Exploring Siuslaw National Forest
We wanted to stay near the coast for the mild summer temperatures, but that doesn’t mean we have to stay in the established campgrounds. We were not alone in the thinking about the heat wave, and all campgrounds were either full or near full, and honestly we would rather be out n the forest anyway. While scouring the maps we though we had a half-dozen spots in the Siuslaw National Forest to our north that looked good, so we set out to scout them.
We hadn’t decided what we would do when we found a spot – whether it would be a full weekend stay or just a single night was up in the air. We just drove up and down random spur roads that branched off the major forest road of our choosing – even spotting our first black bear this year – exploring away as the night got closer and closer. We ended up driving for more than two hours on Friday night. Nearly 50 miles of back-country roads explored and more than a few spots that we could have stayed. They were great spots too, and with enough cell signal to work from as well. But, we kept deciding to move on and to see what was further down the road. Quite possibly because of just how beautiful the actual road was. On both sides the foliage was taking the road back, intruding into the road like long arms trying to reach out and caress Big Blue as we lumbered past. Berries of all sorts were always within reach, literally easy pickings while staying seated in the van. And to top it all off, the forest road was paved! Not only that, but it was glassy smooth most miles, making the drive extremely scenic and relaxing.
We explored for too long the first night, passing numerous great spots to camp. By the time we were too tired to continue, the better spots seemed to be far behind us. We were just about to settle for a side of the road spot when a tiny opening in the berry bushes whispered too us. Kerri walked in first and reported back that it had a small opening a few hundred feet in. It would be our home for the night, but first Big Blue had to get there. Thankfully, Big Blue’s paint job is more than your average car or van’s paint which would have been scratched to bits navigating this small road. The Monstaliner bed-liner can not be scratched, so I simply idle’d Big Blue right through the tiny opening in the bushes – spreading the green sea, so to speak – and arrived at our home.
In the morning we decided to move on to explore another portion of the forest. Again, driving for hours exploring the beautiful forest just above the coast. By mid afternoon my brain was too tired to continue. Even with the extremely mellow roads in this national forest, they still require a lot more mental attention than your average highway, and three or four hours driving them takes it’s toll on a man. We pulled over at the next acceptable (to Kerri) place to call home and did just that.
The spot we chose for our second night wasn’t spectacular or anything, but offered a glimpse of a view, some shade, and a gentle sea-breeze. With a bit of extra daylight left on this day we had the time to sit outside with cocktails, read some, play fetch, and pick some wild berries. Siuslaw has really grown on me – a complete surprise.
