I'm back from the coast, and it was one heck of an amusing time. Yesterday morning I met Phil, a true surfer dude, probably in his late 20s or early 30s. We fed the critters together and then he left. Luckily I talked to Phil about my situation (Jean had invited me to go to the coast with her nephew and two of his friends, and I honestly didn't know whether they were counting on me going or not) and he talked to them about it and all was well. Funny, I was up for going to the coast with complete strangers. Apparently, I am wanting to get to know other people..Anyway, going on a road trip with people you don't know is a wonderful way to learn what they're really like.
After checking out Manzanita, we headed back to Ecola State Park for camping. We learned that the only available campground was "Hiker's Camp," a water-less site in the forest a mile and a quarter up a steep gravel road. The road is only used to make sure people aren't exploiting the five bucks-a-bag campfire wood or sleeping in the cabins they're not supposed to be in, so that meant a hike for us. After spending a couple hours on the beach climbing over an acre or so of boulders to reach a little-used area and then climbing back over via a jungle-like hillside complete with chest-high nettles, we headed back to the parking lot. Will and I were wearing sandals and Cole and Allison had flat slipper-like shoes on. I felt especially ill-prepared when we spotted a couple in the lot sporting mountaineering backbacks and hiking boots. But, we'd already driven around a lot and just wanted to get there (also none of us had eaten an actual meal since that morning - it beats me why we didn't stop for dinner but I knew I could survive on my Kashi crackers and fruit. Besides, roughing it builds character...or something to write about)
So Will and Cole strapped tents and sleeping bags to their backs and I donned my duffel bag as a backpack and thus began our journey. Somehow the guys had enough energy to trek uphill with their loads AND sing. Allison and I were content to slow down and just breathe (with difficulty). We got to the camp about a half hour later. It was very beautiful - lots of old trees and ferns. We set up the tents and made a campfire and talked to fellow campers. One couple from Australia (super accents!) cooked rice and curry vegetables. The dude was a surgeon, his wife a doctor - they met "just like on ER" at work. He was working for a half year in Portland. They had a wonderful tool they used to move the pots on the fire and open them. I forget the name he used for it, but it was fantastic, silly sounding, and started with an 's.'
We all went to sleep pretty early. I love tent camping! This morning I awoke to the hoot of an owl. We pretty much got up, packing up, and left. We stopped at a cafe on Hwy. 26, and I thought it looked really familiar. Even the waitress looked familiar. I decided "all road-side diners look the same" but then realized by glancing around outside that it was the diner I'd been at two years in a row with the ODFW biologist and other volunteers before days of looking at dead cervids. It is in fact located right across from a large dirt area one of the check stations was set up in! And, it's closing in five days! Sad. There was a huge framed print of a bald eagle above the cash register - their founder perhaps? Will: "50 years ago a bald eagle killed a mouse in this very spot." Cole: "We shot the bald eagle and cooked the mouse."
The engine was making peculiar noises so we stopped in cascade locks for oil. We happened to park at a gas station next to a large SUV full of young high-schoolers. YOUNG. Two rather portly blond boys in the front (the slimmer driver had bleached out hair, glasses, and a piercing in his lower jowl. Yeah.) These people had to be 15 at the very oldest and there were atleast six of them. They were playing music loud but it was agreeable, and Will said "are these real people?" Well, we were all amazed and amused by their presence. Two blond girls got out while we were sitting enjoying our snacks from the market and both seemed to be examining the lawn next to/sloping down from the gas station. They took turns saying "what the fuck!" and some communication took place between Will and them - they were scoping out a place to smoke marijuana. Well, the mocking and superior glances turned to camaraderie with that, and both Will and Cole went to join them. This made the rest of the Nebraska crew happy, and soon it was just Allison and I sitting dumbfounded, watching from a distance. Later we learned that one of the girls had dropped out of high school (the school was no good). At least she had a job, but oh my gosh, these people are youngsters! Where are they going to be down the road?
Anywho, we left and got back to Mosier around 2:00. I hung out there for a while and departed. Since then, I've been making up for yesterday by eating constantly, reading, and updating my 'pod and blog. Yep. Tomorrow it's back to work.
After checking out Manzanita, we headed back to Ecola State Park for camping. We learned that the only available campground was "Hiker's Camp," a water-less site in the forest a mile and a quarter up a steep gravel road. The road is only used to make sure people aren't exploiting the five bucks-a-bag campfire wood or sleeping in the cabins they're not supposed to be in, so that meant a hike for us. After spending a couple hours on the beach climbing over an acre or so of boulders to reach a little-used area and then climbing back over via a jungle-like hillside complete with chest-high nettles, we headed back to the parking lot. Will and I were wearing sandals and Cole and Allison had flat slipper-like shoes on. I felt especially ill-prepared when we spotted a couple in the lot sporting mountaineering backbacks and hiking boots. But, we'd already driven around a lot and just wanted to get there (also none of us had eaten an actual meal since that morning - it beats me why we didn't stop for dinner but I knew I could survive on my Kashi crackers and fruit. Besides, roughing it builds character...or something to write about)
So Will and Cole strapped tents and sleeping bags to their backs and I donned my duffel bag as a backpack and thus began our journey. Somehow the guys had enough energy to trek uphill with their loads AND sing. Allison and I were content to slow down and just breathe (with difficulty). We got to the camp about a half hour later. It was very beautiful - lots of old trees and ferns. We set up the tents and made a campfire and talked to fellow campers. One couple from Australia (super accents!) cooked rice and curry vegetables. The dude was a surgeon, his wife a doctor - they met "just like on ER" at work. He was working for a half year in Portland. They had a wonderful tool they used to move the pots on the fire and open them. I forget the name he used for it, but it was fantastic, silly sounding, and started with an 's.'
We all went to sleep pretty early. I love tent camping! This morning I awoke to the hoot of an owl. We pretty much got up, packing up, and left. We stopped at a cafe on Hwy. 26, and I thought it looked really familiar. Even the waitress looked familiar. I decided "all road-side diners look the same" but then realized by glancing around outside that it was the diner I'd been at two years in a row with the ODFW biologist and other volunteers before days of looking at dead cervids. It is in fact located right across from a large dirt area one of the check stations was set up in! And, it's closing in five days! Sad. There was a huge framed print of a bald eagle above the cash register - their founder perhaps? Will: "50 years ago a bald eagle killed a mouse in this very spot." Cole: "We shot the bald eagle and cooked the mouse."
The engine was making peculiar noises so we stopped in cascade locks for oil. We happened to park at a gas station next to a large SUV full of young high-schoolers. YOUNG. Two rather portly blond boys in the front (the slimmer driver had bleached out hair, glasses, and a piercing in his lower jowl. Yeah.) These people had to be 15 at the very oldest and there were atleast six of them. They were playing music loud but it was agreeable, and Will said "are these real people?" Well, we were all amazed and amused by their presence. Two blond girls got out while we were sitting enjoying our snacks from the market and both seemed to be examining the lawn next to/sloping down from the gas station. They took turns saying "what the fuck!" and some communication took place between Will and them - they were scoping out a place to smoke marijuana. Well, the mocking and superior glances turned to camaraderie with that, and both Will and Cole went to join them. This made the rest of the Nebraska crew happy, and soon it was just Allison and I sitting dumbfounded, watching from a distance. Later we learned that one of the girls had dropped out of high school (the school was no good). At least she had a job, but oh my gosh, these people are youngsters! Where are they going to be down the road?
Anywho, we left and got back to Mosier around 2:00. I hung out there for a while and departed. Since then, I've been making up for yesterday by eating constantly, reading, and updating my 'pod and blog. Yep. Tomorrow it's back to work.
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