Nine (count 'em), nine years...

Would you go to the beach with this gorgeous chick?

Yesterday was our 9th wedding anniversary. Hard to believe. Seems like only 8 years and 12 months. Actually, in some ways it seems like a couple of years, because we are still on our honeymoon! In other ways it seems like 30 years, because we trust each other so much and communicate so well and think so much alike. But I digress...

Neither of us had ever been to Pacific City. Unlike many of the more famous towns on the Oregon coast, PC is not situated on U.S. 101. It is several miles off the main highway and just north of Nestucca Bay. We decided it would be fun to explore the area in celebration of our anniversary, having no idea what to expect.

It was an indescribably delicious feeling to know that the beach was only 45 miles away! After living most of our lives in Portland, we were unaccustomed to such a short drive to the shore. It is a straight shot from Dallas to Pacific City on Oregon route 22. That is it is straight in terms of staying on the same route. The road, on the other hand, winds through some of the most beautiful countryside you can imagine. The Oregon Coast Range is not tall, but it is covered with vegetation like a rain forest.

We arrived at PC around mid day and found that the parking lot near the beach access in the "resort" area was packed. Driving further north, we found a place where we could park on the beach and have a stroll. Pogo loves running on the beach, and how she did run.

After a romp on the beach, we drove back toward PC and up the hill to see the "view lots and homes." Wow! We are talking rich-guy houses here... 3,000 square feet, with views of the ocean. Very swanky!

We headed back to "PC central" and did a little exploring on foot. There is a grocery/deli/gift shop on the main drag that has wonderful ice cream, and it is only $2 for a large scoop on a cone. Try the coffee almond fudge!

Our explorer genes clicked in, and we got back in the car. Following our noses we had a long and winding journey through a beautiful state park and wound up in Netarts and Oceanside. These two tiny towns sit one on Netarts Bay and one on the ocean. They are charming and were crowded with tourists/sunbathers/sand castle architects.

We toured the area in the car and then headed for Tillamook, which is a larger town of several thousand population and the center of milk/cheese/dairy production on the north Oregon coast. Passing through Tillamook, we headed back toward PC. Scenery abounds on U.S. 101, and we quickly found ourselves back in PC. By this time, fog had rolled in, and the crowds had thinned out.

It was then too chilly to stay on the beach, so we decided to have an anniversary dinner at the Pelican Pub and Brewery. This is a place I can recommend wholeheartedly. In spite of its name, it is quite family friendly. The food is top quality pub food (we had the "famous fish and chips") and the handcrafted beers are wonderful. The Doryman's Dark Ale was smooth and chocolatey with a tiny bite of hops... a perfect complement to the fish. I might add that the service was friendly without being too familiar. We will no doubt return to the Pelican.

At last, we had to head for home. One last stroll on the beach for Pogo's sake convinced us that the warmth of the day was past, which made it easier to leave. The drive back through the mountains was just as pretty as it was on the way out. Going by Nestucca Bay, Jill couldn't resist one shot from the car. Clearly, the fog in PC was a local phenomenon.

When we arrived back in Independence, we found the heat of the day was NOT past! A few minutes with the AC on, though, and Sadie was quite livable again. We both agreed that the anniversary celebration was a complete and utter success.