect his lunch at the same time.



We saw lots of kites in the air but it was a struggle for them to fly.  There just was not enough wind.  Folks were having fun with it anyway and it made for a colorful and happy sky.


We drove north to South Beach and visited the campground and the day use area.  The couple in the collage above were at South beach but the kites pictured were at South Beach and Heceta Beach.
I put together some video highlights of our day, including the gulls vying for possession of the crab.  You can watch it here if you like.



It was certainly a day to remember and a wonderful way to celebrate the coming of the change in seasons.  We are still working through some details and thoughts on our travel future.  One decision we have made is to put another braking system on the Fit.  We really can’t afford to trade cars right now but there is is nothing really wrong with the car anyway.  The Even Brake seems to not work as well in such tight quarters and jams on the brake.  We could make some adjustments but we are better off with something that is permanently installed and doesn't need to be removed every time we stop.  That eliminates a lot of operator error!!  We are getting a system that is hard-wired to the Fit’s brakes – nothing to put in or take out, just plug it in, run through the set-up test and flip a switch.  Ready to roll!!  We also purchased a tire pressure monitoring system and that will go a long way towards making us feel safer.  We are still planning a short, close to home trip probably late next week.  We’ll see how that goes and then, who knows?  All I know is I sure feel a lot better after a trip outdoors and the trip yesterday just underscored that.  I really wished we had taken the motorhome and stayed overnight at South Beach.  Maybe next time!