Today we take the pups to the ocean first, then more clean up from the water damage, then we put on our tourist hats for the rest of the day.  This is a small town with very little to do but according to TripAdvisor, there is a Museum, an Oregon Redwood Trail, Oregon’s largest Monterey Cypress and a lighthouse.

The daily trip to the ocean with the dogs is always entertaining.  They enjoy running free chasing the ocean in and out with each wave.  Millie pouncing KatieBug and sending her rolling out from under her, then KatieBug dashing away, spinning around to face Millie and spurring her on again.

After a quick bite to eat we left for our “tourist for a day” adventure.   First up was the lighthouse.  John didn’t read the TripAdvisor description for the lighthouse until we had stopped and asked a local lady for directions.  As the local was explaining that she didn’t know about a lighthouse, John was reading that it was a private citizen’s house and was only open when they held an event for charity.   On to the next touristy thing.

Just off Hwy 101 is the largest Monterey Cypress tree in Oregon.  Turn onto the road that leads to the Oregon Redwood Trail and you pass by it within the first minute.  Snapped a picture and pulled up to the museum but it was closed.  We decided to continue on down the road that pointed to the Trail.

After several miles the sign for the Trail pointed over a bridge and up the mountain on a narrow one lane bumpy winding gravel road.  Ribbit was going off-roading again.    A funny sign at the far end of the bridge, then directions that pointed upwards for 7 more miles, climbing higher each switchback.  I drove until I was uncomfortable and ready to turn back.   After creeping through a dozen or more slippery areas, I found a turnaround and headed slowly back down.

Still early, we decided to drive along the river for a few miles.  Seeing a sign for a National Forest Campground, we followed the road next to the river for miles until it ended in a spooky mossy green forest.  I got out to take pictures and another car with an older woman drove up behind us.  She told me she loved this area, came out here to paint often and had seen deer, elk, black bear and cougars.  Hearing cougars, I bid her a nice day, got back into the car and took pictures inside the car from the open window on the drive back.