Going camping

Off to the Oregon coast to go camping tonight after work. My hubby and I are hoping that we can find a tent site at any one of the many campgrounds along the coast. Between the Oregon State Parks, the US Forest Service and the smaller county parks, hopefully we can find one little rustic tent spot. I am keeping my fingers crossed, of course.

I so love the beach. I haven't been in a few years. I always sleep better at the beach, even if I am indoors, the middle of winter with the windows closed and a storm raging outside. There are no sunsets more breathtaking, no air more fresh, no wind more exhilerating, galleries more entertaining, sea food fresher, taffy more delicious, than at the Oregon coast.

Before you ask, of course I am taking my knitting (along with a mystery novel, sketch pad & colored pencils, camera and hiking shoes). But instead of any of that, I will most probably be walking along the waterline hour after hour, staring intently at the sand in front of me, searching for shells, agates, beach glass and other interesting objects. I don't swim in the Pacific Ocean, it's too powerful, too terrifying and it's just too cold! I might wade for about 3 minutes until my feet turn purple then white and go numb. A new worry too is the series of shark sightings and landings (oh my) up and down the coast in the last week. So no wading any farther than 2 inches. :)

I will knit, hopefully in that quiet hour when my hubby decides to run to the nearest outlet for:(pick one) ice, firewood, half and half, a can opener or whatever the emergency is this time. I will take a knitting project that is small and machine washable (to get the sand out when we get home).
I hope to have time to record in my journal and sit at the edge of the dune overlooking the shore and sketch the scene: water, the wheeling sea birds, the beachcombers and other denizens of the sand. Even if it were to rain, I will still have a marvelous time.

Micro-fleece and Gortex are de rigueur for Oregonians, especially at the beach. It can be 75 and sunny at one moment and change to 45 and raining in the next. But nothing can compare to the almost daily sunbreak the central Oregon coast seems to enjoy every day around sunset. So wool socks in the one hand, and sunglasses and sunblock in the other, we are off soon!