Today’s trip was a simple one up the coast.  I’m glad I took the day before to have that extra about two hours of Salem to Tillamook rather than trying to do Silver Falls to Kalaloch in one day – it would have been quite long.

The day started with the smell of dairy air.  Tillamook is indeed a dairy area.  I headed out a bit later than I would have liked, but not too bad.  I blame the TV and discovery channel.  They had a program about infrastructure.

I headed north on 101 and came to Cannon Beach.  It took a bit, but around noon I was able to get some photos with no one in the frame while shooting north at the south end of the beach.  I had to persuade a sea gull that it didn’t want to go with me.  And then on the road again.

Before I leave Oregon I want to point out that Oregon has an obsession with signs about the laws.  No engine braking, do not pass, if there is a solid yellow line it is unlawful to pass, it is the law that slow vehicles must use turn outs (note: not enough turn outs).  About one every five miles or so.

The other thing I’ve seen is tsunami hazard zone signs.  There are signs saying entering and leaving the area, and then evacuation routes.  Just something that I’ve seen along the way.

The first major thing was the bridge across the Columbia River.  This is not a small bridge.  That is four lanes on top of there and quite long.  The GPS tells me it is the Astoria Bridge.  About four miles long.  That first bit is over the deep part of the channel – the GPS says there is a 33 to 39 foot deep section.  The North end is 60 feet deep, while the middle is only 20 feet deep.  Anyways, driving over this I’m thinking of that discovery channel program on infrastructure and thinking “gusset plate, gusset plate.”

The rest of the trip was really quite uneventful.  Such things as pumping my own gas again at Quinault and chatting with a beautiful Australian sheep dog at the station.

I missed getting down to the beach at low tide here by a little bit.  With the almost new moon high tide is at noon and midnight and low tide is at 6 am and 6 pm.   I then waited for sunset, but it wasn’t that spectacular.  Did catch  few frames though.

Dinner was great.  At the lodge dining room relaxed with a steak and a glass of local red wine. Yes, the price was a bit… and these are not cheap days spent here.  But it is very nice to relax in a cabin… These are not primitive cabins either.  Full water and electricity.  Stove and small refrigerator.  Heat is from a Franklin stove.  I’ll go for eating “in” one of these nights.  A rice dish with the stove going.