Certainly No Disappointment

Captain John Meares is probably the only person ever who has been disappointed by his visit to Cape Disappointment.  Captain Meares arrived on the southern Washington coast in 1788 and looked for a way to cross the huge river sandbar at the mouth of the Columbia river.  Due to his lack of success in this endeavor, he gave the area its name.

Captains Merriweather Lewis and William Clark were certainly not disappointed to arrive here in 1805, as it marked the end of their very long journey to the Pacific.  The Corp of Discovery stayed here for several days upon their arrival before crossing the Columbia to the south and setting up camp for the winter at Ft. Clatsop.  

For the visitor today, either by land or sea, the area is far from a disappointment.  The sandbar has been controlled by the construction of an amazing jetty and the natural beauty of the southern Washington coast is amazing.  Today, the area is Cape Disappointment State Park, with a big beach complete with driftwood shanties and teepees, cliffs that fall right into the sea, two lighthouses, a coastal forest, and a Lewis and Clark interpretive center and historic military battery.  We have spent the last four days at the park and it has been brilliant, one of the true jewels on our travels.  

For our journey, this stop also represents a milestone.  As of this stay, we have officially crossed the entire United States from east to west.  Four months ago, we we camping at Huntington Beach in South Carolina, staring out at the Atlantic Ocean.  This morning, we woke up to the roar of the mighty Pacific just beyond our campsite.  Our journey has covered 25 states and more than 20,000 miles in the last 6 1/2 months.  While our journey has certainly been far, far simpler, comfortable, and predictable than the Corp of Discovery's it still has been an eye opening and life changing one.  From a historical standpoint, it is both amazing and a bit disheartening to see and imagine the changes this country has undergone in the last 200 years.  However, what remains clear, is that a journey across this wonderful country of ours is still an amazing adventure.  The natural and human diversity of this place still remains startling at times.

Today we are beginning our drive down to Oregon Coast and are currently planning to stay in Cannon Beach, OR.  The Oregon Coast is a national treasure, particularly given that the entire coastline is open to the public; access that is guaranteed by Oregon Law.  We plan to camp on the coast for the next week or two, as we make our way to Redwoods National Park in Northern California.  While it is rainy today, we remain hopeful for sunny days ahead.