Last night we camped at Hall Lake in Oregon, inside of Oregon Dunes National Park. We got to our campsite at night and couldn't really see the surroundings. The van, once again, kept us toasty warm and dry as a thick fog rolled in for the night. We woke up to scattered drips and drops on the roof, falling from the pines around us. After firing up the stove and making some breakfast burritos, we headed out to check out the area.
It turned out we had camped right on Hall Lake! It is a small lake surrounded by wild green forest on one side, and looming sand dunes on the other. I spotted a red bellied salamander skittering through the leaves. He came to rest under an ominous green, slimy looking mushroom. I left him alone and followed Dave up the trail.
We hiked through the woods and suddenly were on another planet. The forest ends abruptly in towering sand dunes that look as though they were a chunk of land dropped from another planet. We scrambled up the largest one that dropped into the lake, and as soon as we reached the crest were blasted with an ocean wind carrying thick fog.
Jax the Dog loved the dunes. He opened up full throttle and went launching from valley to peak, over and over. Dave and I walked in the fine, damp sand until the wind had stripped all feeling from our hands and noses. We headed back down to the van with a happy, exhausted dog in tow, ready for more adventure!
We stopped in Bandon, OR at about 2:00 PM to get some coffee and scones, and use the internet to catch up on things. Tonight we are headed towards Arcata, CA, and then the Valley of the Giants! I spoke to a friend in the area who said the weather is sunny and beautiful, so we are on our way!
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