Oregon Coast Adventures

We are home from our long weekend adventure to the Oregon Coast with our new little home on wheels. We had a wonderful, relaxing time with family in a beautiful part of the Pacific Northwest.

When we arrived at the campground where we stayed we were greeted by my sweetheart's sister and one of his brothers and their spouses. We enjoyed their big smiles and looks of delight when we pulled in with our new home-away-from-home. Not long after we arrived we were all joined by my sweetheart's youngest brother and his wife. This sibling reunion was only overshadowed by the fact that one sister and her husband live too far away to join us for the weekend.

We stayed at a small, privately owned campground at the north end of Tillamook, across Highway 101 from the Tillamook Cheese factory. Tillamook is an area rich in top-quality pasture land and the farmers of the area take great pride in their herds of cows that provide the daily supply of milk for the famous cheese that is made there. We toured the factory and shopped in their very big store that offers their products and many other wonderful things to enjoy. Our favorite is cheese curds, the fresh cheese pieces that have not yet been aged. Curds are often called 'squeaky cheese' because they squeak on your teeth as you chew them. Yum - what a treat!Early one morning I walked down the country road next to our campground to enjoy the quietness of the hour and to see the fog hovering over nearby pasture lands.

Saturday was a busy day for the eight of us. While my sweetheart and five others in our group went crabbing out on the bay my sister-in-law and I ventured north up Highway 101 to the quaint little town of Wheeler in pursuit of antiques. We parked across the street from the Old Wheeler Hotel. The hotel sign and the matching fabric awning over their main entrance captured my eye.

Saturday evening we all drove a ways south to the delightful little beach community of Oceanside. It is far off of Highway 101, the busy thoroughfare that takes millions of people each year up and down the Pacific coastlines of Washington, Oregon and California. Oceanside is nestled on a steep hillside that tumbles down toward a gorgeous beach. There is only one road in and out of this beach community. The focal point of the entire town is just offshore - Three Arch Rocks (a National Wildlife Refuge).

This little town has a restaurant that claims to be one of the best restaurants on the Oregon coast. I think they just may be right. Roseanna's Cafe is in an old, historic building on a bluff above the beach. Window boxes full of flowers, lace curtains and a squeaky wooden screen door greet you at entrance. The food is wonderful, the service excellent and the view is nearly indescribable. Since people come from far and near to eat at Roseanna's the wait can be long (but well worth it!). As we waited to be seated a man who was leaving told us we wouldn't regret our decision to eat there. He told us to be sure and save room for dessert. All the desserts are made by an 82-year-old lady - he said the bread pudding custard is the best anywhere. We enjoyed our dinners and each of us saved room for dessert. Unfortunately, the bread pudding was gone by the time we requested it. Our desserts were great but we must go back again to try the bread pudding! The view from our window table was enhanced by the setting sun. Twice during dinner I excused myself, with camera in hand, and went outside to try to capture the scene.

By the time we had finished and were leaving Roseanna's night had closed in on the little beach community. I loved what I saw as I looked out at the beach so I found a spot near the edge of the bluff to try and capture one last picture. My family thought there would be no way my camera would pick up what we saw. Surprise! A 'night setting' captured a bit of the enchantment I felt as I stood high above the rocks and the waves.

Imagine my delight when I stepped to the edge of the bluff and saw this below.

Bonfires on the beach! In both directions. I didn't want to leave - I wanted to join the groups of people gathered below to enjoy the beauty of the beach and the fresh, open breezes at the end of a wonderful September day.

We all had a wonderful time together over the weekend and we agreed to make this an annual event. We will return again to relax, go crabbing, fishing and antiquing but, most important, to be together with our family we love dearly.