Seaside, Astoria, and the Magical Fairyland of the Pacific Northwest

So this past weekend I traveled to Seaside Oregon. The Coastal Range of mountains leading to the Pacific Ocean was completely marvelous, rarely a deciduous tree in sight. The hills reminded me of the foothills of the Appalachians, except without the same species of trees and without the constant "ELK" signs. The coastal range is one helluva mountain range, never getting too elevated, but always yielding a surprise around each corner.

I drove into Seaside, and saw a glimpse of my ultimate destination. The Pacific Ocean. Mountains surrounded the tiny hamlet. "You are now entering a tsunami danger zone. If you feel rumbling or shaking, please seek higher ground immediately." That sounded grave. But I enjoyed the ocean none the less. Even if the water temperature was freezing cold.

The town of seaside was a nice surfing tourist destination. One seemed out by urbanites to the east. There was no exception for the labor day weekend. I battled through the throngs of cars, and finally found parking directly beside the dunes.

After wading in a bit, and watching the crowds, I headed onto the Lewis & Clark National Historical Park. The visitors center was a great place to see, and I watched the film on the entire journey of the Corps of Discovery. I then saw a replica of Fort Clatsop (believed to be on the original site off by a couple hundred of yards), and heard many a tale of the days of the explorers from a park reenacting guide. The winter sounded miserable, but being on the spot where the journey met the Pacific was very sounding and empowering.

Here I also had reached the end of a long journey out west to the Columbia. I drove onward to Astoria, and cresting over the hill, I saw the huge and magnificent Astoria Bridge.

Here was a bridge that spanned the Columbia River at the mouth of the Pacific Ocean. It was so huge, it required a spiral ramp to reach the top from the town. Such a feat of engineering and design. A huge truss and a remaining span that stretched over 4 miles of water. And then the massive Columbia flowing from the distance, a huge waterway that sliced through the Pacific Northwest.

I found myself once again as I had been on much of my journey thus far: Gawking and awestruck by the landscape. The sun began to set and reflect off the Columbia, and illuminated the Cascades in front of me. It was as though I was headed back from the western edge of our continental nation, only if it was for 50 miles.

My journey began to close, as the sun set, and I drew ever closer to Vancouver. I did manage to snap this shot though before it became dark. That large mountain off in the distance is Mt. Saint Helens, over 80 miles away.

What a magnificent and wonderful place this is. Massiveness abounds in scales I have never even imagined.