I woke up excited for Day 16 because Oregon was one of only 4 more states that I need to visit in the U.S. to visit them all! When we first talked about this summer's trip we planned to stay on the eastern side of the state, but little did I know that Kevin had some other things in mind.
Day 16 on the road would be one of the best road trip days so far! Ever!
When Kevin saw that we were only about 5-6 hours from the Pacific coast, he made up his mind to get us there. He's never been on the east coast, so getting his feet in the Pacific Ocean was too close to pass up. So--we drove all the way across the state of Oregon in one day! It was a long day, but it isn't one we will soon forget.
We stopped for lunch in Portland, Oregon. While he drove, I looked for some things to do in the city. I was so excited to see that the world's largest bookstore--Powell's--is located in Oregon. It takes up an entire city block! So...that immediately got added to the agenda.
When we pulled into the city, our first mission was to find a spot to park the truck and trailer. Not an easy feat. As rain moved into the city, we drove around several blocks looking for a spot with no luck. Just as I began to think we would have to just drive through the city and continue on our way, Powell's came into view. Kevin told me to jump out and go inside and that he would handle parking. I wasn't about to miss the opportunity to check out the bookstore, so I jumped out of the truck and wished Kevin luck on his mission.
While I explored the miles of bookshelves and even checked out the "Rare Book Room," Kevin skillfully found a 2 hour spot to park, moved the dogs into the trailer, and walked to meet me at Powell's.
I managed to show some restraint--I only bought four books! After checking out at Powell's, we headed to our next Portland destination--Voodoo Donuts. Famous for its wacky and delicious donuts, we found the shop by the sweet smell from a block away and the line of people that wrapped around the building. A twenty minute wait brought us face to face with a wide selection of donuts. I decided on the O Cap'n My Cap'n (covered in Cap'n Crunch cereal) and a Voodoo Doll while Kevin got their signature Cream Donut. We paid in cash (it's a cash only store) and left with their signature pink bakery box filled with our sugary treats.
Our third and final destination in Portland was lunch. Famous for more than 500 food trucks, we walked to a block with a countless array of food trucks where we did a lap to select our meals before deciding on Chicken Pad Thai (for me) and Gumbo (for Kevin). Once we had our meals in hand, we walked back to the truck and trailer just before our two hour limit expired and enjoyed our lunch inside the trailer. The food was delicious!!!!
With a fine mist settling in over the city, we got into the truck and continued on our way for our final stop for the night. The Pacific Coast. This meant another three hours on the road, and busy traffic along the way didn't help, but we eventually found our home for the night. The first campground we tried was full (Beverly Beach SP), so we continued south along the coast until we found South Beach SP just south of Newport, OR.
The guy working at the check-in station set us up with a nice campsite a little distance away from the 225 trailer sites. So--even though the campground was huge, it felt small to us. By this point it was 6:30 PM, so we quickly changed and started walking the wooded nature trail that led from our campsite directly to the beach.
With a fine mist of rain and ocean spray in the air and the roar of the ocean carried on the wind, the walk through the woods was majestic. Eventually we emerged on the dunes and the ocean was fully in view. We raced down to the ocean where Kevin, Scout, and Reno all got to soak their toes in the Pacific for the first time. Even Reno--who HATES the water--couldn't resist.
Once again Scout got to swim--although this time with crashing waves. He loved it! This only makes me look forward to next month's trip to the Outer Banks!
We spent about an hour at the isolated beach until the sun set and we reluctantly decided to head back to the campground before it got too dark. When we got back, Kevin quickly made some noodles in a bag while it rained, and we enjoyed our meal and donut dessert before crashing for the night.
The sound of the foghorn could be heard in the distance while we slept, and I couldn't help but be reminded of our two years living on the beach in Rhode Island. The Oregon Coast is spectacular. The views, the mist, the waves. The beaches are dog friendly, and the people are so nice.
My grandparents on my mother's side honeymooned here years ago. I can see why. What a magical place. I'm so glad Kevin insisted on making it all the way to the coast. That's why we don't plan out each day...you never know what amazing things await!
Now...perched on the eastern most edge of the United States our journey west is complete for the summer. Now...our only choice is to head east.
No comments:
Post a Comment