There's nothing like a little road trip inside of a road trip. Highway 101, which runs down the coast of Oregon, is the perfect place to take it. It winds through Pacific forests, coastal fishing towns, and scenic views galore of the ocean, not to mention a state park every twenty miles or so. We would be out for three days with no set plan, but a couple of good ideas.
We left Saturday morning, a little late as we had been out dancing the night before at a place which plays all 80's music on Friday nights - what a blast! Heading south on Interstate 5, our first stop was the State Capital, Salem. Just a quick stop, only to pick up a tent which had been left on a front porch for us by another AmeriCorps volunteer. We also drove past the state hospital where "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was filmed.
Who can be in Oregon wine country and not take a stop at one of its vineyards? Five dollars for a tasting of seven different bottles. Good wine and nice price. The lady behind the counter was from north of Minneapolis originally. Probably about 60 years old now, she told us one particular tornado when she was going to college in Iowa made her decide to get out of the Midwest.
We left in a hurry, and I had to laugh because we were racing from a wine tasting to try to make it to a brewery tour a couple of hours away. We would have made it too if we didn't have to stop and get a campsite on the way there. The town of Newport, where the brewery is, seems like it would be a good place to spend a summer. The tourist district smells strongly of fish. We ate dinner there, and the smell would waft through the restaurant, entering your nose just before you would take a bit. I'm told that you get used to it.
Sunday morning we rose much later than I had expected, especially for trying to sleep three people in a two person tent. Back in Newport, we got coffee at a place which had the biggest pancakes I have ever seen. We also went back down by the water to view the sea lions gathered to put on a show for the ever growing crowd.
A lot of time was spent in the car this day, meandering north on 101. Lighthouses dotted the coast, and we stopped to see several of them. The weather on the coast is cool and windy, especially the days which we were there. In fact, there may be a ten degree difference within ten miles once you start heading east. Cold air blowing in my face felt good though.
Our campsite this night was something out of a postcard. Only five dollars for a walk-in site. The moss hanging low off the tree branches, and mushrooms growing on the downed trees. A river running not more than 30 yards from our tent. We were left a pile of wood by the folks camping there before us, which turned out to be a mixed blessing. It was all waterlogged, but once we got it going, the fire could go for hours.
Monday morning was spent backtracking the road a ways to the town of Wheeler. Here we rented kayaks for what was supposed to be two hours. We were glad the owners were not particular about when they got the boats back, since paddling back took twice as long as we anticipated. A good arm work out to be sure.
Continuing north to Astoria, we had one last thing to do: see the house where the movie "The Goonies" was filmed. It is on a private drive, and looks nothing like it did when the movie was shot, but was fun anyway. At a car garage turned into a coffee house, I purchased a cup for the ride home. Two hours later, we were back in Portland.
Today I take the train to Glenwood Springs, CO. Leave at 2:25, Pacific time. Should be there on Thursday at 1:15 Mountain.
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