I think it was around August I took a trip in my new car, the Vette, to visit my family in Oregon. I really hate driving on the freeway and though at times I can enjoy it, I wanted to cruise and really experience the feeling of having a Corvette. So, I packed up my stuff and headed off. I zipped down from Seattle to Olympia and then cut across the hills to the coast.
I love the outdoors and it reminded me so much of being back in college and racing around the back roads to either visit Dan in Corvallis or jumping over the pass to Florence. This trip lead me winding through the hills of Washington and finally along the Columbia River . Once I hit Astoria, which has always been something of a magical place for me — home to many family vacations with great parks to explore and a cool community. That’s when I started snapping pictures all the way to Florence, Oregon.
I really can’t wait to do it again; I was alone this trip but would love to have a companion on the next trip to share the drive with. Plus I didn’t make to many stops, just a few places I remembered as a kid but I really would have loved to look at the battlements and so many other cool things along the way.
Here are the few pictures I took from this exhilarating and relaxing trip:
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Astoria-Megler BridgeAstoria-Megler Bridge
The Astoria-Megler Bridge viewed from up the Columbia River on the Washington state side.
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Astoria, OregonAstoria, Oregon
Astoria, Oregon across the river. The Astoria Bridge is the longest "continuous truss" in the world.
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Astoria from WashingtonAstoria from Washington
A wonderful view of Astoria from Washington.
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Columbia RiverColumbia River
Astoria further back up the Columbia River.
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Movie LocationsMovie Locations
Some of the movies filmed in Astoria are: The Goonies, Kindergarten Cop, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III, Short Circuit, Come See the Paradise, and Free Willy I and II.
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Lewis & Clark ExpeditionLewis & Clark Expedition
Astoria marked the end of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, here they worked on their voluminous journals and prepared for their return trek to the United States in the spring.
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State ParksState Parks
One of the biggest attractions are the state parks located here. Long since abandoned battlements dating back to the Lewis & Clark's day along with numerous beached ships that lay as a reminder to the portal the river offers.
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Higher Than You ThinkHigher Than You Think
A great shot of the famous bridge which can be a bit nerve wracking driving on. The thing is huge and goes up pretty dang high!
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NiceNice
I ... ummm ... don't know but it is a nice picture.
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Up RiverUp River
A view from Washington looking back up the Columbia River.
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Sunken ShipsSunken Ships
In the past, the dangerous crossing of the Bar sunk more than 200 ships and over 2,000 vessels of all kinds, and the mouth of the Columbia was known as the graveyard of the Pacific.
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1,243 Miles Long!1,243 Miles Long!
The Columbia River is 1,243 miles long and is the home of 14 damns and continues to host huge fishing opportunities that are unmatched in the Northwest.
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Hands on the WheelHands on the Wheel
Ummm...That was a bit of a scary drive with my camera gently balanced on the dash and me trying to hold it steady as I drove up the bridge but ain't it a cool shot!
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Left RailingLeft Railing
Looking over edge of the Bridge at Astoria.
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Bad Driving TechniquesBad Driving Techniques
More Astoria bridge shots.
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Right RailingRight Railing
Wait, yet another while driving Astoria bridge shot.
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Beach Shot #1Beach Shot #1
Another stop and another quick stroll on the beach.
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Bird ParadiseBird Paradise
A lone rock island jutting out from the ocean.
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Beach Shot #2Beach Shot #2
A quite beach shot.
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Waves Are CoolWaves Are Cool
The amount of power and force hidden in a wave....
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CavesCaves
A unique pattern of the rocks with the blown back trees and small cave.
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Incredible TreesIncredible Trees
You can't duplicate the wonders of the Oregon coast anywhere else on the planet.
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Hillside Beach Shot (#3?)Hillside Beach Shot (#3?)
A view of the beach from atop the hillside.
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Breathtaking ViewsBreathtaking Views
Another shot from atop the bluff.
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Nature Is PerfectionNature Is Perfection
Simply magnificent with the clouds hovering over the currently calm ocean.
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Same Spot - More Breathtaking!Same Spot - More Breathtaking!
I could have stayed in that spot forever.
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Beach Shot #4Beach Shot #4
I don't recall which beach this was but I do remember how much I wished someone was there to walk with as you stroll along the sandy paths.
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Beach Shot #4BBeach Shot #4B
Different views of the beach from the previous image.
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Not Too Hot - Not Too ColdNot Too Hot - Not Too Cold
It was such a comfortable day, not too hot and not too cold.
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To Be Alive!To Be Alive!
Living and exploring. To be a kid again and playing in the waves.
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LighthouseLighthouse
A quiet beach with the lighthouse in the back and the spray of the ocean around.
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Trees Right On The BeachTrees Right On The Beach
One of the main reasons I enjoy the Oregon coast. The trees and high landscapes are breathless.
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Beach Shot #5Beach Shot #5
Such a peaceful moment on the beach, the small stream feeding into the ocean.
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To Infinity and Beyond!To Infinity and Beyond!
One must always take a shot of the ocean reaching on into infinity (or so it seems).
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Creepy BushesCreepy Bushes
I have no idea. It was just cool looking, the thicket of brambles at a rest area where someone had cut into.
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More Creepy BushesMore Creepy Bushes
I loved how the branches and twigs had been twisted by the wind and gave it an eerie feel.
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Heceta HeadHeceta Head
Heceta Head Lighthouse outside Florence. One of the places that holds incredible meaning to me. It was my retreat from the tender years of 16-21 and brings back vivid memories of my youth.
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Beach Shot #6Beach Shot #6
Random shots of remote beaches from the drive from Heceta to Florence.
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Nature At WorkNature At Work
Another stop over, you can look down at the ocean pounding up on the rock walls.
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Stunning Rock WorkStunning Rock Work
Another stop and the wonders of the ocean meeting land along the Oregon Coast.
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Outside Florence, OregonOutside Florence, Oregon
The beach outside Florence as you drop back down off the high drive along the highway.