3/18. The forecast for today is okay. I picked up a car in the morning, and 3 of us drove towards the coast.
First stop is the city park of Dayton to see this blockhouse, moved here from Grand Ronde where it served as a military post of an Indian Agency 150 years ago. I found this and the next site in a series of books of Road Less Traveled in Oregon. 
Erratic Rocks State Recreation Area is a 5-10 minute walk up a gentle hill among private properties, lined with white cherry trees. A small site, a couple of big boulders piled together, possibly deposited here by last glacier flood. The view of surrounding area is quite nice, especially in spring: everything is green.
Drift Creek Falls is a short easy hike: 3 miles RT, 500' loss and gain, made difficult now due to mud. A 10+ mile gravel road. So slow coming and going. The hike itself is boring, but what awaits at the end is a worthwhile reward, or 2 rewards: a long hanging bridge (very solid, and not swing much), from where you can see the waterfall plunge down the canyon below. 
My 3rd time to Cascade Head, one of my favorite coastal hikes. It's as muddy as last time (in spring). I didn't go up the hill this time. Instead, went over the fence and walked to the tip of the head. Very pretty.On the way back, had dinner at Delaney Madison Grill just north of Salem, overlooking the small Staats Lake. Quite pretty. Food is good, service is slow but otherwise great.
