Thursday, October 17, 2013

More Beach Views

Looking south to Heceta Head and Lighthouse.



Back at the parking and picnic area the view looks over the shrub covered dune to the beach below.  Another path winds through the moss draped trees to the campground for about a 1 and 1/2 mile loop.



The October days here have been gorgeous as these pictures show and I try to get to the beach daily.
The only place we can get cell phone service or internet is parked at this view.  Not bad, huh?
Only 12 more days and we head inland to Willamette Mission State Park, 8 miles north of Salem, OR.

The Beach at Washburne State Park

This beautiful sandy beach is 1/4 mile across Hwy. 101 from our campground.  Part of our duty is litter pick up in the parking and picnic area.  We are stopped many times and thanked for our clean up efforts.  Makes us feel good!

One trail at the end of the camping area leads under the highway along China Creek for 1/2 mile to the beach.  It's a little more than 1/2 mile back to the picnic area, making a very nice loop walk.


So here we go on a little stroll to the beach.


Once you climb down a few steps, here's the view north toward Yachats.


Big Creek flows into the ocean up where the sand breaks at the rock strewn edge.
As you turn to head back to the picnic area, the sea stack rocks at the end of Heceta Head are in the distance.


Well, that's all folks! Something is goofy here.  Look for a second post.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Our Oregon Camp

We've had a busy week helping clean up the campground now that the fall camper rush has slowed.  The weather allowed some fine walks on the beach and a chance to take some photos.  It's such a lovely park that it's hard to share it all.


The campground is on one side of Hwy 101, the Coast Highway, and the beach is on the other.  We can hear the ocean roar throughout the campground and at night when we awake.


This is Loop A of the CG, our site is on the left next to the large 5th wheel trailer.  Click on the photo to enlarge it and you can see Terry's truck.  We pick up litter throughout the CG each day.


This is Loop B with a meadow front and center.  A creek and some interesting old trees are in the back section.


One of our jobs is cleaning the 2 Yurts that are near the CG entrance.  They are rented most nights year round we are told.  Most folks stay just 1 or 2 nights.  We had a family stay for 5 days over Labor Day.


Next time I'll share pictures of the Washburne Beach.  We pick up litter over there too.  Tough job!  One we dearly love!

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

October- Old and New

October already?

We had a busy, happy September at Heceta Head Lighthouse and Washburne Campground.  Susie and Mike, our true Oregon friends, finished their Host month and we hated to end our great team.  We'll do a repeat performance someday.  The September Lighthouse Host crew was such a 'good time' group that we hope to be back next Sept.  Our weekly campfires were non stop laughs and funny adventure stories.  We had a great visit from Terry's,  Uncle Rex, and saw more of the area than we ever had thanks to his "Let's go" attitude. We went down to Coos Bay and Shore Acres SP to visit our previous Host friends, Art and Janette.  What a beautiful place!  We had a 'personal tour of the gardens' and the rocky headlands with gigantic waves crashing across them.  (It's off the beaten path of Rt. 101, but so worth it!!)  We weathered and cleaned up from a big 2 day storm- 45 mph gusts and over 3 inches of rain.

And now it's October.  This month we will just be working at the Campground.  With fewer travelers this month, we won't be so busy and hope to have more walks on the beach and hikes in the area.   I've started Line Dance classes in Florence, very different dances.  (I knew one, Stealing the Best with an Irish tune I don't know.)  I am challenged but learning.

 Every day we marvel at the beauty that surrounds us and LOVE living here waking up to the sound of the waves rolling in!

Here are some pictures from our visit to Yellowstone, summer home of Ranger Anthony.  He and Molly visited with us each day and introduced us to some great restaurants and pubs in West Yellowstone.  The wildlife gave us a great show too!  It's such fun learning a National Park from the professionals!


Yellowstone Canyon colors were stunning after a rainstorm!


The bison in Hayden Valley were also leading traffic down the road for a close encounter.


We hadn't visited Norris Geyser Basin before and it was such an array of colors and steam!


Just left of middle in that field are my first 2 Sandhill Crane sightings!  Get the magnifier for this one!

There's so much to see, so little time!