After the holidays we headed north to Oregon for a couple of house sitting stints. We recently signed up with TrustedHousesitters, a website that matches home owners and pet owners with nomads like us who need a place to stay. We arranged two sits near Corvallis, one with a dog and one with a cat. We decided to drive up the coast to avoid possible snow in the mountains and also to enjoy the beauty of the coast. A highlight of the drive was a stop at Redwood National Park, north of Eureka on the California coast. There we saw grazing elk as well as an impressive grove of coastal redwood trees. Click on the first photo in each block to view the slideshow.
We had about a week’s gap before our first dog sitting gig so we rented a house through VRBO on the outskirts of Springfield, Oregon, near Eugene. The house sits on a mini-farm that currently houses three alpacas and a slew of chickens. Alpacas are quiet, gentle creatures and it was fun watching them each day. Pam, the owner, also rescues Chihuahuas and she would drop by often to let us visit with the three that she has now. Carrie knitted a sweater for Olivia, the tiniest one of the bunch. While we were in the area we also attended a basketball game at the University of Oregon’s new arena, Matthew Knight Arena. We used to enjoy games at McArthur Court, one of the great old barns in college basketball, and we wanted to see the new place. The Ducks defeated Arizona in an overtime thriller.
Next we moved about 50 miles north for our dog sitting gig just outside Philomath, a small town near Corvallis, home of Oregon State University. Bailey is a sweet, adorable dog, and she loves to play fetch with her ball. She is well-trained and rarely barks so it was a pleasure to spend a couple of weeks with her. Bailey is a small dog, about the size of an average cat, so she enjoyed sitting in Carrie’s lap and relaxing. Bailey’s house is in a beautiful rural area, and we enjoyed the peace and quiet of the Oregon winter. We were able to take in another basketball game in Corvallis, this time with our own UCLA Bruins in town to play the OSU Beavers. The game was close throughout, lots of fun to watch, and the Bruins came away with a close victory.
One afternoon while we were in Philomath we ventured about 30 minutes south to the William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge consists of open wetlands, forests, and a lake, all ideal for the migrating birds that inhabit the area during winter. Our favorite spot was an elevated wooden walkway that traverses the forest to the edge of the lake. We enjoyed seeing the scenery and all the birds.
When we finished dog sitting we drove up to Portland and caught a flight to LA so we could spend Super Bowl Sunday with long-time friends in our old home town of Camarillo. We flew back to Portland on Monday, ready for our cat sitting gig near Alpine, Oregon. Nigel is a huge cat, about 21 pounds, and he will follow you around outdoors like a dog. The house is unique, with beautiful woodwork and artwork throughout and with decks on all sides. It is isolated from other houses, making it very quiet and peaceful. We rarely left the property during our stay, instead enjoying the solitude of the surroundings and the companionship of a loving cat.
To return to California we took a leisurely trip down the Oregon Coast. We hit the coast at Newport and then drove down US 101. We spent a couple of nights at the Overleaf Lodge near Yachats, a long-time favorite of ours right on the water. While in Yachats we spent part of the day in the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area, one of the most beautiful spots on the Oregon Coast.
