Lighthouses, cheese and rain.


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North America » United States » Oregon » Tillamook
October 18th 2006
Published: December 5th 2006
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And another west coast shot! I'm in love with it! Sorry if it sounds soppy.
We ended up camped at a mostly shut down campsite which was a little off the beaten track. It was located next to the river which made for a nice solitude atmosphere. I could not find the mountain biking trails that the AAA book suggested were located there, so off into the rain it was to visit the Tillamook cheese factory which was not cheesy at all, pun intended.
No we saw the main cheddar line where the machines and peoplepower make it all happen! There was a big cheese conveyor belt with people in their white overalls checking the cheese weight and packing quality. Cool!
Cruised further down the coast taking in what we could see of the sights considering the weather was stormy. The coast is rugged and wild but so scenic and beautiful at the same time. It changes from the steep rocky cliff with huge waves breaking on the rocks to huge sand dunes which are dotted with tussocks and trees. We ended up taking a scenic loop and touring an old lighthouse on the way down and stopping at many viewing spots which popped out along the side of the road. Why rush right?
Also we
Beach ViewBeach ViewBeach View

Panoramic shot of the beach. Don't ask me the name. But it is in the central west coast of Oregon.
were luckly enough to see a pod of whales cruising around near the beach when we were near Newport. Despite the weather being stormy we thoroughly enjoyed seeing the amazing west coast. It became dark, so after consulting the AAA book we found a state campsite in the Oregon Dunes. It had rained on and off during the day but the weather proved to be better once we got there. Once we were set up for the night we cruised around Florence and found a hotel to leech some internet off, then it was off to huddle up in sleeping bags.



Additional photos below
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Tillamook cheese factoryTillamook cheese factory
Tillamook cheese factory

So here is the main assembly line inside the cheese factory. Everything was very clean and yellow and white. Spare a thought for the people working in there with glass around them and tourists leaning through snapping photos.
Cape Meares LighthouseCape Meares Lighthouse
Cape Meares Lighthouse

This early 1900's lighthouse was restored and reopened to the public. This is located 3 capes loop that we drove.
Lighthouse LampLighthouse Lamp
Lighthouse Lamp

The old kerosene lamp that used to light the lighthouse. The glass magnification is so strong that a 50w bulb can be seen clearly for 16 km's away. Nowadays its an electric bulb that flashes in a certain sequence. All lighthouses have a different sequence so sailors can tell which one they are seeing.
Octopus TreeOctopus Tree
Octopus Tree

This tree has been shaped by the strong cape winds which really whip through exposed parts of the coast. Do you think it looks like and octopus?
Highway 101Highway 101
Highway 101

This is the view from the highway. 400 km's of this isnt a bad road trip!
Lighthouse cape shotLighthouse cape shot
Lighthouse cape shot

Another lighthouse flashes consistently during the stormy day.
Tip of Oregon dunesTip of Oregon dunes
Tip of Oregon dunes

The Oregon dunes stretch for miles after this bit of the coast.


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