Well, we're back in California after a wonderful 7 days up north in Oregon. I miss Oregon all ready.
It was 9 hours from Sacramento to Gold Beach, Oregon. Just to be out of the heat and the smoke of California would have been good enough. (It was a 113 in Sacramento while we were gone). Gold Beach was not only beautiful, but it was cool as well. The average temp was only 65 while we were there. Even the 9 hour drive with the kids and the dog was pretty good. If only we had taken the truck, Erika could have brought back a ton of stuff. As it was she only go a few goodies.
Seaside Rambles
We rented a house right on 101 with a spectacular ocean view.
The house was on a piece of property with 3 other houses called Seaside Rambles. 2 of the houses were occupied by the owner, Tsunami Willy, and his mother. They were very nice people.
Will owns a coffe shop in Gold beach called Tsunami Willy's. He serves excellant coffe from Hawaii. I highly recommend stopping in if you're ever up there.
One of the cool things about Gold Beach is all the stuff that washes up on shore. Will made this from Crab Pots that washed up on the beach. Lots of bouys wash up as well, and if you're lucky, you find Japanese glass floats.
There is nothing better than sunset on the ocean. Even up in Oregon, the smoke from all the California fires has an influence.
Gold Beach is a small town on Oregons coast. It has a population of 2,600 people. It sits right at the confluence of the Rogue Rive and the Pacific Ocean. The area is best known for its Salmon and Steelhead fishing. Unfortunately for me, July is the worst month for fishing. The spring run had just ended and the Fall run was a month away from starting. However we did take a ride up the river on a jetboat!!
Jerry's Rogue Jets
We took a 104 mile ride up the rouge river on Monday. What an incredible adventure. We went into a protected wildeerness area that is a nesting ground for Osprey, Turkey Vultures, Blue Herons, King Fishers and Bald Eagles. There are elk, otters, beavers, bears and of course salmon.
The views were breath taking. We not only went 104 miles up river but also 300 ft up in elevation. The jet boats are able to go right up the rapids and only need 6 inches of water to travel. The boats have 3 Chevy Vortec V8 engines with a total of over 1,000 horsepower.
This house is right on the river. The only way to it is by boat. An 83 year old man lives here and the house has been in his family for over 2 generations.
going into a canyon
Here, rafters are coming down the river. Only 60 permits are given out each year to be able to raft down the Rogue, as it is a nationally protected habitat. Once you put in on the river, you are allowed up to 7 days to travel down to your take out point. There are some lodges where you can stay, so you don't have to sleep in a tent. However, the only way to the lodges is by boat or airplane. There are no roads
It was a 4 hour trip up the 104 miles, with a stop to use the restrooms. Once we were as far up as we were allowed to go , we came back down an hour to Agnes. The little hamlet is a rest stop along the river that basically makes all it's income off the Jet Boats and the river rafteres. We stopped at agnes and had Lunch.
This was the view of the river at lunch
Stellar Jay at lunch
We did see some river otters with their babies
Hooded Meragansers
Woo Hoo!!!!! All right, we're gonna spin the boat to the left now
Jake saw an Elk, but the rest of us missed it. No bears and most disappointingly no Bald Eagles. We were a couples days late as the last chicks had fledged the week before we got there. Here is the empty nest
Hard to tell from the picture, but that nest is over 6 feet in diameter and would support a fully grown human!
Here we are heading back after a most exciting day. This is the Bridge on Hwy 101 crossing over the Rogue.
So that was Monday on the Rogue River, again AWESOME!!!
Tide Pooling
Tuesday was Jakes day. He loves to go tide pooling. So we went about 14 miles south from the house to go to Meyers Creek. There are a ton of rivers that flow into the ocean up in Oregon. This particular river has a beach with some huge rocks that hold sea life at low tide.
Star fish
sea anemones
Jake doing his thing
Mom checking it out
I really need a boat for taking pictures. The kids are always looking out, rather than back at me. Well, they say never turn your back on the ocean!
Hot tubbing in Oregon
Foxglove grows wild up here
Coos Bay light house
Old pilings
Run-a-way!!!!
9:00pm
Jurasic Park - Oregon Style
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Leave it to Jake to find some crazy beatle on the beach
Well, that pretty much wraps it up. I didn't take pictures of everything, surprisingly. We stopped at a Rock and Gem shop, and we stopped at a place where they make home made jam. (Secret Toast and Jam!) We also drove back down 101 to Eureka through the Redwood Forest. If you have never expeirenced the redwoods, lets just say they are magnificent and it's a same that we cut them down to make decks and furniture. Seeing a tree trunk as big around as a car that goes 100's of feet in the air is pretty awe inspiring.
Back to work tomorrow. Yea. :(
