I was in need of a day to myself. I had been running non-stop for a while, and just needed some time for my brain to re-group. I wanted to see a lighthouse so badly while I was in Oregon, so I did a little research. Found that there are 9 lighthouses on the Oregon coast, 7 of which are still being used today. Unfortunately, the one that is most famous and closest to me was closed to remodel the parking lot. Go freakin figure. So I drove 4 hours to get to this one just outside Bandon, Oregon. It wasn't quite the sight I was going for, but beautiful none the less.
I am my mother's daughter... many stops along the way. This was just an old ranch I passed on the way to the coast. Oregon is so weird... they leave these buildings even though there is no use for them. I wonder if it's because it would cost more to rip them down... ?? Either way, they make for interesting pictures and homes for rabid animals.
A covered bridge I saw along the way. It was conveniently located on Covered Bridge Road. How clever.
I ignored the signs that said "All dogs must be on leash." I'm such a rebel. Poor girl had been in the car for 4 hours, and she was being so good. She had a lot of fun running and chasing birds, but is still really afraid of the ocean. Definitely not a water dog.
It was super foggy that day, naturally. It was crazy... you're driving along and it's sunny and 80 degrees. All of the sudden about 10 miles out from the ocean, you smack into a wall of fog and the temperature drops 25 degrees. It was so humid, I was still sweating. Imagine that.
Can't see em, but there were houses all along on this cliff. I can only imagine how expensive that must be. There were quite a few that were for sale. Like, a LOT. Wonder why.
After driving 4 hours just to see some water, then getting lost and driving around for another hour and a half, and even asking locals where the lighthouse was to no avail... Found it!
It was a pretty busy day on the water. I guess this was one of the nicer days they had all summer.
Be warned... I took a lot of photos of the lighthouse.
I was in love with the little seagull on the rock in the foreground.
Had to stand on the nasty beach to get this shot. It was covered in dead fish, half-eaten crab, sharp clam shells, and even a sea lion carcass. Swear... it was so gross.
My favorite of the day. This was on the man made rock thingy that jutted out into the water to create a little bay. At the end was the siren that blared about every 30 seconds to warn the ships coming in. Guess with all the fog, the lighthouse can't do it on its own.
On the way back, I really had to haul. I was late for a dinner date. But I was just so enamoured with this winery that I passed I just had to stop. I pulled up and started snapping pictures like I owned the place, got a few, then went down the road to turn around. Some guy came up to my car and starts jabbin' at me all about his winery. Guess they were just tearing down from some Music on the River event they were hosting, and I came just as they were closing. He invited me to walk around and get a closer look at the scenery and then come sample some wine. Should I? DUH!
These are the Cabernet grapes on one side of the field. This place is called Pyrenees and is famous for its award-winning wines. They make about 15 different kinds, all grapes grown on site. They were delicious. The guy wouldn't let me leave until I tasted them. Practically all of them. I had to cut him off... I still had to drive another 2 hours back home!
The entrance.
It was like a homestead in the south, had to drive down this long, elaborately decorated driveway in order to get to the house.
The guy who tried to kidnapp me. I ended up talking to him for half an hour about this brick wall he made. He told me every... last... step... VERY informative. I swear, I need to learn either how to listen and not be in a hurry, or how to politely say "I don't really care." But he was so generous and kind I just didn't have the heart. 12 hours later, a few hundred miles and a full tank of gas later... I arrived home. It was a great day.
