Along The Oregon Coast, 3

On October 18th we drove leisurely from Florence to Crescent City, CA, stopping at most every overlook, walking a few beaches, shopping here and there in the little towns we passed through: more dunes, more deco, more great coastal scenery. We savage-camped at the casino in Crescent City. And the next day we repeated pretty much the same thing, hoping for better sun and less fog, driving all the way back to Coos Bay, and then back down, past Crescent City to the casino at Elk Valley, where we did yet another savage-encampment. Despite the fact that some of our savage-camping is done at Native American casinos, savage-camping is more generally what the French call wild- or dry- or free-camping; a charming term, much more interesting, to me anyway. Today's western US casinos, even the less opulent ones, are anything but savage; they are raking in the white man's cash in ever more sophisticated ways...good on 'em.

The next morning, the 20th, we awoke to a text from daughter Rebecca, asking whether we could perhaps arrive in Menlo Park that afternoon, rather than the next day. After a quick calculation, we answered yes, and set forth, staying on US 101 all the way, enjoying the redwood forests, passing right by Trees of Mystery, enjoying rather less the interesting passage through the heart of San Francisco. Tony Bennett's heart, which he left there. We arrived in time for dinner, and grand-daughter P spent the night with us in Le Sport. Our inland and Pacific northwest trip was over. And a great trip it was!

Dunes

Deco

And world-class coastal scenery

Hitchcock moment

"Eternal Father, strong to save/Whose arm hath bound the mighty wave..."

Fog rolling in

Any bit of this coast is stupendous; the best, we thought, was south from Coos Bay,
Gold Beach, Ordway, Battle Rock, and most of all, the incredible Harris Beach
State Campground; we'll be back