Post PCT - Oregon Coast Trail day 1

[Warrenton to Gearhart]

Out of the few options I was considering to take like hiking the Olympics Park, Tahoe Rim Trail or even Colorado Trail, I went for the easiest in many ways the Oregon Coast Trail. First of all this trail didn't require any extra permits or long distance traveling. Resupplying seemed quite easy with many small towns along the way, it was also completely different to the PCT. Another good thing about it is that I don't really care all that much about thru hiking it and if I don't it won't be a problem. I'll just see how and if I enjoy it, hike for a week or so and then perhaps go to sightsee few more cities before going back to Europe. It seems like the most budget friendly option as well.

So did I like the trail so far? Not really, turns out that walking log distances on a beach is not particularly enjoyable, I'm hoping that next few days will bring some variance. There's so many cars on the beach, people living around here love to drive up and down it and relax next to their cars, so there was no privacy for the entire day, every 200 metres there was a car, sometimes it included an angry dog and more cars were constantly driving up and down the beach right next to me.

It has also been quite featureless and unsurprisingly flat. Good thing is that since I'm hiking southbound the wind is hitting my back rather than face so that's a big plus. I found a great little place to camp for tonight next to a bench overlooking the ocean, nicely protected from the wind and leveled. I might had upset one or two couples as they were probably trying to watch the sunset from this spot, but they didn't make any fuss about it so I might be wrong.

The highlight of the day was seeing bald eagle right on the beach swooping down, picking dead fish or crab in its claws and flying away. Never got to see one on the entire PCT and now first day on the coast trail and here it is. It was definitely last thing I though I'll get to see over here.

It's the first night by the Pacific Ocean, think I'll enjoy the white noise of the waves before I fall asleep. Goodnight.

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