First chance to try out the tent I'd bought in San Francisco was Eel Creek Campground in Oregon Dunes National Park. This time the dunes are where you'd expect, butting up against the coast, but they stretch for miles in a thick band of grass peppered sandy waves. Rather than the barren beauty of the Great Dunes or Sand Mountain, this set is more natural but no less huge.
The walk from the campground to the sea is about 2 miles and takes about 3.5 hours there and back. The surface of the sand varies almost with every step and without much visible difference. Sometimes it's hard and easy, next step you might be ankle deep in sand so it can be hard going. The section of beach itself at this point is actually not that inspiring after the scenery traversed to reach it so I didn't spend long.
On the way back, halfway across the expanse, I was treated to an incredible dual astronomical event of red-gold sunset behind me and a pink full moon-rise in front as it rose over the hills. Utterly spectacular in the clear air against the silent and empty sandy backdrop. Just beautiful. No pictures for you, that one was just for me and a moment for memory, not capture.
Back in camp proved interesting as my weather luck ran out and rains came that night along with a chorus of 1,000 frogs greeting the night and celebrating until dawn. The next day was dry, but more overcast so I broke out the kite, hiked to the middle of nowhere dune and after spending an strangely satsifying and absorbing hour untangling the lines, spent most of the afternoon learning to fly. Good times.
Now you know the reason for your training in Gwithian all those years ago...
ReplyDeleteMP has a lot to answer for too.
lunatic...
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