For our 19th wedding anniversary, we drive to the Oregon coast. Each of the sisters that we meet at breakfast in the morning wishes us congratulations. They seem as pleased that we are traveling to the coast as if they were coming along. It promises to be a glorious day.
By the time we arrive at Lincoln City, we have traveled through miles of fertile farmland and dense woodland. Central Oregon is beautiful country, with a charm unlike the vast California agribusiness that now dominates our state. Contentment fills us as we listen to a lecture of Thomas Merton to his noviates back in Kentucky last century. When we finally park at Road’s End State Beach, we realize how tired we are and push back the seats in the car to nap.
We head south, with the town of Newport as our goal for lunch. The Oregon beaches are wide and smooth, the white sand stretching broadly between the cliffs and the surf. Here the rocks are well offshore with only a few visitors instead of teeming crowds. There is a leisurely peace around us, and I notice places we’ll want to visit on our return north.
Historic Newport is a short section of bayfront streets with shops and small restaurants. We have decided on Mo’s after multiple recommendations praise the clam chowder. We actually eat at Mo’s Annex, across the street from Original Mo’s. There is a shorter line and the windows face the water. The clam chowder is worth the wait. Then I spy the Marionberry Cobbler. We had learned earlier that the delicious marionberry was developed in Marion County where the Monastery is located, so of course we order some. Now I am determined to sample every marionberry cobbler I can. What a gourmet quest!
Walking through some of the shops, Tom finds a T-shirt he likes. Then I decide to look for a charm for my bracelet. We consult the map and head for the Yakina Lighthouse. It is a small structure, and we elect not to climb the hill to go inside. Then we drive to Yakima Head Lighthouse, perched on an outcropping from an ancient lava flow. As we walk around the structure, we see the offshore rocks covered with birds, mostly murres. As they swoop on and off the rocks, their raucous shrieks echo off the Cliffside.
Further on, we stop at Cape Foulweather, so named by Captain Cook for his unfortunate experience there. From the heights, we gaze down on the Devil’s Punchbowl, a much better view than our stop at the park. As we walk around the gift shop, I look at the displays and find my mind returning to Shalom’s gift shop.
We finally reach Depoe Bay, a tiny slice of curio shops and candy stores. I am fascinated by the sat water taffy being pulled by machine, carefully tended by a young man who repeatedly lifts the mass of candy back onto the tines of the machine.. As we watch, he adds first flavoring ---a touch of mint in the air---, then coloring ---a deep black. No, as the taffy is stretched, the color lightens to a bright kelly green. We purchase two large boxes of the famous caramel corn for the sisters, a small box for us and some taffy.
Back in Lincoln City, we look for a restaurant for dinner and decide on Kyllo’s on the beach. Of course, we must try the clam chowder and the marionberry cobbler along with our seafood choices, but neither as good as Mo’s. We head back for Mt. Angel, and Tom’s excellent sense of direction gets us back through the maze of directions in reverse. We retire early, refreshed and ready for another day.
By the time we arrive at Lincoln City, we have traveled through miles of fertile farmland and dense woodland. Central Oregon is beautiful country, with a charm unlike the vast California agribusiness that now dominates our state. Contentment fills us as we listen to a lecture of Thomas Merton to his noviates back in Kentucky last century. When we finally park at Road’s End State Beach, we realize how tired we are and push back the seats in the car to nap.
We head south, with the town of Newport as our goal for lunch. The Oregon beaches are wide and smooth, the white sand stretching broadly between the cliffs and the surf. Here the rocks are well offshore with only a few visitors instead of teeming crowds. There is a leisurely peace around us, and I notice places we’ll want to visit on our return north.
Historic Newport is a short section of bayfront streets with shops and small restaurants. We have decided on Mo’s after multiple recommendations praise the clam chowder. We actually eat at Mo’s Annex, across the street from Original Mo’s. There is a shorter line and the windows face the water. The clam chowder is worth the wait. Then I spy the Marionberry Cobbler. We had learned earlier that the delicious marionberry was developed in Marion County where the Monastery is located, so of course we order some. Now I am determined to sample every marionberry cobbler I can. What a gourmet quest!
Walking through some of the shops, Tom finds a T-shirt he likes. Then I decide to look for a charm for my bracelet. We consult the map and head for the Yakina Lighthouse. It is a small structure, and we elect not to climb the hill to go inside. Then we drive to Yakima Head Lighthouse, perched on an outcropping from an ancient lava flow. As we walk around the structure, we see the offshore rocks covered with birds, mostly murres. As they swoop on and off the rocks, their raucous shrieks echo off the Cliffside.
Further on, we stop at Cape Foulweather, so named by Captain Cook for his unfortunate experience there. From the heights, we gaze down on the Devil’s Punchbowl, a much better view than our stop at the park. As we walk around the gift shop, I look at the displays and find my mind returning to Shalom’s gift shop.
We finally reach Depoe Bay, a tiny slice of curio shops and candy stores. I am fascinated by the sat water taffy being pulled by machine, carefully tended by a young man who repeatedly lifts the mass of candy back onto the tines of the machine.. As we watch, he adds first flavoring ---a touch of mint in the air---, then coloring ---a deep black. No, as the taffy is stretched, the color lightens to a bright kelly green. We purchase two large boxes of the famous caramel corn for the sisters, a small box for us and some taffy.
Back in Lincoln City, we look for a restaurant for dinner and decide on Kyllo’s on the beach. Of course, we must try the clam chowder and the marionberry cobbler along with our seafood choices, but neither as good as Mo’s. We head back for Mt. Angel, and Tom’s excellent sense of direction gets us back through the maze of directions in reverse. We retire early, refreshed and ready for another day.
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