Girls only

This was my first trip to the Oregon Coast. I've been to the beach in San Diego and Santa Cruz once each in my 47 years. Tom always talks about how much fun the beach is and how much he misses it. I finally started thinking to myself, "He misses the beach the way I miss the mountains." That's the only way I could relate for a while. I'm beginning to see what the beach means to people. When we finally got to the beach, I didn't care it was only 60 degrees...I was in that water as fast as I could reasonably get there. LOL...I felt like a kid, running down the beach just to get my feet wet.

At the beach in Manzanitas, Oregon

I went with my two friends, Lynda and Donna. They are both 10-14 years older than I am. I felt like a teen as I jumped in and out of the Yukon and walked circles around them. I never thought when I met Donna and Lynda through Dr. Phil's message boards that I'd have lifetime friends. They both live in town. Lynda and I walk together twice a week at the mall. We get with Donna once a month to visit and work on whatever project we have going at the time. Lynda needed companions on this trip to Oregon to pick up her grandma's desk. Donna volunteered herself and me to make the trip. We talked, teased, joked and talked some more. We enjoyed it so much that we are planning another trip in three years to Manzanitas, and we'll just relax and play together for a few days.

Donna, Ann, and Lynda at Seaside, Oregon

And we can't forget the Tillamook Cheese Factory where I experienced Squeaky Cheese for the first time. I'm the face of the cow.

On the way home we took a scenic drive and saw all the falls on the way down the freeway. This is the trail at Bridal Veil Falls. I loved the greens of the trees. Gorgeous!

Me at Bridal Veil Falls

At Multnomah Falls Donna and Lynda waited for me as I walked up to the bridge you see in this photo. The trail to the top was another .8 miles, and I went a little ways, but I didn't want to make them wait 2 hours for me so I didn't go too far. I love how strong I've been feeling, and I knew the hike wouldn't be a problem for me. No worse than the Timp Cave or Wind Cave hikes! As I walked along I thought, "I LOVE doing this. How I've missed it!"

Horsetail Falls