by Bill Arnott

Oregon is a favorite destination. My first visit was to Cannon Beach, seaside accommodation with a view of Haystack Rock—a rounded plinth of basalt that’s a bird sanctuary, towering from the tideline like a massive headstone. Crossing the Canada-U.S. border at the chunky white Peace Arch, my wife Deb and I drove south from BC on Chuckanut Drive, with arbutus and evergreen views of Bellingham.

In the footsteps of George Vancouver, we passed the plummeting chute of Deception Pass. A bald eagle soared beneath the bridge as water rushed through the narrows in eddies of deep jade green. We continued south over Whidbey Island’s undulating farmland. Scenery breezed by: grassy fields, berry farms and forest, frequent churches, infrequent homes, more eagles, a falcon at rest and a solitary deer. The temperature rose under sunny sky and we caught a ferry from Clinton to Mukilteo on dazzling water, the snowy blue pyramid of Mount Baker watching as we crossed.

We stopped in Redmond, Washington—an historical town rebuilt by Microsoft, a tidy planned city of trees, water and wide, curving streets. I explored the downtown on a meandering trail through pristine apartments and around a heron rookery—an oasis nestled amongst colourful newbuilds.

Early next morning I ran along the Sammamish River, slow-moving, greenish-brown water you’d expect Tom and Huck to pole along on a raft. Swallows skimmed the surface. A salmon jumped through lily-pads with a splash. A rabbit darted from undergrowth, nearly through my legs. Sun warmed the blacktop. Blackberry bushes in bloom bordered the trail and tall poplars made a private green corridor. Mallards flew by in a lopsided V, a hummingbird whizzed past and sparrows hopped through dewy grass. I saw the occasional cyclist and walker. Everyone smiled, nodded, or said, “Good morning.” And I felt as though I’d woken in Stepford. But despite the sterility of a manufactured community, people were warm and genuine.

We explored much of this inviting, rugged state—Crater Lake, Hood River, Mount Hood and Central Oregon, along the coast and up the Willamette River into Portland—a unique, left coast town, independent and eccentric, the mindset of Seattle but less refined, a green city with edge. As well as a well-established coffee scene the state boasts more craft brews and brewpubs than anywhere else in America.

Visiting Weird Portland

In addition to beer, Portland has more bookstores than any other American city, creating a delicious slice of hoppy, literary Nirvana. Powell’s Books, the world’s largest independent new and used bookstore sits in the heart of the city, a trophy centring a mantel. On our first visit we’d wandered through downtown in search of it, crossing the tracks and finding ourselves in a distinctly transitional neighborhood. The store itself was a large urban block, a small town in a single building. Store maps were available when you entered, imperative to avoid getting lost.

I spent four sunny mornings running through Portland, past densely packed food trucks and loosely scattered homeless—weirdly distinct yet blended communities. A local poet’s work is carved in red granite by the river, “Mighty Willamette, beautiful friend.” And I trotted along a paved walkway, feeling that friendship.

It was the first of July (Canada Day) and a flock of Canada Geese had taken over the river, paddling in a broad, border-like line, somehow symbolic. Skidmore Fountain splashed nearby, the city’s oldest commissioned art. The towering Wells Fargo building commanded the downtown skyline, Orwellian in stature, an imposing white landmark. Gulls wheeled, pigeons fluttered overhead and I merged into a sweaty, jagged line of joggers, cyclists and pedestrians hugging the edge of the river, washed in morning sun. The Portland sat tethered in the water, a retired steam-powered, paddlewheel tug-boat, now the maritime museum. Hawthorne, Morrison, and Burnside bridges served as measuring landmarks, marking progress for joggers and the city alike. I crossed the river on the Steel Bridge, sharing the span with a whistle-blowing locomotive rattling and vibrating its way over the water.

We spent a hot afternoon under cloudless sky following trails through Washington Park before resting in shade by the Rose Garden Amphitheatre, where robins, crows, squirrels and fantails busied themselves around cedar, birch, hemlock and fern while a harp echoed across the grounds, plucked notes angelic and dreamy. By early evening it was oddly quiet. Sun slid behind tall buildings. Food trucks closed for the night and we found ourselves on a gritty downtown street. A man shaved at a drinking fountain with an overused razor and tiny round mirror—something from a dental instrument—which he held between thumb and forefinger. He was meticulous, his weathered face shiny smooth, the softest scraping sound as we passed.

I took a self-guided walking tour of Portland’s water features, a dozen fountains around downtown and Portland State University, wending my way through Pioneer Courthouse Square, Animals in Pools, Lovejoy, Dreamer, the grand Ira Keller Fountain and more. The river draws the ocean into the city but fountains in concrete, brick and bronze bring the splash of water to every hidden corner.

We explored Portland’s Pearl District, around Nob Hill and the high-end retail of Northwest 23rd Avenue, known locally as Trendy-Third. We passed Slabtown, home to Scandinavian and Chinese immigrants one-hundred-fifty years ago. Slabtown referred to slabs—mill cuttings, log edges unusable for building. Slabs were split and sold cheaply for fuel. Wealthy families had fuel storage buildings while lower income households piled slabs outside their homes, giving the neighbourhood its moniker. Indigenous Chinook were regular traders in town, travelling along the Willamette. Chinook Jargon—a Chinook-English dictionary—was a regional bestseller, as common in Portland homes in the late nineteenth century as The Best of Bridge would be a century later.

In the town of Bend, new and old houses, extravagant and modest, cling to the banks of the Deschutes River. We made the central community our home for a week. Half-hour drives north, south, east and west took us to scenic hikes: snow-capped volcanic mountains, waterfalls and towering cliffs of purples, reds, oranges and gold, the space shared by walkers, rock climbers and horseback riders. Our hikes ranged from moderate to intense as we climbed Pilot Butte, Tumalo Mountain, around Tumalo Falls and over Smith Rock State Park’s Misery Peak with expansive vistas of rivers, lakes, colossal stone and the pristine peaks of the Cascade Range.

The town of Bend is an historical hub surrounded by a gentle sprawl of squat rural homes. It’s a pleasing blend of small (about 100,000) with the amenities of a larger city, servicing a huge area in the state’s centre with a constant flow of sightseers and year-round adventure seekers.

I strolled through town on the first Friday of the month, and retailers had turned the streets into an open-air, evening market and social gathering. Complimentary food and drink flowed, live acoustic music filled every space and locals and tourists browsed and visited, one of the most inviting parties I’d ever attended. Farmers’ markets were scattered throughout town, nearly one a day through the growing season. Local fruit abounds, along with dairy and the usual array of baked goods, herbs, soaps, flowers and crafts.

Back on the coast we stayed at a cottage in Manzanita. I rode a chestnut mare on the beach near Gearhart, splashing along in zigzags as the horse tiptoed around frothy surf. Had my hair been longer, thicker, and my pecs better defined, I believe it could’ve made a fine cover for a romance novel (he said, huskily).

That evening we grilled salmon on a wood fire and made crab melts with herbed Boursin on a garlic baguette—one of the finest things we’d eaten. As our trip wound down, we decided we simply hadn’t had enough and went to a downtown Portland hotel built atop a Macy’s store. Tired of recycled clothes and in-sink laundry, we went downstairs to the department store, bought new socks, tees and underwear, and stayed for two more days.

This is an excerpt from Bill Arnott’s upcoming travelogue Gone Viking II: Beyond Boundaries (RMBooks, Fall 2021), sequel to his award-winning bestseller, Gone Viking: A Travel Saga.

About the author:

Bill Arnott is the bestselling author of WIBA and ABF International Book Awards Finalist, Gone Viking: A Travel Saga, the suspense-thriller ebook series The Gamble Novellas, the poetry collection Forever Cast in Endless Time, and the forthcoming Gone Viking II: Beyond Boundaries (Autumn 2021). He’s been awarded for prose, poetry, songwriting, is the producer of Bill’s Artist Showcase, and for his Gone Viking expeditions has been granted a Fellowship at London’s Royal Geographical Society. When not trekking the globe with a small pack, journal and laughably outdated camera phone, or showing off cooking skills as a culinary school dropout, Bill can be found on Canada’s west coast, making friends and misbehaving. @billarnott_aps

If You Go:

Follow governmental travel and quarantine guidelines. Travel alerts are available at traveloregon.com

Most North American airlines have direct flights to Portland PDX, with many flying to Redmond/Bend RDM.

If you’re driving, I-5 is the quickest way to cover north-south distances, while Route 101 follows scenic coast.

Check weather forecasts and elevation at your destinations and pack accordingly. Oregon enjoys four distinct seasons and high summits can have snow year round.

by Mary Charlebois

Tucked into a corner of a seven-acre, blimp- hangar, Steve Schramm’s lifetime collection of WWII battle scenes is the newest exhibit at Tillamook Air Museum. A 20’x80’ space with three levels, is home to Steve’s mesmerizing collection.

The exhibit is a model lover’s nirvana, thousands and thousands of soldiers, sailors, pilots, planes, ships, rockets, hangars, bridges, mountains, trees and much more. Steve has re-created all the European battles in WWII. Each scene is historically correct and to scale. Detailed reader’s panels describe the dioramas.

Steve started his hobby at age nine, inspired by WWII movies and books. He learned to make models, then moved on to assembling historically correct and scaled dioramas. His collection grew until his teen years when, as he says, “I took on other interest.” Some years passed until he was motivated to begin his modeling hobby again. His own son was the inspiration. They worked together until, you guessed it, his son became a teenager. Today Steve lives in Salem and is a plant facility manager.

Steve had often thought of ways he could share his work with others. It was taking up space in the attic and no one could see it. His goal of honoring WWII veterans and veterans of all wars was realized when he contacted Tillamook Air Museum and they gladly accepted his gift.

Steve’s impressive collection is on permanent exhibit at Tillamook Air Museum. Located in Tillamook Oregon, it’s the world’s tallest, standing, wood building. It was Naval Air Station Tillamook (NAST), during WWII, home to Marines, Navy, WAVES and K-Class Airships – blimps.

Cavernous doesn’t begin to describe Hangar B. Standing in the middle, you’re dwarfed. I think I know how ants feel encountering humans. Today hangar B houses vintage aircraft and a museum dedicated to the WWII activities that took place there.

There were two hangars built at NAST. Hangar A burned to the ground in 1992. During the war, both were very active. The airships had a range of 2,000-miles. They could stay aloft for three-days and were perfect for coastal patrol and convoy escort. NAST was home base to Squadron ZP-33 and their eight, K-Class airships. The ships were 252’ long x 80’ in diameter. Each was filled with 425,000 cubic feet of Helium. NAST was decommissioned in 1948. Today the building houses the Tillamook Air Museum.

The Tillamook Air Museum Exhibit Hall is absorbing and well curated. It contains things you won’t see anywhere else. There just aren’t that many blimp-hangars around. About 850 Marines, Navy and WAVES were stationed at the airship port during the height of the war. One unique military job fell to WAVES stationed at NAST. They raised and trained carrier pigeons used in the war effort.

The museum and Steve’s exhibit, are at 6030 Hangar Road, Tillamook Oregon. Hours are 10 AM to 5 PM daily. Admission ranges from $2.25 – $9.75. Parking, restrooms, drinking water, café and gift shop are on site. For more information – 503-842-1130 or http://www.tillamookair.com.

The air museum is fascinating. You’ll have the chance to climb inside gargantuan transport craft, sit in a jet pilot’s seat, visit the still intact Helium Room, and see Steve Schramm’s lifetime work to honor veterans from all wars especially his father, Arthur Schramm, a veteran of the Korean War.

If You Go:

Tillamook Air Museum is located just off Hwy 101 on the southeast side of Tillamook Oregon. The hangar is visible from the highway. Turn east at the fighter jet on the corner of Hwy 101 and Long Prairie Road.

Where to eat:

Blue Heron French Cheese Company. This cheese and wine tasting shop has an excellent deli, serving sandwiches, soups, salads, and my favorite, the cheese and fruit plate. It’s easily enough for two. Pair it with one of the wine samplers. You can eat outside or at one of the tables scattered around the store. There is a stand-up bar and table seating in the wine tasting room. Located on Hwy 101 on the north side of Tillamook Oregon.

For dessert and some wonderful locally made cheese to take home, stop at the Tillamook Cheese Factory Visitors Center. Cheese tasting, an old-fashioned ice cream parlor, and exhibits of ‘how cows work’ are agreeable for all ages.

Where to sleep

I suggest a vacation rental if you’re staying on the coast. They are plentiful and most are oceanfront or ocean view. Reasonably priced hotels are also plentiful. RV parks and camping are everywhere. Find some good suggestions for all types of lodging at Visit the Oregon Coast.

Where to play:

Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad. Take a leisurely round-trip ride along the Tillamook Bay and Estuary. The scenery is captivating, the photo ops are spectacular. A stop in Rockaway Beach, makes time for a stroll around this colorful beach town. Stop into Renee’s Tasting Room and Café for a coffee, glass of wine, or sweet treat. Her cozy and delicious spot is just one block south of the train stop. Seating is available in enclosed vintage train cars, gondola cars, and completely open cars. The train is a wonderful family excursion no matter what the weather brings. The warm and friendly crew is eager to share the train’s history.

About the author:
Mary Charlebois a freelance travel writer/photographer. Coastal Mendocino California is her home base. City or countryside, settling into local life is Mary’s style. Small towns, villages, farms and ranches, discovering the unusual, unexpected, and off-the-beaten-path are her favorite stories. See more of her work on her website MaryGo.

Photo Credits:
Top photo by Rick Obst under Creative Commons Generic license (CC BY 2.0)
All other photos by Mary Charlebois:
Diorama of the Normandy Beach battle
Steve Schramm, creator and curator of Model Room Exhibit
Tillamook Air Museum – full-sized vintage aircraft
Fruit & Cheese Plate, Blue Heron French Cheese, Tillamook Oregon
Oregon Coast Scenic Train crossing the Tillamook Estuary

by Chris Hiebert

There’s a chill in the air. A river of rain washes down the living room window. Curled up in front of the fire a hot cup of Earl Grey tea in hand, Sandra asks “Where would you like to go this summer?”

I’m too slow to respond as that feels like a distant point in time to me.

Sandra continues. “What if we return to the Oregon Coast?”

I recall our long walks on endless beaches. A day spent exploring the coast culminating in a pleasant exhaustion, being lulled to sleep by the rhythm of waves as they storm the beach.

“Remember the beautiful sunsets and that first glimpse of the ocean through the trees?” she adds. “And of course the people we met.”

I had to agree those are the joys of travel. Just as a Siren drew sailors to the rocks our memories are calling Sandra and I back to the Oregon Coast. So we begin our road trip planning.

Our trip would be in August so we packed for both warm sunny weather and cool wet weather as we know from past experience on the coast we are likely to see both, all on the same day.

The Journey

At times Washington State’s I-5 freeway can feel like a six lane deranged Blackberry balancing, latte sipping ballet. A half day of that commute in the past and death grips imprint the driver’s wheel of our CRV. There had to be a better way, so on an earlier trip unwilling to put ourselves through that madness again and enticed with promises of ocean view rooms, the best B&B in town and local fresh seafood we chose to return home from Oregon north along Hwy. 101 exploring the Washington coast. Perhaps you’ve seen those glossy travel brochures and heard the saying, don’t believe everything you read. Well you can believe it, the saying that is. Long story short that trip ended up being an odyssey of brochure fed blarney and misadventure. But we were determined that this trip would be different.

Our AAA paper map in hand, the GPS stored away safely in the glove box we set out starting with a short stretch of the I5 from Bellingham to Burlington. There we exited taking Hwy. 20, followed by a thirty minute ferry ride to Historic Port Townsend and continued south on the inland highway, yes there are two Highways numbered 101. At this point we make sure to take the road to Leland and along the Hood Canal.The route was clearly shown on the map which is important as between the towns of Shelton and Arctic Wash. the highway number changes no fewer then four times. A more enjoyable journey the road snakes through Washington State from Burlington to the Oregon border passing through small communities rather then blasting past blurred exit signs to distant places. While the inland 101 is for the most part two lanes with lots of curves and a long stretch of logged off forest that also took the brunt of the November 2007 wind storm, it is still a much more relaxing drive then the I5. Our drive home will be the same restful route.

The Destination

It’s late August the afternoon of day one of our road trip. We’ve made good time as we pass Dismal Nitch and cross the Megler Bridge over the Columbia River on the border of Washington and Oregon. Through the fog and far below we can see a large sandbar and deteriorating pilings, remnants of canneries and a once vigorous fishing industry. Astoria is our first stop in part because it is the perfect days drive from the Canada/U.S. border and we can sleep under the bridge. Don’t worry we do have a hotel room.

The first permanent U.S. Pacific Coast settlement, Astoria was incorporated in 1876 by settlers attracted to the fur trade, fishing and canneries. The town’s future became shaky when those employers packed up and left town so Astoria reinvented itself as a tourist destination. Key to the town’s undertaking is the River Walk a five mile ribbon extending along the river and serving both as a pedestrian walk, a cycle path as well as a trolley route that runs adjacent to quaint cafes, small shops and working wharves.

It’s time for dinner. Earlier and a few kilometers up the road I had suggested to Sandra that we return to a rustic riverside restaurant that we had discovered a few years earlier. Salivating over the thought of fresh halibut and scallops we are devastated to find that the Cannery Café is gone. It has burnt to the ground. All that remains is a charred dock where it once stood and our memories. Our cravings unsatisfied we continue along River Walk to the Baked Alaska Restaurant our river front patio table overlooking ocean going freighters maneuvering past the much smaller boats as we imagine their catch being dispatched directly to our plates. Dinner is followed with a short walk to the historic town centre. Twice devastated by fire this part of Astoria has been under going a bit of a renaissance with renovated hotels and eclectic eateries popping up on every corner. Be sure to stop by Marie Antoinette’s Cupcakes, in the old Astoria Bank building. Let them eat cake.

Day two of our Oregon trip, it’s foggy and cool. Cannon Beach is a short drive south of Astoria on the 101 and is so named for a cannon that washed ashore from the U.S. Navy Schooner Shark in 1846. A touristy community, Cannon Beach is also more family oriented complete with beach bikes,horse back riding, sand castle contests, kids in I heart Cannon Beach hoodies, ice cream and gift shops. There’s motels, hotels, B&Bs and family style restaurants all within walking distance of the beach. We include it in our journey for the miles of sandy beach, the open ocean and Haystack Rock. Stopping just long enough to stretch our legs and let Islay have a run on the beach,we continue in our search for the sun. It’s on to Lincoln City.

Forty miles south of Cannon Beach on route 101 you could be forgiven for thinking that you have crossed some invisible dividing line to all things Tillamook. Tillamook County, Tillamook Bay and of course the Tillamook County Creamery Association better known as the wildly successful Tillamook Cheese Factory.If you like cheese and ice cream and who doesn’t and you’re willing to negotiate the throngs it’s worth the stop.

South of Tillamook the 101 heads inland through farm country passing towns with names such as Beaver, Hebo, Oretown and Neskowin before it veers west again offering a peek-a-boo view of the Pacific Ocean. Smiles appear on our faces, the dog wakes from her nap with a shake seemingly aware that she is minutes away from chasing gulls on the beach while barking at the wind. After a day and a half on the road we are nearing our road trip’s southern destination, Lincoln City Oregon.

When in Lincoln City we stay at The Odysius where the D River flows into the Pacific Ocean. The boutique style hotel is in full view and ear shot of those thundering waves that lull us to sleep. Dog friendly they have always made the three of us feel at home so it’s at this pointthat we feel the need to tell Islay our Westie that Cody the Schnauzer has retired from his position at the hotel’s front desk. The thirty room hotel recently changed hands but any renovations have been minor. New paint, king size beds and a new name, The Shearwater Inn to our delight it is still the cozy inn we remembered so fondly.

Lincoln City is an incorporation of several small communities, it’s name courtesy of a children’s naming contest. It’s economy dependent on tourism, retired folks and a casino. While it may not have the history or the character of some other coastal towns Lincoln City does have its own characters. Ken Morris is a trained chef, his persona and Humble Pie reminiscent of a sixties low budget movie and the home of possibly the best pizza on the Oregon Coast. Don’t get me started on his freshly baked chocolate éclairs.

Our mornings in Lincoln City are easily filled. Islay chases the incoming waves, Sandra and I enjoying our beach walks the summer fog so dense you can taste the sea salt. Our afternoons pass as we explore the town before we join fellow guests, two and four legged at the Shearwater Inn for a glass of Willamette Valley Chardonnay.

To soon our week has ended but unwilling to rush home we stop again south of Cannon Beach. This is a much quieter area,the beaches more vast while the restaurants and shops are minutes away. Always open to new epicurean treats, on a recommendation from the lodge staff we try the Sweet Basil Café. The café is small, the décor is Louisiana rustic, the Chef’s leanings are Cajun.The food is local and delicious, it’s a gem in the state known for Red Bull Slushies, pancake dispensing machines and where size matters when it comes to meal portions.

We’re happy we chose to take our Oregon Road Trip even if the search for that elusive sunshine went unfulfilled.

Oregon Coast Day Trip: Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock

If You Go:

By car your first stop should be a BCAA travel office to pickup a Washington/Oregon road map that shows the interior highways, specifically highway # 101. Don’t hesitate to take some side roads and be sure to wander the side streets and lanes in the towns you visit and be sure to ask the locals where they like to eat. Depending on the time of year you visit the weather can vary drastically on the Oregon Coast so be sure to pack for all four seasons no matter when you go. The seasons also effect the availability and cost of lodging so check ahead.

You’ll find what you need at www.cannonbeach.org and www.oregoncoast.org. We like The Shearwater Inn in Lincoln City www.theshearwaterinn.com and The Ocean Lodge at Cannon Beach www.theoceanlodge.com and because of its location the Holiday Inn Express in Astoria www.hiexpress.com

About the author:
Chris Herbert lives in Vancouver. Chris is a part time travel writer and his articles have appeared in Senior Living Magazine, Celtic Connection, Tac Talk, The British Canadian, White Cockade, www.realtravel.com and of course Travel Thru History. Plans are underway for a trip to Scotland in 2013.

All photos by Chris Herbert (Stilltravelswell@hotmail.ca).