Sept. 5, 2014 --- heading south along the coast:
You can't go to Oregon without checking out the coast!  Fortunately I was able to pick up an RCI exchange into a 2 bedroom condo in Lincoln for the next week.  Finally, able to unpack and spread out for a bit!  But first---we packed our bags, checked out of Depoe Bay Worldmark, and headed south.
 Some time ago, a law was passed in Oregon declaring the whole 363 mile coastline to be public land.  Because of that, it's called "The People's Coast".  You can't travel it in one day and do it any justice.  Even in 2 days we couldn't cover much, so we stuck to about a 45 mile range both North and South from Lincoln City. 
This is one of the first pull offs south of Depoe Bay on Hwy 101, Boiler Bay.  A small freighter sank here in 1910 and if the conditions are right, it can still be seen today.  We've stopped here many times and have never seen the freighter, but it's a beautiful spot.

 We even hiked a bit along the pull off.  I had told our company to bring warm clothes from the coast.  Surprisingly, it was in the 90s on the coast this day --- hotter then I've ever seen it on the Oregon coast!  Coni really isn't flashing anyone, she's just taking her coat off.

 Another view from our walk.

Trees will grow anywhere in Oregon!

 Here is Rocky Creek Bridge (built in 1927) on the Otter Crest Loop scenic drive. 

 Cape Foulweather is another beautiful spot.  There's even a gift shop here with floor to ceiling window from viewing the coast in controlled temperatures.  Captain James Cook named this spot in 1778 on a particularly foul weather day. 

 Whales were everywhere this trip!  We're use to seeing them spouting out a ways, but this trip, they were hanging near the cliffs of the shoreline.

 This was looking south from Cape Foulweather.

 On down to the Devil's Punchbowl.  Looking north.

 The Devil's Punchbowl.

 Surfers on the south side beach from the Devil's Punchbowl.  Note they're still wearing full wet suits!  The Oregon coast water is always cold (50's year around).

 Then we headed to Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area.  It's a fee park, but one that accepted Ken's Old Age Pass---Yea, saved another $10.   We stopped into the gift shop/visitor's center first.  We got a kick out of the door handles.

 This 93' tall lighthouse was built in 1873 and is the tallest one in Oregon.  It's still a working lighthouse, too.

 We were there on a day they were giving lighthouse tours.  We've only been here once before when they were doing that, so we took the tour again.  This Ranger was pretending to be the daughter of the lighthouse keeper from the late 1800's. 

 Looking down the stairs as we were going up.

 View from high in the lighthouse. 

 This is another area of the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area.  It's suppose to be an area of tide pools with pathways around them.   It was closed off to vehicle traffic, so we didn't go down there.  Doesn't look like there were any tidepools at this time anyway.

Now it was early afternoon and we were ready for lunch---here we come Rogue Brewery!  One of the larger and older micro breweries.  Rogue Ales was founded in Ashland, Oregon in 1988 by three Nike, Inc. executives.  The company relocated to Newport in 1989 and opened its flagship brew pub on the town's waterfront

Should have done it!!!!

 A few of their items in the gift shop.

We got 2 "flights" (what we call them, I forget what they called them).   In my quest for finding the best beer this trip, I discovered I seem to like IPAs best.

 Rogue Brewery has great food, too.

 And if you're lucky enough to get a table by a window, there are great views of the marina, too.

 View of the vats as we made our way out of the restaurant.

 Being the beginning of Sept., they were prepping pumpkins for the ever so popular pumpkin beers of Oct. 

After lunch, we went a little farther south---to Seal Rock.  The name "Seal Rock" appears to refer to the one large rock, about 20 feet above water, that was formerly where hundreds of seals and sea lions would rest.

 I would love to spend more time here some day and wander around the tide pools and monoliths.

Seal Rock was the end of the Corvallis and Yaquina Bay Wagon Road, which was the first road to reach the Oregon Coast from the Willamette Valley.

Since we had to be back to Lincoln City to check into our condo (get to stay in this one for a whole week!), we turned around here and headed back the way we came.  Along the way, we decided to check out the lighthouse in Newport---.Yaquina Bay Lighthouse (yes, very original with Yaquina Head Lighthouse just a couple miles away!)
 The property was given to the state by the U. S. Lighthouse Service in 1934 and 1971. It is a spruce and pine forested bluff containing a historic lighthouse, later used as a lifeboat station. The lighthouse has been restored and is open to the public. The park originally was developed for day use in 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The old lighthouse at the harbor entrance was erected in 1871 but was discontinued in 1874 in favor of the Yaquina Head Lighthouse several miles to the north.

It is believed to be the oldest structure in Newport. It is also the only existing Oregon lighthouse with the living quarters attached, and the only historic wooden Oregon lighthouse still standing.

 Living room.

 built ins in the kitchen.

the kitchen

 a picture made out of human hair.

 this cottage cheese maker reminds me of the shape of the bins Tillamook cheese use to be made in  years ago when we use to be able to watch them make the cheese by hand.

One of the bedrooms.

 another bedroom

view from the upstairs window.

 another bedroom

4th bedroom.

 Before heading on, I had to stop and take the obligatory picture of the outstanding view of Newport Bridge.  I've probably taken this shot a hundred times and each time it's different---clouds, fog, flowers in the foreground, reflections in the water, ..., and I love them all .

 Then we headed down to Newport bay front for a quick drive by.  Love the way they painted up the buildings.

 some of the many boats

 This is fish guts dropping into a vat then put in and hauled away by semi.  I don't know what kind of fish they were processing, but Newport is a fishing town.

A short distance from Newport is Chitwood covered bridge.  Coni had mentioned she had never seen one before, so we knew of 2 to show her.  This was the first one.  The other one was by Drift Creek which we went by another day.

 She even got a big kick out of walking over the bridge.

 Back on 101 driving north through Depoe Bay, another little fishing town.

Since we were suppose to be at the Sandpiper Resort by 7 to check in, we pretty much headed straight there from the covered bridge.  I was a little apprehensive about staying at the Sandpiper Resort initially (not much in the way of reviews and a really small "resort"), but when a 2 bedroom unit turned up in RCI for the exact time we needed, it seemed a no-brainer to book it.  Getting anything on the Oregon coast when the weather is still good isn't easy, let alone a 2 bedroom unit.  Much to our surprise, this place was really nice!  Looks like they just renovated our unit and it was large, clean and very comfortable.  We agree we would love to stay here again!

 Love the 3 piece picture on the wall.  Pretty sure it's a picture along the Oregon coast.  We did have some trouble with the tv the next day, but it got fixed.  We would watch a channel and it would suddenly go out--saying something like "you don't subscribe to this channel".  So we'd change to another channel until it went out and popped up the same message.  Eventually even the Home Shopping Network went out so we notified the front desk and they fixed it while we were gone one day.

master bath shower

 the Master suite even had this room with this huge jacuzzi in it.  We never used it, but found it a nice option since the "resort" is really small and doesn't have a pool or outside jacuzzi.

 master bedroom.

 Also thought it a little odd that the vanity was across from the bed.  The jacuzzi was to the right of the doorway with the bathroom next to it.

 

The small resort only had 3- 2 bedroom units (3 level condo complex).  Ours was on the ground level.  But we still had great views from our patio.

More of the beach from our patio.

We bragged about Mo's Restaurant and took John and Coni there tonight.  We all enjoyed our food, but with the temps getting up in the 90s on the coast today, it was quite warm in the restaurant.  Most of the restaurants on the coast don't have ac because they never needed it before today.

the seafood and their chowder was as great as ever!

 Even got to go out on the pier and watch a beautiful sunset.  I thought we might see a green flash since there were no clouds at the horizon, but it didn't happen.  I was use to the sun setting really quickly when it got to the horizon in Hawaii, but here it lingered for quite awhile.  Someone nearby said it sets faster closer to the equator. 

Back of Mo's from the pier.

The Siletz Bay by Mo's.  

one last picture of sunset through the pier.

Then it was back to our room at the Sandpiper.  Even enjoyed the view from our patio at night.  We would definitely stay here again. Yes, there were lights lighting up the surf just to our right.