South Beach State Park, Newport, Oregon

June 1   Boise, Idaho, just for a stop over to sleep and stock up on groceries

June 2, 2013  Clyde Holliday Campground in John Day, Oregon

A nice little State park along our route to the Pacific Coast.  Well maintained and quiet with all the luxuries of home except TV.  Very pretty and peaceful.  We haven’t missed television at all as there are so many other things to see and do.

 

 

 This afternoon we went to the Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site and Historical Museum. It was filled with an unusual collection of relics from the days when it was a gold mining trading post and a Chinese community business, religious and herbal medicine center in John Day. Built in 1866 the small structure is now preserved as a museum.

Where the chinese stayed

 The Doctors Pharmacy of Chinese Herbs

We left at 8 this morning and decided we were going all the way to the coast as we gained an hour since we changed to Pacific time. As we passed the place we planned to stay we were happy we changed our minds, because it was in the middle of the Forest. Nothing but large trees all around and no cell phone connection or anything.

We traveled a small road that was very windy but scenic too. 

WOW!  We're gettin spoiled

In Oregon all gas stations are full service and

there is no sales tax in the state.

 Mount Hood

 

June 3, So. Beach State Park in Newport, Oregon

We checked into our campground with 55 degrees. It was Unbelievably cold

for me at the beach. Ton wore only his t-shirt.  

 our campsite

 

 Then we went to eat some seafood on Nye Beach

 

 

 Tonight we went to watch the sunset on the beach in our park, and I wore a coat. 

Locals were dressed warmer than me, so I’m not really a wimp.

 Sunset at our campground

Pretty but cold

 

Walking the path back to our campsite

June 4, 2013

This morning we went north to visit Yaquina Head Lighthouse.  It was only 3 miles away and the 93 feet tower is the tallest on the Oregon coast.  It stands 162 feet above see level high up on the coast.  Illuminated in 1873. 

We planned to tour the lighthouse but when we arrived they informed us that the sequester cut too many finances the National Park rangers were cut, so they had nobody to do the tours.  They had volunteers in the park area telling about the scenery.  It was beautiful. 

 

 

Ton walked down to the beach and got gorgeous pictures of large starfish of different colors and other sea life  We also saw Harbor seals with their pups on a rock.

 

Harbor Seals

Polished Lava pebbles on the beach

Under the sea and you can bend over and touch them.

It is allowed as long as you don't pick them up.

Beautiful large starfish

More sealife

 

We left the Lighthouse area and took a drive down the coast and the Cape Perputua area.
There we saw large spruce trees on the top and wonderful variations of the sea below.

Large spruce trees

I'd like this piece of driftwood in our yard, but we couldn't

figure out how to bring it home.  In Oregon you

can take all the driftwood you like as there is so

much of it, but you cannot take shells as they are rare.

 

 

 

 

 Seal Island

Set in the Fog

June 5, 2013

We went the south to view some other scenic areas.  We drove around Otter Crest Loop and saw more beautiful seascapes. 

 

 

We really enjoyed this area.  So different from the seascapes in Florida. 

 The only thing to make it better would be just a little warmer.