Clay Myers Natural Area

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Disclaimer: This post is one of those that ended up being written years after the experience was had. While there was a paragraph or two posted way back then with a single photo, there were no other notes taken so most of what is shared here must be extracted from the images and what memories they may have lent us.

Another beautiful day on the Oregon Coast. Not that this implies a sunny warm day – remember this is Oregon – but nonetheless, it was a beautiful day.

We watched the sunrise from an overlook at the Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge that offered a mighty view of the ocean to the west and the sun peeking through clouds and over the mountains to the east.

Geese in the fields below us began their chorus of honking before lifting off in small groups on their quest for breakfast.

Pacific City Beach and Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area are out there in the early morning sun.

Clay Myers State Natural Area at Whalen Island, Oregon

The Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge viewing platform is top-notch,

Clay Myers State Natural Area at Whalen Island, Oregon

Following the chilly sunrise, we took a short drive to the Clay Myers State Natural Area at Whalen Island for the Island Loop Trail hike.

Clay Myers State Natural Area at Whalen Island, Oregon

This short 1.4 mile (2.25km) trail leads us past a wetlands overlook, through a coastal forest, to the estuary overlook and beachside.

Clay Myers State Natural Area at Whalen Island, Oregon

As I’ve said, it is years later as I write a lot of this, in this case, it’s October 2022 and just a month before we will find ourselves in Oregon again. Looking at these images I can’t help but head over to Alltrails to search for some hikes we’ve never taken over the many excursions along the coast. So, instead of writing I’m dreaming, which is kind of like being in Oregon anyway.

Wild mushrooms trail side at Clay Myers State Natural Area at Whalen Island, Oregon

Along the path, we spied hundreds of wild mushrooms and various sorts of fungi including the most intriguing one, a red-tipped black and grey fungus. Sadly, it was quite difficult to photograph hence the mushroom picture offered above in its stead.

Wild mushrooms trail side at Clay Myers State Natural Area at Whalen Island, Oregon

We’ve likely seen all of these mushrooms before, but that doesn’t stop us from finding them intriguing every time we encounter them.

Wild mushrooms trail side at Clay Myers State Natural Area at Whalen Island, Oregon

Looks like elephant skin to me.

Siletz Bay on a foggy day is still better than no Siletz Bay.

And the moments of stormy seas never fail to bring raw excitement as the ocean attacks the shore. Driving South we decided that Highway 101 was too busy for us and gave the Otter Crest Loop Road a try. There were some stretches where we felt we were the only people outside. Probably because the wind and rain were picking up.

Hey Caroline, “You sure you want to be out in that blustery rain and risk having our umbrella torn to shreds?”

Contrary to what might be seen at first blush, this is a beautiful shot of vibrantly green forest that without the presence of such thick fog, would have been framed by deep blue sky. As it is, it really is just a bunch of gray with hints of trees.

The trail alludes to the places we cannot go while something out in the mystery of that forbidden place wants to draw us in.

Most of the rest of the day was whittled away exploring the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area and Lighthouse. Unfortunately, the facilities were about to close so we could not enter the visitor center and you need to be on a tour to enter the lighthouse.

Nah, that doesn’t look ominous to me. How could those dark heavy clouds be anything more than some thick fog?

A couple of harbor seals were as eager to check us out as we were them. I can’t get over how super black their eyes looked in this light.

This is our yurt kitchen here at South Beach State Park in Newport. I don’t think I pointed it out earlier, but this trip has been kind of special regarding our meals because I made a serious effort to cook for Caroline every night we’ve been out here. Being vegetarian on the Oregon Coast doesn’t offer her a lot of choices, but my cooking delivers just that much more luxury to her. I don’t mean to brag but she loved it and I think it added to the overall romance we’re sharing out here.

On The Trail

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Yurt at Cape Lookout State Park in Oregon

Disclaimer: This post is one of those that ended up being written years after the experience was had. While there was a paragraph or two posted way back then with a single photo, there were no other notes taken, so most of what is shared here must be extracted from the images and what memories they may have lent us.

Packed up and cleaned out, we are leaving our yurt at the Cape Lookout State Park just the way we found it when we checked in two days ago. While you may not be able to see it for yourself, this is the most luxurious of all lodgings we consistently return to; nothing is better or more romantic in our view.

View from Cape Lookout in Oregon

Move with the first light of day; you might, on occasion, stumble into sights that will stay with you for a lifetime. They become special due to their rarity as after some time, you’ll recognize that most of the sights are yours alone as people cherish laziness and the warmth of their bed more than the luxury that the new day offers those looking for it.

Caroline Wise and John Wise

Guess who’s out here with us? That’s right, Mr. Sunlight is here and will hopefully start warming our cheeks.

Cape Lookout trail in Oregon

Nope, no fog that way, nor anyone else.

Cape Lookout trail in Oregon

Well, there is this woodpecker out on the trail with us, and while it certainly is known to make noise, it’s somehow more appealing than the chatter that might come from those who enjoy speaking loudly in quiet places.

Cape Lookout trail in Oregon

The light said, “Come into me, and I will deliver you to a place of eternal perfection,” and so we went, and there we were.

Cape Lookout trail in Oregon

Once we’d had enough of perfection, we moved on to this view that was adequate. Sorry about the snark; it was perfect.

Cape Lookout trail in Oregon

Could this get any better? Yes, that part is in the next photo.

Caroline Wise and John Wise with Ann on the Cape Lookout trail in Oregon

Meet Ann; we did, on the Cape Lookout Trail that we’ve been hiking this morning. This nice lady is a mere 70 years old and was hiking briskly along all by herself. She told us how she has hiked nearly every trail between Ft. Stevens and Cape Lookout and over 30 miles of trail in Forest Park, Portland. Not one to be fearful, Ann shared her stories of venturing into Africa and New Zealand on her own, too. Her husband passed away some years ago, but she did not let that slow her down. It is always inspiring to meet such a determined spirit who is charging into life instead of passively watching it slip by. We were honored to meet her at the end of the trail, where Caroline, Ann, and I chatted for a while, listening and looking for whales.

Cape Lookout trail in Oregon

Intermittent terror walked with me on some of these trails where some flimsy bushes were all that stood between me and death should I somehow be thrust off the trail or misstep and catapult myself a few feet into the air and off the side. Yep, certain death at every corner.

Cape Lookout trail in Oregon

What happened to the rest of the day? There’s no telling as without notes detailing what we might have done; we only have these visual fragments that cannot tell the full story.

Though the images easily convey the fact that we experienced the day under glorious skies and must certainly have had a great time, had the day delivered otherwise, the photographic proof would have shown the derailing of perfection.

Spending the night down there on the left near Devils Lake in Lincoln City, another night in a yurt, and for only about $30, it’s the greatest deal in all of America.

Nehalem Spit

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Disclaimer: This post is one of those that ended up being written years after the experience was had. While there was a paragraph or two posted way back then with a single photo, there were no other notes taken, so most of what is shared here must be extracted from the images and what memories they may have lent us.

Early Monday morning, we left our yurt at Nehalem State Park in Oregon for a walk south on the Nehalem Spit.

While I can’t hear it at this time, I just know that these crashing waves were offering their part of the symphony we listen to while strolling the ocean at the water’s edge.

Tree stumps are an invasive species here at the edge of the ocean. Without eradication, they’ll quickly populate the beach and grow a forest, so remember to always report to the local authorities when you spot these intruders.

Emerging from the depths, this jellyfish was plotting the takeover of the human race that is poisoning its beautiful sea.

No, seriously, how cold are you?

Surfer riding a wave into the outlet of the Nehalem River near Brighton, Oregon

Our five-mile trek took us to the mouth of the Nehalem River to find this surfer riding the waves where the river meets the ocean. In the relatively narrow channel, the lone surfer waited patiently, and on a few occasions, while we acted as his unseen audience, he would catch a wave that would propel him far up the channel for a ride that seemed to last a couple of minutes.

As stoked as he must have been, so were we at the solitude and beauty of the ocean-side walk. We spent nearly half of our day here.

Another key part of the orchestra and amazing visuals on offer when tuned to channel Oregon Coast in the Fall.

What was the average direction the wind blew overnight? That way, to the right.

If movie theaters in Arizona offered us high-definition live streams of coastal scenes from the more beautiful locations on earth, we’d grab some popcorn and purchase tickets for a double-feature at least once a week.

Leaving a beach is always difficult for Caroline and often requires her to stop a moment for one last look back at what we are leaving behind.

After some serious time spent walking along the coast today, it was time for a good long drive. We’re passing through Rockaway Beach just doing some sightseeing.

We made it as far as Siletz Bay near Lincoln City, Oregon, before turning around as our lodging is back up north.

Blue Heron Cheese Company in Tillamook is always great for a bite to eat, not just for us either.

On Bayocean Road next to Tillamook Bay, we are taking the scenic route to this evening’s lodging.

That spit of land in the middle of the photo is the site of the town of Bayocean, which is long gone. A hotel, bowling alley, and even a 1,000-seat movie theater were out there. By 1960, the last house was destroyed by a storm, and by 1971, the last remnant of a building was scrubbed from the place that was once home to 2,000 inhabitants.

There’s a lighthouse right out here, but for some reason or other, I apparently forgot to take a photo of it, or we didn’t take the walk.

This is part of the trail to the lighthouse, so why there were no photos just doesn’t make any sense.

The view over Short Beach, south of the Cape Meares Lighthouse, that if you squint hard you might see the tiny speck on the furthest outcropping way out there.

It was only a couple of miles between Short Beach and Oceanside, but we moved at what must have been a nearly imperceptible speed.

Look closely, and you’ll notice the clouds below the sun are the same clouds from the photo above. I’m pointing this out as people frequently comment on how beautiful our photos are, and this, I think, exemplifies the importance of changing your perspective and taking more photos than you can ever use, so you have some favorites to choose from.

Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge in Oceanside, Oregon, means we are returning to the north so we can check in at the state park before the sun fully disappears for the night.

Hawk-eye John spotted this barred owl perched on a branch in the shadowy forest just over the road. I was certain that as I reversed and pulled over for a better look, he’d fly off, but there he was, seemingly staring as intently at us as we were at him.

Cape Lookout State Park south of Tillamook is the place we’ll be taking up a yurt for another night or two as with this kind of sunset and surroundings, who wouldn’t want to linger just a bit longer?

Fort Stevens to Nehalem, Oregon

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Fort Stevens State Park in Warrenton, Oregon

Disclaimer: This post is one of those that ended up being written years after the experience was had. While there was a paragraph or two posted way back then with a single photo, there were no other notes taken, so most of what is shared here must be extracted from the images and what memories they may have lent us.

Sunrise at Fort Stevens State Park on the coast of Oregon is exactly what one would be expected to take advantage of after waking in a yurt that is within walking distance of the shore.

Fort Stevens State Park in Warrenton, Oregon

We were on a short walk before meeting up with the friends we had dinner with last night.

Fort Stevens State Park in Warrenton, Oregon

The wreck of the Peter Iredale that’s been out here rusting away for the past 102 years.

Kirk Millhollin and John Wise at Fort Stevens State Park in Warrenton, Oregon

Here’s Captain Kirk hamming it up for the camera. thought he’d be cute, but unfortunately for me, I snapped the photo a moment too soon. Just as he approached to give the appearance he was going to lay one on me, I turned my head and gave him a full-on-mouth kiss – with tongue. Yeah, who’s laughing now, Mr. Millhollin?

Update in April 2021: Sadly, Kirk and I had a total fallout back in the middle of 2017 due to circumstances that were complicated due to my wishful thinking and (in large part) my inability to simply deal with funding issues with the company I was running at the time and that Kirk moved to Arizona to be a part of. I don’t believe there can ever be a resolution beyond where we are today, which is totally 100% non-contact. After knowing the guy for 22 years, I often wonder how he’s doing regardless of the circumstances around our parting.

Fort Stevens State Park in Warrenton, Oregon

Kirk had wanted to take us out to a small area spit of land on the Jetty Trail near Point Adams, where at other times of the year, he’d found an abundance of mushrooms, the special kind of magic ones that authorities frown upon harvesting.

This amanita muscaria or fly agaric is not one of the ones I was referring to although some claim that they too have mystical properties.

Fort Stevens State Park in Warrenton, Oregon

Kirk, Rachel, and the kids needed to head back early to Portland, so Caroline and I returned to our yurt to get a bite to eat and pack up our stuff. Though we weren’t going far.

Fort Stevens State Park in Warrenton, Oregon

We are still at Fort Stevens, except instead of the Pacific Ocean side, we are over on the Columbia River. The ruin is part of an old series of military batteries built over one hundred years ago to defend the Columbia River’s mouth.

Fort Stevens State Park in Warrenton, Oregon

The rusty and crumbling fortified hulks are just the aesthetic I’m in love with.

Fort Stevens State Park in Warrenton, Oregon

It turns out that there’s a guided tour that takes visitors into the underground structures; sadly, we didn’t get to participate in that as we weren’t aware of those tours at the time we were visiting.

Fort Stevens State Park in Warrenton, Oregon

Some people go for jewelry and nice clothes; I go for textures and patterns found out and about.

Fort Stevens State Park in Warrenton, Oregon

Near Swash Lake and Jetty Lagoon, just wandering around.

Fort Stevens State Park in Warrenton, Oregon

While I believe we are somewhere out on the Clatsop Spit and that we are looking at the Columbia River, I could easily be wrong, but we are in the general vicinity of that area.

Astoria, Oregon

A late lunch in Astoria across from the Pilot House Luxury Suite that we’ll never want to afford, though secretly we’d love to.

Caroline Wise and John Wise at Cannon Beach, Oregon

What happened to the time between lunch and this late afternoon is lost in memories that cannot be found, but that’s of no real matter because here we are, smiling and happy at Cannon Beach, Oregon.

[I have some faint memories that our friends didn’t actually leave but hung out with us a bit more. We definitely ended up buying a big bag of saltwater taffy in Seaside – Caroline]

Sunset at Cannon Beach, Oregon

Add to the other thousands of memories we have of sunsets along the coast, or is it millions by now?

John Wise at Cannon Beach, Oregon

Yep, it’s so cold out here at the end of the day that even I needed a beanie to keep my ears warm. Did I tell you that Caroline spun and knit this work of love for me?

Sunset at Cannon Beach, Oregon

The iconic Haystack of Cannon Beach at sunset, what could be better than a walk here, even on a chilly late fall day?

We’ll be sleeping in a yurt again this evening down south of Manzanita, Oregon, at Nehalem Bay State Park.

Going Home

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Caroline Wise and John Wise at the Illinois State Line

This morning, we flew out of Chicago and back into the desert. I really have no impression of the windy city as we only used it to begin and end our vacation. To be frank, I have little interest in big or even medium-sized cities anymore. I haven’t yet tired of looking out over a cornfield and I thrill at peering into the depths of a forest. I’ll get down on my hands and knees to inspect newts, mushrooms, and the minutia of the forest or desert floor, but am rarely impressed with architecture when it comes to blanketing a landscape to obscure where nature had previously been. Sorry, New Yorkers, but a really big park doesn’t represent the wild as I have come to appreciate it. Then again, I have never really seen the wild – only the remnants of what remains.

Covered Bridges and Canoeing

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Wilkins Mill Covered Bridge in Bloomingdale, Indiana

Well, here we are, checking out a few of the 98 remaining covered bridges that still exist in Indiana. Only Pennsylvania and Vermont have more of them, while over in Arizona, we are one of the 19 states that have none.

Bowsher Ford Bridge in Kingman, Indiana

Maybe it’s because the architecture of such bridges is no longer in favor that these appear to be so attractive. While I have no idea how often they have to be rebuilt, they do seem to have some durability with the oldest one over in New York dating to 1825.

Mill Creek Covered Bridge in Kingman, Indiana

Hmmm, it would be quite the epic journey to try documenting the more than 850 covered bridges across the country, but then again, that would probably take years to accomplish while neglecting everything else. I guess I can be grateful to see the seven we’ll be visiting or paddling under today.

Rush Creek Covered Bridge in Kingman, Indiana

We are a country where the number of buildings older than 200 years is likely under a few dozen compared to Europe, where there are buildings that have been in continuous use for more than 1,500 years. These random wooden anomalies represent a relatively ancient age here in the United States, though there are people still alive who are older than more than a few of these covered bridges.

Jackson Covered Bridge in Bloomingdale, Indiana

In just a few hours, we’ll be seeing this from a different perspective, as in underneath it when we paddle down Sugar Creek.

Sugar Creek in Bloomingdale, Indiana

With no ceremony, training, or others nearby to learn from, we pushed off in our rented canoe from Turkey Run State Park into Sugar Creek.

Narrows Covered Bridge over Sugar Creek in Bloomingdale, Indiana

Two kayakers quickly followed but were soon well in front of us dawdlers. Nervous caution gave way to an exhilarating wow factor as the slow-moving, shallow creek allowed us to float downstream at our own pace, lingering as we came upon sights such as this.

Caroline Wise on Sugar Creek in Bloomingdale, Indiana

It wasn’t long before shallow became so shallow that our little canoe would get stuck in the sand and gravel creek bed not once or twice but more than a few times. With paddles pushing and our desire not to step out of our canoe for fear of not being able to get back in without tipping it over, we shoved, bounced, and prodded the canoe free and once again were afloat. Until we ran up sideways against some tree limbs.

Sugar Creek in Bloomingdale, Indiana

Funny how slow-moving water picks up speed near rocks and trees. Just before the current promised to roll our canoe, I pushed against a tree and somehow backed us away from the wedge long enough for us to paddle like mad and move around the fallen tree.

Cox Ford Covered Bridge over Sugar Creek in Bloomingdale, Indiana

Of course, it wasn’t long before the next gotcha moment was bound to happen. We were fairly certain that we could go right over the minor blockage of thin tree branches; who knew that as we entered the wishbone, we would be hoisted aloft as though on a car jack stuck dead in the water.

Sugar Creek in Bloomingdale, Indiana

PUSH, Caroline, no push that way; I said, no, the other way, not that right, the other right, see I told you I’d take care of it.

John Wise on Sugar Creek in Bloomingdale, Indiana

Fine, I don’t care if next time you canoe on your own. No, I’m not angry, and I’m not yelling; I was just a bit nervous. Well, we made it without further incident.

Sugar Creek in Bloomingdale, Indiana

Maybe you are looking at this creek and are thinking, John, that looks mighty calm, but what you aren’t seeing are those parts where panic wasn’t going to allow me to photograph my own close encounter with death as I laser-focused on yelling at Caroline to get us out the pickle I couldn’t handle.

Jackson Covered Bridge over Sugar Creek in Bloomingdale, Indiana

Our first canoe trip on Sugar Creek under covered bridges on a beautiful warm fall day – a day to remember. By the way, you might notice that this was one of the bridges we’d seen earlier; it’s the Jackson Covered Bridge, built back in 1861.

Caroline Wise on Sugar Creek in Bloomingdale, Indiana

Phew…she’s still smiling.

Gobbler's Knob in Bloomingdale, Indiana

Of course, we stopped at Gobbler’s Knob for no other reason than the appealing name.

Gobbler's Knob in Bloomingdale, Indiana

Gifts from Gobbler’s Knob. Yep, I just love writing out Gobbler’s Knob.

Sunset in southern Illinois

We are heading back to Chicago, Illinois, as this road trip into the colors of fall is about to end. Tomorrow morning we’ll catch a flight back to Arizona and can say without reservation that this has been an incredible journey every minute we’ve been out here.