Hug Point – Old Oregon Stagecoach Route

I've learned that sometimes all a person needs in life is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I had read a couple blogs about Hug Point.  Of course, I also had just seen the sign off of Highway 101 so we were pretty close.  Our visit to Hug Point wasn’t quite the same as the blog I had read.  To begin with, we knew the only time to really visit the place was low tide.  It wasn’t low tide but it wasn’t high tide.  The bad part was that the tide was coming in so we couldn’t walk around the point. 

Imagine traveling by stagecoach along the beach (before the highway was built, the beach was the only way to go). North of the parking area you can still walk along the original trail carved into the point by the stagecoaches. The wayside was named after this trail because it hugs the point.  With the tide coming in I didn’t try to walk around the point especially with the waves crashing on the rocks at times.

It was a beautiful day and a beautiful beach.  Terry just enjoyed it from the top of the hill.  Getting to the beach here it is very rocky.  There were lots of people on the beach. After all we decided to visit on the weekend and worse ....  it was on a holiday weekend!  Some folks were in the water, others had picnic lunches and some were just sitting in the sand or even flying kites.

I know.  I know.  You are probably getting pretty tired of ocean and wave shots by now.  However, I never get tired of them.  Some people love the mountains.  I love the water.  I bet that's obvious.  Well, we won't be on the coast much longer.  We'll be heading inland and all we'll have of this year at the coast are the pictures I've taken.   Tuesday we'll get some more photos probably.  After all the holiday-goers head home, we're going to pack a lunch, take our chairs and head to the sandy beach for the day.  Temperature is to be in the mid-70's.

Seaside, Oregon – Line Dancing And Dooger’s

I’ve learned that everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.  It makes their day and mine too.

Some RV parks offer breakfast or special meals during high season at their location.  Sometimes the portions are large but most of the time they aren’t.  Sometimes the price is very reasonable and sometimes the prices are way too much for what you get.  This past weekend we opted to have breakfast at the Sand Dollar Café located in the Seaside Thousand Trails park.  Take a look at the omelet I ordered.  Just take a look at it!  I can actually say I don’t ever remember having an omelet this big or loaded with this many tomatoes.  Have you?   I think the cook put the whole row of tomatoes in the omelet.   The price was right but do you think I’ll order it again?

Thousand Trails' Sand Dollar Cafe

After breakfast we wanted to take a short little drive to Ocean Vista Way.  We hadn’t scoped out that area of this little seaside town yet.  We had an hour to waste before the manager’s meeting at the RV park so figured that was just about all the time we needed.  It was early.  The beach wasn’t busy yet but it would soon be.  After all, the weather was gorgeous and it was a holiday weekend.

Some of the beaches have rocky entrances and others are sandy.  Obviously, we prefer to walk on the sand instead of rocks.   In this area you definitely wanted to have your shoes on.

Saturday was also the day we decided to have our first line dancing lesson.  Actually, it wasn’t our fault.  We didn’t come up with this idea on our own.  We met some folks at the Thousand Trails manager’s meeting.  They convinced us to join them.  It was their fault.  We weren’t good. We weren’t good at all.  With three dances to learn at our first beginner’s lesson, we figured by the following morning we’d forget all of them.

Dooger’s Restaurant is a pretty popular restaurant around here.  They have four of them within about 75 miles.  The clam chowder  has been featured in Bon Appetit.  We have now visited all four of their restaurants.  (I think they only have four.)  We had our first taste of their clam chowder and oyster stew at the Long Beach location a couple years ago.  Then, last year we tried it again at Cannon Beach.

Oyster Stew at the Seaside Dooger's.

The other day I read a blog from someone who commented on cold and overpriced food at Dooger’s Restaurant.  We had received nothing but good food and service at that chain in the past and wondered if it had changed.  The overpriced part really doesn't count.  We all know the prices before we order and if they're overpriced, we can walk out.  We've walked out after looking at menus in the past either because we didn't like what was on it or didn't like the prices.  I'm sure we'll do it again in the future too. 

Clam Chowder at Warrenton

Thus, we set our goal to trying the other two Dooger’s we had yet to visit.  The last two were both within about 15 miles of each other.  Saturday we went to the Dooger’s in Seaside and Sunday we visited the Warrenton location.

Seaside's lite portion of fish and chips

Oyster stew again at Warrenton

Everything was fantastic at these Dooger restaurants including the food, and the service.  Oyster stew isn’t printed on the menu but they will make it especially for you.  Guess what Terry ordered at both restaurants. 

Oops … there was one thing we did not enjoy at the Warrenton location.  It was some of the parents (not the kids) at the restaurant.  However, you’ve got to remember that this was the 4th of July weekend and everybody and their brother (in this case, brother’s kids) were at the coast.  Kids were blowing straw wrappers, crying, screaming, running, crawling on the floor and the list goes on.  Did you get the picture? That kind of takes away from the enjoyment of a meal out for just about everyone else at the restaurant.  Well, maybe not for everyone but it certainly did for us.

Sorry for all the food shots.  However, we’ve spent a lot of time eating this weekend.  Anyone know how to send taste samples with a blog?

Oregon Coast and Gifts For Friends

How things look on the outside of us depends on how things are on the inside of us.

The coast can be so beautiful during every season.  Sometimes the waves are crashing down and other times they just gently flow to the shore.  Sometimes the ocean appears gray under threatening clouds.  Other times it’s a bright blue as it reflects a gorgeous sunny day.  In just the few days we’ve been at the coast, we’ve seen it both ways.

We took a little drive down the coast on Thursday.  We didn’t go far.  It was a little cloudy in the morning but by afternoon the skies were just about as blue as they can get.  It was a gorgeous day.

Driving on Hwy 101 there are many places to pull off and just enjoy the view or even walk along the beach.

This is Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach, a very popular spot.  We definitely have no plans whatsoever about being here over the 4th of July.  It will be packed.

The Pacific from a viewpoint along Hwy 101.

The beach is a great place to plant yourself for a while and enjoy the sounds of the waves while dangling your toes in the water.

Jetty Fishery offers boats for rent at Nehalem Bay.  It’s a great place to throw in those crab pots and fishing lines.  We’ve spent many hours crabbing in this location.  There are several quaint beach towns close to the Fishery that we enjoy.  Nehalem is small and on the Nehalem River and Bay as is Wheeler.  Rockaway Beach is the town to be if you are looking for a place to spend some time on a gorgeous beach.  However, again, we have no plans of being there over the 4th of July.

Little town of Nehalem

Now, I bet you’re wondering what in the world we are posting a photo of goats for.  Actually, we’re sending these goats to Lee just in case he finds another RV park where he’s required to mow just like the other one he was at.  The goats will take care of that for him.  He’ll have  more time for Bejeweled  (is that the right one?) !  It’s our gift to Lee.

And, now what are these fries all about?  These fries are for Sandie.  I know how much she loves French fries.  I've seen her eat them in Arizona.  We had the most fantastic fries in Seaside the other day.   Being the friend that I am, these fries are being sent to her in Montana so we can share.  It’s just another gift we’re sending today.  Enjoy, Sandie. We did.

Happy 4th of July everyone.  There is a great fireworks show on the beach at Seaside.  Thousands of folks will gather on the beach to view it. Since it doesn't start getting dark until after 10:00 PM around here,  the display probably won't start until at least then.  If you're going, I would suggest you save your spot on the beach early. If we had a window view, we'd love to see the show.  However, we won't be fighting anyone for a spot on the beach and most especially, a place to park.  Have a great evening.


God Bless America!