For those who know us well, you’ve probably already guessed where this story is headed. But just in case, let’s end any rumors about drunkenly behavior on the Oregon trails and set the record straight. We did NOT get buzzed on alcohol while hiking in Oregon. We DID get attacked and Eric almost died.
Let me explain.
It began so well
Our trip to Oregon began on a perfect note. The flight to Eugene was smooth and the weather was sunny and dry (which is rare in April). Our drive along Hwy 126 through the Siuslaw National Forest was beautiful, especially along Sweet Creek Falls where we stopped to hike. The road to the trailhead is long and steep but it’s a gorgeous drive and can be done in a small car. We LOVED this trail and it’s a MUST HIKE if you’re ever in those neck of the woods.
Finding our Zen
We arrived at Ocean Haven, a place that cast its spell on us when we visited in 2020. The lodging isn’t luxurious by any means and the spaces are small but the location within Tokatee Klootchman Natural Area is AMAZING and they have everything you need to survive in comfort. We booked their Shag’s Nest and enjoyed our own private ocean views, sipping coffee, reading books and watching the storms roll in. Our room had a shelf full of books about hiking, meditation and local history so we felt completely at home. The only dissonance in my Zen moments were when Eric would leap out of the chair to try and capture a photo of the elusive bald eagles that call this place home. I told him he was exhibiting similar behavior to the characters in Grumpy Old Men, only he was “eagle hunter” instead of “catfish hunter.”
Learning lessons in icy rain
Eric and I both love the rain and we anticipated hiking in it, but we didn’t expect that rain would turn into ice. While hiking Amanda’s Trail from Yachats to Cape Perpetua Lookout, we did just that. It was a light hail and made a nice “tink tink tink” sound when it hit the ground. The entire trail was beautiful, beginning with ocean views, a suspension bridge and a sacred memorial area commemorating a tragic story that symbolizes many similar tales in our nation’s history.
Before this trip I had never heard of Amanda de Cuy or the trail that carries her name. Amanda was a Coos woman who was blind, abandoned by her husband then forcefully separated from her daughter and forced to march with others in her tribe along what is called the Oregon Trail of Tears (which ended in Yachats). To hike this trail was a humbling experience.
You’ll find a good history of the Coos people here.
Wisdom received
I rarely buy books, especially while traveling. They’re heavy and I can get them free at my library. At Books’n’Bears in Florence, something compelled me to buy a copy of Nick Offerman’s Where the Deer and the Antelope Play. I had no idea it delved into our nation’s complicated relationship between our national parks and the expulsion of our native peoples from their land. This was the book I was reading before and after we hiked Amanda’s Trail. Wisdom comes to those whose minds are open and mine was perfectly prepped to receive the messages from these stories. Like so many Americans, I take immense pride in our park systems and any place that makes nature accessible to all. Not once have I pondered the fact that our gain was someone else’s loss, until now. This doesn’t tarnish my love of country or our parks – it engenders a deeper appreciation for the privilege we have and instills a deeper desire to respect and protect the land and those who have always fought to do the same.
Near death in Florence
Speaking of Florence, that lovely town on the Oregon coast is where Eric almost met his demise. I might be slightly exaggerating the peril (I’m half Irish after all), but in the moment I really did fear that I would lose him. We were hiking the Dunes Trail at Sutton Lake when we stumbled upon a very angry swarm of bees. Eric is HIGHLY allergic to anything that stings and carries an EPI pen wherever he goes. One sting is enough to send him to the hospital, multiple stings could kill him. I watched him walk through that swarm, clinging to him like something out of a horror movie. I could see them hitting his bright blue rain jacket as he desperately tried to get away.
They eventually left him alone, at which point he unzipped his jacket and I could see him struggling to remain calm. With EPI pen and Benadryl in hand, we inspected his neck and face to see if he’d been stung. We waited and focused on slowing our out-of-control heart rates. The scene from My Girl and stories I’ve read about of hikers who died on the trail due to anaphylaxis kept playing in my head. Miraculously Eric was not stung and the experience was just another reminder to fully appreciate and never waste this precious time we are given.
On a lighter note
Before the dunes we hiked Heceta Head and Hobbit’s Beach trails. At the end of Hobbit’s Beach there was a section where people have decorated the trail with shells and other natural treasures. We had fun dressing up Coco and letting her frolic in the magical wonderland. For those who don’t know Coco, she’s a crocheted avocado given to us by our 3-yr old Godchild/niece. Coco goes with us on every trip and travels with her own prop bag. Pretty sure she gets more attention on our social media than we do.
An easy ending in Depoe Bay
We ended our trip in Depoe Bay, our second favorite town on the Oregon coast. Like Yachats, Depoe Bay has several excellent trails to hike (most of which we’ve hiked in previous trips) and they have the best clam chowder in Oregon at Gracie’s Sea Hag. This time we explored the Depoe Bay Trail that begins in town, winds itself along the rocky cliffs and connects with the Oregon Coast Trail. We followed it north past Boiler Bay Scenic Viewpoint and turned around at Fogarty Creek.
We also attempted the Knoll to God’s Thumb hike. The Knoll is a large grassy hill that sits atop Lincoln City. The trek began in town where we parked at Roads End Recreation Area and headed up the steep terraced neighborhood until we reached the trailhead. It was a muddy climb all the way to the end where God’s Thumb juts out into the Pacific Ocean. We got close to the divine phalange but stopped just before the tip because it was too steep and slippery to attempt. Neither one of us wanted to throw away the life granted us after the bee fiasco.
We headed back to the beach parking lot to eat lunch. While scarfing down our sandwiches, I struck up a conversation with an older man and his sister who were doing beach clean-up. Armed with rock hunting scoop and litter stick, the man told us he had recently become disabled and the daily beach walks was helping him learn to walk again. He had recently moved in with his sister so she could help care for him and you could see how genuinely happy they were in their companionship and to be doing something useful.
Lots of lessons to be learned in Oregon and while traveling, if we only open ourselves to do so.
Have we convinced you yet to visit Oregon? You’ll find our Best Hikes on the Oregon Coast on Trips to Walkabout.
4 Comments
I thought this was going to be about hiking after a wine tasting, but your first paragraph told me “no.” Then I thought it was going to be about bees or wasps. So sorry that thought was right, but GLAD for a no-sting outcome.
Us too! I kind of laugh about it and keep it light-hearted in the post, but we truly were terrified in the moment.
Close to 20 years ago I read an article on the forced buyouts of approximately 500 families in order to create Shenandoah National Park. Until then, the idea of forcing people out of an area in order to create public spaces had not crossed my mind.
Yeah, like all things in life there is a balance. It seems we always have to lose something in order to gain, it’s just infuriating when certain groups are always the ones who end up losing and never gaining.