Running Tillamook Head

So I'm pretty delinquent with my posting but I thought I'd go ahead and post this late just in case it ends up being a resource for other runners who head for the Oregon coast.Three weeks ago (gee, time flies) I spent the weekend in Seaside, Oregon.
Before heading for home I spent a few hours running on Tillamook head between Seaside and Cannon Beach. The weather was near perfect that day, the sun had peeked out and I never got rained on- any day you don't get rained on at the coast is indeed rare.

I started running at the trail head on the south side of town at the end of Sunset Blvd and ran south on the trail for an out and back run.It's a beautiful place to run, the trail allows for frequent glimpses of the ocean, and of Tillamook Rock Lighthouse ("Terrible Tilly") sitting out a mile to the west. The lighthouse was built during the years of 1880 and 81 and was in use for 77 years.
I found myself imagining how crazy it must of been in those early years of it's use to be a lighthouse keeper out there. The conditions had to have been really, really harsh. There were 4 keepers at a time.They started out with a schedule that required a three month stay followed by only two weeks off. Apparently, experience proved this was a test of the mind and body--as you can imagine, and so they switched to an 'easier' schedule of 42 days on and 21 on off. There were all kinds of stories of keepers losing it mentally--attempted murder and so forth. Well, I would of never signed up--there is no room to run out there anyway. I prefer my ocean viewing be done from the shore.
The trail was in terrific condition with the exception of a large number --I lost count-- of extremely large downed trees across the trail. These were not the kinds of trees you just hopped over. In most cases, you could not easily get under them either. For that matter, going around the tree to either side was not always an option. For instance, a peek this way over the tree. "Nope not going this way!

I spent a lot of time getting over the trees and it slowed my progress. So it would have been terribly frustrating if I had intended on making a targeted amount mileage. As it was, I really was more concerned with time on my feet and enjoying myself. So that's my recommendation. Do it when you aren't aiming for anything more than a fun run in the woods.

By the way, I definitely wouldn't want to make a trip to that lighthouse today because all trips are now to stay. It is owned by Eternity at Sea Columbarium. If you go there now it will be because you've paid to store the ashes of your body in the lighthouse.

Thanks for stopping by!