From 8/12 to 8/15 I road tripped down to the Oregon Coast from Seattle and back. Along for the ride was my friend, Carey, the first friend to act as co-pilot and the first human Roo had to contend with for shot gun.
Carey’s neighbor’s cat, Oreo seemed very interested in joining the road trip.
We stayed at my friend Fran’s super sweet, cozy cabin just outside of Manzanita. On the ride down, we stopped at Astoria, OR to check out the scene and grabbed a bite at Fort George Brewery. Dug the scene in Astoria, OR. Hope to return in September to take a deeper dive and see if it deserves to be on the list of possible places to land permanently after road tripping comes to a close.
Sunday morning we drove into Cannon Beach to get lattes at the Sleepy Monk coffee house (YUM! the long line was worth the wait) and rent some wetsuits and a surfboard.
For the next 2 days, we boogie boarded and surfed at Short Sands in Oswald State Park, one of the best beaches for beginner surfers as well as top notch people watching. The beach is reached by taking a short trail thru old growth forest that winds along a stream. The stream lets out into a half moon bay. Once you arrive at the beach you’re treated to the ‘scene’, made up of surfers and boogie boarders of all shapes and sizes, kids and adults romping in the ocean and dogs happily running about getting into the action wherever possible. It’s a circus and a HOOT.
Carey rocked it with the surf board, caught a couple of waves, and earned ‘stud’ status for carrying that big ass board up and down to the trail to the beach 2 days in a row.
I stuck to the boogie board (aka the ‘Beater’) and was thoroughly humbled. Swallowed a lot of salty water, got a couple of full on face shots and got tossed around a few times. Also got a few good rides and couldn’t have been happier. Playing in the surf was cathartic!
Relaxing in the wood fired sauna and around the campfire back at the cabin rounded out our evenings and I don’t think Carey or I were really ready to leave when 8/15 rolled around. Roo certainly didn’t want to leave. She LOVES running on the Oregon Beaches.
On our way out of town we hit Sea Level in Cannon Beach for delicious lattes and baked goods and I had my first kouign amann pastry. Holy hell they were good. Don’t miss Sea Level if you’re a coffee and pastry snob like me.
The Oregon Coast is magic and I will be back.
On the Road With Roo 