A Little Luck Of The Irish

Sometimes my timing is terrible, like last night when I went for a walk on the beach in Seaside, just as the tide was about half way in.  All I found to photograph were a few leaves in the sand ... yup leaves that came in on the tide ... one small jellyfish and hundreds of broken crab and sand dollar shells.  In other words, nothing.

Sometimes, my timing is really good, not due to anything "I" did ... it's just the luck of the Irish!  I headed over to Astoria early in the morning so I could take more pictures of the bridge where the boat had passed.  I was hoping the clouds/fog would hang out long enough.  The tide was at the perfect level to be reflective of everything above it.

This is the Cannery Pier Hotel and Spa, built on the site of the Union Fish Cannery, 600 feet into the river.  Bring your biggest credit card, as the smallest rooms go for $310 a night.  More if you want the Finnish Spa Deal.

As I walked closer to the spot of the last pictures, I noticed the reflection in the water.  PERFECT!!  I snapped away.  About that time, a crane squawked really loud and flew up right under me, scaring my heart into triple time.  I was so enamored with the bridge, I forgot to look down!!

I can't decide if I like this one in color or black and white, so I did both.  I also didn't realize just how GREEN the bridge is from the constant painting and renovations.  

This guy didn't scare me half as much as the tall creepy man I ran in to as I walked around the corner. He was on his phone, I was focused on bridge pictures.  SMACK!!  That brought me back to reality pretty quickly!!  With a death grip on my camera, I made a beeline for the front of the building.  

I knew that somewhere up the mountain side, which is totally covered with houses, I would find the shot I was looking for.  All the streets are VERY narrow, most of them going nowhere.  More like alleys, there are Dead End signs everywhere.  I knew I was WAY too far away, and was trying to get further West when this baby walked right in front of me.  I had no idea there would be deer in the middle of the residential section.

I kept cruising around slowly until I found one spot barely wide enough to park the car, but the picture wasn't what I wanted and now I was way past the bridge the other direction.  Up a couple of steep hills I wasn't sure my poor Jeep would take me, back and forth, I cruised for about an hour.  That's when I saw these babies meandering along the edge of the road.  Their horns were thick with velvet!!  Good timing Nancy!!

I knew it was there somewhere.  I'd seen pictures of it before.  Finally, having walked down a long narrow street .... I saw it!!  There it was ... the shot I had been looking for.  I pumped my fist in the air and began snapping away.  What an amazing sight from up here.  Sometimes with a little persistence and the luck of the Irish, you will be rewarded!!

If you would like to see this view, here are directions.  No motorhomes of any size will fit.  Cars and trucks only.  As you come into Astoria on Hwy 101, take Hume Street to the right (just past Pig N Pancake).  Yes, it looks like a very narrow dead end, but continue up the hill, around the corner, around the 90 degree turn (name changes to Lincoln, then to Grand) and eventually you will find the only wide spot in the road on the left hand side.    You're there ... look to the right.  I could sit there for hours and watch the ships go by.

I've tried a couple more restaurants, some out of the way beaches and I have more driving directions so you can skip all the traffic in Seaside .. well most of it anyway.  That's what's up for tomorrow!!