In a former life, I’m pretty sure I must have been a detective. I am so drawn to mysteries. I just can’t help myself and look to solve them everywhere I go. Since moving to the North Beach, I’ve been finding many things to puzzle over. Maybe it’s because I’m new. Or maybe it’s actually an extra mysterious place. 

So here are my current top mysteries on one nearby road, and I welcome any and all attempts to help solve them.

1. The case of the lopped off trees

Just a few miles in on Ocean Beach Road after leaving Hwy 101, there is a clearcut on the south side of the road. Clearcuts aren’t mysterious around here, of course. But this one is characterized by a thin line of thin threes that have been lopped off around 15-20 feet from the ground. That means the tops are gone, with only very thin tall trunks remaining. I’m very puzzled about this. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. In the state we moved from, there was a requirement to leave a band of trees between roads and clear cuts. But they meant the whole tree, not very tall trunks. It just looks so odd. If the growing part of the tree is gone, why not take the whole thing? If one is required to leave a strip of trees, why lop off the growing part so only big sticks remain? I’m just so puzzled by this. I’ve asked around among several locals and they have all noticed it and are puzzled too. They also hope someone can answer the question. We are at your mercy.

2. The case of the property complaint

So there’s quite a large sign at Copalis Crossing that has to have a very fascinating backstory. I have a feeling there was a dispute among neighbors. Maybe a hoarder situation? I wish I knew how long the sign has been there and what all happened before it reached the signage stage? Does anyone know? I tried peeking behind the fence and couldn’t see anything like the conditions described on the sign. Is the junk in question further back? Did a cleanup happen? Is the sign going to always be there? I tried to work up the nerve to call one of the numbers on the sign but I was afraid I might be called as a witness or charged an hourly rate or things could go sideways and I might end up on the no fly list. Can someone enlighten me? Inquiring minds need to know about situations on such prominent display. It’s not fair to nosy newcomers to just leave it hanging… adding a second sign with the background and current status would really help. Or writing a comment below would be acceptable. 

3.  The case of the wrecked auto bodies

Continuing on Ocean Beach Road on the way to the beach, there’s a wide place in the road that looks kind of like a turnoff for slow vehicles. At its edge, there are some pieces of a horribly wrecked pickup. I mean, the impact was so powerful it broke the vehicle in two. Well, at least two, as there are several parts missing. Where did they go? It’s been there ever since we got here. There’s also a large piece of wood (like an unearthed and highly weathered trunk?) at the scene, leading to some speculation that it may have been involved in the wreck?? Okay, I need to know what happened. Did a deer leap over the wood and the driver of the pickup didn’t see it until too late. (There are a lot of deer warning signs in the vicinity, that’s why I brought a possible deer into the story.) Or is that a large piece of driftwood someone decided was too big for the yard after all and it was the first thing dumped here?

Look at that windshield!! Very disturbing to imagine what happened to any occupant(s). I’m hoping there wasn’t an actual horrible tragedy there. I used to drive by an auto body shop before moving here that displayed the worst possible examples of wrecks on a flatbed truck for all to see with clever rhymes reminding people to drive carefully. Kind of an unofficial public safety message. Is that what this is? An alternative way of reminding people there actually is a speed limit here?

But wait, there’s been a new development! Just the other day, what is surely an abandoned RV has joined the wreckage. How did this happen? Is this actually the local designated drop off point for large unwieldy items no longer wanted? Is that how landfills get started? Did the pickup parts inspire copycats? It looks like it’s been tagged as an abandoned vehicle, so I can’t wait to see what happens, like if it will leave or stay. Maybe only one wreck per turnout? Or will this tip things over the edge and lead to removal of all? 

4. The case of the “40 mph for 1.3 miles”

This has puzzled me since the first time I traversed Ocean Beach Road. I mean, 1.3 miles is such an exact number. There’s no sign telling us when the 1.3 miles is up, the responsibility is put on us. Are we really supposed to track 1.3 miles on our odometer? I can’t do that kind of math in my head anymore! The only thing that really works is if I keep looking in my side view mirror for the “40 mph for next 1.3 miles” on the opposite side of the road facing the other direction. Which I must say is not really the safest thing to do because it takes your eyes off the road in front of you. I was a bit relieved to learn that diamond-shaped yellow signs are advisory only. Unlike the rectangular white signs, which are direct orders. 

But I’m still trying to figure out what is special about that 1.3 miles. I’ve never seen a pedestrian there. There are a few houses along the way, and what looks like an abandoned mill off the one side, and a storage facility. And oh yeah, what was once the Aloha (pronounced Alo-HA) Tavern, which hasn’t shown any sign of life since we moved here. When I’ve sought an explanation, the best guess has been that it was to increase survival rates among pedestrians leaving the tavern after overindulging. If that’s true, with the tavern gone, what accounts for the sign now? Perhaps hope lingers it will reopen? Or maybe once a sign goes in, it stays til the ocean air rusts it away, because that’s what beach living is all about?

See what I mean about so many mysteries? Pretty much everywhere you turn…

Please let me know if you can help solve any of them… in the meantime, I’ll be here on the North Beach, still adjusting to being retired.