Day 27. June 01, 2019. Garibaldi Oregon

It's day 27....it's also June 1st, 2019....and we're in Garibaldi Oregon

A drive along the Oregon coast on US 101... never disappoints.

US 101, in most places today, is a US Historic Scenic Hiway.

It originated in the 1920's in California.

It's primary objective objective was to connect the Los Angeles area with Spanish Missions along the Coastline. It would eventually connect Oregon and Washington to California with 1500 miles worth of Hiway.

With the introduction of Interstate i-5 in the 1960's....the majority of North South Travel today has moved further inland...making any trip between California, Oregon, and Washington much faster.

But if you have the time.....it's definitely worth your time to take the drive on the Historic 101.

Today....you'll be detoured in a few spots back out to I-5...

But....trust me....spend as much time on 101 as you can

In Oregon....the entire 360 mile long coast line is a spectacular drive....the whole way on 101...

In fact...they've even put that on signs along the way...As we dropped down out of The Siuslaw National Forest Mountains back along the coast...I read a sign that actually said..."South of here...Hiway 101 closely parrallels a spectacular shoreline. Be prepared to dazzle your senses with offshore seastacks, arched rocks, and panoramic vistas. Plan to stop and take plenty of photos! Hiway 101 is your road to adventure and discovery!"

For us...

We would wind our way past those spectacular panoramic vistas...

inland....up...into....and through the lush forestry of the Siluslaw National Forest....

And the Siuslaw National Forest???

One could spend days .... or more....just exploring this place....

I'll summarize here and just say.....

With over 600,000 acres of the Pacific Northwest within it's boarders....

It is one of only two National Forests in the lower 48 that can claim Ocean front within it's borders

It is also contains the largest expanse of termperate coastal sand dunes in the world

It's diverse range of ecosystems support a variety of wildlife ranging from elk, blackbear, bald eagles...to well...

Chinook, Coho, and Steelhead Salmon.....you know......the ocean all.

And ...... probably goes without saying.....the area is rich with cultural and historical heratage given relationship with the indigenous peoples dating back thousands of years!

Our drive through the forest would take us down through grassy green hillsides and creeks...the road lined with dairy farms and fisherman....

And back out to that one of a kind coastal Scenery.

Go far enough and you will find the Sea Lion Caves and Oregon Dunes Recreational Area, in a place called Florence

And some 55 miles south of Astoria we found the historic fishing village of Garibaldi

A port town nestled at the northern end of Tillamook Bay.

driving into Garibaldi I spotted a pullout with a large parking area lined with tree's....

and the bay peeking through.

There were already a couple of RV's parked along the roadway....so clearly there was somethin to see here.

Found our spot...and a quick walk around with Dougie (too close to the hiway for Billies antics)....and decided we'd found a great spot for an over night camp!

15 minutes later....we were leveled up....steaks were defrosting and bbq was out!

And as would become my thing....I had already done some quick reading.....

Interesting to learn how a small piece of Oregon’s north Tillamook Bay area could have such close ties to not only America’s civil war....

But how democracy unfolded on the world stage....not so very long ago.

But before digging in, .....it was time to break out Billie's harness and Dougies leash for a short walk up the road to the stoplight....

Cross the hiway...and a long walk up and down the small town streets lined with craftman style homes, mobile homes and even an RV park. I briefly considered relocating to the RV park....but why?

We already had a front row seat to the comings and goings of the Tillamook bay.....probably no better way to spend a afternoon.

Then dinner....and some quality time ejoying those comings and goings....quite a bit of it actually....and a lot of pictures

Snuggled into the motorhome for the night...windows open so we could listen to the sounds of the bay....

It was time to start reading.....

Garibaldi..... its a small port town and maritime community at the northern end of Tillamook Bay,

Not to far from where the bay opens into the Pacific Ocean.

The city, has a population of around 800.

A total area of 1.37 square miles.....38 of which is water....so clearly.....it's all about the bay in Garibaldi

Before the arrival of European and American settlers...

Garibaldi was inhabited by the Tillamook people, who were the indigenous people of the Oregon coast.

They lived in the area for about 12,000 years, from Tillamook Head to Cape Foulweather...

their activity extended inland to the summit of the Oregon Coast Range.

They had a rich culture and history, based on fishing, hunting, gathering, and trading with other tribes

They also had a complex social and political organization...

Including.... a hereditary chiefdom system and a council of elders.

They spoke a Salishan language,.....the origins of which date back some 6000 years, but is now extinct.

An interesting fact popped up in reading about the settlement of this area.....

That was that this was the first area I had read about that mentioned conflict...

So why does it pop up here?

Here's why.....

The fight between Captain Robert Gray and the native Americans in Garibaldi was a violent encounter that occurred in August 1788.....

When Gray and his crew of the Lady Washington visited Tillamook Bay for supplies.

Gray and his men were attacked by the local Tillamook people, who may have been provoked by previous mistreatment by European traders.

It was a violent conflict resulting in the death of one from the Gray's party....

And several of the Tillamook warriors

Gray and his men managed to escape and set sail....but not before burning some of the Tillamook canoes and houses.

This incident was one of the first recorded conflicts between the Pacific Northwest Indians and the European and white settlers.

It also marked the beginning of Gray's reputation as a brutal and ruthless trader.

It would be some 70 or 80 years later when a man named Daniel Baley would become the first known property owner in the area.

Bayley was born in New Hampshire but would eventually migrate to Oregon in the mid 1840's when he joined the Oregon Trail Migration.

After settlement in the Tillamook Bar area....

He would go on to establish the areas first general store, hotel and post office.

In doing so he named the town after an Italian General named Giuseppe Garibaldi.

Garibaldi was known for his long and Illustrious career in the Italian Military....also known for the key role he played in the Italian reunification and creation of the Kingdom of Italy in the 19th Century.

He was also known as the "Hero of the Two Worlds" because of his military adventures in South America and Europe.

His support of democratic forms of government....as well as his efforts to abolish slavery across the globe caught the attention of President Abraham Lincoln.....who would offer him a commission to fight for the Union Army in the American Civil War.

Garbaldi would decline the offer, but would later express great respect for Lincoln and praise him on the Emancipation Proclimation.

I guess Daniel Bayley admired Garibaldi as much as Lincoln did.....given that he named the town for him when Garibaldi had never actually lived anywhere in the United States....let alone Oregon.

Today, Garibaldi thrives enjoying robust tourism and fishing industries. The arts play a pivotal role in the community as well.

The quiet little town of 800 or so plays host to thousands of visitors each year. Probably to visit the longest pier in Oregon at the boathouse....

Or maybe one of the seafood resteraunts, stores, galleries......or may charter a boat for some of the best deep sea fishing the Pacific Ocean has to offer

For us it was a night spent pulled off at a historical marker. The evening was spent over a barbeque admiring how the lush hillsides blend into marshlands and gradually opening up into the bay, and eventually the vast pacific ocean.

Waking up the next morning to the sound of fisherman loading supplies from their trucks down to their boats.

In the distance we could hear several other boats chugging through the morning tides of Tillamook Bay and out to sea for a day of fishing.

A pretty awesome way to start a Sunday. Contemplated hangin out for another day or so but I guess ramblin fever got the better of me yet again.....

So....pulling out of Garibaldi I'm finding myself wondering again....

Where to next? And I wonder what we will learn there!