outside lands roadtrip

My sister suggested that documenting my own experiences traveling to music festivals would be advantageous. I figured a trip down the West Coast’s Highway 101 in route to Outside Lands festival in San Francisco would be a good start. Leg one of this voyage began in Eastern Washington state in Spokane, WA. From the dry, 95 degree weather near the Spokane River, I ventured south to meet the Columbia River Gorge–the functioning river border between Washington and Oregon. At over 1,000 feet deep at certain parts it’s a remarkable natural feat and one of the most beautiful rivers in the country. Passing through a unreasonably sunny and hot Portland whilst Pickathon Festival was taking place, the 90+ degree dry weather that spanned the whole drive thus far came to a alarmingly quick (and brutal) end once we hit the Oregon Coast town of Rockaway Beach. Hovering near 60 degrees, the temperature’s 35 degree drop was noticeable to say the least.

outside lands roadtrip

 Luckily, that cooler weather moved along quickly and bright skies arrived to reveal just how beautiful the rugged and untamed Oregon Coast is. A quick day trip to Oswald State Park West made for some of the best surfing/body boarding and warmest waters along the Beaver state’s coastline. Better yet, Oswald is home to a local lore treasure story. Apparently, in the 1500’s a Spanish pirate ship returning from a trip to China needed to salvage it’s treasure of Gold and Beeswax (a lucrative item at the time). They chose Oswald and its neighboring Neahkanie mountain to stash the loot. No one knows where the loot is to this day, but an engraved chunk of beeswax and a piece of the Spanish ship have been found. Check out the full story here.

Off to eat some fresh Pacific salmon and shoot some raw oysters…

outside lands roadtrip


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