Oregon part 2

We hung out with the family until Monday afternoon, and then we set off. Mike and I did not have a set plan so we found ourselves wandering to the coast. We figured the weather was clear so we should take advantage of that. We drove along the coast south and just made scenic stops. The beaches were beautiful and we watched the pelicans, seals, and whales. I actually was able to spot whales while we were driving on Monday which is a new one. The ocean was fairly flat with light winds so that aided my spotting ability. There are state parks lining the coast one after the other.

On Tues we headed off to try 2 hikes we found in a book we borrowed from Pat. One hike was in the Cape Arago State Park in Coos Bay. The trail skirted cliffs high above the dramatic coastline. There is a section across from a rocky outcropping that hosts hundreds of seals and sea lions. They are about 1/2 mile away, but you can smell them and hear them barking. You look at the rocks, and they are totally covered with marine mammals.

Our other hike was in the Oregon Dunes Nat'l Recreation Area. The area is along the coast for 50 miles. We found a hike that is in a section closed to dune buggys. It was pretty dramatic and amazing. I had Tea in the Sahara stuck in my mind when we were walking there. You had to pay attention to the route on this hike! The trail led to an empty beach. It was beautiful, but we did have to make it back before night. There were these forests that we crossed to get into the beach that were very tight like jungle (it reminded me of Costa Rica). Mike was overcome at one point, but I was able to get him out.