So you think it is hard gardening in Oak Bay

We saw the signs warning us to watch out for elk crossing and thought it was the same tourist plot as on Vancouver Island - 30 years and no sighting, when suddenly we realized we were looking at a small herd of Roosevelt Elk sitting in the grass waiting for the rain to subside. Bill had to drive through a flooded section of road to get close enough for pictures but felt it was worth the risk. After absorbing this sighting, we drove a few miles further and spotted another herd - this time in a farmer's field. We drove up a side road and sat in the car as they moved around us, jumping over the fence of one field and climbing under another to move into the farmer's yard and began grazing there. They skipped the daffodils!

Treasure

Found this treasure lying on the forest floor. Cup lichen?

Awesome

I've seen pictures of a car driving through the redwood tree in California but nothing prepared me for the experience of entering a forest of these giants. Awesome applies if any word can describe the feeling of walking down the path confronted by the tallest giants in the world. They are absolutely straight and can tower 200 - 300 feet above you. The oldest is 1500 years old. The forest has a peaceful feeling - partially because of the quiet understory. Only fern and tiny sorrel leaves surround the Redwoods - no competing bushes or other varieties of trees - this because of the flooding of the forest floor for centuries with an ecosystem built for Redwoods -along with the delicate eating habits of the banana slugs who eat everything except redwood seeds and seedlings!

Weather report

High winds kept us awake half the night - whistling in varying pitches and banging anything not tied down outside. We woke up to clouds, rain and relief that we had gone out the night before to walk on the beach - the weather and high tide made that impossible today.

The rain kept us company all day but was light enough that we still were able to get out of the car and take pictures and go for walks at stops all down the Oregon coast and into California.

Bandon - an exercise in wildlife

We decided to stay in Bandon, Oregon for the night without really knowing what we had in store. As it turned out, our place was on the cliff above a National Wildlife Refuge that consists of volcanic rocks and spires that are nesting habitats for countless of species of birds. We're early of course but soon a variety of birds including puffins will arrive to nest by the tens of thousands. We only saw seagulls and cormorants but the view and the walk on the beach before sunset was spectacular.

Bill asked the attendant if there was an exercise room in our hotel but she pointed out that there are exactly 123 stairs down to the beach and a few trips up and down might take its place!

Sand Dunes

Oregon Dunes National Park. Open for hiking until snowy plover nesting season - pathways are restricted then. No worries, down the road miles of signs advertise dune buggy adventures. I know which species I'm rooting for....

Tough choice - snow or sand dunes

The forecast was 15 cm of snow in the passes we were headed for so we made the hard decision and left the pouring rain on the I5 at Eugene and headed for the coast. There isn't much to say about the I5 - once you've seen one Walmart and Home Depot ... And then there are the casinos - all with names that echo the call of the wild: Run of the River, Wolf Creek, Spirit Woman, each one bigger than the last. We were happy to trade all that for moss-covered trees and, wonder of wonder, SUN!