Our Journey to the Ocean

We are staying in Eugene, Oregon. 

It sits right between the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Mountains. 

We had to decide if we were traveling West or East for the day. And really, growing up in the Midwest, how do you not pick the ocean?!?

On the way, we saw what we thought was smoke, but then realized that they were clouds laying on the ground. 

Everywhere we looked there were pine tree filled hills. Lots and lots of huge pine trees. 

We turned a corner and realized that we were about to drive through a hill. It was a pretty long tunnel. 

Then finally we saw the ocean. This is at a state park. See how far the ocean is away?

We then saw this sign. 

Well, it's June 1st. We took that as a sign we were going on a hike. 

We trudged through sand dunes that had been washed a mile inland. 

Then we made our way through a woods. 

We could hear the waves crashing. We came out of the woods to see this. 

A meadow. No ocean. At this point I was convinced we were going the wrong way. Because i ALWAYS get lost. But we walked through the meadow. And when we got over the hill....

The ocean!

And the best part of hiking that far to see it . . .

We had the entire beach to ourselves as far as we could see!

It was still a hike across the sand to reach the water. 

And when we got there, it was painfully FREEZING. It actually hurt to walk in it. But we did, for a brief moment :)

Then we walked up the beach and picked up orange, purple and blue shells. Really, they were mostly broken, more like sea glass, smooth pieces of shells. 

Then the hike back, which seemed to be all up hill. But doesn't the journey back always seem to be?

Especially when we reached the sand dunes again. That was brutal. 

This is overlooking the journey we just made.

 A day I will remember, and the adventure made our trip to the ocean that much more special :)

I've now had my feet in the Pacific Ocean! Check that off my list :)