A Memorial Day That Will Live in My Memory Forever

Monday May 26th, Bandon, OR

"There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man." Winston Churchill

"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." Jacques Cousteau

Bandon Beach was deserted and absolutely spectacular this morning. The sea stacks off the coast of Oregon are breathtaking; the way they rise from the ocean is unlike anything I've ever seen. So we found a wonderful way to get a closer look.

My wonderful horse is Caesar. He and I had a terrific morning together on the beach, checking out the stacks.

Jamie and JJ had a ball too. It still astounds me that my dear husband has fallen in love with riding horses. For most of the past 44 years, Jamie wasn't interested in riding, even when I oened a fantastic horse.. In the past few years Jamie has ridden horses all over the world. Most of our trips have included at least one trail (or in this case, beach) ride.

Today's views were astounding. The horses and our guide Scott seemed to enjoy the ride as much as we did. We felt privileged to spend the morning on the beach e with only our horses and each other for company. What an extraordinary experience!

It was low tide so we were able to get close to the sea stacks. They are the most unique and beautiful features of the Oregon coast. The large rock formations stand tall and alone in the ocean. They are formed through a process called wave erosion, where the constant crashing of the waves against the rocky cliffs wears away at the rock. The force of the water weakens cracks in the headland, causing sections of rocky cliffs to collapse, forming the free standing stacks.

It seemed like ages since we've been to a beach. Both Jamie and I grew up spending summers in Gloucester, MA. Although our families didn't know each other we all spent long lazy days at Good Harbor Beach. I wonder if Jamie and I met as kids and played together in the sand.

Ironically, as adults we prefer mountains and lakes to the seashore. Maybe that's because we live in landlocked Colorado. Or maybe we chose to live in landlocked Colorado because ocean beaches don't really appeal to us? So it was a surprise when Jamie looked at me and said, "I really miss the sound of the ocean." I agreed. Who wouldn't miss this? Luckily, we'll be on the Oregon and Washington sea coasts for another two weeks.

We finished our day with a delicious dinner of freshly caught lingcod, and scallops cooked to perfection by Chef Jamie. It was a perfect end to a nearly perfect day. Happy Memorial Day from our crew On The Rhoda.

The Coquille River Light House near our campground in Bandon, OR