Even at coast, you can escape the wind.

Byline: The Register-Guard

They kick up in the afternoon. They blow sand in your eyes and grit in your sandwich. And at some point, even the most ardent kite flyer has had just about enough of them.

It's those coastal winds, generally from the north and northeast this time of year, messing with our idyllic weekends on the central coast.

Sometimes we brave them, and sometimes we duck and run for cover in the shops that make up Florence's Old Town.

We particularly like hanging out on the back deck of the Siuslaw River Coffee Roasters, where the owners recently installed a bunch of old barber chairs to abet river gawking.

But Team Best of ... doesn't usually go to the coast for indoor ambiance. When we want respite from the winds without leaving the great outdoors, we make for Cape Mountain. It's not far from town and part of a network of trails best known to horseback riders.

Hikers are more likely to head farther north to better known spots near Cape Perpetua, such as Cummins Creek. But you don't have to go that far to enjoy the dappled trails of the Siuslaw National Forest.

Access to Cape Mountain is by way of Herman Peak Road. From Dry Lake Trailhead, a half-mile walk through second-growth groves of trees leads to a hilltop meadow with a view of the ocean to the west and Coast Range ridges to the east.

It's beautiful. It's quiet. And it's calm.

Ah, yes. Wind-free nirvana.

The wide, gently sloping trail doesn't require much stamina or skill, and the meadow blooms with wildflowers - although this time of year we saw just a few laggard foxglove blossoms.

But the view is lovely. There's even a bench for sitting and listening to the distant boom of ocean waves.

Historical markers and photographs show the location of an old fire lookout. Photographs telling the tale of fires that burned more than a century ago.

It's a sweet spot for a picnic and a walk the whole family can enjoy. You can hear the wind in the trees, but except for the occasional kiss of a breeze, it's calm.

For those with more ambition, the Cape Mountain hike links to several miles of trails that are also accessible from Forest Service Road 58 a little farther north.

Just one caveat: The road to this trail narrows to single-lane gravel for the last 1.7 miles. With its twists and turns, there's a good chance you'll have to back up if you meet someone on the way.

Go slow, and by slow, Team Best of ... means 10 mph. On our most recent visit, we came around a bend and almost kissed the front end of a honking big Ford hauling a trailer.

We pulled over and gave him as much of the road as we could spare.

The trails are never-ending in the Best of ... archive at www.registerguard.com/bestof.

BEST PLACE TO AVOID THE COASTAL GALES

Cape Mountain

Where: Drive north of Florence on Highway 101 5.5 miles beyond the Fred Meyer; turn right on Herman Peak Road; drive 2.8 miles to Dry Lake Trailhead and look for wide, gated path; the trail to the meadow and ocean view is about half a mile