Aaron had an Ortho appointment in the morning so we were going to leave right after he got home. I had the car all packed and ready. Aaron called me on his way home so I could have Logan in the car seat ready to roll. Aaron was going to pull up jump in the other car and off we went. Of course Logan had other plans…he had a stinky diaper. I took him into his room to change him. As I am letting him air out; he POOPS on the carpet! Then he proceeds to roll over and start crawling away as fast as he can smearing it further into the carpet and on his legs. Aaron walked in the door at this moment. I cried out for him to help. Logan was covered so we stripped him down and gave him a quick shower. I tried my best to clean the carpet. We threw some baking soda on the ground before we left and took off. That was our morning. After meeting up with Dale and Kathy we were on our way to Oregon. We got to Baker City, ate dinner, walked around, and went to bed. Baker City is an old mining town. It has over 100 historic buildings, which is pretty much the whole town.
Logan hanging out on his diaper changing spot
Day Two: Baker City to The DallesWe started the day off right with a hearty breakfast at a local diner. After filling up on our Hot Chocolate we hit the road. We drove on the Blue Mountain Scenic Byway. The first part of the drive we drove through some pretty national forest. The mountains were dotted with thick trees and streams. We ate lunch at a campground. I was shocked to learn that it only cost $8 to camp in Oregon. It was hunting season because we saw a lot of people. This unfortunately, means we didn’t see a single deer or elk. We did see a squirrel hooray! The second part of the drive got rather boring. You can only look at agricultural farms and cows for so long. It was a fun drive once we made it to the Columbia River. Upon arriving at The Dalles we played at a park to let Aaron I mean Logan get some energy out.
Day Three: The Dalles to SeasideWe drove along The Historic Columbia River Gorge Scenic Byway. Try saying that three times fast. This was a beautiful drive that would twist and turn as it followed the River. There were a lot of breathtaking waterfalls right off the road. These weren’t little one but huge ones. Aaron, Logan, and I hike up to the top of one. The hike was really pretty because you could see the Columbia River below. It took us longer than we thought. Poor Dale and Kathy waited patiently the whole time at the bottom-Thanks! After passing through waterfall country we enter the vineyards. They were at the end of harvest but still really pretty. We got to stop at the Bonneville Lock and Dam. The visitor center was really well done. My favorite part was watching HUGE fish trying to swim up the lock in ad underwater viewing area. Logan was smaller that most of the fish. This just boggled my mind. It was amazing that they were able to detour this huge river and build the dam. Our journey continued along the Columbia until we reached the PACIFIC OCEAN. Logan has traveled to 4 states and played in the Pacific Ocean not bad for only being 8 months old. Astoria was a quaint little town but we just drove through it because Logan was getting restless in the car. I would have liked to stop but oh well. We made it to Seaside and found a hotel on the beach. The lady in the office was so taken by the cute 8 month old that she gave us a free room upgrade so we ended up with a two bedroom/kitchenette hotel room. It was really nice to have a room to put Logan in so the adults could stay up late playing cards. Seaside had a promenade along the beach front. We went for a walk along it and played in the ocean/sand. Grandpa almost got caught by a sneaker wave. We soon found ourselves in a 50’s theme diner. Aaron and I ordered a shake to go and continued our stroll through town. The hotel had an indoor heated pool so we took Logan for a swim. (A lot of hotels only had outdoor pools) You can call Logan “Nemo”. He loves to splash and play in the water. After we put Logan to bed, Aaron and I went on a walk to the beach in the moonlight-very romantic. We tried to get Dale to take Kathy but they were worn out for the day. Their loss.
This was one of the underwater viewing windows into the Lock and Ladder
Day Four: Seaside to Tillamook
Today was Sunday so we took it easy in the morning and slept in-YES! We found a ward in town and attended their sacrament meeting. This ward was really neat. They talked about a ward temple trip. This wasn’t your average temple trip. This ward had over 150 members/investigators go. They all did different things. The children/investigators helped the grounds keeper, the teenagers did baptism, and adults did a variety of other things in the temple. I was very impressed with the unity the ward had. After church we loaded up the truck and slowly meandered our way down the coast until we reached Tillamook. We relaxed at the hotel for the rest of the evening.
Day Five: Tillamook to Waldport
This was one of the underwater viewing windows into the Lock and Ladder
Day Four: Seaside to TillamookToday was Sunday so we took it easy in the morning and slept in-YES! We found a ward in town and attended their sacrament meeting. This ward was really neat. They talked about a ward temple trip. This wasn’t your average temple trip. This ward had over 150 members/investigators go. They all did different things. The children/investigators helped the grounds keeper, the teenagers did baptism, and adults did a variety of other things in the temple. I was very impressed with the unity the ward had. After church we loaded up the truck and slowly meandered our way down the coast until we reached Tillamook. We relaxed at the hotel for the rest of the evening.
Day Five: Tillamook to WaldportThere is nothing like fresh squeaky cheese in the morning to start your day off right! A big highlight of the trip for Aaron was touring the Tillamook cheese factory. Logan even got to sample the cheese and quite enjoyed his new culinary experience. Even though it was only 9:00am we just had to sample the ice-cream too. I think Aaron could have spent some serious time at the sampling station. After all that yummy dairy we went on a hike the Michael and KaLyn told us about. It also was only half a mile round trip and pretty level so Kathy was able to join us. The waterfall at the end was spectacular. Pictures don’t even come close to doing it justice. As we continued down the coast we toured a lighthouse. It was sad because someone had vandalized it in the middle of the night. The glass was shot out. This was special glass that they don’t make anymore and very few know how to even replicate it. The lighthouse keeper told us that they aren’t going to fix it because it would just cost too much money. The view of the seashore was beautiful until we hit the fog. For over two hours we couldn’t see more than two cars ahead of us. It was a bummer but hey that’s the coast. We did stop at a neat beach in Pacific City. Logan really enjoyed the sand-big surprise. Dale and Kathy both got caught in a sneaker wave. It took five days to dry their shoes out thanks to the humidity. That night we got to Waldport. This is where we stayed for a few days. We rented a cottage on the beach. The sunsets were just visible through the fog.
Day Six: Waldport to Newport
Day Six: Waldport to NewportForecast: Fog, Fog, and you guessed it more Fog. Aaron went for a run along the beach in the morning. He came back after about 15 minutes and asked for the camera. Apparently he had been running and jumping over driftwood when he came upon another piece of driftwood. He decided just to run around it and was about 5 feet away when the “driftwood” turned and looked at him. The driftwood was teenage sea lion resting on the shore. I bundled Logan up and with Kathy we went down to see it. The sea lion seemed to pose for us as we took a few pictures. We admired it from a distance and then went back to the cottage. Dale was in the shower and missed our friend. Due to the Fog we decided to go to the Newport Aquarium that morning. As we got there the sea otters (different from the river otter) were just about to get feed brunch. We secured a good viewing spot and waited. Boy the otters were excited when the trainers came out. After the feast we headed onto the sea lions and seals. Two seals were doing laps around the exhibit. The bird viewing area had a lot of costal birds. I don’t remember all of the names but the tufted puffin was a favorite of mine. Inside on of the exhibits there was a touch and feel section. We touched a variety of crabs, shellfish, starfish, etc… So guess what at the aquarium you can have a sleepover in the shark tank. You sleep in the walkthrough section. It sounded really fun but alas we already had accommodations for the evening. The shark tube walkway (whatever you call it) was hard to get good pictures. The biggest shark I saw was about the size of toddler. Kind of disappointing…Where was JAWS? As we were heading to the exit the sea lion were getting fed. They would do tricks to get the fish. We watched them for awhile before leaving. That afternoon we toured a lighthouse and ate dinner at famous Mo’s restaurant. They are very famous for their clam chowder. The owner even got to serve the soup to Pres. Bush at the white house. For being so famous I wasn’t that impressed with it to be honest. The chowder was more of bacon and potatoes chowder. It was good just not very clammy. That night we strolled down the historic part of Newport. A fun surprise awaited us. This port is a winter hangout for male sea lions. There were over 100 sea lions hanging out on a pier thing. According to the sign, the male sea lions will all migrate up here for the winter and leave the women and children back down in California. Talk about an extended Bachelor party. Just before we got home we stopped at a viewing area to watch the sun slip into the ocean. Sunsets are my favorite. Aaron prefers sunrises but I am not a morning person and have no desire to wake up just to watch the sunrise.
Day Seven: Waldport to Lincoln City
Since yesterday we couldn’t see much due to fog we headed back up the coast to Lincoln City. A local told us about some good tide pools nearby. We saw some starfish in the wild. On the way back down to Waldport the fog lifted and we were able to tour the coast. Some of the sights were amazing. The waves are really strong. It was fun to watch them crash along the huge boulders and rock formations. We stopped at another lighthouse. I stayed in the car with my sleepy Logan while Dale, Kathy, and Aaron went inside. After they got back I ran inside. In this one you could climb all the way to the top. There was a kind old man at the top that would talk to you about how they operated the lighthouse. I don’t think I will ever be applying to work at a lighthouse. I was the only one under the age of 50 in the group. I felt a little like a school girl especially when I was the only one who asked any questions. I stumped the man. I asked him how often they had to replace the wick. He had never been asked that question before and didn’t know the answer. This was the night I found in my humble opinion the best clam chowder on the coast. I had been trying some along the coast and like the one at the Newport Café. Highly recommend it. We stopped at a glass blowing shop and had the privilege to watch the artist work on a vase. He was more than willing to answer any question. His work was amazing but sadly I left the camera in the car. That night as the sunset we tried out our souvenir for the trip a fancy new kite. We got a beginner trick kite. I quickly became a fan of it. Dale also had a kite he brought from home and flew his next to us. We found out that there was going to be a big kite festival the next week up the coast. I wish we could be there to see all the kites but that is life.
Day Eight: Waldport to FlorenceWith a foggy forecast we hung around the cottage for awhile in the morning and played on the beach. After the fog didn’t lift we decided to head out anyway. We came to a place called the devils churn. I was amazed to find that they let you walk down and around the cliffs. The waves would hit the rocks and shoot 40 feet in the air. Nature is very powerful. There were hiking trail all along the coast line that Aaron and I explored. We found some really neat tide pools. We passed another lighthouse but with the fog decided we wouldn’t be able to see anything from the top anyway so we didn’t go inside. At Florence we saw the huge sand dunes. Some people had sand board and would “surf” down them. Kathy really wanted to watch a chainsaw carver and she got her wish. We found one that was working on a piece of wood. We talked with him for awhile and admired his work. That afternoon we spent at the cottage. Logan took a nap while Aaron and I played in the ocean. It was freezing but after you got numb the waves didn’t affect you anymore. That night wrapped up with some more kite flying adventure. We were going to have a fire on the beach and roast marshmallows but it was a little too cold for Logan. So we built a fire in the fireplace of the cottage and roasted them in there-Same thing right?!?
My little clam I found
Day Nine: Waldport to Bend
Sadly we had to say goodbye to the ocean. My skin missed the humidity the moment we left. Heading through the state of Oregon we followed a scenic byway called Over and River and Through the Woods. This was by far my favorite byway. The fall leaves made it that much more gorgeous. We stopped at a lake called Clear Lake. There were a lot of scuba divers at the lake. I guess the lake was formed from a volcano and under the surface is a petrified forest. You could actually see some tree tops at different points in the lake. We ate lunch at just up the road at a waterfall. That night we ate at Applebee’s and was surprise to see that ESPN was showing the USU and BYU game. It was fun to eat and watch the game. Aaron didn’t want to leave but we had to get on the road before dusk. As soon as we got to the hotel that night Aaron ran to watch the end of the game. We missed the end by two minutes according to my mom who was giving us updates. We took Logan swimming to let him stretch out before bed. The pool had a waterfall and Logan like to try to catch the water with his hands. It was cute.
Day Seven: Waldport to Lincoln CitySince yesterday we couldn’t see much due to fog we headed back up the coast to Lincoln City. A local told us about some good tide pools nearby. We saw some starfish in the wild. On the way back down to Waldport the fog lifted and we were able to tour the coast. Some of the sights were amazing. The waves are really strong. It was fun to watch them crash along the huge boulders and rock formations. We stopped at another lighthouse. I stayed in the car with my sleepy Logan while Dale, Kathy, and Aaron went inside. After they got back I ran inside. In this one you could climb all the way to the top. There was a kind old man at the top that would talk to you about how they operated the lighthouse. I don’t think I will ever be applying to work at a lighthouse. I was the only one under the age of 50 in the group. I felt a little like a school girl especially when I was the only one who asked any questions. I stumped the man. I asked him how often they had to replace the wick. He had never been asked that question before and didn’t know the answer. This was the night I found in my humble opinion the best clam chowder on the coast. I had been trying some along the coast and like the one at the Newport Café. Highly recommend it. We stopped at a glass blowing shop and had the privilege to watch the artist work on a vase. He was more than willing to answer any question. His work was amazing but sadly I left the camera in the car. That night as the sunset we tried out our souvenir for the trip a fancy new kite. We got a beginner trick kite. I quickly became a fan of it. Dale also had a kite he brought from home and flew his next to us. We found out that there was going to be a big kite festival the next week up the coast. I wish we could be there to see all the kites but that is life.
Day Eight: Waldport to FlorenceWith a foggy forecast we hung around the cottage for awhile in the morning and played on the beach. After the fog didn’t lift we decided to head out anyway. We came to a place called the devils churn. I was amazed to find that they let you walk down and around the cliffs. The waves would hit the rocks and shoot 40 feet in the air. Nature is very powerful. There were hiking trail all along the coast line that Aaron and I explored. We found some really neat tide pools. We passed another lighthouse but with the fog decided we wouldn’t be able to see anything from the top anyway so we didn’t go inside. At Florence we saw the huge sand dunes. Some people had sand board and would “surf” down them. Kathy really wanted to watch a chainsaw carver and she got her wish. We found one that was working on a piece of wood. We talked with him for awhile and admired his work. That afternoon we spent at the cottage. Logan took a nap while Aaron and I played in the ocean. It was freezing but after you got numb the waves didn’t affect you anymore. That night wrapped up with some more kite flying adventure. We were going to have a fire on the beach and roast marshmallows but it was a little too cold for Logan. So we built a fire in the fireplace of the cottage and roasted them in there-Same thing right?!?
My little clam I found
Day Nine: Waldport to BendSadly we had to say goodbye to the ocean. My skin missed the humidity the moment we left. Heading through the state of Oregon we followed a scenic byway called Over and River and Through the Woods. This was by far my favorite byway. The fall leaves made it that much more gorgeous. We stopped at a lake called Clear Lake. There were a lot of scuba divers at the lake. I guess the lake was formed from a volcano and under the surface is a petrified forest. You could actually see some tree tops at different points in the lake. We ate lunch at just up the road at a waterfall. That night we ate at Applebee’s and was surprise to see that ESPN was showing the USU and BYU game. It was fun to eat and watch the game. Aaron didn’t want to leave but we had to get on the road before dusk. As soon as we got to the hotel that night Aaron ran to watch the end of the game. We missed the end by two minutes according to my mom who was giving us updates. We took Logan swimming to let him stretch out before bed. The pool had a waterfall and Logan like to try to catch the water with his hands. It was cute.
Day Ten: Bend to Home
Another long day of driving was ahead of us so we took off pretty earlier hoping to be home in time for the priesthood session. We stopped at Meridian to watch our nephews’ soccer game and have a picnic with them. Weston is one determined player and we got to see him score a goal. Way to go buddy! We made it home during the priesthood session so Dale and Aaron didn’t get to go. But we were sure glad to get out of the car and stretch our legs. It was one LONG drive. The trip was so much fun and we are happy that Dale and Kathy asked us to join them. Thanks for everything!
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