A Girl with a Dude and a Sube, wandering Westward
My “perfect day” begins in the mountains and ends on the coast, or vice versa. That dreamy combination awaits us on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. We’ve set aside a week to explore the area, although I imagine that even a lifetime of wandering this region would not allow for seeing all of the amazing natural wonders here.
“The World’s Largest Lumber Port,
the yellow hulk of Cats winding bayfront chip yards,
betting on high-school football”
–Michael McGriff
Misty windswept seaside forests. A rocky beach full of mysterious white pods. Giant ancient trees. A myriad of coastal rainforest plants. We’ve many wonders to experience en route to Coos Bay today.
Fresh local cheese + working fishing village + craft beer + beach + camping under the trees? Yes please!
Old growth rainforest hugs the shore. Misty, foggy bluffs overlook dramatic sandy, rocky beaches. Today we fall deeply in love with the Oregon Coast.
The truffle shuffle. Finnish goods. Legendary smoked fish. Water, water everywhere. The still-slightly gritty tourist town of Astoria is right up our ally.
Don’t come here, you’ll be disappointed. SAID NO ONE EVER. Well, except for that one guy maybe.
We are floating, floating on windy roads, the thick forest obscured by a smoky fog. Trees grow taller and taller. It is morning, and darkly beautiful, in stark contrast to our morning stop in the sunny Yakima Valley for the best fruit we’ve ever had, purchased at a roadside stand fresh from the grower.
On a brief 24-hour visit in 2016, Capitol Reef National Park stole our hearts, and we are pumped to come back. This stay is an unexpected stop early in our trip and a re-route due to the wildfires, smoke, and haze in Colorado.
The tasty hikes and hot springs of the well-preserved town Ouray call us here. Finding the perfect IPA is just the icing on the cake.
