While Hubs was away in Portland for a
conference, my mom decided to drive south and spend a night with me.
Why, you ask? Because she can! After living 22 hours away for 3
years, it is nice to know that I am only 2 ½ hours away now. So why
not visit?
While here, she met our
neighbors/landlords and enjoyed some local wine. We went grocery
shopping and toured the towns nearby. It wasn't until we spoke with a
local winery owner in a coffee shop that we realized how close we
were to the beach. Once the topic was breached, it was all we could
do to scramble to the car to head home and load up the puppies and
head out to the beach.
I have to say, the drive to this beach
was the most incredible, beautiful drive I have ever been on. The
road is gentle with curves and dips to keep the driver interested.
The trees reach out to each other on opposite sides of the road,
creating a tunnel of foliage and branches overhead. Bridges criss
cross the Umpqua River throughout the drive offering breathtaking
views of the River and the houses that dot the banks.
We arrived in Reedsport in desperate
need of a bathroom and a little direction to the nearest beach.
Luckily, we found both in the same location. We were told that there
was a beach at Winchester Bay just a few miles south of where we
were. This sounded promising, so we got back into the car and headed
south.
We rolled into Winchester Bay (already,
I loved the name) and saw campers, 4-wheelers, dune buggies, and crab
boats everywhere! It was a mash-up of family vacations, sand dune
enthusiasts, and hard working men loading and unloading crab pots.
The road lined the boat filled bay, the pier with fishermen, and the
breakers that protected the two others.
By the end of the road, we had found an
empty parking lot that was one beach grass covered knoll away from
ocean, crashing waves, and the sea's breeze. Did I mention that Izzie
has never been to the beach? Yes, my water loving pooch has been
deprived of such an experience... until this day.
Racing over the tiny hill with three
dogs leading the way, my mom and I were met with a little more than a
Sea Breeze... with a sunny sky to warm us in the chilling ocean wind,
we ran about with the dogs, into the water and out of it, soaking
them (and some of us) to the bone with fresh salt water. Izzie's poor
snout was covered in sand as she tried to eat the bits of jelly fish
on the beach... she learned quickly that it wasn't the best idea.
After a while we loaded the dogs up
into the car again, all crashed out from the excitement, and headed
to a local restaurant for clam chowder (because you must when at the
beach). We stopped in a gift shop first in search of a treat to get
my neighbors and found a blown glass orb that resembled a japanese
float. It was meant to hang in a garden – perfect for Bonny.
The chowder was decent, although I
contend that my mom's was better (she agrees), and the view was
so-so, but somehow, when you are at the beach, it doesn't matter what
you are eating or what you can see from your table... it is always
perfect.
Finally Home,
~Birdie
Nitty Gritty was a fun project while it lasted, but I have since moved on to a more niche based blog world with my writing for Beaux Cooper. 
