The Weekend Lens | Washburne State Park
Because Thoreau said it best:
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life...”
On Saturday afternoon (also known as Valentine's Day) Aaron packed up my car with a big foam mattress, a cooler, and a few other supplies and we headed over to the Oregon Coast to camp for the night at Carl G. Washburne State Park.
It's takes about an hour to drive from my house in Eugene to the Pacific Ocean - the first town you come to on the coast is Florence and Washburne State Park is about another half-hour north. This was my first visit to Washburne.
We arrived after dark and stopped at the park entrance and picked up the ticket you have to fill out and include your payment in an envelope for the night (just a note that Washburne doesn't take reservations - first come, first served). We drove through the campground, found a spot (B37T), unloaded the firewood Aaron had grabbed from the stack in my garage and started our fire.
The stars were insane and we had fun using one of those star apps on Aaron's phone.
Now, some people might not think sleeping in your car in a campground is an awesome idea, or anything close to romantic, but it was totally perfect.
Aaron laid the seats down in the back of my car and placed a foam mattress on top. It made the perfect little bed - including sheets and a warm down comforter and a sleeping bag on top. I'm 5'9 and he's about 5'10 and we fit just right.
He also brought along a little vase of flowers.
Go Aaron.
The next morning we woke up and had a simple breakfast of bananas, bagels and cream cheese and then got down to the business of exploring the trails around the campground and taking the trail out to the beach.
This is a place that Aaron's been many times growing up with his family. It's fun to share that kind of stuff with each other. I like that he has places to show me and I have places to show him and we get to make new memories together.
Hiking in this area is awesome. The forest is really so insanely beautiful, especially on what turned out to be a super sunny day.
The light coming through the trees always gets me. It's magical.
The theme of the photos I took this weekend seemed to be "pathways." It seemed every corner we turned presented a new path and canopy of trees and light.
I loved the reminder that we don't have to go very far away to "getaway."
I loved getting outside and being outside and feeling the sun on my face and witnessing the light through the trees. There is so much beauty here.
I loved not being in charge and letting Aaron plan and pack and share with me places that hold special memories to him.
I loved checking out all the RV's in the campground and taking some time to plan our Spring Break adventure this year (which includes all 5 kids and a rental RV).
I loved taking my DSLR camera and trying to capture what I was seeing with the branches and the light and the green.
I loved the quiet.
On our way home we stopped for a late lunch in Florence at Bridgewater and then grabbed coffee from Siuslaw River Coffee Roasters.
Amazing photos Ali. The pathways are just lovely.
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Beautiful ! Thanks for sharing
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I'm so jealous of all that GREEN! What a great getaway!
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Just amazing Ali. It's always good to let go and let some one else take charge and make the 'big' decisions. Personally, I find that very hard. It looks like a magical part of the world. What I particularly like is the fact that you've stopped and taken time to absorb your surroundings and also to remember to capture them for ever through the eyes of the lens. Thank you for sharing.
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Makes me very homesick for the Pac NW. Gorgeous photos.
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Sounds like a perfect weekend x
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Just beautiful! Way to go Aaron! The perfect date :)
(But then, I did meet my husband while I was hiking the Appalachian Trail. So I think I will always think of a walk in the woods as perfect time together!)
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I love the forest. Yes it's magical. It pulls you into a dreamy mindset. Thank you starting my day in such a beautiful way (you are my first blog with my first cup of coffee each morning!).
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Ahhh Oregon is full of so much magic! Love these photos!
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Stunning photos. I really like the connection you made with the pathways. Definitely a theme to be explored. Aaron rocks. Michelle t
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These photos are magical! You're lucky to live someplace so beautiful!
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So beautiful! I feel like I haven't seen green trees in forever. I love that you have lush forests next to the crashing ocean.
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With sub-zero temps and snow and ice all around, I really envy that little GREEN getaway. Perfect! And who said a mattress in the back of your car isn't romantic? Love it!!!
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Love ALL of this Ali, Those photo's of the trees and light are truly magical! Yay for the RV adventures to come. I am putting this place on my "Need to visit" list :)
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I love the one with the Hobbit hole opening! I spend a lot of time in the Adirondack Park-opposite coast, but same magic with the light and the trees. I've taken hundreds-nay, thousands-of photos, and I cannot ever seem to quite capture it...
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I loved Florence Oregon. My family and I did a year long road-trip and went to about 25 states. Oregon was one of my favorite, even though it rained most of the time! The locals were used to it! :) Unfortunately the trailer got some mold, but thank heaven there's bleach! LOL Thanks for sharing these pictures, they reminded me of the trip. :)
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this is so Soulfully inspiring. I am booking a camping trip for me and my girls now becuase of you. GO ALI! xoxo
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I love the combination of those trees and the beach, not something I know around here. And that was a great date idea.
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Wow, beautiful!! And so fun. Love the outdoors and your pictures are amazing!
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You're making me miss the Oregon Coast. Can't wait to get back out there in a few weeks!
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Enchanted. That's the only word I can use to describe the contents of your photos; especially the "pathways". I can't imagine a person leaving there, having been so enchanted, and not be the same as when you arrived.
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I LOVE this! I'm soooo planning a trip like this soon. I'm not typically a "camper" but I'm sure we could set something like this up in our Outback. Where is your snow? Don't you get snow out there this time of year? We have mountains of it in New England. I'll share it with you.
No snow here in the valley this year (at least not yet). This is the time last year when it was snow and ice for a couple weeks and my furnace died. It's been really nice this year though.
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This sounds so wonderful! We have plans to go to Rockaway Beach in a few weeks, but my daughter will be at U of O this fall! This magical place will be the perfect spot to pick her up and head over for some de-stressing and rejuvenating. Sleeping in the car is a great and easy idea. Thanks for sharing your experience, Ali. You make us all feel like we're there!
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Nature photos are the best. Beautiful. Love the thoughts.
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Ahhhh, so lovely. Looks like a perfect weekend & is getting me excited about going back to Glacier NP this summer
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