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{
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{
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        "text": "The kittens were very helpful with replacing the fridge shelf"
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{
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        "text": "boarding"
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        "text": "The live edge desk is done! We put the table legs on it today and moved it into place!"
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        "text": "Went back to PDX on this pilot's last flight, greeted with a water salute pulling into the gate!"
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at Gate 33

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at San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC)

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at Ridge Vineyards - Monte Bello

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at Ridge Vineyards - Monte Bello

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{
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at Stevens Creek Trail, Sleeper Trailhead

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at Computer History Museum

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{
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        "text": "The mini-rustoid is among the delightful horrors waiting to be exhumed in Animal Crossing New Leaf.",
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at Charleston Park

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at Computer History Museum

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at Aloft Mountain View

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at The Sports Page

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A Nomad’s Pacific Northwest Travelogue, Part V

{
    "type": "entry",
    "author": {
        "name": "Jared White",
        "url": "https://jaredwhite.com/",
        "photo": null
    },
    "url": "https://jaredwhite.com/articles/a-nomads-pnw-travelogue-part-v",
    "published": "2025-10-20T11:49:02-07:00",
    "content": {
        "html": "<img alt=\"\" src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/mariposta/image/upload/w_1200,c_limit,q_65/yaquina-bay-bridge.jpg\" /><h2>Living out my fantasy of sliding on sand dunes and becoming a beachcomber.</h2>\n\n<p>Where <a href=\"https://jaredwhite.com/articles/a-nomads-pnw-travelogue-part-iv\">last we left our intrepid hero</a>, he (I) had enjoyed a series of fabulous camping stays in the Cascades and high desert of Central Oregon, surrounded by Ponderosa pines, Juniper trees, rock formations, and a \u201cgrand canyon\u201d carved by the Deschutes and Crooked rivers.</p>\n\n<p>Now that I had arrived back in the more familiar territory of the Willamette Valley, my adventures just kept on\u2026<em>adventuring</em>.</p>\n\n<p>The time: <strong>early April 2025</strong>. The place: <strong>Silverton, OR</strong>. I\u2019ve <a href=\"https://jaredwhite.com/articles/silverton-oregon-is-gorgeous\">previously reported</a> what a beautiful little town this is, and I decided I\u2019d try looking around for a nice place to camp not too far away. It took some doing, but I came across a description of a place I could scarcely believe was real: <a href=\"https://www.vanlifecampgrounds.com/molalla\">Van Life Campgrounds</a>. Apparently there are several locations throughout the western United States, and the one location in the northern section of Oregon is just outside the town of Molalla, right on the Molalla River and not far from Silverton.</p>\n\n<p>Yes, I was traveling in a crossover vehicle which is not large and definitely not a van. But I didn\u2019t see any reason why they\u2019d disapprovingly kick me out due to my lack of <em>vehicular purity</em>, so I decided to book a night and give it a whirl. <em>And oh am I glad I did.</em> <strong>This is now one of my favorite places on Planet Earth.</strong> \ud83d\ude0d</p>\n\n<a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7455.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7455.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7455.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  Woodsy gathering place near the parking \u201cspots\u201d<a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7459.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7459.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7459.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  Sunset over the Molalla River<a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7469.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7469.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7469.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  Waking up\u2026to this view!Looking right outside my car windowImmaculate vibes along the river<p>Even though it was a bit cold and a bit damp (this <em>is</em> April in the PNW after all), I had an incredible time here. When I\u2019d arrived there were a couple of other <strong>#</strong>VanLife couples staying, so I got to hang out and get a tour of their rigs. I felt like I was inside one of the YouTube videos I\u2019m always watching with envy. I didn\u2019t have a \u201crig\u201d to show off, but just being in their company and chatting about travel and life and stuff\u2026it was fantastic.</p>\n\n<p>Rest assured, <strong>this would not be the last time I stayed at VLC Molalla.</strong> (Spoiler alert?)</p>\n\n<p>After moving on and heading back north to the Portland metro area for some work, the next evening I stayed for the first time at the <strong>KOA</strong> in Cascade Locks. It\u2019s not a large campground, and the various sites are pretty close together, but it was still quite lovely and woodsy, and the location near the Columbia River is awesome. Would definitely recommend! (Be advised, there\u2019s also a freight train line close by. It didn\u2019t bother me sleeping in my vehicle, but YMMV!)</p>\n\n<a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7503.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7503.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7503.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  This KOA was a-OK<p>\u2728 <strong>Time jump to mid-April after spending time with work &amp; family near the Portland area\u2026</strong> \u2728</p>\n\n<p>Setting out on my next big adventure, this time I wanted to do something I\u2019d never done before: go car camping along the <strong>Oregon Coast</strong>. For those of you not in the know, I think the entire coastline of Oregon is a <em>national treasure</em>. I tend to imagine when <em>most</em> people casually think of \u201cPacific Ocean, West Coast, United States\u201d, they think of the epic swimming &amp; surfing destinations of Southern California, lined with palm trees, babes in bikinis, skateboarding bros, and you know the rest. And hell, I might have agreed with them when I grew up and lived in Northern California not far from San Francisco\u2026look there are plenty of gorgeous destinations on the coastline north and south of S.F., but I think SoCal (and perhaps up into Central California) is where most tourists go when they want to go to The Beach\u2122 and spend lengthy amounts of time by The Ocean\u2122.</p>\n\n<p>Well I\u2019m here to tell you this: when I first discovered the Oregon coast in earnest, my jaw fell down to the ground and subsequently rolled somewhere over there. <strong>Have you ever wondered what it\u2019d be like if Fangorn Forest was situated right next to the largest body of water in the world? That\u2019s Oregon.</strong> (And sure, we\u2019ll include the northernmost tip of Northern California because <em>Redwoods</em>.)</p>\n\n<p>And whoa, so many towns cute as all get out. Cannon Beach. Newport. Lincoln City. Florence. Even Astoria (which I happen to believe is a bit overrated, but still a worthy destination). And all points in between.</p>\n\n<p>But I\u2019m getting ahead of myself. Instead of merely <em>telling</em> you what\u2019s cool about it, I\u2019ll <em>show</em> you!</p>\n\n<h3>Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park</h3>\n\n<p>That\u2019s sure a mouthful! After bidding my children farewell having stayed for a time in Eugene, I packed up my gear and headed west towards <strong>Florence</strong>.</p>\n\n<p>I\u2019d been to Florence once before\u2014<a href=\"https://jaredwhite.com/videos/20200828/road-trip-oregon-coast-during-pandemic\">even made a video about it</a>\u2014but a great deal of time had passed so I was eager to see if my enjoyment of the place had been a one-off or if I\u2019d appreciate it just as much today. (Can you guess the final answer? \ud83d\ude02)</p>\n\n<p>I figured my best bet as far as car camping is concerned would be to avail myself of some Oregon State Beach campgrounds (of which there are many all along the coastline), so I picked the one closest to Florence: the Jessie M. Honeyman Memo\u2014well you know. I unfortunately got there way late (it was already dark), and I was lucky I even found my campsite as it was very challenging to navigate and some of the roads within the park were blocked off to ensure one-way traffic flows. So I merely <em>assumed</em> I\u2019d picked a lovely spot and fell asleep.</p>\n\n<p>The next morning, I could indeed confirm: <strong>it is a very lovely spot!</strong></p>\n\n<a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7584.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7584.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7584.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  Gotta love a coastal forest<p>More about it a bit later. Once was up and about, I headed a few miles down Hwy 101, crossed the Siuslaw River, and bid Florence a hearty <em>good morning!</em></p>\n\n<a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7587.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7587.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7587.jpg\" /></a>\n    <a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7588.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7588.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7588.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  Left: Oh yeah, I\u2019m happy to be back <br />Right: The Siuslaw River BridgeOverlooking the river from downtown Florence<p>Florence boasts a fun, quaint downtown to walk through full of shops and restaurants, as well as a marina on the river. I worked at a <a href=\"https://www.coffeeoregon.com/location\">great coffee shop</a> for a while, had lunch at Mo\u2019s, then worked some more at the local library.</p>\n\n<a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7599.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7599.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7599.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  Anchor, baby<p>By afternoon, I needed a break and wanted to explore some more of the Jessie M. Honeym\u2014yes all that. I had heard you could take a stroll along massive sand dunes (literally part of the <a href=\"https://www.fs.usda.gov/visit/destination/oregon-dunes-national-recreation-area-south-jetty-area\">Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area</a>, famed for its appeal to ATV enthusiasts), so I headed back to my campsite and proceeded to walk in a westerly direction. And what I saw took my breath away!</p>\n\n<a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7601.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7601.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7601.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  Cleawox Lake<a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7600.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7600.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7600.jpg\" /></a>\n    <a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7608.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7608.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7608.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  Left: Strolling through the woods <br />Right: Sun? Sand? I'm <em>dune</em> with that!On top of a real Oregon sand dune<a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7614.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7614.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7614.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  Looking down the dune back towards the lake<p>I simply wasn\u2019t prepared for the massive size of the dunes. I couldn\u2019t even walk directly all the way to the ocean in a reasonable amount of time, because there were so many large dunes to traverse, so I remained content hanging out by the lake and enjoying the sunshine on an otherwise cold chilly day.</p>\n\n<p>Back to the campgrounds, I appreciated the dreamy quality of light as the sunshine filtered through the trees, and had a very enjoyable evening indeed.</p>\n\n<a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7616.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7616.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7616.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  Dreamy indeed<p>Breakfast the next morning was equally pleasurable. Due to the shape of the campsite and the positioning of the trees, I felt like I had my own \u201cprivate yard\u201d in the forest, and I enjoyed my breakfast for as long as I could.</p>\n\n<a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7619.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7619.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7619.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  Caf\u00e9 Woods<p>All good things must come to an end, so I reluctantly cleaned up my campsite, got my car in order, and began to drive north past Florence. Destination: <strong>Newport</strong>, starting with the South Beach State Park. (I\u2019d come back here to camp, but as it was on the way to town, I stopped here first for some sightseeing.)</p>\n\n<p>From here, you can get some dramatic views of the Yaquina Bay Bridge which crosses over the\u2026yep, you guessed it, Yaquina Bay! You can also get some views of a bird sitting on a meme.</p>\n\nEat \u2019em<a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7627.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7627.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7627.jpg\" /></a>\n    <a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7634.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7634.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7634.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  Left: Yaquina Bay Bridge <br />Right: The south side is a real nice place to hang out<p>I had actually been to Newport somewhat recently (back in January 2025) when things weren\u2019t too lively there during the off-season, so it was nice to see the town coming to life in the spring. <strong>And I got to meet Gino the giant photogenic crab!</strong></p>\n\n<a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7637.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7637.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7637.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  Do not climb<p>I had lunch and worked for a while at the local library, then eventually wended my way back down to a campsite at South Beach.</p>\n\n<p>The vibes here were completely different from the Jessie M. Perhaps not as dramatic, but certainly interesting. Whereas my previous stay felt like I was in my own private forest, here the foliage felt very \u201cbeachy\u201d and it was open and sunny.</p>\n\n<a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7640.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7640.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7640.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  Good location for plein air<p>It was a groovy experience falling asleep to the gentle ocean breezes, and then to awaken anew to sunshine coming up over the eastern horizon.</p>\n\n<a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7650.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7650.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7650.jpg\" /></a>\n    <a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7651.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7651.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7651.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  Left: Do the dew <br />Right: Sun rising over the campground<p>I <em>would</em> worry a bit thinking about coming back here if the weather weren\u2019t as favorable, or there were a great deal of \u201cloud\u201d RV contingents. It might not be so pleasant in those cases. But at least this go around, I had a wonderful time.</p>\n\n<h3>Making My Way Up the Coast</h3>\n\n<p>Ready for some nostalgic sightseeing. After leisurely enjoying the morning in Newport, I started to drive north along the coast again. Once again I want to reiterate just how jaw-droppingly gorgeous the coastline is in this region between Newport and Lincoln City. I sometimes find it tedious to traverse coastal roads because the windy single lanes and occasional weird traffic stops because of erosion or whatnot can make it feel slow, and there\u2019s only so much <em>welp, that\u2019s an ocean</em> vistas one can appreciate before the effect wears off.</p>\n\n<p>Not so here! I could drive up and down the central Oregon coast all day. Even now as I write about it, I\u2019m ready to go do it all over again!</p>\n\n<p>As I approached Lincoln City, I again noticed <a href=\"https://pelicanbrewing.com/\">Pelican Brewing</a> right off the main highway which I\u2019ve passed many times before, and this time I decided to stop there. It wasn\u2019t yet noon, but I threw caution to the wind and ordered a brew flight. The setting was delightful, the beer exquisite, and I got to talking to a fellow traveler at the bar for a good while. I\u2019m definitely to return here for a full meal!</p>\n\n<a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7659.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7659.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7659.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  A bar with a view<p>After a stop in Lincoln City to enjoy the beach views, nibble on a picnic lunch, get a bit of work at the library there, and buy a new handmade wallet at a hippie store, I continued on my way north to take a gander at <em>Haystack Rock</em>.</p>\n\n<p>Nope, not that one (at Cannon Beach). Another one at Pacific City! <strong>Spoiler alert:</strong> there are multiple \u201chaystack rocks\u201d on the Oregon coast. I think the third one in Bannon looks more like a hay bale, but I digress.</p>\n\n<a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7663.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7663.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7663.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  One of the Haystack Rocks<p>Some more wending my way north and I finally arrived at my true destination for this particular adventure: <em>Cape Lookout</em>.</p>\n\n<p>I had been here once before in 2020 <a href=\"https://jaredwhite.com/videos/20200828/road-trip-oregon-coast-during-pandemic\">and even filmed a vlog about it</a> (same episode where I\u2019d first visited Florence). And just as before, I was completely blown away by the quality of the light, the atmosphere, the sounds, the smells, just\u2026everything.</p>\n\nI\u2019m back, baby!<a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7669.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7669.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7669.jpg\" /></a>\n    <a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7672.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7672.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7672.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  Left: A magical place <br />Right: Happy feet<p>And an artsy photo I posted on Pixelfed:</p>\n\n<a href=\"https://pixelfed.social/p/essentiallife/818487321857824801\">\n      <img src=\"https://pxscdn.com/public/m/_v2/4580/6ac28a0f2-92b4f8/KYybRDFBB9ry/xjJu96oShlBppflqFppMgKMpqxlRSLNBbmlcSt2D.jpg\" alt=\"xjJu96oShlBppflqFppMgKMpqxlRSLNBbmlcSt2D.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  Looking out at Cape Lookout<p>Besides a particular town such as Cannon Beach, if there\u2019s <em>anywhere</em> you make a beeline for along the north-central Oregon coastline, it should be Cape Lookout. The place feels like pure magic.</p>\n\n<p>I spent a good deal of time scrambling over rocks and enjoying the ocean views, but as with all such things, it must come to an end.</p>\n\n<h3>Protesting in Portland, and a Sendoff</h3>\n\n<p>I once again arrived back in Portland, and the trend of enjoying beautiful sunny spring weather continued. I got to see a sailboat on the Willamette River\u2026</p>\n\n<a href=\"https://pixelfed.social/p/essentiallife/822285027231657123\">\n      <img src=\"https://pxscdn.com/public/m/_v2/4580/6ac28a0f2-92b4f8/N9MKkQUlSjjC/MkmDs03by28wsCrb9wEyhKGpmCk9rny7tPUbxBwc.jpg\" alt=\"MkmDs03by28wsCrb9wEyhKGpmCk9rny7tPUbxBwc.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  So pretty!<p>\u2026and enjoy the urban waterfalls at Keller Fountain Park.</p>\n\n<a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7771.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7771.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7771.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  It's a fun place to wade in the warmer months<p>I\u2019d been a little out of the loop in terms of political news, thus I found myself stumbling across the tail end of a protest march through Portland. Compared to what I participated in recently as I write this (aka <strong>#NoKings</strong> in October), it wasn\u2019t a super large crowd, but everyone seemed to be pretty pumped to be there, and I didn\u2019t notice any hecklers or folks causing trouble.</p>\n\nI also miss when facts mattered<p>The highlight of the event for me was coming across this beauty:</p>\n\n<a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7777.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7777.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7777.jpg\" /></a>\n    <a href=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7779.jpg\">\n      <img src=\"https://intuitivefuture.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/travelogue/2025/IMG_7779.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7779.jpg\" /></a>\n  \n  Left: No more billionaires <br />Right: The Turd Reich<p>And with that amusing and extremely appropriate wordplay well in hand, I regret to inform you I must close out this Travel(b)logue installment. <em>But never fear!</em> I was soon destined to travel once again to the coast\u2014<strong>this time in the beautiful Northern California region of Eureka and the Humboldt county redwoods.</strong> Come back soon\u2026</p>\n\n\n\n  <br /><p>\n    \n      <a href=\"https://jaredwhite.com/tag/nomadlifestyle\">#nomadlifestyle</a>\n    \n      <a href=\"https://jaredwhite.com/tag/oregonexplored\">#oregonexplored</a>\n    \n  </p>",
        "text": "Living out my fantasy of sliding on sand dunes and becoming a beachcomber.\n\nWhere last we left our intrepid hero, he (I) had enjoyed a series of fabulous camping stays in the Cascades and high desert of Central Oregon, surrounded by Ponderosa pines, Juniper trees, rock formations, and a \u201cgrand canyon\u201d carved by the Deschutes and Crooked rivers.\n\nNow that I had arrived back in the more familiar territory of the Willamette Valley, my adventures just kept on\u2026adventuring.\n\nThe time: early April 2025. The place: Silverton, OR. I\u2019ve previously reported what a beautiful little town this is, and I decided I\u2019d try looking around for a nice place to camp not too far away. It took some doing, but I came across a description of a place I could scarcely believe was real: Van Life Campgrounds. Apparently there are several locations throughout the western United States, and the one location in the northern section of Oregon is just outside the town of Molalla, right on the Molalla River and not far from Silverton.\n\nYes, I was traveling in a crossover vehicle which is not large and definitely not a van. But I didn\u2019t see any reason why they\u2019d disapprovingly kick me out due to my lack of vehicular purity, so I decided to book a night and give it a whirl. And oh am I glad I did. This is now one of my favorite places on Planet Earth. \ud83d\ude0d\n\n\n      \n  \n  Woodsy gathering place near the parking \u201cspots\u201d\n      \n  \n  Sunset over the Molalla River\n      \n  \n  Waking up\u2026to this view!Looking right outside my car windowImmaculate vibes along the riverEven though it was a bit cold and a bit damp (this is April in the PNW after all), I had an incredible time here. When I\u2019d arrived there were a couple of other #VanLife couples staying, so I got to hang out and get a tour of their rigs. I felt like I was inside one of the YouTube videos I\u2019m always watching with envy. I didn\u2019t have a \u201crig\u201d to show off, but just being in their company and chatting about travel and life and stuff\u2026it was fantastic.\n\nRest assured, this would not be the last time I stayed at VLC Molalla. (Spoiler alert?)\n\nAfter moving on and heading back north to the Portland metro area for some work, the next evening I stayed for the first time at the KOA in Cascade Locks. It\u2019s not a large campground, and the various sites are pretty close together, but it was still quite lovely and woodsy, and the location near the Columbia River is awesome. Would definitely recommend! (Be advised, there\u2019s also a freight train line close by. It didn\u2019t bother me sleeping in my vehicle, but YMMV!)\n\n\n      \n  \n  This KOA was a-OK\u2728 Time jump to mid-April after spending time with work & family near the Portland area\u2026 \u2728\n\nSetting out on my next big adventure, this time I wanted to do something I\u2019d never done before: go car camping along the Oregon Coast. For those of you not in the know, I think the entire coastline of Oregon is a national treasure. I tend to imagine when most people casually think of \u201cPacific Ocean, West Coast, United States\u201d, they think of the epic swimming & surfing destinations of Southern California, lined with palm trees, babes in bikinis, skateboarding bros, and you know the rest. And hell, I might have agreed with them when I grew up and lived in Northern California not far from San Francisco\u2026look there are plenty of gorgeous destinations on the coastline north and south of S.F., but I think SoCal (and perhaps up into Central California) is where most tourists go when they want to go to The Beach\u2122 and spend lengthy amounts of time by The Ocean\u2122.\n\nWell I\u2019m here to tell you this: when I first discovered the Oregon coast in earnest, my jaw fell down to the ground and subsequently rolled somewhere over there. Have you ever wondered what it\u2019d be like if Fangorn Forest was situated right next to the largest body of water in the world? That\u2019s Oregon. (And sure, we\u2019ll include the northernmost tip of Northern California because Redwoods.)\n\nAnd whoa, so many towns cute as all get out. Cannon Beach. Newport. Lincoln City. Florence. Even Astoria (which I happen to believe is a bit overrated, but still a worthy destination). And all points in between.\n\nBut I\u2019m getting ahead of myself. Instead of merely telling you what\u2019s cool about it, I\u2019ll show you!\n\nJessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park\n\nThat\u2019s sure a mouthful! After bidding my children farewell having stayed for a time in Eugene, I packed up my gear and headed west towards Florence.\n\nI\u2019d been to Florence once before\u2014even made a video about it\u2014but a great deal of time had passed so I was eager to see if my enjoyment of the place had been a one-off or if I\u2019d appreciate it just as much today. (Can you guess the final answer? \ud83d\ude02)\n\nI figured my best bet as far as car camping is concerned would be to avail myself of some Oregon State Beach campgrounds (of which there are many all along the coastline), so I picked the one closest to Florence: the Jessie M. Honeyman Memo\u2014well you know. I unfortunately got there way late (it was already dark), and I was lucky I even found my campsite as it was very challenging to navigate and some of the roads within the park were blocked off to ensure one-way traffic flows. So I merely assumed I\u2019d picked a lovely spot and fell asleep.\n\nThe next morning, I could indeed confirm: it is a very lovely spot!\n\n\n      \n  \n  Gotta love a coastal forestMore about it a bit later. Once was up and about, I headed a few miles down Hwy 101, crossed the Siuslaw River, and bid Florence a hearty good morning!\n\n\n      \n    \n      \n  \n  Left: Oh yeah, I\u2019m happy to be back \nRight: The Siuslaw River BridgeOverlooking the river from downtown FlorenceFlorence boasts a fun, quaint downtown to walk through full of shops and restaurants, as well as a marina on the river. I worked at a great coffee shop for a while, had lunch at Mo\u2019s, then worked some more at the local library.\n\n\n      \n  \n  Anchor, babyBy afternoon, I needed a break and wanted to explore some more of the Jessie M. Honeym\u2014yes all that. I had heard you could take a stroll along massive sand dunes (literally part of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, famed for its appeal to ATV enthusiasts), so I headed back to my campsite and proceeded to walk in a westerly direction. And what I saw took my breath away!\n\n\n      \n  \n  Cleawox Lake\n      \n    \n      \n  \n  Left: Strolling through the woods \nRight: Sun? Sand? I'm dune with that!On top of a real Oregon sand dune\n      \n  \n  Looking down the dune back towards the lakeI simply wasn\u2019t prepared for the massive size of the dunes. I couldn\u2019t even walk directly all the way to the ocean in a reasonable amount of time, because there were so many large dunes to traverse, so I remained content hanging out by the lake and enjoying the sunshine on an otherwise cold chilly day.\n\nBack to the campgrounds, I appreciated the dreamy quality of light as the sunshine filtered through the trees, and had a very enjoyable evening indeed.\n\n\n      \n  \n  Dreamy indeedBreakfast the next morning was equally pleasurable. Due to the shape of the campsite and the positioning of the trees, I felt like I had my own \u201cprivate yard\u201d in the forest, and I enjoyed my breakfast for as long as I could.\n\n\n      \n  \n  Caf\u00e9 WoodsAll good things must come to an end, so I reluctantly cleaned up my campsite, got my car in order, and began to drive north past Florence. Destination: Newport, starting with the South Beach State Park. (I\u2019d come back here to camp, but as it was on the way to town, I stopped here first for some sightseeing.)\n\nFrom here, you can get some dramatic views of the Yaquina Bay Bridge which crosses over the\u2026yep, you guessed it, Yaquina Bay! You can also get some views of a bird sitting on a meme.\n\nEat \u2019em\n      \n    \n      \n  \n  Left: Yaquina Bay Bridge \nRight: The south side is a real nice place to hang outI had actually been to Newport somewhat recently (back in January 2025) when things weren\u2019t too lively there during the off-season, so it was nice to see the town coming to life in the spring. And I got to meet Gino the giant photogenic crab!\n\n\n      \n  \n  Do not climbI had lunch and worked for a while at the local library, then eventually wended my way back down to a campsite at South Beach.\n\nThe vibes here were completely different from the Jessie M. Perhaps not as dramatic, but certainly interesting. Whereas my previous stay felt like I was in my own private forest, here the foliage felt very \u201cbeachy\u201d and it was open and sunny.\n\n\n      \n  \n  Good location for plein airIt was a groovy experience falling asleep to the gentle ocean breezes, and then to awaken anew to sunshine coming up over the eastern horizon.\n\n\n      \n    \n      \n  \n  Left: Do the dew \nRight: Sun rising over the campgroundI would worry a bit thinking about coming back here if the weather weren\u2019t as favorable, or there were a great deal of \u201cloud\u201d RV contingents. It might not be so pleasant in those cases. But at least this go around, I had a wonderful time.\n\nMaking My Way Up the Coast\n\nReady for some nostalgic sightseeing. After leisurely enjoying the morning in Newport, I started to drive north along the coast again. Once again I want to reiterate just how jaw-droppingly gorgeous the coastline is in this region between Newport and Lincoln City. I sometimes find it tedious to traverse coastal roads because the windy single lanes and occasional weird traffic stops because of erosion or whatnot can make it feel slow, and there\u2019s only so much welp, that\u2019s an ocean vistas one can appreciate before the effect wears off.\n\nNot so here! I could drive up and down the central Oregon coast all day. Even now as I write about it, I\u2019m ready to go do it all over again!\n\nAs I approached Lincoln City, I again noticed Pelican Brewing right off the main highway which I\u2019ve passed many times before, and this time I decided to stop there. It wasn\u2019t yet noon, but I threw caution to the wind and ordered a brew flight. The setting was delightful, the beer exquisite, and I got to talking to a fellow traveler at the bar for a good while. I\u2019m definitely to return here for a full meal!\n\n\n      \n  \n  A bar with a viewAfter a stop in Lincoln City to enjoy the beach views, nibble on a picnic lunch, get a bit of work at the library there, and buy a new handmade wallet at a hippie store, I continued on my way north to take a gander at Haystack Rock.\n\nNope, not that one (at Cannon Beach). Another one at Pacific City! Spoiler alert: there are multiple \u201chaystack rocks\u201d on the Oregon coast. I think the third one in Bannon looks more like a hay bale, but I digress.\n\n\n      \n  \n  One of the Haystack RocksSome more wending my way north and I finally arrived at my true destination for this particular adventure: Cape Lookout.\n\nI had been here once before in 2020 and even filmed a vlog about it (same episode where I\u2019d first visited Florence). And just as before, I was completely blown away by the quality of the light, the atmosphere, the sounds, the smells, just\u2026everything.\n\nI\u2019m back, baby!\n      \n    \n      \n  \n  Left: A magical place \nRight: Happy feetAnd an artsy photo I posted on Pixelfed:\n\n\n      \n  \n  Looking out at Cape LookoutBesides a particular town such as Cannon Beach, if there\u2019s anywhere you make a beeline for along the north-central Oregon coastline, it should be Cape Lookout. The place feels like pure magic.\n\nI spent a good deal of time scrambling over rocks and enjoying the ocean views, but as with all such things, it must come to an end.\n\nProtesting in Portland, and a Sendoff\n\nI once again arrived back in Portland, and the trend of enjoying beautiful sunny spring weather continued. I got to see a sailboat on the Willamette River\u2026\n\n\n      \n  \n  So pretty!\u2026and enjoy the urban waterfalls at Keller Fountain Park.\n\n\n      \n  \n  It's a fun place to wade in the warmer monthsI\u2019d been a little out of the loop in terms of political news, thus I found myself stumbling across the tail end of a protest march through Portland. Compared to what I participated in recently as I write this (aka #NoKings in October), it wasn\u2019t a super large crowd, but everyone seemed to be pretty pumped to be there, and I didn\u2019t notice any hecklers or folks causing trouble.\n\nI also miss when facts matteredThe highlight of the event for me was coming across this beauty:\n\n\n      \n    \n      \n  \n  Left: No more billionaires \nRight: The Turd ReichAnd with that amusing and extremely appropriate wordplay well in hand, I regret to inform you I must close out this Travel(b)logue installment. But never fear! I was soon destined to travel once again to the coast\u2014this time in the beautiful Northern California region of Eureka and the Humboldt county redwoods. Come back soon\u2026\n\n\n\n  \n\n    \n      #nomadlifestyle\n    \n      #oregonexplored"
    },
    "name": "A Nomad\u2019s Pacific Northwest Travelogue, Part V",
    "post-type": "article",
    "_id": "46290109",
    "_source": "2783"
}