Back in Ashland

We drove from Brookings to Bandon on Tuesday.  We stopped at Cape Blanco, the furthest west point in the lower 48 states.  Also, the sight of the oldest light house in Oregon.  Also, the windiest location in Oregon and it lived up to that name.  Cape Blanco history click here

Constant winds blowing across this very high bluff looking out over the Pacific Ocean make it hard to hear and difficult to keep your breath.  It was another beautiful sunny day.

We continued up Highway 101 and stopped in the little town of Langlois with a one room diner called "The Greasy Spoon."  I had a "Wayne's World" sandwich which was toasted cheese and ham.  It was very good.

We stopped at the Pacific Coast Petting Zoo outside of Bandon.  There was a baby snow leopard that you were allowed to pet.  Also, lots of little goats, deer, a burro and horned sheep.  An Australean wallowbee had a baby joey which was totally adorable.

There were several large cats including a lion, black panther and a pair of Indian tigers.  It was interesting to see all the animals but some were in very small enclosures which was kind of upsetting.

We drove on into Bandon not really knowing where our hotel was.  It is a small coastal touris town and we spotted a hotel on the top of the hill overlooking the old town.  We headed there and sure enough that was it.

Yesterday, Wednesday, we wandered around the area.  There is a famous rock formation off the coast called "face rock."  Legend says that an Indian maiden was trapped by an evil spirit and her face can be seen in the rock.  It is quite stunning.

We walked down to the beach here as the tide retreated hundreds of yards from the shore.  It was quite dramatic.  We then drove over to state park on the other side of Bandon port.  It is where the Bandon light house is which is the last light house built in Oregon.  The amount drift wood on the beach is in incredible.

Wednesday night we had a marvelous dinner at the Wild Rose in Bandon. It had been reccommended by Jill's neighbor, Pam.  The food was fantastic.

Today, Thursday, we continued north on 101 and went to Cape Arago.  The weather was turning bad but when we stopped at Simpson's Cove we were greeted by the barks of sea lions out on the rocks.  There were hundreds probably and the park had binoculars set up so you could see them.  This was such a treat to see and hear them.

Cape Arago is also the site of Shore's Garden, an incredibly beautiful garden that had been created by in the early 1900's to accompany a private residence.  The home is long gone but the state maintains the gardens.  A real oasis in this rain forest...which it had started to do...rain.

Also here was some of the most amazing waves crashing against huge rocks just below the cliff where we were standing.  This was true Oregon coast with rain whipping at us and these enormous crashes of water and foam.

I head home really really early tomorrow.