Haystack Rock at Oregon’s Cannon Beach

Oregon is my home state.  Florida is my adopted state.  At times I have felt terribly homesick for Oregon and the west coast, and nothing will make that feeling go away except a trip back home.  Four days off is not usually enough to make the long trip out west, but four days was all I had.  I jumped on a Delta flight after work on a Friday, and was in Portland, Oregon just before midnight.  Three full days of being in Oregon was enough to make the homesick blues disappear.

Looking down on Manzanita Beach.

My mother and sister and I got lucky on Saturday with a perfect beach day.  A perfect beach day in Oregon, even in August, still involves jackets or sweatshirts.  For this beach outing we drove to Manzanita Beach, just south of my usual beach spot Cannon Beach.  Manzanita is not as crowded as Cannon Beach, but it still has a few cute little shops and good sand.  Like all beaches in Oregon, dogs are welcome.

A storefront in Manzanita

A salmon bench in Manzanita.

My mom and sister at Manzanita Beach. Jackets were required on this August evening as the breeze was cool.

I’ve made my own personal list of The Best Things About Oregon.  Here it is:

1.  The Beaches:  Oregon has wonderful beaches.  Unlike Florida, the state of NO, you can go to the beach in Oregon with your dog, build a fire on the beach, and enjoy a glass of wine, and it is all legal.

My mom and me on the beach at Manzanita.

Hug Point, Oregon.

The newest addition to the beaches is this Tsunami Debris Warning.

A starfish at Indian Rocks Beach.

2.  Great Motorcycle Roads:  Oregon has some of the best roads for fun biking.  There are plenty of small, twisting, mountain or coastal roads to enjoy a day long ride.  The wine country makes a nice tour also.

A scenic and fun coastal road.

The road to the Elk Cove winery.

3.  The Vineyards:  Oregon is making some wonderful wines.  Touring the winelands area is a great way to spend a day. 

A sample of the local tasty wines.

The vines at Erath, in the Willamette Valley

4.  Beautiful Summer Weather (some of the time):  When the Florida summer temperatures hit mid 90s daily, and the humidity is near 100%, the comfortable Oregon summer weather is a very nice change.  It may seem chilly to most of the lower states, but to be able to enjoy a lunch outdoors in the summer is a treat.  

An outdoor “farm lunch” of local foods at my mothers place.

5.  Really Tall Trees:  It’s nice to go for a walk among the tall trees.  The dogs are always game.

Tall trees in Oregon.

Phoebe on a walk in the tall trees.

6.  Mountains, and one of the country’s finest classic ski lodges:  Whether it’s summer or winter recreation you’re looking for, the mountains are there for exploring, and Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood is a beautiful classic ski lodge.

Downtown Portland with Mt. Hood in the background.

Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood.

7.  My Mother’s Cooking:  My mother is an excellent cook and will accommodate my requests of salmon soup and homemade artisan bread when I return for a visit.  This time, in addition to my favorite salmon soup, we had Ling Cod cheeks.

Preparing Ling Cod cheeks.

South Manzanita on Dwellable