5.17.2014

Oregon

For our Honeymoon, Katey and I decided to travel to Oregon. Katey has always been a lover of the ocean, and I have always been a lover of the woods. It has always been a dream of ours to see the west coast of America, and we were generously given the opportunity to travel there after our wedding. We discovered a small a-frame coastal home in a town called Yachats, Oregon.

The view at the end of our street in Yachats, Oregon.

3rd Street, Yachats, Oregon.

The Green Salmon in Yachats—they had an amazing kielbasa sandwich.

Oregon is a beautiful state. We spent hours driving on Highway 101, soaking in the views of the coast at every stopping point available. The coastline twists and curves through cliffs that jut out into the Pacific. Fog often moves in over the sea and rises up the mountains. Plumes of old growth pine forests contrast sharply with the gray bright skies. In comparison to Ohio, which is very flat, everything in Oregon is massive.

We quickly became glad that we hadn’t scheduled anything. It allowed us to explore towns like Newport and Florence, sampling coffee roasters, local restaurants, and parks.

The Devil's Churn at Cape Perpetua, Highway 101.

Exploring the coast on Highway 101 near Yachats.

Seal Rock, Highway 101.

In the middle of the week, we took a trip to Crater Lake National Park. From Yachats, it’s a 5 hour drive inland to central Oregon. I was in awe of how diverse the state was in terms of its ecosystems. For an hour we drove down the coast, weaving through dark evergreen forests and mountainous cliffs; for another hour we passed through farmland; for the next two hours we entered mountainous highways with views of pristine lakes and snow capped peaks. As we approached the park, we passed through highland desert and red soiled forests of colossal evergreens.

Although we were only able to stay for about 2 hours, I will never forget how small I felt in comparison to Crater Lake. The rocky cliffs flow steeply into the lake. Pines and mountains surround the national park. It was the most open space I had ever laid eyes on aside from the Grand Canyon.

“A lake is a landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature. It is Earth's eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.”

― Henry David Thoreau, Walden

Coming out of the Siuslaw National Forest down Highway 101. This great view is
just past "Cox Rock" before going into Florence, Oregon.

Stopping for espresso in Florence, Oregon. The older man who worked at this coffee
shop had moved out from Kent, Ohio!

Katey overlooking Diamond Peak on the way to Crater Lake.

Umpqua Highway. The southeaster part of Oregon starts becoming more of a dry highland.

What I loved most was just being able to spend time with Katey. Traveling with her is wonderful. She is good at making jokes, long conversations, and listening to my repeated phrase “wow” as I see things I’ve never seen before. Whenever I am in nature with her, she has a congenial appreciation for its beauty that is expressed with a joyful silence.

We spend the last day exploring coffee shops in Portland. Flying home, we could see Mt. Hood in the distance.

back to home · posted 17 march 2019

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