March 28 – April 7: Brace yourself – this will be a loooong post.
We just couldnt leave
Ten days. Ten whole days in one state. We haven’t done that since Florida back in mid-February. We knew Oregon would lure us in and keep us for more than the 2-3 day average we’ve been doing in most states. We didn’t know we’d set up camp for over a week. It also helps to already have 6 friends living in one gorgeous state. 6 really awesome, hospitable and adventurous friends. Because of these folks we got to experience a bit of Salem, Bend, Canby, Cannon Beach and Portland – all for free. We also got to meet a lot of new people, including 3 wonderful couch surfing Swiss kids on their own long road trip.
First stop: Salem
- Eric, Loren, Julie and Darrin and Audra all live in Salem – friends from highschool/college
Many good brews with old friends.
- A private spontaneous beer tasting at the Gilgamesh barn. Personal favorite is Mamba.
With Loren and Jordan at the Gilgamesh brewery barn
Ample samples for us all.
- Experiencing some of the BEST Mexican food – Loren eats here like 5 times a week – I can understand why. We bought a pinata and some amazing pastries from here for a little potluck party we threw for our hosts in Salem.
Pastries from for our potluck.
Taking turns with the pinata.
Kelsey and Julie (friends from our university) with remnants of the pinata.
- A little visit to Tulip Festival in Woodward.
Tulip Fest
Jake finding his roots in Woodward.
Ahh yes.
- Silver Falls (this was actually a Twilight film location – did you know that?)
Silver Falls
Hiking around.
Feeling small.
- hanging out with a house full of fun and talented people, and good food
Eric is quite the chef.
Julie manning the ultimate grilled cheese station.
- incredible chili, cornbread and wine with one of my old soccer teammates and one of Jake’s South Africa leaders (Audra, and her husband Darrin). Darrin invited us to come work at his family’s farm in Alberta in September – we are definitely considering.
After a delicious meal at Audra and Darrins
Second stop: Bend (and the way there)
- Breighton Bush Hot Springs with our new Swiss Friends (the free springs you can hike too – Eric and Loren tipped us off on these)
We found them!
The Swiss boys braving the icy river by the springs.
The hike to/from the springs.
Our 3 fellow adventurers.
Daniel being daring.
Clear lake - with a petrified forest at the bottom -see that one little tree?
Wishing we could take out one of those boats.
- First Friday in downtown: spoken word, live music, activist art galore
Micah - Bends poetry slam champ
Looks like a project we would have done at Water Street! Homeless exhibit.
Neato.
- Sleeping all over the floor of another house full of great new people (lot’s of Dear America participants)- and getting a big breakfast from our gracious hosts
Fanny and Helias with their Dear America
Right before our Swiss friends car broke down...but they are back on the road now.
Driving back from Bend
These look fake.
Third stop: Canby
We stopped in my friend Kelsey’s hometown of Canby (smack inbetween Salem and Portland) to meet her before we all headed for Cannon Beach. We had a lovely tour of their little farm and even collected eggs for our weekend on the coast. Very beautiful country – no wonder Kelsey turned out so great.
Kelseys animals
Eggs for the weekend - I think I actually only collected one of these:)
Fourth stop: Cannon Beach
Well we lucked out here – Kelsey’s in-laws have a little cabin on the beach that they let us stay in for a few nights!
Thanks to the Sommers!
- We had homemade fish tacos and local wine with Julie and her boyfriend, Darrick – followed by riveting conversation in a hot tub
- Finding “God’s Finger” a terrifyingly beautiful cliff that my brother had showed me a few years back when I had first visited Cannon Beach
Yikes.
Acting brave.
- Kelsey introduced us to Steidel art – we spent a good half of an afternoon chatting with dear Mr. Steidel while he painted in the corner – he loved that we were on a roadtrip which set him off on many great stories from his own traveling days as a young man. Great little vignettes that sounded like they should be on an audiobook. We also purchased one of his prints after he told us that the flying ship was hauling in it’s own reflection off the water below. CREATIVE guy.
A great set-up. Maybe well follow suit one day:)
With Mr. Steidel
Not only is the ship flying, its stealing its own reflection.
- Running to Haystack Rock at low tide in our barefeet from the cabin. It was much further than we thought, and much colder too. We got the whole way there, stared at some starfish then took our frozen feet back to thaw by a fire. I actually ended up sitting on the kitchen counter with me feet in a sink full of HOT water.
The little wood stove that kept us warm.
Fifth stop: Portland
Jake’s friend Jordan lives here and let us stay for 3 nights – he even gave up his bed for us – how awesome is that?
We enjoyed…
- The food carts! We wish this was happening more back in Lancaster, PA. We talked to one food cart owner here who said regulations are more lax in Portland so it probably wouldn’t be as easy to have these somewhere else. I think we should still try – there were hundreds of carts (exaggeration?) filled with so much unique and tasty food at a good price. They also seemed to create instant community. Watch this video to learn more about them.
Ordering delicious poudine!
- Theatre Pubs! Another trend we’d like to start up if we move back to Lancaster one day. $3 movies on couches and you can order beer and food to go along with the experience.
Impressive movie posters
Ideal seating.
- Live music. Went with our friend Julie to see Canadian Ron Sexsmith (Chris Martin from Coldplay’s cousin) and loved this song. Did you know he wrote this one (instead of Fiest)? Also opener Caitlin Rose was really great – reminded us a bit of June Carter.
Good company
- The tourist traps of Powell’s bookstore and Voodoo Donuts. Powell’s is HUGE and has every book you could dream of. I even found Milepost there – which was a recommended travel companion for the great trek through Canada/Alaska. It was a bit expensive so Jake didn’t think we needed it (I thought it was worth it while we are out in the middle of nowhere) – now I have that written down so there will be no question when we get to the inevitable “I told you so”. I did purchase “The Long Way Down” - I never knew Ewan McGregor did this – i’m behind. Voodoo donuts were crazy. They even had some with Captain Crunch on top. We wanted their classic maple and bacon donuts but of course they were out – still a fun little experience (though dare I say I’d rather have beignets in New Orleans or Fractured Prune from home?)
Largest bookstore of my life.
The famous donut land.
- Getting to spend more time with friends.
