Strumming, Running and Sunning: Corps of Discovery Trip - Day 3

“DO YOU KNOW WHY I PULLED YOU OVER, SIR?”; SAY ‘CHEESE’!; WALKING IN THE STEPS OF THE CORPS OF DISCOVERY

We kept the window blinds open all night since we are right on the water. That made for a very natural awakening process in the morning, while the light filtered in and the boats began their daily routine.

Today, we drove south on Highway 101 toward Tillamook. Leaving Astoria, we immediately crossed over Youngs Bay on a long low causeway with a drawbridge in the middle. From there, the road mostly hugs the coast all the way down to Tillamook.

When I say ‘hugs’ the coast, I also mean ‘hangs’ on the coast. This very scenic stretch of road is quite spectacular in places, with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean.

The speed limit is 55 mph for much of the road between the several towns along the way. When we reached the one called Nehalem, where the Nehalem River empties into Nehalem Bay, we slowed for the downtown section and then began to leave town.

Suddenly, the rear view mirror lit up with bright flashing blue and white lights. I obediently pulled over to the right to let the law enforcement vehicle pass me in order to attend to whatever emergency lay up ahead on the road.

As I did so, the police car followed and stopped behind us. The officer walked up to our passenger side window, where he was greeted by the cheerfully smiling face of Karen. As I handed him my driver license, he leaned in and asked me if I knew why he had pulled us over. I honestly had no clue, so I told him I didn’t. He said there was a 30 mph speed limit in town, and he clocked me at 42 mph.

He asked where we’d come from and what our plans entailed. Karen explained that we were on Day 3 of a three to four week road trip. He said he’d really not want to give us a speeding ticket on Day 3, so he was going to just issue a warning (what might have happened had this been Day 33?), once he ran our information through the system. Whew!

Needless to say, I was the most observant driver out there for the remainder of the day. Speaking of observation, we couldn’t help but notice one of the premier eateries in Rockaway Beach. The Pronto Pup not only dishes up tasty hot dogs, but also provides top quality interactive entertainment for those who are waiting to be served.

Near Garibaldi, there is a vintage railway, a cherry stand, and beautiful lagoon views.

All along the highways the past two days, rhododendrons have been in full bloom. Many of the plants have been enormous, and are quite striking in their colors, which range from pinks to reds to purples.

The Tillamook Creamery was packed with Memorial Day tourists today, and we added to their number. After a quick self-guided tour, some souvenirs, and some snacks for later, we jumped into the car to drive back to Astoria.

Our plan was to stop at Ecola State Park to walk on one of the few trails where you can hike the same route that Lewis and Clark did in the winter of 1805-1806. Near Indian Beach the trail winds through an old growth Sitka Spruce forest above the flat sandy beach below.

The tourist materials I read before our trip simply described it as a short hike of about 2.5 miles. That’s why Karen agreed to go on this ‘walk’. After our picnic lunch of Tillamook goodies, we grabbed our hiking poles and took off.

The forest is super lush and green, with dense groups of ferns and other rainforest species to go along with the towering spruce trees. Due to the recent rain and misty conditions, however, the trail was muddy and slippery. Oh, and also quite steep in many places!

Karen took it all in stride (some strides easier than others), and did a great job on a challenging little hike! She stuck with it, as she clambered over fallen trees and side-stepped numerous trail hazards. It was our own Corps of Discovery walk!