Coast Vacation Day 2

After the night's downpour, the day dawned beautiful!

This was the morning's view from our hotel balcony.


Some pretty flowers hanging down just outside our hotel door.


After breakfast, we headed to Cascade head for a hike. I love hiking, but it's impossible to do anything decent with the 3 boys. I was so excited to finally go!
Here's the road we were driving on for about 3 miles.


We stopped once when there was a nice lookout. Looking south to the Salmon River.


The sign at our trailhead.




It was such a gorgeous walk through the trees.


Some mushrooms growing on a log. The ones on the bottom were tiny! The biggest of them was only about as round as an eraser head.


So ethereal! And this picture doesn't even do it justice. The light was amazing, it felt so soft and glowing.


Can you see the log these trees are growing on top of?


This area was once logged for these giants.


An old, abandoned cable choker.


When we came out of the woods into the meadows, the transition was abrupt.


Please stay on the main trail - other paths are for research and pass through fragile butterfly habitat


Fragile Habitat - Area Closed


Here's a 360 view around the top of the hill.


This Woolly Bear Caterpillar was crossing the little trail we followed down the hill.


Stopping to take a picture on the way down the hill.

All told, we went down about 700 feet. The trail is considered a moderate hike - and it proved we are moderately out of shape! The rest of the way back through the woods was just mild ups and downs which was great for burning off the lactic acid build up we would otherwise have had. It was so rejuvenating going out there! And the weather was perfect!

After the hike we headed to Mo's for some clam chowder. I love going to Mo's, but honestly Blackfish's chowder is better than Mo's.


A bridge by the beach behind Mo's.


After Mo's we went to the Tanger Outlet Mall to do some shopping, saw The Informant (it was strange) then cruised around for a place to eat. We checked out Chinook Winds Casino's restaurants, but walked back out when we realized our eyes were burning too much from the smoke. So we decided to try Gallucci's Pizzeria. I love seafood, but never make it at home, so I usually look for that when eating out. Especially being at the coast, this weekend was almost non-stop seafood for me. But pizza? Yes, I had to try the Vegetarian & Seafood pizza. It was really good, but really strange at the same time. It was just a shock to have those flavors while eating pizza. Travis, of course, had their version of meat lover pizza.

Another great, gorgeous day!