Oregon

Summer of '99 we swapped some Aeroplan points for a trip to the west coast.  From Vancouver we visited some friends, ventured into the interior of BC to the Okanagan valley where we stayed on a ranch, went to a horse auction (this is cowboy country, yuh know) and went skiing and swimming from a boat (thanks Gary!).  The west is for active people, that's my theory.

We went to Seattle where we had a riot (no, we showed up too early for the tear gas) and then the Hertz dealer there blessed us with the California-plated Chrysler convertible pictured below which we took south to San Francisco.  So now, I get to the point: Oregon,  more than just a state en route to California, is a place of incredible natural beauty.  Our route was US 101 which follows the coast and offers fabulous views of the ocean and all things ocean-related.  My pictures are mostly of an early morning walk on a beach of almost infinite proportions, but before we get there you can see Oregon's other scenic specialty -  huge rock boulders with crashing surf.

Kids:  If you can spot the sea gull in this (and other) pictures, click on it and hear the sound.  (Real Audio player required)

Carol mostly drove while I filmed and took pictures.  Stupid convertible tricks, click here.

(In the pictures below, hovering your cursor over the image will give you a map ref. and additional information)

	...and a misty morning, our first day in Oregon
An evening...  Our first evening we pulled into Seaside just as the sun was setting.  Seaside has a long boardwalk along the beach perfect for a twilight walk... The next morning, a beach walk among the waves on Cannon Beach (pictures, right)

I'm most at home anywhere that I can walk the surf, advancing and retreating with the waves.  Carol took the video camera and captured her man's surfscapades -some of my finer moments.  Any pictures below where sand is the main element were taken during an early morning beach walk as the sun rose over the dunes near Florence, Oregon (just above #5 on map).  Hey, those of you that have ventured west into my virtual Oregon again!  I think I've finally put most of the finishing touches on this page.  The numbers in the picture captions refer to the approximate location (blue numbers) on the map to the left.

Early morning at the beach reduces my thoughts to basic elements: light, sand, water, dune grass and a few simple props.  It always gives me a proper perspective on myself and on God.  In such a vast expanse I cast a long shadow while the sun lays low but even that could not possibly stretch across such an immense expanse.  God is as far as I can see, and if I went that way his presence would extend further than I have time to go.  He is as constant as the waves following one after another and filters my thoughts like the water through so many grains of sand.  If my thoughts could only bring something new before God each morning and my actions carry out all that I already know of his way - that would be true worship. To: photo collections home Pelee Island the convertible Easter Coin du banc Percival Molson stadium