Coasting

August 3: Cedar Creek Campground, Cottage Grove, OR

We started down the Oregon coast after leaving Tillamook. I love the Oregon coast! The cliffs along the highway are straight down. Sometimes there are dunes, sometimes temperate rainforest. After leaving Idaho we were out of the high altitude but the roads were still curvy and up and down. 

August 4: Sand Lake Recreation Area, Cloverdale, OR 

Our first experience with the coast was at Cape Lookout. We stayed at a site that was an RV ATV site right on the dunes. The ocean was ¼ mile ahead, all sand dune before the water. The site was a large asphalt parking lot with flush toilets and lots of people. ATVs, dune buggies, motorcycles and 4 wheel drives were in and out from 6 am till midnight, revving their engines and riding the dunes. Lots of American and Trump flags flying on the RVs. It was quite an experience of cultures.

August 5-6: Blackberry Campground, Tidewater, OR

The next night we went to the Siuslaw National Forest. We found a campground on a slow river with a nice view of the water, we stayed 2 nights. My favorite spot was found in Cape Perpetua Scenic Area. Tide pools and mollusk-covered large rocks dotted the beach for about a ¼ mile! The life was amazing. Orange and purple starfish, all kinds of stuff that I don’t know, we’ll have to look them up when we have internet. Everywhere we turned there was new life to see. The rocks clicked as crabs inside the clams (?) clicked their pincers. Water dripped off of moss and the rocks, making dotted patterns in the mud. The rocks were tall, about 6 feet from the surface, and the created paths into the shore and farther out in the ocean, but not far enough for walking and wading. Along the shore where there was only sand, logs had washed up and people created huts with the silver wood.

 

August 7-8: Ruby Van Deventer County Park, Crescent City, CA

The next day we traveled down the coast to get to our next camp site in California. We checked one site named Harris Beach State Park, but it was full and, can you believe it, we found a spot at Ruby Van Deventer County Park! It was kismet! Another place on a river, and I will probably wash my hair in it! That will be 5 days between washes this time. We are in the Redwood National Forest.

Before we found our camp spot, I decided that we should experience riding the dunes. We drove past a few places that had rentals, and as I drove further, I told myself that I would turn into the next one. No more feeling too old! They didn’t have a buggy for us until 3 and it was only 1, too long to wait. We used their bathrooms and as we were walking out they had a cancellation and we could go right out in a 2 seater ATV. After being told countless times about the dangers, and how we could tip over by going too fast, then being told again by another person, and then watching a video about everything, we were sent out on the dunes, finally! It was exhilarating! Driving straight down and straight up the dunes is the law. When the buggy reaches the top and the foot is taken off of the gas, the vehicle stops. A perfect time to assess whether the descent is too steep or if it would be better to cut across the ridge for a smoother descent. Both Mat and I got to drive numerous times and with each turn we got more confident.

August 9: Westport Beach RV Park, Westport, CA

After taking the windiest road in America (my title for Highway 1 CA), we splurged and stopped at an RV park that let us charge up all of our batteries, fill our tank and catch up on Wi-Fi (and even watch a Netflix movie!).