Cheese. Beaches. Ice Cream. Petting Farm.
But before Oregon, I must still go on about the Olympic Peninsula and the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway. It’s 350 miles long and outlines the entire Peninsula, meandering through the National Park, lush rainforests, oyster-packed inlets and ocean beaches, then extending on into Oregon. You are in for a treat if you travel this highway. Can’t wait to return. So, jumping back on Hwy 101 in Aberdeen, we stayed on the beautiful bumpy two-lane road onwards into the state of OREGON.
Traveling South on the 101, we first hit the state line on the Astoria-Megler bridge. Quite a spectacular sight. Immediately after the bridge smack in the center of town, was an unexpected encounter with three deer blissfully unaware of the commotion they were stirring with traffic. Among them was a spotted fawn! I snapped some pics while Jim gently honked Clark’s horn and was glad to see several drivers get out of their cars to shoo them off the road.
Pictures in Tillamook, OR (album #49)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
.
Tillamook Creamery
When in Tillamook, one must visit the Tillamook Creamery! A very nice tourist attraction unto itself, it’s also a huge working factory. They make over 170,000 pounds of cheese and 18,000 pounds of ice cream every single day! After watching the factory workers below from large windows on the second story and learning about the whole process from dairy farm to packaged goods, we headed to the dining area. Cheese curds, Mac NCheese, Cheesebugers, Tillamook Lager, and last but not least a flight of ice cream. Yum! 
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Three Capes Scenic Route
If you’re looking for the most breathtaking views of the Tillamook Coast, the Three Capes Scenic Route is perfect. It’s a 40-mile jaunt along the water. However, we traveled a bit more miles due to detours for road repairs.
We first drove to the closest spot we could get to see the Cape Meares Lighthouse. But, because of dense fog clouds, there was no lighthouse to be seen. The water however was so picturesque, and as the above pic shows, there were large caves carved into the cliffsides where folks plop down for a day of beach fun and build big bonfires. we hiked a good mile or more down the beach until the tide stopped us at a bend that could not navigate around (the crashing waves were impressive and certainly demanded respect). The cliffs here ooze water from the higher elevations and create dripping waterfalls; it was a bit sketchy to walk so close to the cliff edge fearing inevitable erosion/avalanches.
We made it safe and sound back to the car to continue our jaunt to Cape Lookout. After that, we cruised through the resort town of Oceanside and were treated to a golden sunset right on Netarts Bay. A bit lost at one point, we found ourselves still on the curvy forested road after the sun went down trying to find the detour points back inland to Tillamook. Ran out of time (and daylight, even at 10 PM) to stop at the third cape, Cape Kiwanda. Next time. Always fun to get lost!