A Day At The Beach

A sundress and flip flops were an optimistic choice this morning as I embarked on a 36 hour road trip from Portland to the coast.  Temperatures hovered in the mid to low 60s.  The strong ocean breeze and banks of fog didn't make the day warmer.  I slowly added layers and by the end of the afternoon I was in jeans, boots, a sweater, sweatshirt and scarf.  So much for a day at the beach!

Although I loved the haystacks at Cannon Beach, I was absolutely charmed by town of Astoria.  The city is important for several reasons:  it is situated at the mouth of the Columbia river, is named after John Jacob Astor whose American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria in 1811, and Lewis and Clark barely survived the winter of 1805 here. As the fur trade gave way to fisheries and logging, the town prospered, evident by the Victorian homes and stately hotels which still remain.