This is the view from our motel room at Rockaway Beach on the Oregon Coast.
A few months ago I was asked to participate at a Family History Fair at the Tillamook, Oregon Family History Center. It is about a two hour drive from our home, so I asked my husband David to come with me as I don't like to travel too far from home alone. We wanted to spend the night, so I searched for a motel that would allow us to be right on the beach and had a good view. Due to my recent injury, I did not feel up to walking on the beach. This motel was a wonderful find. There were motels in Tillamook, but there were not any with a view of the beach.
Driving to Rockaway we took the drive through Cannon Beach, another of my favorite places at the coast. It was beautiful weather all weekend. When we arrived, David decided to take a walk on the beach. I was set with my wonderful view, open windows letting in the sea breeze and the ocean sounds. It was a little overcast, but we had full view of the ocean, including some ships passing in the distance. After dinner at a fantastic Mexican restaurant, we settled in. The evening sunset was beautiful, pink rose tinted with amazing clouds.
Do I sound like I enjoy being at the coast? It is our family's favorite vacation spot and we usually rent a house. This time we left all the kids at home and struck out on our own. In the morning we had a half-hour drive along the coast to the meeting location. There were many fishing boats in the various bays we passed by. It reminded me of my grandparents who were avid fishing people. They spent a lot of time at the coast and shared their catches with us.
The motivation of speaking for a group of people in this location was very compelling. While the numbers were small, we enjoyed getting to know one another. I spoke for two classes and attended two others. For lunch we gathered around the table and shared some of our genealogy experiences. The fair was well planned, with very good presenters. As usual I had a hard time choosing which classes to attend. I hope to go again next year.
By the time it was over I was exhausted. David picked me up right on time; we stopped for some fast food and headed home. This time we took a different route through the mountains so we could see different scenery. Once we hit the main highway it wasn't long before I was dozing. David had a great time seeing the town and scouring the local beaches for treasures. He is not much into this genealogy stuff, but he is wonderful about supporting me in my endeavors.
As genealogists we need to be open to a variety of experiences. Some day I hope to go to New England and experience the character and charm of that location. No matter where we go it helps to broaden our horizons. I find driving through the countryside very therapeutic. It helps us to unwind, refocus, and appreciate this wonderful world that we live in. In the end it will make us better family history researchers. Where would you like to go for your weekend getaway?
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