First Hike of 2024

I have two different New Year's Day Traditions.  I either go skiing or go to the beach.  With this winter lacking in the snow department thus far, skiing was out of the picture.  So this January 1st, I pointed my car westward towards the Oregon coast.

Cannon Beach is the closest coastal town from my home.  A tad over an hour's drive gets me to its lovely, rugged beaches.  Upon my arrival, I was psyched to see sunshine streaming over the ocean.  I'd made a good choice!

Foggy view of Cannon Beach

Wanting to get in a good hike to start the new year, I headed to Ecola State Park.  With 9 miles of spectacular coastline, lush forests, and some scenic hiking trails it's my "go-to" state park on the northern Oregon coast.  Parking at Ecola Point, I first walked over to capture the iconic view of Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock.  The ocean and seastacks were cloaked in fog, but that just added a touch of mystery.

Tillamook Head Lighthouse

The opposite direction offered a great view of the abandoned Tillamook Head Lighthouse, nicknamed "Terrible Tilly."  The morning sun illuminated the lighthouse brilliantly that day, and I snapped on a zoom lens to capture it.  We photographers don't ever waste good light!

Lush coastal forest

Photographic obligations complete, I then shouldered my backpack and headed northward along the Oregon Coast Trail. This trail connects some of Ecola State Park's attractions.  From Ecola Point, my plan was to head north for 2 miles through the forest to Indian Beach.  From Indian Beach I'd head another 1.5 miles further north to a place called "Hikers Camp" on Tillamook Head which boasted some great views of the ocean and Terrible Tilly Lighthouse.

First viewpoint had nice views of Tillamook Head and Indian Beach

I always love hiking in the coastal forests.  Due to abundant rainfall they are always full of ferns and the large fir, spruce, and cedar trees drip with moss and lichen.  Trails through these forests often resemble green tunnels.

Sea Lion Rock Arch

About a quarter-mile up this first trail I came upon a stellar view of the mighty Pacific.  Looking to the north gave stunning views of Tillamook Head and Indian Beach.  Southward, the views were of a group of small seastacks, the largest resembling an arch (I later found out it has a name - Sea Lion Rock Arch.)  Foamy waves crashed into the shoreline.  I could've stayed there all day just watching the rolling waves - but the trail was calling!

Beautiful light on the forest

One thing about hiking trails on the Oregon coast - even in midsummer, they are always muddy.  And during winter's rainy season, the muddiness level rachets up to ten.  The further I hiked towards Indian Beach, the higher amount of bogginess I encountered.  Some of the steeper ups and downs required a bit of caution to keep from sliding downhill.  It didn't take long before my boots and pant legs were caked in mud.  But I had on my old hiking boots and pants, so no problem.  However I encountered many hikers clad in clean tennis shoes.  (I'm sure they weren't clean for long.)

Illuminated cedar boughs

Sunlight peeked through the thick forest canopy, creating nice light on the tree boughs and ferns lucky enough to receive this illumination.  It made for some absolutely beautiful scenes.  Many photographs may have been taken!

Grand view of Indian Beach

After two grueling miles of ups and downs and muddy slogs, the forest parted into a lovely viewpoint of Indian Beach.  The blue sky and the white-topped waves made for a stunning sight.  I could see Tillamook Head's steep promontory jutting out into the ocean, the Tillamook Head Lighthouse a short distance off its tip.

I had lunch at this very scenic picnic spot

Time to go check out the beach!  The trail spiraled downhill to the rocky shores of Indian Beach.  I walked along the entire stretch and then climbed up the bluff to the parking lot.  Here several well-situated picnic tables provided great places to enjoy a snack while taking in the marvelous views.  Nabbing a table, that's exactly what I did.

It was fun to watch people enjoying the beach

Today being a holiday, the beach was full of families enjoying themselves.  From my perch, I had fun people-watching while eating my snacks.

The very steep road up Tillamook Head

After a brief break, it was time to tackle part two of today's hike.  A loop trail from Indian Beach took people up Tillamook Head to a group of primitive wooden shelters called Hikers Camp.  Although the Oregon Coast Trail continued past here all the way to the town of Seaside, Hikers Camp was my planned turn-around point.

 

Hiker camp

From Indian Beach, I followed an old road that rose quite steeply through another lush coastal forest.  Huffing and puffing, I slogged up this arduous path.  Although only a mile and a half to the camp, this portion of the hike seemed to take a long time to traverse.

Hiker camp cabin

But finally I came upon a clearing with three wooden shelters and a covered picnic area.  This was "Hikers Camp," which provided accommodations for people backpacking the Oregon Coast Trail.  The worn down, moss-covered shelters didn't look very cozy to me - and I'd heard rumors of a rodent problem too.  If I was spending the night, I think I'd use a tent.

Up close view of Tillamook Head Lighthouse

From this primitive camp, a side trail led hikers to a nice viewpoint.  Although it had been many years since I'd hiked here, I remembered an impressive vista.  So I covered the extra distance through an extremely muddy path and was rewarded with some of the best views of the Pacific Ocean and Terrible Tilly Lighthouse.

Boardwalk through the muddy trail

The only downside - between my snack break at Indian Beach and arriving here, the sky had clouded up and there was no more fantastic light.  Although I used my zoom lens to snap some great close-up shots of the lighthouse, I was disappointed the sun was no longer shining.

A side note about the Tillamook Head Lighthouse - Built in 1881, due to its location this lighthouse weathered many a terrible storm, sustaining much damage, until being decommissioned in 1957.  It's currently under private ownership, being used as a columbarium.

Nice artwork on an old WWII bunker

But that's not the only history here.  During World War II the U.S. established a radar sight near this viewpoint.  Some of the moss-covered bunkers can still be found in the forest.  On my way back to Hikers Camp, I paid the place a visit.  It was so muddy, I didn't linger long, but did notice someone had painted a very nice mural on one of the bunkers.

These tree boughs were full of ferns!

After paying my respects to the bunkers, Hikers Camp and the ocean viewpoint, it was time to head back.  Instead of taking the steep road, I decided to follow the other part of the loop, a nice woodsy trail that meandered through more ultra-green forest.  It was a good choice, and I enjoyed a mostly downhill ramble past a couple more nice viewpoints on my way back to Indian Beach.

View back towards Ecola Point on my return trip

Returning to Indian Beach once again, the now-cloudy skies didn't make for great light, and I only snapped a couple of images before continuing.  I was beginning to tire and was ready to shed my muddy boots and head home.

Colorful mushroom

But first I had to traverse the 2-mile trail from Indian Beach to Ecola Point.  Back through the worst of the mud, I discovered not only was the trail much more chewed up from the host of hikers that had traipsed through, it was also mostly uphill.  For some reason, this hadn't registered on my outbound trip.  It was an absolute slog!  And it didn't help that I was getting really tired.  But I put just kept putting one foot in front of the other and I eventually got myself back to the car.

Elk right along the park entrance road

As I was hiking this final stretch, I began to hear sirens.  The noise got louder and louder until I could hear emergency vehicles coming down the park road.  Back at my car and heading out of the park, I nearly collided with a red pickup belonging to the local fire department racing down the entrance road.  I later learned that someone's dog had fallen off a steep oceanside cliff.  The lucky pooch was rescued by the Coast Guard and although banged up, was expected to survive.  Here's a great video of the rescue effort from our local newspaper:

The elk were too busy eating to care 

The day had one final surprise for me.  On my way out of the park I noticed a bunch of vehicles stopped ahead.  A small herd of elk was feeding right along the road and everyone had slowed to take pictures.  Of course, I did the same.  It's not everyday you get to see these majestic beasts up close!  The elk were near enough that I didn't even need to use my zoom lens.  And the parade of people waving cameras didn't faze them in the least.

Great way to begin the new year!

Ocean views, dense green forests, a historic lighthouse, muddy slogs, old bunkers, and elk sightings.  Just another great day on the Oregon coast.  What a wonderful way to begin 2024! 

Evening at Ecola

That Memorial Day beach trip left me longing for more.  The following weekend was super busy, with both my kids visiting.  Sunday afternoon after their departures, I didn't want to sit around moping and worrying the rest of the night.  Hmmm....I had a little bit of time before sunset.  Why not catch some evening light on the coast?

Sea stacks near Crescent Beach

I threw the dog and my camera into hubby's truck (he was in China on business, so I got my pick of vehicles).  And then I headed west to Ecola State Park.

Ocean peeks through the forest

Ecola State Park, on the Oregon Coast, is right outside the town of Cannon Beach, a mere hour's drive from my house.  The park hugs 9 miles of gorgeous coastline, meanders through lush Sitka spruce forests, offers amazing ocean viewpoints, and accesses some great beaches.  Lewis and Clark traveled through this area many years ago in search of a beached whale.

Bear takes in the stunning views

It was nearly 5:30 when I pulled into the parking lot at Ecola Point.  I drug Bear to the overlook so I could get some photos of it's famous vista.  Looking southward, the view extended across Crescent Beach, it's rugged cliffs and a group of scenic seastacks.  Further down the coastline, one can glimpse the town of Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock, the most well known seastack on the Oregon coast.

Lots of mud on this trail!

From Ecola Point, I've hiked the Oregon Coast trail north to Tillamook Head (read about it here).  However, I noticed a sign pointing to a southbound continuation of this same trail.  Crescent Beach was a mere 1 1/4 miles down this path.  Bear and I could handle that!

Looking down the steep cliffs

Off went my doggy and I, trudging through muddy woods on a steep narrow path that roller-coastered through a magnificent rainforest.  As Bear bounded ahead, I though how nice it was to be hiking with him again.  Now well past his 12th birthday, I'd recently curtailed most of Bear's hikes.  He tends to tire quickly, and his back legs don't work as well as they used to.  But I figured he'd be okay on this short trail.

Crescent beach scene

As I meandered through the thick forest, I caught ocean glimpses through gaps in the trees.  So blue and lovely, it beckoned me on, through the steep, muddy trail.

Halfway down the path, I emerged into a grassy clearing.  And, oh what a glorious view to behold!  Crescent Beach spread out below.  The sea stacks now looked much closer, and one could see the white waves making interesting patterns as they traveled towards shore.  Someone else must have also thought this a wonderful vista, as a wooden bench had been erected here.

Follow the tracks

After taking my photo break, Bear and I continued our journey across the muddy track.  After leveling out and following the top of the cliffs, the trail suddenly turned and dived steeply down towards Crescent Beach.  The final set of wooden stairs that led to the sand were very tall and steep.  But finally we had arrived!  And Bear and I had the place to ourselves.

Lots of sand dollars here

So many photo subjects!  Bright pink foxglove flowers bloomed in the grassy steep slopes adjacent to the beach.  The sea stacks, so very close now, were lit up by the setting sun.  And numerous shells littered the sand.  Of course I had to capture everything.  And it wouldn't be one of my coastal blog posts without at least one sand dollar photo, would it?

Beautiful foxgloves lined the beach

Bear and I walked the length of Crescent Beach, taking in the sights.  After a good hour of exploring, I noticed the sun sinking lower, and knew we needed to leave before it got dark.  I called to Bear and he met me at the bottom of the steep steps.

Now Bear is a very tough dog.  He'll keep going until he drops, with no indication of any pain.  Of course, dogs can't talk and tell us when something is bothering them.  Still, I should have known ascending those stairs would be difficult for Bear's failing back legs.

Sea stack reflections

Bear jumped for the first step.  But his back legs failed, missing the step, and he began to fall backward.  In an attempt to boost him, I quickly grabbed under my dog's hindquarters.  Well, that area must've been quite sore from the hike, because as I pushed my dog, quick as a flash, he turned around and bit me in the face.

Ripples in the sand

I was stunned.  My left eye immediately began to swell.  Hastily, I felt around the area, trying to determine if he'd broken the skin.  I didn't detect any bleeding.  Then I noticed my glasses lying on the ground.  Picking them up, I saw two large gashes across the left lens.  My brand new glasses - not a month old, and already they were damaged!

Blindingly angry, I turned to my dog and scolded him harshly.  Even before I started yelling, Bear, already realizing what he'd done, cowered down in the sand.

Spectacular evening light on the coast

Now what would I do?  If Bear wasn't able to jump up the steps, we were stuck on the beach.  I wasn't about to try and carry my dog - no telling where he'd bite next!  A few minutes passed, and I began to calm down.  Maybe Bear was tired and in pain, but we had to try and make it back to the parking lot anyway.

I started up the steps, coaxing Bear to follow.  After lingering for a few long moments, Bear gathered himself and made a mighty leap.  Although he didn't quite make the step, he was able to scramble on top.  The next few steps were not as tall, and slowly Bear jumped each one.

Frothy white waves

From there, it was a quick trek through the forest.  My eye was smarting and beginning to swell, so I didn't want to linger.  Thankfully, Bear seemed to keep up just fine.  But coming upon the bench viewpoint a second time, the evening light was so incredible, I had to stop for more photographs.  The setting sun illuminated the surrounding vegetation to a stunning bright green.  The water shone a brilliant blue.  Totally worth the stop!

Lots of green on the clifftops

The return trip seemed to take much less time, and before I knew it, my dog and I had arrived back at the truck.  Bear gratefully sank into the blanket spread on the seat.  I looked my face over in the rear view mirror, and was pleased to see no broken skin.  But the area around my left eye was already turning purple.  There'd be a nice shiner by morning.

By then my anger towards Bear had dissipated, replaced by concern.  Although I knew Bear's hind legs weren't working as well as in younger years, this incident made me realize the extent of deterioration.  I shouldn't have taken my old dog on a trail that involved so much climbing and jumping.  All that movement had worn him out.  Sadly, I realized Bear's hiking days were probably over.

Wave action

Upon returning to the truck, I almost immediately left for home.  By then it was 8:30 in the evening, about a half hour before sunset.  But then I noticed the sun was sinking low in the sky.  It was illuminating the beach with amazing colors.  I couldn't pass up this wonderful light.  Grabbing my camera, I headed back to Ecola Point.

Classic view from Ecola Point

And I'm glad I did.  The best shots of the day were the ones I got of Crescent Beach lit up by golden rays of the setting sun.  Such a glorious sight to behold!  I almost forgot about Bear's failing legs and my injury.

I'll close this post with my favorite image, a classic view of Crescent Beach, it's sea stacks glowing gold, blue ocean with white frothy waves gleaming in the day's final light.  Pure magic!


Sharing with:  Our World Tuesday.and Wednesday Around the World. and Friday My Town Shoot Out.

In Search of Lewis and Clark

It all started with this article in May's issue of Backpacker magazine.  The Oregon Coast Trail, from Ecola State Park to Arch Cape, was featured in the "destinations" section.  The trail description and beautiful magazine photo got me thinking "why don't I ever hike at the coast?"


Size matters!  Click on any photo to enjoy a larger version.

The first explorers

Growing up in South Dakota, I never had access to an ocean.  When I moved to Oregon, 24 years ago, I gravitated to familiar surroundings - rivers and mountains.  Having never lived near the sea, I didn't know what I was missing.  My home is an hour's drive from the coast, but I hardly ever visit.

Ocean view from Ecola Point

So I decided, if there's a local trail good enough to be featured in a national magazine, I'd better go hike it.  The original plan was to visit Ecola State Park on my Friday off.  But the weather for the coast that day didn't look promising (lots of rain) so instead I went to Three Corner Rock (see previous post).  Sunday's weather, although not sunny, was at least predicted to be dry.  It was as good as it gets for a trip to the beach.

White foamy waves

A big fan of William L. Sullivan's hiking books, I also own his "100 Hikes on the Oregon Coast."  This particular edition details a section of the Oregon Coast Trail, from Seaside to Ecola State Park.  Not only does Sullivan give a dead-on accurate description of this trail, he also includes some historical tidbits.  I learned this portion of the Oregon Coast trail was first traversed by explorers Lewis and Clark during the winter of 1806.

Ancient coastal forest

Wintered at Fort Clatsop, Lewis and Clark heard from the local Indians of a huge whale that had washed up on a beach south of their encampment.  The party set off in search of the "monstrous fish," hoping to acquire some of the blubber for food.  Led by a native guide, the explorers scaled a large headland now known as Tillamook Head.  Clark described this headland as "the steepest worst and highest mountain I ever ascended." 

A Lewis & Clark viewpoint?

But once on top, the men marveled at the amazing ocean views.  Clark liked one viewpoint in particular, where he exclaimed "I behold the grandest and most pleasing prospect which my eyes ever surveyed."

 

Frilly petals

Their party found the whale after descending to a "beautiful sand shore" and crossing a stream, which Clark later named Ecola Creek, from the Chinook Indian word for whale ("ekoli").

Wood steps through a muddy area

It was exciting to learn this hike would follow in the footsteps of these great explorers.  My plan was to park at the southern parking area at Ecola State Park.  From this lot, I'd hike 1.5 miles north along the bluffs of Ecola Point until winding down to Indian Beach.  From Indian Beach I'd climb north, hugging the high cliffs for another 1.8 miles, to reach the rocky promontory of Tillamook Head.  From this viewpoint, the trail continues further north 4.3 miles to the town of Seaside. 

A steep, windy trail leads to Indian beach

Sullivan's book promised some excellent ocean views on this final stretch of the trail, including the one that Clark liked. Since I had to hike back the way I came, it was too far to go all the way to Seaside. But I really wanted to find Clark's favorite viewpoint. From the sketch in Sullivan's book, it appeared it was about a mile or so north of the Tillamook Head viewpoint. That seemed doable.  I decided Clark's viewpoint would be my goal.

Bear checking out Indian beach

Bear and I set out under cloudy skies and mild temperatures.  The first leg of our hike, across Ecola Point, wound through a mossy forest of gigantic trees.  Large ferns grew everywhere, and the forest floor was a lush carpet of greenery. 

The tide comin' in

The trail was very muddy in places.  A wooden boardwalk was placed across a few extremely swampy portions, but there were also plenty of boggy areas where Bear and I had no choice but to slide and squish through.

Waves splashing on the rocks

The first section of the trail, from Ecola parking area to Indian Beach, offered two very nice viewpoints, one at Ecola Point.  This headland jutted out into the sea, offering vistas all around.  From the promontory, one could see a trail of sea stacks stretching out into the ocean.  One was in the shape of a small arch - super cool!  Watching white foamy waves crash onto these rocks was mesmerizing.  I sat and enjoyed the show for several minutes before moving on.

Surfers

As I approached Indian Beach, I saw a trail descending through the forest underbrush.  Thinking this was the way to the beach, I started down.  Not only was this trail extremely steep, it was also super muddy. I gingerly crept downhill, hanging onto trees and vegetation to arrest my slides.  Luckily, I managed to stay upright the entire trip down, but it was pretty nip and tuck. 

Nice place for a picnic

But at the bottom of the path was my reward.  Indian Beach spread out before me.  I walked through a band of perfectly round rocks until I hit the sandy shoreline.  The southern end of the beach was wilder, hemmed in by Ecola Point and the rows of sea stacks.  The northern end was more developed, a parking lot close by.  There were quite a few people on this portion of the beach, sitting in the sand or walking around.  There was also a small band of surfers in wetsuits tackling the waves.

Lovely wild irises

Bear enjoyed running around the beach, but didn't like the waves coming at him.  I, however, had fun talking photos of the crashing waves, and liked the challenge of trying to click a shot before my feet got wet.  In the sand, there were many interesting things to photograph - rocks, seaweed, and one little sand dollar (which you saw in an earlier post).

Hangin' off the cliff edge

I could've stayed at Indian Beach the rest of the day, enjoying the magnificent sights.  But remembering my goal - Clark's viewpoint - I knew I had to get moving.  So Bear and I walked through the surfers and beach goers, past the crowded parking lot, to the trail's continuation on the south side of Tillamook Head.

Windswept tree

The path climbed steeply from the parking lot.  But not very far up the trail, I was stopped by the most gorgeous viewpoint.  The forest opening offered a wide-angle panorama, looking back over the entire stretch of Indian Beach.  And there in the foreground was a patch of lovely purple wild irises.  The scene was absolutely jaw-dropping!  Certainly one of the highlights for the day. 

One last gorgeous bloom

After memorializing this fantastic place with dozens of photos, Bear and I continued on.  The trail climbed and climbed and climbed some more.  It was steep, muddy, and slippery.  After the wonderful viewpoint, and one other clearing close by, our path turned into the forest and there were no more ocean views.  This middle portion of the hike seemed to take forever, even though it was only a mere 1.8 miles.

Hiker's camp near Tillamook Head

I finally emerged from the forest, coming upon the spur trail leading to Tillamook Head viewpoint.  There at that junction, I was surprised to see three wooden bunkhouses and a covered picnic area.  I'd stumbled upon the hiker's camp.  My guidebook alluded to a hiker's camp in this area, but I wasn't expecting anything quite as established as this!  (The camp even had its own pit toilet.)  I chatted with a young couple who were packing up from a night's stay and they told me it was free to stay here, first come, first served.  The State park hosts even provided firewood.

Tillamook Head's amazing view

After checking out the hiker's camp, I followed the short spur trail to the end of Tillamook Head's rocky point.  And my timing couldn't have been better.  As I approached the clearing, the clouds that I thought would be hanging around the entire day, magically parted to reveal a sunny, blue sky.

Seafoam leads to the lighthouse

And, oh were the views glorious!  They were even better than the Indian Beach panorama, I'd seen previously.  Perched on the side of a steep cliff, I could see for miles in all directions.  The Pacific Ocean stretched before me to the horizon.  Sunshine made the sea sparkle in a lovely shade of blue-green.  Waves churned against the rocks below, foaming white.  Dark green forests framed the rocky cliffs.  Blue skies complimented everything.

Tillamook Rock Lighthouse

Far out in the distance, perched on a rocky island, I had a great view of the old Tillamook Head Lighthouse.  This lighthouse operated from 1881 to 1957.  It's nickname, "Terrible Tilly," was due to its perilous location.  Sitting a mile out to sea, this island was repeatedly battered by winter storms.  Waves brought water, rocks, and fish crashing into the building, at levels as high as the lantern room, which was located 150 feet above normal sea level.  Abandoned since 1957, today the structure stands empty.

Vibrant blue-green sea

A young couple I met on the trail told me they'd seen a bald eagle nest in the forest below Tillamook Head.  But they mentioned in order to see the nest, you had to climb over the protective fencing across the top of the bluff.  As I now scanned the cliffs below, trying to locate the nest, I briefly considered ducking over the fence to get a better look.  But not wanting to be on the evening news, common sense prevailed, and I stayed put on my side of the fence.  Not worth risking my life over, the eagles would have to wait for another day.

Boardwalk through the boggy trail

After taking a long lunch break and soaking in the incredible views at Tillamook Head, I again reminded myself there was one more goal for the day.  I still wanted to reach Clark's viewpoint.  Time to pack up and hit the trail for leg three of my journey!

Late afternoon light on Indian Beach

So off Bear and I went, climbing through more dense forest.  The trail became incredibly muddy, much worse than anything I'd encountered thus far.  A couple of stretches had wooden planks placed over the soupy muck, but for the most part, we were on our own.  Bear's white legs and underbelly turned black with mud and my boots became caked with the sticky stuff.  Climbing up the steep trail, I often held onto adjacent trees to stop myself from sliding.  Progress was glacially slow.

Nice evening for a beach walk

I kept scanning the trees ahead, trying to locate Clark's viewpoint.  Small openings between the trees provided occasional glimpses of the ocean, but nothing seemed to open up to a broad panorama.  These little peep shows were such a tease, I began to get annoyed.  The climbing continued, the mud wasn't letting up, and I was surrounded by dense forest, with nary a viewpoint in sight. 

My gps battery died, so I'm not really sure how far I traveled.  But I'd chosen 3:00 as my turn-around time (promising Roger I'd be home at six for dinner).  The appointed hour arrived, and I still was no closer to the final goal.  I conceded defeat, turned around and slid back down that muddy trail, returning to my car.

Beautiful rugged Oregon coast

As I retraced my steps back to the parking area, I thought about Lewis and Clark and their team of men, who made their way through these very woods over two centuries ago.  There wasn't a nicely-graded, cleared trail back then.  Certainly nothing as established as the trail I hiked today (mud and all).  The men didn't have Vibram hiking boots or technical clothing.  They didn't have a gps, ergonomically designed backpacks, or fancy Camelback hydration bladders.  The explorers didn't have Cliff bars, trail mix, or peanut butter.  All they had was their buckskin clothing, and dried elk to eat.  And yet Lewis and Clark's party successfully traveled through these rugged, muddy woods, discovering amazing viewpoints in their quest to obtain food.

Even though I didn't reach my final goal, this was hands-down the most incredible hike I've completed so far this year.  I've forgotten what a beautiful place the Oregon Coast really is.  I totally understand now why Backpacker magazine included this hike in one of their current issues.  No, this won't be my only trip to the coast.  Next time, I plan to finish the rest of the hike described in Backpacker, starting at Ecola State Park and heading south. 

And of course, I'll also come back another day and find Clark's elusive viewpoint.