The North Coast of Oregon

Leaving the Gorge behind, we headed back to the Oregon coast Saturday. Sunny weather is predicted for the coming three days so this might be our best chance to see the northwest coast.

More tunnels. They give me the creeps.
Lexie doesn't seem to mind them... unless some idiot hits the horn.

From I-5 we took US 26 through the mountains and Tillamook State Forest. The ride was nice and we expected to reach the coast mid-afternoon.

"Ride the Port of Tillamook Railroad" is the caption

We ate lunch below this sign on the roadside.

Lewis & Clark Golf and RV Resort is our destination in Astoria for two nights. We did manage to pull in by about 1:30 in the afternoon and found the campground to be pleasant but unfinished. Our site looks out onto the 9 hole golf course. 

Entry to our campground is Astoria

We're second in on the row.

Because it's early yet and our plan is to move along quickly, we took a short car ride to see some of the area sights.  First on the short drive is Fort Stevens State Park to see the North Jetty and it's Observation Tower.

The jetty was built in the late 1800's. 
Question:  How did they get those big rocks out there? 

The seashore from the jetty looking back down the Pacific Ocean.



We toured Fort Stevens State Park and walked out to see both sides of the peninsula.

Lexie "don't want to see no stinkin' wildlife". 

The Wayner always looks at the cargo ships. 

Unimpressed by what we've found at Fort Stevens, we came back down the peninsula and drove across the US 101 bridge to Astoria.

Looking into Astoria

Nice bridge. 

Astoria is the oldest town west of the Rockies and therefore established the US claim to the Pacific Northwest. Astoria is located at the mouth of the Columbia River and is sometimes referred to as "The Little San Francisco of the Pacific Northwest" because of the Victorian homes that cling to the hillsides.

We found ourselves along the route to The Astoria Column we'd been told about by the host at the campground. 

Astoria Column

The Astoria Column is the last in a series of 12 historical markers erected in the 1920's between St Paul, MN and Astoria, OR.  Ralph Budd, of the Great Northern Railroad and Vincent Astor, great grandson of John Jacob Astor, were instrumental in the project.

The Column reads from the base and goes like this:  "Before White People Arrive" and then a chronological accounting from 1792 to the 1880's is depicted in pictures and words. The column stands 125 feet atop 600 foot Coxcomb Hill.  The Seal of the State of Oregon is on top and the original cost of the column was $27,133.96.  A narrow, winding staircase allows visitors to climb to the top for a breathtaking view of the area.  We did not go into the tower.  Too narrow and steep for me.
Here are some views of the area from atop Coxcomb Hill though...

From The Astoria Column grounds looking out to the mouth of the Columbia River

Per Wayne via binoculars: "I can see our campground down there in that clearing between those two groups of trees.  I can't see Mona though"   What am I going to do about that man?

Saddle Mountain is seen in the distance.

We fed Lexie's dinner while we were at Coxcomb Hill at the Column and she took a short walk before we came home for the evening.