Blogs from Newport, Oregon, United States, North America - page 2

July 27, 2013 - Saturday Today we were a bit lazy in the morning and then at 1 pm we went over to the Hatfield Marine Science Center and watched the resident octopus being fed. Her name is Sashay and she’s fed only on Mon., Thurs., and Sat. She’s lovely and turns a deep shade of dark red when excited about her food coming. She’s fed fish and sometimes shrimp. And she eats it up quickly too. They octopus they have are only kept for about 5 months and then put back into the ocean. There are so few octopus that survive that they don’t want them to stay in the Center and not be able to reproduce. Of the approximately 100,000 babies born, only 1 or 2 survive! The female dies after her babies are ... read more

Reality is sinking in that we will be home in just a few days time. While I'm looking forward to seeing family and friends, I'm not looking forward to much else! Ian and I talked about what drives these feelings that we share, and we recalled Ewan MacGregor saying, in Long Way Around, that when you're on the bikes, all you have to think about is riding and you completely look forward to it. When you're not riding, all you have to think about is what you are going to eat and where you are going to sleep. Next day you're back riding again, and on goes the cycle. If only life at home was so simple and uncomplicated. I don't want to drag my feet getting home or double back on any of the trip, ... read more

Here are the photos; blog to follow when I get some time; Oregon has a spectacular coast: https://plus.google.com/photos/101506993269424417039/albums/5791975868218422353?authkey=CPTz-a2U3NuuJg... read more

The trip from Florence to Newport is a measly 34 miles. Anywhere else in the world this would mean about a half hour drive; Oregon is like no other place. Between the long and winding road, bridges, tunnels, and waysides the trek was about two hours there and two hours back. Oregon does not get the same miles per hour other places get. The fog had already rolled out by the time I started north to Newport; the sunshine lit my way along the Pacific Ocean. Stopping to take pictures the sea gulls let me get within a couple of feet of them before hopping to lengthen the distance. The crows sat with gulls watching over the shore. Winter or not the greenery never ceases here, making for a beautiful late winter or early spring day. ... read more

Today is my single day in one of the more dramatic sections of Oregon, the coast. I had planned for it to be longer, but need some of the time to get my car fixed. The Oregon coast consists of Pacific surf crashing against volcanic rocks. Much of it resembles Queets Beach (see ) in the Olympics, including the lack of development. The Oregon Coast is unique in that most of it is protected by a series of state parks. They are the legacy of a far sighted governor in the early 1900s, Oswald West, who did much to ensure the preservation of the Oregon landscape. To get to the beaches, I have to drive through the coas... read more