We are travelling the Pacific Coastal Scenic Byway – Hwy 101 and it definitely is that! A 2 lane hwy. that follows the shoreline winding around bays, through cities and towns, and a few small mountain ranges with dense forests and state parks, which open up once in a while to sea views from up high. Driving southbound we are once in while on the outside lane on the cliff side with sometimes no guard rail or shoulder, and it can be nerve-racking, but the views are incredible. There are a lot of curves and the road is narrow in spots, but there are passing lanes and pull-outs from time to time, for slow vehicles like us to move over and let cars pass by.
Leaving Shorewood RV Park, we drive a very short distance to the Blue Heron French Cheese factory in Tillamook. The factory makes Brie cheese and is mostly a tourist attraction with a petting zoo, wine tasting bar, cafe, and gift shop. It is part of the Harvest Hosts RV club that we joined, which means the camping is free (but the club suggests you give a small gratuity either by a purchase or by offering to help out if staying at a farm or winery). We were given permission to unhitch for a few hours in order to go see another lighthouse very nearby called the Cape Meares Lighthouse. The lighthouse itself is on the small side, but it is high up at the tip of a cliff, so there was no need to build a high tower there. There is a nice short trail around the headland with great views (where in migrating season is a great place to see whales), and a short trail that leads to a very interesting old tree. The Octopus Tree is an odd shaped Sitka Spruce which according to one historical legend was an Indian Ceremonial Tree specially shaped to hold canoes and ritual objects.
Back at the cheese factory, we went in to do some wine tasting (to buy something as our gratuity for staying), and we bought a bottle, although the wines were so-so. Rain and wind all night kept us both awake and we actually got up to move the truck and trailer (which we had hitched) onto more solid ground instead of the grass, in fear of being stuck in the morning. It has been raining now for the most part of a week.
Onward once again, we continue south along the coast a couple hours to South Beach State Park near Newport Oregon. At the gate a sign says to find an empty site and pay for a night. If more nights are required, you are to fill out a request and a camp host will get back to you (so, you are to park, unhitch, and set up, only to find out the next day that you have to move?) how crazy is that!. So, after choosing our site, Chris goes online before we set up, and finds our site is free for 4 nights, and reserves it online. Sections of the park are closed for the season, but it is quite large and obviously popular as most sites are occupied, and there are at least 8 hosts on-site. There are 27 yurts and a large tent area (closed for the season) and a section for bike/hike tenters. The comfort stations are well placed, modern and clean. The Park itself has 3 trails and a day use area. A ⅓ mile walk along a trail from our site goes through forest, to a large sea grass covered area, dunes, then the ocean. Great place to watch a sunrise or sunset. A walk along the beach toward Newport leads to the South Jetty where there are views of the Yaquina bridge which goes over the bay – a couple of lighthouses – and the city of Newport. Newport city is an active port city with a good fishing industry as indicated by the number of fish factories and vessels along the old port area. According to the county history, in order to help the area thrive, a railroad was built to link the county to larger cities, however they soon realized that without a shipping industry, the railroad would not be viable. Because of the dangerous water surrounding the bay, an engineer designed a jetty system to shelter the bay and a lighthouse was built to guide the ships safely into the port.