[Slugman]

I had five days off last week, as I do every other week, so I spent Saturday packing the car and running errands, and on Sunday September 24th I drove to Cape Lookout state park in Oregon at the base of the Netarts Spit. This is a great park for tent campers, inexpensive, I had site B20, I highly recommend it, surrounded on three sides by dense salal foliage. I took a nice walk down the spit for the sunset, it is miles long, and as I found again and again on this trip, the ocean side of these spits and peninsulas are peaceful and remote, much more so than the typical Oregon beach.

Monday I drove just a few miles north to Oceanside, Oregon, and hiked up the beach to the secret tunnel through the cliff that leads to a secret beach. OK, maybe it isn't a complete secret, but it is cool. You must go at low tide if you want to explore. Cliffs, sea stacks, arch rocks, it's pretty special.

Tuesday was the main attraction: a bicycling and beach walking tour of Bayocean Peninsula, home to the Town That Fell Into the Sea. Be advised: you must approach as if from Tillamook, not from Cape Meares, as the road is no longer a loop. From the parking lot I rode the bike up the dike road on the bay side of the peninsula, and it was nice but I was still glad for the bike. I came to the side trail marked "Townsite trail", so I took the detour. I found a good campsite up in there, plus the beach was just one high dune away, not bad for this area. I marked some landmarks in my memory, for I hoped to come back this way from the beach side on my return.

Back on the road, I went through the woodsy sections, then almost to the end, before turning west towards the ocean at a marked trail. I did some pushing of the bike to get through the dunes, but at least the terrain was flat at this point.

The tide was coming in by then, and I was afraid I was going to be pushing the bike all the way back on soft sand, but there was still enough firm damp sand exposed that I was able to ride most of the way. It was amazing out there, it felt like I was the only person on the planet.

I took advantage of a wind shelter someone had built, though it wasn't that windy, and lounged for maybe two hours, it was sweet. Then I took on the truly herculean task of getting my heavy bike up the really steep dune and down the other side. I had to practically throw the bike up the dune ahead of me, then struggle up to it, then repeat. But it was just one dune, then a nice trail, then the road back to the car. Whoops, those last couple of pics, starting with the purple one, are from back at Cape Lookout campground and beach.

[hikerman]

Noted for future trip idea!

[Slugman]

Bayocean peninsula is one of just a few places you can backpack on the Oregon coast.

[Ski]

looks like a great site!

[zephyr]

[Chico]

Bayocean sounds eerily similar to Washington's Washaway Beach and North Cove.

[Slugman]

[Malachai Constant]

They actually had a railroad there of sorts. It was narrow gauge and the ties were just set on the sand. The actual town site is still pretty much covered with the Pacific now. There are a few relics if you know where to look. Not much fresh water there and what there is is pretty funky. Family has a cabin near there in Rockaway.

[Slugman]

[Slugman]

[Brushbuffalo]

[Slugman]

I feel completely satiated with Bayocean knowledge after watching that video. OPB has almost 200 Oregon Field Guide episodes on their Youtube page. Last year I did an overnight trip to Bayocean, camped in one of the several excellent campsites about two miles from the parking lot. I used a jogging stroller to haul in an 80 pound comfort camp, easy-peasy using the bay side access road.

[Tom]

Awesome vid, thanks for posting.

[Dick B]

Another interesting site to visit on the internet is the Tillamook Rock Light house also known as Terrible Tilly. It's been sitting on a rock off the Oregon coast for 120 years and still hasn't washed away. A tribute to the folks that constructed it. It has an interesting history.

[Malachai Constant]

Loved the video have been there many times. I have one of the books mentioned in the video. Also have one on Terrible Tilly. Have spent lots of time on the coast. Hopefully it will not get too popular.