Beauty at the beach

No, I am not referring to pretty girls, but there occasionally are a few even when it is in the 60s.. The beauty I am talking about is the natural beauty of the mighty Pacific as it meets the shore here at Cape Kawanda (Pacific City.)

We went to Tillamook today to do several things: go to the Tillamook Forest Center, eat at the Blue Herron, and buy fire wood someplace other than the campground. We spent over an hour at the Center. It was opened in the last couple of years to give Oregonians a chance to see the impact of several large and vicious fires dating back to 1933 and recurring every six years until 1951. Over 250,000 acres burned in the first fire, a fire so violent that when it started in July, it continued to burn until well into the fall when the rains returned. Fire came back every six years which then became named the six year curse until 1951 when the spell was broken. Today, you would be hard pressed to tell that there ever was fire here. There are very big Douglas-firs here as well as well nurtured undergrowth. Each time it was cleared and replanted. The reason the spell was broken was the improved technology, road construction, and fire-fighter training.

The center has some very nice displays, walking trails beginning with a big suspension bridge over the Wilson River, and a working (for demonstration purposes) 40 foot fire tower. There were art students there from a local school sketching flowers. What a great asset. It was free and it was built by lottery funds, if I am correct, and I think I am.

By this time, it was lunch and we went to the Blue Heron located in the city of Tillamook. BH was pointed out to us last year by a frequent PC visitor. BH is a farm oriented restaurant, not unlike Cranes, albeit a bit more modern, but not by much. We had a good 1/2 sandwich and salad there. Yes, we went to the Tillamook Cheese Factory for ice cream. It is located a mile north of Blue Heron and a favorite stop of ours. It was one of the first places Amy took us years ago when we first visited the Oregon Coast. She knew her mother, eh?

We drove toward our camper (18 miles) and stayed on the main highway (US 101) through a couple of little towns (Hebo and Cloverdale) and between them we found our wood (getting ready for the kids' visit this weekend) and some luscious strawberries.

Late this afternoon we walked to the ocean and watched the tide come in...and a sea lion working the cove for something to eat. He was fun to watch.

So, dear reader, that is what I mean by beauty at the beach. It is supposed to get into the 80s here this weekend; very unusual for the coast. I say, bring it on...