Stromboli's Rolling Log: Day 61, Sat, June 2, 2918, The Oregon Coast toTiillamook and Ice Cream! Truck is fixed!

Mark, the man at Car Care called me at 8:10 and said my truck was ready. He sent a taxi to pick me up and I was there at 8:30. He explained to me all that had happened to the brakes and that was not good. With out going into detail I cans say that two of the brakes had to be cut out in order to get them free as they were bent. Many parts of three brakes were rusted beyond use. But the good news after repair, was, it was operating and road worthy. I left and got the truck back to the trailer which jumped for joy on seeing it coming down the street.

Ruth had packed a lunch and we were off for some adventures after a two day hiatus in the trailer. Heading north with Tillamook as the daily goal, we stopped at three roadside pullouts and two National Wildlife Reserves that were small but had potential. The first one was just past the Salmon Creek and was very quiet, but we did see a COMMON YELLOWTHROAT there. The second one had two levels , a parking lot, then a short road to a trail head which led by trail, to an overlook 0of the Pacific Coast. We elected to stay at the first level avoiding the trail walk.

That was a good idea as we began to pick up some birds in the area especially at a house that was just off the parking lot. Here we saw BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, STELLAR'S JAY, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, BLACK HEADED GROSBEAK, PURPLE FINCH, and a BAND TAILED PIGEON. It pays to search near the parking lots. We have seen many a bird species , and one time in the back of a McDonald's. The view from this Parking lot of the NWR was good .(See).

Can you see the farmer baling hay on his tractor? Note marsh in foreground.

Essentially the same place but a different angle.

Along the coast there were many opportunities to view the "Haystacks", rocks and birds on the rocks. At one site there were visitor guides offering looks at the wildlife through telescopes. This road winds around the coastal mountains and some of the small towns along the coast like Seaside, Yachats, Pacific City, Bebo (on US 101) and Netarts.

Where a small fresh water lake empties into the Ocean

The lookout where the volunteers showed the birds on the rocks. Cormorants (3 kinds) C. Murres and Pigeon Guillemots

An interesting look at a "cave" in the rock.

The same hole without the trees.

We also visited the Meares lighthouse . It was a long walk downhill, but a longer walk back up. The photos and the historical one show the transition since it was built in the last years of the 1800's. Meares was the first white man to explore this area and placed many settlements here. These posters also explain about geese.

Yes, there are (atl east ) 7kinds of Geese.

Study this for information.

The Fresnel at the Meares Lighthouse

The long walk back.We paused a number of times.(There are benches)

The eight-sided, one-ton, first-order Fresnel lens was manufactured in Paris, France by Henry LaPaute. The carriage, clockwork, weights, and other components weighed an additional ton. When completed, it was shipped around Cape Horn to the Pacific Ocean, and then up to Northern Oregon, where it was hoisted up the cliff face with a hand-operated crane made from spruce trees cut on the cape.

Below is the light station when it was just completed. Today you see the trees and the walkway in the same place. Over the years it was vandalized , lenses pieces stolen and after many years finally returned. It had even been shot at and the vandals arrested. It ceased being a lighthouse in 2014.


Meares lighthouse in the foreground. It is the shortest on the Oregon Coast. The lighthouse keepers homes and the oil housing are seen at the top. The photos above were taken from on top.

Tomorrow we will see south of Lincoln City along the Coast. On Monday we will visit the Oregon Seacoast Marine Aquarium.

Finally we heade for the Tillamook Creamery and Ice Cream. "Mudslide" (doube) for ZRuth and "Mudslide" and "Marion Berry" and "Mudslide" for me.