After a weekend of exploration and house parties I met up with my friend Ade Shemsu and Marshall Steeves to hit the road. We started out on a mini road trip to the Oregon coast from Portland to explore Canon Beach and Ecola State Park.
Driving has always been fun for me. Your not doing much but when your driving you get to see so much scenery. The tall trees of the Pacific north west are always breath taking. Especially when you get closer to the coast. The temperature starts to fall as the coast winds come in. Driving up and down mountains the clouds engulf you into there foggy mist. The sun still manages to push through even though you can barely see the road in front of you. The only other time I've experiences this feeling is flying through a cloud.
When the clouds part you see the over hangs of the mountain edge that you are drifting along on. No guard rails to save you only giant trees guarding the mountain. We came across peaks were we saw trees being demolished for logging purposes. This gave me instant sadness but knowing that Oregon is committed to replanting these trees and more gives me hope.
Arriving at Canon Beach we were almost the only ones there. Flat and calm with sandcastles being built. People practicing there castle skills for the up coming sandcastle competition next weekend. While the ocean was freezing cold we managed to get our feet wet. Ade managed to climb this corral blanketed rock out in the ocean for me. Always trying to get that shot.
After being overwhelmed by the huge Haystack Rock and its marine garden we headed to grab a local bite before heading to Ecola State Park. Surprisingly Ecola is deep in the forest compared to Canon beach that is just off the road. The forest was filled with windy narrow roads. When we arrived I had to hang with some surfers and get to know how truly cold the water was. One surfer wasn't even wearing boots even though the water was over crowded and with only small waves.
We ended up exploring the right wall of Indian Beach fascinated by the neon green moss dripping water and full of sand. Exploring caves was super cool. Knowing that if we came at a different time of day we would be crushed by waves and under water. On a mission to get a overlook of more marine garden I could see a whole in one extra large rock. This I was obsessed with having the urge to surf through it and I can't even surf. Could this be done? Maybe, but the main battle would probably be getting out there past the rest of the garden.
Loving days spent days like this. Wondering the pacific coast with great people and meeting more fascinating locals. The beach has always felt like home to me. At one point while hiking back to the beach I closed my eyes, hiking blind, to take in the sound of the ocean crashing. A sound that I will never forget and will never get old.