Trip Report

On this trip we traveled over 1,000 miles in a luxury motor coach with our excellent driver, Augie Bergman at the wheel. Our purpose was to view, as close as possible, all remaining lighthouses on the Oregon Coast plus two on the Washington side of Columbia River.
Day 1: Heading north on I-5 our first stop was for coffee at Allann Brothers Coffee & Bakery, this was an opportunity to reacquaint with old friends and begin friendships with some first time bus riders. Our special guest was Maria Enuss Ferriera from Rio, a friend of Obsidian Verna Kocken. We enjoyed getting to know her, learn about her life in Brazil and share her enjoyment of seeing this part of the USA for the first time. From here we headed out on back roads, pausing for a short ride over & back on the Wheatland Ferry – a first for many. Our lunch stop was at Stub Stewart State Park where we enjoyed a fabulous mountain top view of the Coast Range Mountains. As we continued northwest through the forests we checked in at Jewell Wildlife area in hopes of seeing elk, but none were in the meadows. In Astoria we drove to the top of Coxcomb Hill for beautiful views of the Columbia and Young’s River area. Many of our energetic group climbed to the top of the Astoria Column for even better views. Tired, but happy we arrived in Long Beach, WA for our first night.
Day 2: Another beautiful day greeted us as we headed out to learn about North Head and Cape Disappointment lighthouses, built only two miles apart – which was unusual. There is a fantastic view of the Pacific Ocean at Cape Disappointment where some toured the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center and others did the 1 mile round trip hike, up & down steep slopes, to actually stand beside Cape Disappointment lighthouse. Old Fort Canby is also located on this site. Driving across the 4.1 mile long Astoria – Megler Bridge twice provided interesting views in both directions. We traveled out to Clatsop Spit, the farthest north point on the Oregon Coast to view the terrain where Point Adams & Desdemona Sands lighthouses were washed away in early 1900’s. The weather was perfect for a helicopter ride at Seaside, another first for many. Our goal was to get a good look at “Terrible Tilly”, the Tillamook Head lighthouse. Situated 1.2 miles off shore on a huge rock this was an amazing engineering project, the first surveyor for the project was swept out to sea and never found. We not only enjoyed the helicopter ride, but the views of Tillamook Head, Seaside, the bay and forests to the east were lovely. Ecola Creek Lodge at Cannon Beach was our destination for the night. Following a “breathtaking” ride to the mountain top we enjoyed a lovely BBQ dinner in the Lodge courtyard prepared by Barbara & Paul Beard. Some enjoyed a beach walk, some enjoyed watching the rabbits and others just enjoyed visiting with one another. The lodging was delightful.
Day 3: A variety of activities awaited us this day, some of which were antique shopping at Wheeler; watching salmon being caught in Nehalam Bay; seeing oysters processed at Tillamook Bay. At Cape Meares Lighthouse & State Park a short walk took us for an up close view of the lighthouse, spectacular ocean views and a visit to the Octopus tree. The drive along Whiskey Creek Road to Cape Lookout was lovely. Our lodging for this night was the Inn at Spanish, our rooms were lovely, the food was excellent and the beach was nice for walking.
Day 4: Early morning walkers enjoyed a brisk beach walk before we departed for Pirates Coffee & Bakery at Depoe Bay. Heading off to Yaquina Head Lighthouse we enjoyed more beautiful views and even spotted some whales. Yaquina Head is the tallest lighthouse in Oregon, located close by is an excellent interpretive center. Lunch at the Chalet Restaurant, featuring homemade soups & pies was delicious. More scenic driving took us to view Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, Cleft of the Rock and Haceta Head lighthouses. The drive to the top of Cape Perpetua allowed for amazing views and a chance for a short hike along the cliff top. Lodging in Old Town Florence provided many choices for food and opportunity for more walking.
Day 5: Another busy day took us to view four lighthouses some in out of the way locations. At Umpqua Lighthouse we were allowed to climb the stairs to view the only handcrafted lens left in the world. This beautiful red and white lens was one of six handcrafted in France. As we approached the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area the scenery began to change to a grand view of the dunes and ocean. Adventure waited as we stopped at Spinreel Dune Buggy & ATV Rentals near Lakeside. Four capable drivers took us out into the vast and beautiful sand dunes for an up, down and around awesome ride. One more first for many of us! On the road again, we drove by Cape Arago and the Coquille River Lighthouse on the way to Cape Blanco. This is the most westerly point in Oregon and also one of the windiest. Lodging at Jots Resort was on the bank of the Rogue River, the view of full moon on the water was lovely.
Day 6: We began this day with a Jerry’s Jet Boat ride 32 miles up the Rogue River to Agness. A bit foggy to start, but the sun soon broke through for another delightful day. Kevin, our skilled driver provided some thrilling moments, getting some of us quite wet and shared very interesting information about the area. Lunch on the river, at Cougar Lane, was delightful. Knowing we had a long drive to Grants Pass and because of fog right on the coast line we decided to pass up attempting to view the privately owned Pelican Bay Lighthouse. Dinner this evening was at the Rivers Edge Restaurant where we enjoyed the outdoor setting, great food and live music – a pleasant way to end the day.
Day 7: As we began our final day of travel we stopped at the Hellsgate Canyon View Point for a last look at the Rogue River, then off to Wildlife Images Rehabilitation Center at Merlin. This is a rehabilitation facility for birds and animals and we were given a very interesting and extensive tour. One last treat was in store, a lovely farewell lunch at Heaven on Earth Restaurant & Bakery at the Quinnes Creek I-5 exit. Arriving back at Shopko just before 5 pm we were tired, but filled with happy memories of beautiful sights, thrilling rides, wonderful company and new friends. Leaders Barb & Paul Beard expressed their thanks to all riders who helped make the trip possible and were often helpful in many ways.