March 28

Rain, nothing but rain…It’s slowly starting to get to us. Everything is muddy, monotone, and damp. Not to mention, our dog is practically turning into a skunk since he still wants to go for walks in this weather.

Despite the horrible weather, we visited what is supposedly the largest sea cave in the world near Florence this morning. Steller sea lions live there and use the cave to rest and relax. You pay an entrance fee, then take an elevator down into the cave. It’s nicely done, but also very American—meaning the information provided is sparse and underwhelming. But there were actually quite a few sea lions! The sea has been rough and stormy for a few days now, so they’re enjoying some peace and quiet down there.

After the sea lions, we headed to Florence for a coffee and a light lunch. The town itself isn’t particularly special. But then again, we didn’t really explore it much. Compared to the charming little fishing and beach towns we passed in recent days, it doesn’t quite hold up.

From Florence, we decided to leave the coast behind and head east into deeper Oregon. We had planned a great hike to some waterfalls. Let’s see if the weather cooperates by the time we reach the trail parking lot...

Oh miracle of miracles—the weather actually showed us some mercy (or maybe Jupiter) and it stopped raining for a bit. So off we went on the hike. A beautiful moss-covered forest, a few early spring blossoms, a cheerful little creek flowing over mossy rocks. Truly a small paradise. We enjoyed the movement and the fresh air. Jupiter loved running around off-leash and exploring. Poor guy hasn’t been able to go on a proper solo adventure in a while.

Even the sun made a brief appearance. The forest immediately looked greener and more photogenic! Just fantastic. You’d almost expect some woodland creature to be going about its business around the next bend—or maybe Shrek or a forest gnome waving to you from his little hut. Magical!

Unfortunately, our trip doesn’t seem to be blessed by lucky stars. After about 20 minutes, we came to a bridge that had collapsed. Strangely, it looked fairly new and solid… a clean break right through the middle. Not exactly a glowing review of American engineering!Jupiter, the daring hero, wanted to cross it anyway and scout ahead—but not very successfully. Slanted and slippery from the rain, he almost ended up in the raging creek. I managed to grab him by the collar and pull him back to solid ground. Sometimes he’s a bit of a doofus, that dog.

Then we continued on to Eugene. Big city, not very pretty. So best to avoid 😊 Just a quick stop at the local Walmart. We need a tent! So we can at least be outside in the rain a bit. Otherwise, the 4 square meters of our bamboo date (van?) are getting a bit cramped.

We head further east. Tomorrow we’ve planned a visit to natural hot springs. What could be better than soaking in warm water when it’s already wet and rainy? Exactly!So we drive to a campground in the forest near the springs… and of course—how could it be any different… IN THE RAIN!!!! Our tent gets its first use! It’s amazing! I love it already!