A Trip to the Beach!

Hi everyone!

Hubby and I took Friday off and packed up the puppies and headed to the Oregon Coast. It was a beautiful day, sunny and almost warm. You could smell spring trying to break out. We even saw some daffodils and crocus popping their heads up to get some sun.

We headed south and then west to get to Cannon Beach, Oregon. Cannon Beach is a really quaint town on the beach. The beach is huge, very wide and flat. Cannon Beach holds a sand castle building contest every summer, there are fabulous creations everywhere.

We took the scenic route to the ocean. We spent a good part of the drive meandering along the Columbia River. The Columbia is a huge river and it makes a natural border between Washington and Oregon. We like to follow this route as it leads to the small town of Cathlamet and the small ferry boat that crosses the Columbia River. The Cathlamet ferry is a small barge type ferry. The first time we took the ferry, we drove onto a platform and waited for the ferry to arrive. We were totally surprised when we started floating out into the river! We had actually driven onto the boat and didn't even realize until we started moving. Unfortunately our timing wasn't good on this trip and the ferry sailed as we pulled up. We decided not to wait the hour until the next boat and continued our drive.

Just before crossing the bridge over to Oregon there is a small rest stop. This rest stop has the funniest name for a rest stop that I have ever seen. Welcome to Dismal Nitch!

Whoever named this place must have been having a bad day. This Nitch is anything but Dismal. It is a lovely place to stop and look across the river at the lovely bridge and the town of Astoria. Actually, William Clark of Lewis and Clark fame named this little spot Dismal Nitch. He and his crew were stopped by stormy weather just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean and meeting with a trade ship. They were stuck for six days in this location and missed their meeting with the ship. I guess the bathrooms weren't built then.

Just a friendly reminder...No Fish Cleaning in drinking fountains.

We stay in a nice hotel in Cannon Beach called the Hallmark Inn. The Hallmark is right on the beach and we had an ocean front room. All of the ocean front rooms have a view of the biggest attraction in Cannon Beach, Haystack Rock. What a view! Haystack Rock on our left and Ecola Lighthouse to our right. Simply beautiful scenery!!!

Hubby and I had been saving some gift certificates we had received for use at the Hallmark Inns. Our family knows we love this hotel so we had been given these gifts. We were even able to use the gift certificate for a yummy steak and seafood dinner at the restaurant across the street. Our stay was totally free! We really like the Hallmark because of the way they welcome our stinky doggies. We had a basket waiting for us with dog biscuits, three Frisbee's, a sheet for the bed so the puppies can snuggle and three of the cutest water bottle holders with a collapsible water bowl in one of the pockets.

We only stayed the one night and headed home after a yummy breakfast and a trip to the local yarn store. We also stopped in some of the other shops and looked around. Tons of cute shops are ready to wander through. There is a great quilt shop, glass blowers, souvenirs and art galleries. I bought a book of patterns and sizing techniques for crocheting fluffy woman sweaters. Not fluffy sweaters...fluffy women. ;o)

We arrived at home early Saturday evening and spent the rest of the weekend at home. We love to have some down time at home to recharge before the work week. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend too! We are all booked up with dog show activity in March...yikes! So we need to get our relaxing in when we can.

Take care everyone!

hugs,

puglette

:o)