At the Beach

To start off our vacation, we flew to Portland but not without issues as many have heard in the news about flying. Fortunately, our planes weren't cancelled but the first one had oil under the engine which required a cleaning and then cycling at full throttle to pressure test it before taking off. That meant our generous connection in Denver was a sprint and just making it onto the plane. Fortunately, we didn't have any checked bags, the benefits of packing light.

So before heading east to The Dalles, we headed west for a day on the coast. After doing some research, I set my sights on Ecola State Park which happened to be the filming sight for a few scenes from the classic childhood movie The Goonies. Above, is a the view (only seen from reverse as it was portrayed in the movie) where Mikey lined up the coin with Haystack Rock to locate the Inn where the treasure hunt started.

Unfortunately we found the beach shut off when we got there due to a landslide. We walked around a bit and then decided to drive to another beach in the park around a bend in the coastline and out of sight of the Goonies filming location. 

Being a stranger to temperate rainforests, I was fascinated by them. I felt like I was an extra in Jurassic Park the entire time.

The other beach was accessible and huge to say the least. It also had it's share of rocks giving it a unique feel that I was looking to sense. 

The tide pools left by a stream slowly flowing into the ocean from somewhere in the bluffs behind me caught my camera's attention.

I had no idea of the tide level but judging from this scene on a rock we hiked too, it was somewhere less than high tide leaving this smorgasbord of seafood exposed. I was fascinated by the sounds all the creatures made and wished I could have picked some for dinner. But I didn't know the legalities of doing so, especially in a state park and we were staying in a motel with no cooking equipment so we left them alone. 

Even if I could have collected some and had the means to cook them, I'm not sure I would have touched this one which was probably six inches in diameter. I don't even know what it was other than it was definitely alive. 

Being somewhat of a Lewis and Clark buff, having read their journals and several compiled books of their famous exploration journey, I had to stop and see the replica of Fort Clapsop south of Astoria, Oregon. I knew it wasn't original and wasn't likely to add any new insight for me but it felt like coming full circle. So after the beach we drove back north to stop and see the museum and replica fort and go for a short hike on the property. From there we headed into Astoria proper for a very late seafood lunch, or very early supper as it turned out, before driving back east and to our motel in downtown The Dalles.