As I lay awake with a tired smile all over my face considering my silly Mt. Rainier run-around, I really didn’t think I was going to get any sleep in the back of the truck. Next thing I knew my watch alarm was going off and it was 8am. There really wasn’t much to pack up, in fact I only had to unpack myself from underneath the canopy, and the Dakota was ready to go.
Since it was getting dark when I rolled into the camp site last night, I decided to go explore the beach this morning before I took off. It was amazing. This was the Pacific Ocean at its finest. With the tide way out, the beach was taking over the ocean’s turf. The sound of the crashing waves and crying seagulls was almost cliché, then there was the lighthouse up on the near by cliff and the gray-sky back drop to tie it all together. I had to laugh; it was the ugliest beautiful sight I had ever waked up to.
Day four and I already have one state behind me. I caught up with highway 101 and started riding the scenic route down the Oregon coast. Each town seemed to have its own unique feel to it. One of my favourites had to be Cannon Beach. It was a charming spot with little shops on the main street, quiet beach-front resorts that spilled out onto the sand, and a mix of small old houses and nice new condos stuck in amongst the sprawling forest. Cannon Beach was the first time I laid eyes on the huge Monoliths that come soaring out of the water. These giant rock towers wade in the ocean water with seagulls gathering on there peaks and waves crashing into there foundations. I definitely took a gazillion pictures of them.
The entire stretch of highway along the Oregon coast left me in awe. It took a great deal of time to make any headway, as I was getting drawn in by a new ‘viewpoint’ or ‘site of interest’ every few kilometers. There was quite a variety of landscapes along the 101. Cape Perpetua had big, old spruce trees and loud crashing waves that would smash into rocky coves, while Dunes National Recreation Area was made up of miles and miles of large sand swells, perfect for crazy ATV enthusiasts.
While puttsing along with my casual tourist attitude, I managed to attract a little too much attention as I moved through the very tiny town of Nehalem. I barely even realized I had gone through an actual community when I was pulled over by a State Police Officer complete with dark aviator sunglasses and a Super Troopers’ demeanor. I was speeding. The speed limit along the 101 is anywhere from 55mph to Zero. In Nehalem it is 30. I was going faster than that, but the Super Trooper gave me a warning and told me to watch my speed. I couldn’t believe it. I thought ‘warnings’ only happened in the movies. What a swell guy. I hadn’t felt this good since I had broken into the truck and found the keys three nights ago. So I continued my trip southwards and definitely focused in on my speed.
About three hours later I was multitasking; I was trying to figure out a good place to stop for the night, contemplating choosing a motel over the wet mud of a campsite, texting home, juggling a map, driving the scenic route, and keeping a nice space cushion with the car in front of me (safety first, no adventure if I wreck the truck). This was a tall order, but I felt I was doing a pretty good job… State Police Officer number 2 did not agree. DAMMIT if I didn’t get pulled over again. I have never been pulled over in my life and now, within the span of only a few hours I got caught twice, for the same friggin thing. This time it was Port Orford. Again with the 30mph, which is like 4km/h or something. I figured I was done for. I thought Super Trooper number 2 was going to take my license, scan it in his computer and see that I had already been pulled over today, not learned my lesson, and need to spend some time off the road, maybe in a small town Oregon jail. I was wrong; today the punishment for speeding through Port Orford was a strict talking to and a warning. Unbelievable. In Nehalem I thought it was maybe my gentle charm and innocent puss-and-boots eyes, but after this second warning was granted, I was thanking the Big Guy for giving me two get-out-of-jail-free cards in one day. IDIOT! Wow, there is no excuse for that. So now I am slooooooowing it down, and watching for the 30 and 25mph zones. One things for sure, the cops in Oregon are my favourite people EVER.
So I chose motel. I couldn’t handle the idea of another night in the pouring rain. When will it stop raining? So I stopped in Gold Beach, which is at the south end of Oregon. The motel was such a nice change; warm shower, a touch of TV, and the ability to spread out. Now it’s a nice bed and some serious shut-eye. I need to regroup and see if I can drive more then 100 miles without having the law chase me down. Geez. What an adventure?Day Four: John needs Two warnings to learn his lesson (that lesson is: John’s an idiot, smarten up!)
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