7/21/08 - Newport, Oregon

We left Lakeside and went to Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. We saw guys on dirt bikes riding up and down the dunes. There was a jeep with a man, his niece and son. I asked them if they would take me for a ride. I got in the back seat and took an exciting trip up to the top of the dunes and down a few times. It was very fun, like riding a roller coaster at Astroworld. We drove down the coast and stopped at a rock formation off the beach called COX ROCK. We stopped at another lighthouse at Heceta Head. We went to Sea Lion Cave but they charged $10.00 to see the sea lions. We already saw some the day before at a state park for free so,we wouldn’t pay $10 to see them. A mile or so down the road we saw people at a pull out. We stopped and lo and behold there were some sea lions sunning on beach and playing in the water. I bet the people who had just paid $10 were furious. We stopped at another pullout and there was a great formation called Spouting Horn. It was a blow hole that the surf was coming through with such a force that the water sprayed through it and up in the air. We traveled down the road and stopped at two more lighthouses -- Yaquina Bay and Yaquina Head. In between these two we stopped at the Rogue Brewery and had a taste of 16 of their 39 beers. When we got to Yaquina Head lighthouse the fog had rolled in and you could hardly see it. We will go back in the morning to visit again.