beluga

beluga

Friday, July 29, 2016

Covered Bridges around Eugene a few weeks ago


I found the open plank flooring used on every bridge to be a bit disconcerting,
its probably just me....

I've finally gotten around to showing you some of the pretty covered bridges around the Eugene area.     We both enjoyed taking a sort of scavenger hunt looking for four or five of them, the countryside was beautifully rural.    Problem is,  since its taken so long to do this post,  I've totally forgotten which is which and where they were!       And.....I've thrown out all the literature I collected on them.    Perhaps you can read the plaques over the doorways, or perhaps you can just enjoy them without any information whatsoever!  




each bridge had different style windows

here comes Dave

(don't look Bill)
fish seemed to congregate beneath one of the bridges

one of the huge beams that were typically used
(One of the covered bridges was actually a museum)



beautiful riparian scene from one of the windows
(pay no attention to the woman and the string)


we enjoyed getting down below the bridges and seeing their underpinnings



this shape was tailored specifically for tall log trucks






Thursday, July 28, 2016

Two beaches and a poodle

We're trying to take Lewis with us more since Sasha is gone.   We're happy he enjoys these outings, but want to make sure to maintain a balance.....happy to "go for a ride" and happy to stay home.

Today was a "go for a ride" day.   We packed lunch and headed to a nearby beach for some good exercise before heading south toward Port Orford.


We first stopped at China Creek beach, just around the corner from our campground.   We were met by a volunteer who told us about the tiny Plovers nesting on this beach.   They are endangered and nest out on the open beach so dogs must be leashed at all times.    With Lewis whistling and barking in the back of the jeep we decided to move along to Devil's Kitchen beach where he could blow off all that pent up energy running.


It was the right decision.   As in most beaches we've encountered in Oregon, we had this one pretty much to ourselves.   Windy again, but we're used to it now.

Lewis feels strongly that birds belong in the air, not on the ground (or beach)

he tried to use Dave as a windbreak sometimes

Are you ready to go for another ride?
Yes I am!
We drove south toward Port Orford.   There were two things we wanted there.  The first is to see the west's only Dolly Port.    Port Orford's port is an open water one so the fishing boats are not moored or docked in the ocean when not in use.    They are kept on shore on "custom" dollys and are put into the water and taken out by huge yellow cranes.


one of the fishing fleet on its dolly in the foreground,
yellow crane behind it on the edge of the dock

hypnotizing kelp beds undulating in the current
next to the port dock


We sat in the car (out of the ferocious wind) and ate our lunch while waiting for a boat to be lowered into (or out of) the water.    We didn't have to wait very long before we saw a fishing boat coming in to port.


It pulled along side the dock at the base of the huge cranes to unload its cargo.   We watched through binoculars so as not to be in the way.


After they were finished, the workers crawled around the bow and stern of the boat attaching ropes and the crane swung over and dropped its hook.    The guys attached the hook and slowly, slowly, the boat came up out of the water.


The guys crawled off the boat onto the dock and the crane swung the boat up and set it gently down onto the waiting, wheeled dolly.    An interesting procedure to watch, but sure seems like a lot of trouble!


The other thing I wanted to do in Port Orford was to drive down the beach.   We found a way down off Jackson Street, right next to the Crazy Norwegian Fish and Chips shop.    Jackson Street turned into a narrow one vehicle wide dirt/sand track through the grassy dunes. We followed it and came out on the beach at the base of Battle Mountain.

Battle Mountain
The tide was out and we had a huge, wide beach all to ourselves.   We turned south, navigating around and through an area of huge beach rocks.   Fun!


We found a spot we liked and parked.   Out went the poodle and we three continued our trek down the beach on foot.





follow the tail


Lew enjoyed the little fresh water streams coming out of the hillsides

once again, Dave wore shoes and had to be creative to get across the stream


He found his own stick this time


Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Face Rock tidal rocks

The timing experiment of yesterday did not hold true this morning.   I tried to do a blog to show you how we spent the last bit of time in Eugene, the covered bridges, but the pictures were taking so long I gave up.   Tomorrow's another day.

Today we braved gale force winds to climb down to Face Rock beach and poke around the tidal rocks there.    We walked into the ridiculously strong wind, sand stinging our faces and legs, about another mile and a half to Coquille Point to see  what those rocks would show us at low tide.      We walked under arches in the huge sea stacks and along the wild surf.    The marine layer moved in and out, sometimes we were in brilliant sunshine and others deep in mist but always in the wind.     

I didn't take any pictures of the sand drifts in our ears or piled on top of our eyebrows.....no need to pay for a costly dermabrasion treatment at our dermatologists....we're scraped clean.

Face Rock
think, a young woman's face emerging from the sea
looking up at the sky





this looks like another rock, but its the base of a huge driftwood tree







I'll close this blog for the night.   While I've been loading these pictures I managed to watch President Obama speak, watched America's Got Talent and took a shower.    Time for bed.