Exploring......

7:10 am - Wednesday - October 7th - Seal Rock, OR - 50° F, 100% humidity, wind - CALM.....very heavy cloud cover....rained all night....forecast high for today is 60° F.  On this date in 2018 TLE and I were having dinner atop the new World Trade Center building.......↴

Exploring is what our lifestyle is all about, right?  We can take our time, because there is no rush to see everything within a defined timeline.  We are able to settle into an area, become comfortable, and then begin exploring those things which interest us.  We are not constrained by workaday lives which beckon us to return after a  week, or two, or three.  We can stay in an area for a few days, weeks, or months as we choose.  Whenever we decide to locate in an area for months at a time our site must have the 'IT' factor (Lake Tahoe, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Acadia National Park, etc).  The 'IT' factor may be different for others, but for us it involves great views like a river view, ocean view, mountain view, a valley view, or a combination thereof.  Ultimately that location must offer opportunities for hiking, biking, and sightseeing.  Seal Rock, OR is such a location.....it definitely has the 'IT' factor for us.

We have driven through Florence, OR several times over the years, but had never stopped off to visit the historic 'Old Town'.  Since Tuesday was a stellar weather day we decided to take the 40 mile drive south after we got off work at 12 pm.  Although it is only 40 miles, the road is twisty, and windy in many places, and it takes the better part of an hour to make the drive.  We left home around 12:20 pm, and arrived around 1:15 pm in 'Old Town' Florence.....

.....it was time for lunch and 'Old Town' is chock full of interesting bistros, restaurants, coffee shops and ice cream stores.  We wanted to sit outside on the water, and quickly settled on the 'International C-Food Restaurant'......

....we had to wait about 10 minutes for a table on their deck overlooking the Suislaw River.....

....I ordered a pint of their Depoe Bay Porter, and TLE a glass of their house Savignon Blanc. For 'starters' we both had a cup of their Clam Chowder, and for our entrees I ordered their Sear Ahi Tuna Salad, and TLE their Crab Cakes.  The beer was exquisite, the Clam Chowder was delicious, and the Seared Ahi Tuna was divine.....

Seared ahi tuna salad....OMG!

.....we had a nice view of the historic Suislaw Bridge built back in the 30's......

.....and the old dock area still replete with the decaying pilings which used to suport the docks, and warehouses which lined this area......

.....the 'Old Town' is replete with interesting 100+ year old buildings......

.....by 2:30 pm it was time to begin the drive back to Seal Rock, but no drive along US-101 is complete without a stop at the beautiful, historic Heceta Head Lighthouse located about half way between Florence and Seal Rock.....

......while tours of the interior of the lighthouse are closed to the public right now because of the pandemic, you can park in the spacious parking lot, and walk up to the lighthouse on a nicely graded gravel path......

There used to be two lighthouse keepers homes

....the remaining home is now a B&B ($260/night)

.....the lighthouse boasts a First Order Fresnel lens, one of the largest ones every made by Fresnel, and it is still operating......

.....the lens cost $80,000 back in 1894, and was first lit that same year.  It was electrified in the 30's, and is now automatic.  The U.S. Coast Guard maintains the light......

Moi checking out the historic Cape Creek Bridge (under renovation)

......the views looking south along the coast are mesmerizing......

.....after our brief interlude at Heceta Head we arrived back home around 4:30 pm.  The marine layer began to move in, but we were still treated to a muted sunset, nonetheless.....

.....thanks for stopping by!

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