We woke up, showered, then headed for a hearty breakfast at “Mother’s,” a nice restaurant in downtown Portland. I ordered macadamia nut pancakes with coconut, and they were delicious. We all ate well.

After breakfast, we got on the highway and headed toward the coast. The trip took us through such green, lush countryside. We drove past Tillamook and admired all the cows that make the cheese that make Tillamook famous. Rolling farmland gave way to forests and rivers.
We were all chatting, when suddenly, Lee and I both stopped and said, “Oh,” at the same time. The Pacific Ocean had just come into view. I had never seen the West coast before, and it was very different. The water was a beautiful light blue, with much larger waves than are generated on Tybee Island. The most stunning feature to me though was the rocks. The hills dipped straight into the water, and rocks jutted out far past the breakers.
The beaches we saw weren’t the kind you necessarily bring a chair and a book to so you can lay out. People at these beaches were doing things, surfing, kayaking, playing with their dogs. We walked the beaches, and of course, took lots of pictures.
We headed back to Portland, then to a fabulous restaurant called Jake’s. Despite a parade winding through downtown, we managed to park and walk the several blocks to the restaurant. The food was fantastic, and the company was even better.
Full of food and content from our day, we headed back to their apartment and slept well.