The Oregon Coast

By: Tonia 

This past March I had the opportunity to visit the Oregon Coast while road tripping through Oregon with a friend, and instantly, I knew it was a place that I would visit repeatedly throughout the course of my life.  So, when that same friend decided to test the boundaries of life and run for Miss Oregon, I decided to sneak in a couple of nights on the coast in conjunction with supporting her dreams.  With a book deadline looming around the corner and all of the stressors associated with starting a new position sitting on my shoulders, I knew that some time away from busy city life would be the perfect reprieve from the day to day nuisances of life.

For weeks I dreamed about spending some time on one of my favorite beaches, the smell of salt water and pine tinging the air, the cool breeze causing goosebumps to rise on my skin, and the gentle lulling of the waves taking over my wandering thoughts.  Plans to whale watch, surf, and hike begin to crowd my itinerary, and I couldn’t wait to enjoy the warmth from my fireplace and views of Haystack Rock from my room at the Tolovana Inn.  And then 2 days before my flight, I received word that a severe storm was heading to the coast.  A storm carrying winds up to 150mph, a storm that was categorized as being potentially “historic” when it broke landfall.

It seems that I have a propensity for travelling in times of danger, especially after my trip to Turkey this summer, less than 48 hours after the coup attack.  And once again, I was stuck debating whether to proceed with my journey as planned.  Even though I was hoping that the weather alerts would fizzle and disappear before I landed in Portland, instead I exited my flight to a voicemail from the manager of my hotel with weather advisory information and alerts of power and phone outages.

I had the option to stay with my friend in Lake Oswego, a suburb near Portland, but I couldn’t resist taking my chances on the coast.  So, I stopped at the nearest Safeway, bought a battery operated lantern and a big bottle of Carlo Rossi Sangria and made the hour and a half drive to the coast.  At least if the power went out, I would have my wine to keep me company.

The drive was marred by pockets of rainfall, but on arrival, the check-in to the Tolovana Inn was swift and smooth, and my room was the epitome of getaway perfection.  From the ocean view to the fireplace and full amenities, I was more than ready to battle the storm.  Since I had a couple of hours left of daylight, I put on my raincoat and rain boots to prepare for the impending weather conditions and headed to my favorite beach, Oswald Park West.

Unfortunately, it was blocked off by caution tape, and for a second I thought about trying my luck, but in realizing I was alone, I headed to Cannon Beach instead (just in case I couldn’t make it the next day due to weather conditions).

The large waves were indicators of the storm brewing, but my spirit was more than at ease as the salt water tinged my nose and the wind speed increased at rapid rates, sending debris and my hair into the air like leaves on a windy autumn day.  All along the coast, the picturesque views were being captured by novices and professional photographers alike, everyone ready to capture that perfect shot of the calm before the storm.

As the wind speed increased, I decided to head to dinner, so that I could be back in my room, in case the small beach city lost power.  Due to a long wait, I wasn’t able to eat at my favorite restaurant Castaways my first night, however, I did have delicious fish and chips at a local eatery.

I awoke the next morning to news that the storm wasn’t expected to make landfall until around 3pm, so I decided to sight see, since my original itinerary had to be dismantled due to the storm.  Cannon Beach is filled with so many gems that I probably wouldn’t have found, if not for the inclement weather.

The record-breaking storm never fully hit the coast, but it gave the perfect excuse to explore Cannon Beach and gave me even more reasons to go back.  I have seen some beautiful places in this world, but the Oregon Coast is hard to be beat and should be on your bucket list, if not there already.

Want to learn more about Tonia?

Even though Tonia was born and raised in Houston, it was during her college years in Baton Rouge at LSU that Fashionably Deceptive began to manifest.  Always an avid reader and writer, Tonia decided to try her hand at writing a novel based “loosely” around the lives, fantasies, and experiences of her college roommates.  That idea would manifest itself into a masterpiee of a novel that will have readers hooked from start to finish.  Tonia is currently working on finishing and releasing other novels.  When she is not working on a novel, Tonia spends her time writing for various publications and mentoring teen girls through the non-profit she co-founded.  Be sure and check out her website below.