Oregon Country Fair

I know I've said this before, and will likely say it again, but one of the greatest things about life on the road is the unexpected and serendipitous local events we discover in the areas we visit. This time it was the Oregon Country Fair held in Veneta, Oregon, about 45 miles east of Florence (where we were staying in July 2013). We kept seeing advertisements for this event, and at first I thought it was a county fair. But the Oregon Country Fair is a far cry from a county fair, and the pictures below, more than any words I can use, will probably describe the event best. Part Renaissance Fair, part Mardi Gras, and part Hippie Fest, this even kicked off 45 years ago and is an annual 3-day festival offering crafts, food, music, information sharing, entertainment (organized and spontaneous), and much, much more. The wooded setting adds a definite magical feel to the already enchanted surroundings, and one day probably isn't enough to take it all in. If you want to learn more about the event, Google it, or check out their website: http://www.oregoncountryfair.org/index.php 
We are so glad we had the opportunity to be a part of this rather unique experience, and if we ever return to the area at the right time again, we will definitely go back. I've attached a lot of pictures to this post, as it was extremely hard to leave any out. (And these aren't even half of the pictures we took!) Enjoy!

 

Cape Perpetua Hike

Yachats (pronounced "Yah-Haughts") is a small coastal town about 26 miles north of Florence bordering the Siuslaw National Forest. From the Cape Perpetua Visitors Center in Yachats, there are numerous hiking trails that wind through virgin stands of Sitka Spruce, Western Hemlock, and Douglass Fir. Dan and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to take one of these hikes while we were still staying in Florence; below are some pictures from our outing. 

Heceta Head Lighthouse Hike

The 5th of July in Florence dawned bright, clear (and a bit windy and cool), so Dan and I and our visiting friends decided to take the hike off Highway 101 that leads to the Heceta Head Lighthouse. I can't imagine a more gorgeous or majestic setting for a hike. The ancient trees tower up to the sky, and at every turn along the trail you are treated to vast seascapes and ocean waves crashing along the shore. At times I found it hard to remember that the highway and the world were just over the next hill. Although much of the old growth and beautiful forests in Oregon have been mowed down over the years, I am grateful for those which have been left untouched, and that I am given the opportunity to walk among these most spectacular surroundings. The Heceta Head Lighthouse had been closed for a number of years, and was reopened just prior to our arrival in Florence. Dan and I were the only visitors to the lighthouse the first time we visited; this time there were at least 2 dozen or more visitors. Here are some updated pictures from our hike to the lighthouse this time around.



 

 

Florence, Oregon (July 2013)

On July 2, 2013, we left Cannon Beach, Oregon for Florence, Oregon, a relatively short drive south around ~175 miles. This wasn't our first visit to the area, and this isn't the first time I've written about Florence on my blog. We like this part of the Oregon coast and make it a point to stop here whenever we are traveling in this part of the country. But this time we were lucky enough to have visitors during our stay, two couples we know from the Sacramento and El Dorado Hills areas of California. Our friends came and stayed over the 4th of July long weekend and we had a great time hiking, touring Old Town Florence, watching the fireworks over the Siuslaw River on the night of the 4th, and sharing all around good times. The few days they were here just flew by, but we were able to pack a lot of activity into those days and create long lasting memories.