Oregon Coast Highway

Historic Newport Bayfront

US Route 101 runs north-south along the entire coast of Oregon.  We drove 205 miles (out of about 350) from Reedsport to Astoria over 2 days.  We'd stop along the way at overlooks or pop in to one of the small towns along the way.  We spent the night in Newport which is probably the largest town along the coast.  We ate awesome seafood at Georgie's Beachfront Grill --  with its gorgeous ocean views -- and were treated to a spectacular sunset as we finished out dessert.

Probably the most fun stop was in Tillamook which sits a little inland from the coast. Tillamook is famous for its cheese and ice cream, although you don't really see it much on the east coast.  The town is home to the Tillamook County Creamery Association, a farmer-owned cooperative that's been making cheese for over 100 years.  Ice cream production began in 1947.  We stopped at the visitor center which is located at the manufacturing plant and had a delicious lunch of grilled cheese and ice cream in order to truly sample their best products.  Unfortunately, plane travel prevents us from bringing these goodies home.

Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach

We were blessed with fantastic weather during our entire trip.  Clear blue skies and pleasant temperatures in the 60s during our coastal swing made the views even more spectacular.  Two days were not enough to truly experience all there was to see, so our next trip to the Oregon will include more time along the Oregon Coast Highway.

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

After we departed Crater Lake, we headed west to spend the rest of our time along the coast.  During dinner on our last night at Union Creek, the proprietor of the local restaurant told us about the Oregon Dunes and that we should really stop and check it out while on the coast.  So we did.

Oregon Dunes from the Viewpoint -- this is what we hiked
through in order to access the beach

Oregon has a varied coastline. Miles of sandy beaches in places.  Rocky shorelines and cliffs in other places.  In the southern half of the coast centered around the town of Reedsport are miles of huge dunes that form the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.  There are portions where they allow you to bring your ATVs and go four wheeling of which we saw lots of folks taking advantage. Large sections of the dunes are a protected area for half the year because the western snowy plover nests here when reproducing.

We drove north from Reedsport and stopped at the Oregon Dunes day use area.  From here you had great views of the dunes as well as forested areas between the dunes and the beach.  We decided to hike out to the beach which allowed us to hike over the dunes and through the forest.  In looking at the trail map, I saw that there were multiple boardwalk areas as part of the trail, presumably over areas of water.  You could see a few tidal pools amongst the dunes so that made sense.  Once we crossed the dunes and got into the forest, we were stopped by several, at times knee-deep, pools of water in order to continue on the trail.  I didn't bring my water shoes and the water was too deep for my hiking boots, so off they came.  Now I'm hiking through the forest barefoot in search of the beach.  I happen upon the first "boardwalk" which its maybe 5 feet in length and traverses some type of water. Ironically, there was multiple pools on the other side that you still had to cross.  The other boardwalk had the same characteristics.  I'm still not sure what the purpose was.

Who hikes through the forest barefoot?

We make it to the beach and what a sight. Miles of pristine sand and not a single person in sight.  We were literally the only two people on the beach.  I've never been to any beach where I had it all to myself.  It was quite the treat.  Just us listening to the waves and sounds of nature.

We probably stayed 30 minutes and didn't encounter another soul.  As we hiked back to the car, we did see another couple making the trek out.  We left just in time so they could enjoy the same experience we had.

The payoff

Crater Lake

Blue.  That's the one best word to describe seeing Crater Lake.  Although I've not yet been to the Caribbean, this is the bluest water I've ever seen.  Various shades of blue depending upon how the sun was shining and bluer than the cloudless sky we experienced during our two days here.

The deepest lake in the United States at over 1900 feet, Crater Lake was formed by the collapse of Mount Mazama during a volcanic eruption thousands of years ago.  The lake is filled with rainfall and melting snowpack, the water is crystal clear, and you can easily see the rocks below when you're at the waters edge.

As the name implies, the lake is in a crater -- caldera would be a more accurate term as it's technically still within a volcano.  There is a rim road that you can drive all the way around the lake to various viewpoints to see the lake. You're roughly at 7,000 feet elevation when you're peering down into the lake.  Cleetwood Cove Trail is the only access down to the lakeshore and it's a strenuous, steep mile hike one way down to the bottom.  Of course, that's the easy part of the hike.  The strenuous part is the hike back up.

Snowpack taller than me - still hasn't melted

We hiked down and watched folks swimming and jumping off the rocks into the lake. We dipped our feet in, but the water temperature was way too cold for our comfort. The average water temperature in July is only high 50s.  Crater Lake received 48 feet of snow this winter, all of which hasn't melted yet.  They don't even bother to plow the rim road until sometime in April.  It's mid-July and only about 2/3 of the rim road is open to cars as they are still plowing.

Cabin 15 was our home for two nights

We stayed in a cabin at the historic Union Creek Resort about 20 miles away from Crater Lake.  Remote is probably an understatement. There is zero cell coverage and the wi-fi at the resort was spotty at best.  If you can't stand to be unplugged, this is not the place for you.  We loved being surrounded by the tall pines and hearing the Rogue River rushing by. Peaceful. Serene.  Quiet.

And Blue.

Waterfalls and Volcanoes

After leaving Portland, we traveled southeast and crossed over the Cascade Mountains by Mount Hood and went into the High Desert Area of Oregon on our way to Redmond and Bend. Bryan interviewed for a job in Redmond about 10 years ago and we really liked the area. Although we stayed in Redmond, we spent most of our time visiting Bend.  Bend is close to the Mount Bachelor ski area and is popular with outdoor enthusiasts with lots of hiking and biking in the area. We ate dinner at Deschutes Brewery, who has announced plans to build a new brewery in Roanoke, Virginia --their first on the east coast.

Standing behind the waterfall

One of the popular hikes in the area is to Tumalo Falls.  While no where close to being as tall as Multnomah Falls, you could hike to both the top and the bottom of the falls.  In fact, you could actually walk behind the falls and feel the mist as the water comes crashing over you and down into the canyon.  Of course we did both.  At the top, there was a viewpoint where you could actually look down at the top of the falls and see the water as it goes over the cliff.

After spending time at Tumalo Falls, we drove south towards Crater Lake and stopped at one of newest National Monuments -- Newberry National Volcanic Monument.  Here you can see the lava flows still present from when the volcano last erupted thousands of years ago.  We drove to to the top of Paulina Peak where we could see both Paulina Lake and East Lake that had

View of the caldera and lakes from Paulina Peak

formed in the caldera as well as the obsidian flow.  We also stopped to see Paulina Falls -- a small double waterfall fed by a creek that drains from Paulina Lake.

Interesting side note -- Newberry is wholly contained within the Deschutes National Forest.  It is one of 12 national park sites that are managed by the US Forest Service and not the National Park Service.

Paulina Falls

Multnomah Falls & Lost Lake

One of our favorite memories from our first trip to Portland was driving along the Columbia River which separates Oregon from Washington and visiting Multnomah Falls, so of course we had to visit again.  At 620 feet, Multnomah Falls is the tallest waterfall in Oregon.  You can hike to the top, but since we'd been before, we only hiked to the bridge that sits between the upper and lower falls.  Although you don't necessarily need to spend a lot of time here, it is such a great view and so peaceful hearing the water rushing by.

After Multnomah Falls, we drove through countryside and Mount Hood National Forest to find Lost Lake and it's incredible views of Mount Hood.  We didn't have GPS during our first visit to Oregon (only paper maps) and it's a good thing to have now as Lost Lake is remote and you end up driving on National Forest Service Roads that I'm not sure would be shown on a paper map.

Considering we didn't really see any cars as we got closer to Lost Lake, we were surprised at the number of people there.  There is a campground at the Lake and it's popular to kayak, but without a doubt, you come for the glorious views of Mount Hood.  Today was windy, so we couldn't really get the great reflection on the lake,  We've seen photos of when the water is still and the reflection of the mountain in the water makes the view even more spectacular.  We hiked a good portion of the trail that circumnavigates Lost Lake, but once the view was obstructed on the far side, we decided to turn back and soak up more of the fabulous views instead.

Portland in 24 hours

We’ve been to Portland once before, way back in 1999 when Bryan had a conference here.  It’s a fun city with lots to do, so we had a jam-packed day with most of the quintessential stops along the way.

Voodoo Doughnuts — This is a Portland institution near the Chinatown section of the city, where people wait in line for upwards of an hour to buy a pink box filled with these delicious treats.  They feature a wide variety of creations with both yeast and cake doughnuts.  I bought one topped with fruit loops and another that was

a cookies and cream with oreos on top.  Mona had a blueberry doughnut and one that was covered with M&Ms.  Open 24/7, there’s always a line no matter the time.  Fortunately, we only had to stand in line about half an hour, but it was definitely worth the wait.

Portland Saturday Market —Also on Sundays, this market is filled with a variety of arts and crafts, food, and eclectic stalls.  This was one of our fond memories from our first visit and is where we bought one of our first Christmas tree ornaments to remember our various travels.  It was a gorgeous morning, with families out and about and kids playing in the fountain next to the market.  A must-do when you’re here on a weekend.

Pittock Mansion — Henry Pittock was the owner of the Oregonian newspaper and built this home with his wife Georgiana in 1914.  Sitting high on a hill, it has fantastic views of the City skyline with Mount Hood in the distance.  This is a beautiful home that was saved from demolition by the citizens of Portland, who helped raise money to save and restore it.  It’s now owned by the City and is maintained by the Parks Department and a non-profit Pittock Mansion Society.  Definitely the best views of the City.

Washington Park and the International Rose Test Garden — Portland is known as the Rose City and for good reason.  You can find thousands of varieties of roses in this corner of Washington Park, that is used as a test site for new varieties of roses that are created through hybridization techniques.  Fortunately, we were visiting when all of the roses were in bloom, and we were treated to a colorful and fragrant walk through the park.

Powell’s Bookstore —  Powell’s is another Portland institution and occupies most of a City block.  It’s the world’s largest independent bookstore, and is filled with both new and used books.  You could literally spend days perusing through the aisles.  It’s a good thing we stopped here later in the day or else we may not have made it to see any of the other sites.

Craft Brewery — Portland is one of the pioneers of the craft beer scene and no visit to the city is complete without sampling one of the local brews.  We stopped at Fat Head’s Brewery in the Pearl District for dinner and a beer, and the food was just as good as the beer.

Although we packed in a lot, we didn’t feel rushed at all and enjoyed a nice leisurely day enjoying the city.  We finished our day by catching a picture of the White Stag sign that is best seen at night.

Thanks Portland for another great visit.

One Night in Vegas

After touring Carson City, we stopped in the old mining town of Virginia City on our way to the Reno Airport to fly to Las Vegas.  We left the cool mountain mornings and highs in the low 80s for the extremes of 115 with lows in the 90s --- the 90s!!!  Of course Vegas is in the desert, but you'd never know it with the hordes of people and gigantic hotels and casinos at every turn.  As I have relatives in Vegas, Mona and I have been several times.  Mom and Pop hadn't been since the 1960s so it was drastically different, and Doug's family had never been.

We stayed at Paris Las Vegas on the Strip, and given the heat and the crowds, I think it was a little overwhelming for some.  I "assured" Mom that I could double or triple her money in the casino, so for a 25% cut, she gave me $50 to gamble with.  I have proof that I won at roulette and tripled her investment.  

We only had the one day which I think was long enough for everyone to get a taste of what Vegas is like.  It's better to come when it's not so blazing hot.  Mona and I were able to have breakfast with my family while we were here and are continuing our vacation in Oregon for another week, but this is the end for everyone else as they fly back east.  It's been a great family vacation with lots of great memories.  Safe travels home.

Thanks Governor Sandoval for a Great Tour

Earlier this week we visited Sacramento and the Capitol which marked #23 in our quest to visit all 50 state capitals.  On Friday, we drove from Lake Tahoe to Carson City to visit the Nevada State Capitol.  After driving over the mountains, we went from lush and green to more brown and desert-like.  Carson City is only about 60,000 people and has a nice small-town feel to it.

Nevada's Capitol is the second oldest west of the Mississippi River.  Built in 1871, the trees planted around the capitol grounds have grown so that it can be difficult to see the building from the street.  It cost about $170,000 when it was originally constructed.  In the early 1980s, the building was completely renovated due to structural deficiencies.  As part of this renovation, the entire roof was removed, and the dome and cupola were placed on the ground beside the building.  All of the interior features such as wainscoting, stairs, marble, etc., were removed and placed in storage.  The rest of the building was completely gutted, the walls were reinforced and the roof, dome, and cupola were reinstalled as was all of the interior ornamentation.  Today, the Capitol house executive offices including the Governor and Secretary of State.  The Legislature meets in a Legislative Building that was built next door.

When we went upstairs to the second floor to see the old Assembly chambers, Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval was finishing up an interview, so we were able to meet him.  He was very gracious with his time and chatted with all of us, asked where we were from, and made recommendations of places to visit.  He even gave a brief impromptu tour of the old Assembly chambers and talked about its history.  The Governor also has coins that he gives out and both kids received one which they were very excited about.  I don’t know anything about his politics or if I would share any of his views, but he is very personable and proud of Nevada and it showed during our conversation.  Thanks for a great introduction to your state.

Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe is the only place on this trip that none of the eight of us have been to before. We've heard lots about it and know it probably more as a ski resort.  Most people forget that the 1960 Winter Olympics were hosted in Squaw Valley, California, just a stone's throw from nearby Lake Tahoe.  In the summer time, there's lots of boating and water sports at the Lake as well as abundant hiking.

Lake Tahoe is split between California and Nevada, and we rented a house in South Lake Tahoe on the California side.  Our house was located in a subdivision called Tahoe Keys that was built with a lot of canals connected to the Lake so folks could have a dock and easily boat in and out of the Lake. We didn't have a boat during our stay, but our house did have two paddle boards and a canoe.  The kids loved paddle boarding and Mona and I took the canoe out on the Lake.

We only had a day and a half in Tahoe, so our main activity was driving the complete circumference of the Lake (about 80 miles) stopping along the way to see the gorgeous views and dip our toes in the water.  After the five Great Lakes, Lake Tahoe is the largest lake by volume in the United States.  It's the second deepest lake after Crater Lake in Oregon -- Mona and I will be visiting Crater Lake later during this trip.  Even though it's he middle of the summer, we're still reminded of the altitude of the lake and surrounding mountains as we're still seeing snow-capped peaks.

Although this was a quick visit, it gave us a real sense of what the area is like and why so many people like to come and visit.  Hopefully, we'll make it back one day.

Sacramento

As most of my faithful three or four readers know, we're on a lifelong quest to visit all 50 states and 50 state capitals. We've been to a few more states than capitals, but we can now cross Sacramento off the list as we stopped for a visit on the way from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe.  Our first stop was the State Capitol where we took the self-guided tour and visited the Rotunda and saw the Assembly chambers.  The Senate Chambers were undergoing renovation and weren't open, but I managed to get in as an employee was showing a few people and invited me in as well.  On the first floor, several rooms have been preserved as they looked in the early 1900's, including the Treasurer's Office and Secretary of State.

After touring the Capitol, we visited Old Sacramento, which is several blocks of preserved 19th century Gold Rush-era buildings list on the National Register of Historic Places.  There is also a Railroad Museum and a pedestrian walk along the Truckee River. Old Sacramento is now home to lots of shops and restaurants.   It would have been nice to spend a little more time here, but Lake Tahoe is calling and we're anxious to spend time there.

Chinatown

San Francisco has the largest Chinatown outside of Asia, and no visit to the city would be complete without a stroll through the neighborhood to shop and sample the cuisine.  We visited the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company and watched how they inserted fortunes and folded the cookies while still warm.  The kids and I were able to write our own fortunes and have them put into our own

In front of the Dragon Gate

personal cookies.  

We ate dinner at the Cathay House and enjoyed Cantonese Cuisine family style, so we were able to sample a lot of different dishes.  After dinner, we strolled the main street and looked in the various stores.  While a lot of these appear to cater to tourists, we still walked past the local groceries and shops that appeared to be 100% patroned by the locals.  And of course we completed our night out with what else -- a ride on the cable car.

Ridin' the Hills on the Cable Car

Besides the Golden Gate Bridge, the other most well-known icon of San Francisco is its cable cars.  San Francisco operates the only cable car system in the world.  There are three remaining lines that run in the main tourist area of the City -- Powell-Mason, Powell-Hyde, and California.  The first cable car line started in 1873, and more than a century later, the simple mechanical technology remains the same.

Turning around on the Lazy Susan

Giant cables are constantly moving beneath the streets. These cables are constantly moving at 9.5 mph, being propelled by giant sheaves (often called pulleys).  The cable car has no power of its own.  The cable car "grips" the cable and is pulled along the street.  The operator is referred to as the grip man. This proved to be the most effective method of transporting up San Francisco's steep hills.  At the end of the Powell-Hyde and Powell-Mason lines, the cable cars are rotated on a giant Lazy Susan to make the trip back in the opposite direction.

Giant sheaves propelling the cables underneath the streets

A great place to check out the history of cable cars and see how the system operates is to visit the Cable Car Museum. It's a small museum located at the operations center of the cable car system.  We could see each of the giant sheaves in action and walk below the street to see the various pulleys and guides keeping the cables moving.

Up and down the hills

We were able to ride all three lines during our stay.  I suspect most of the riders these days are tourists like us given the limited areas the cable cars cover and the fact that they only move so fast. That being said, they were a great way to get around and help us navigate all of the hills in and around out neighborhood.

Golden Gate

No visit to San Francisco is complete without the obligatory visit to the Golden Gate Bridge.  Not only an icon of San Francisco, but also an icon of the entire United States.  We've been using public transit during our entire visit as it's difficult to and expensive to find parking, so we hopped on the #28 bus which took us all the way to the Bridge Visitor Center.  This was definitely the right call as cars were circling and there was no parking to be found.

Entire span with Fort Point below

Many people like to hike or bike across the bridge which we've done before on a previous visit.  Today, we hiked down to Fort Point and Crissy Field along the Bay to get a different perspective and take pictures.  Most of the time this week at least part of the bridge has been shrouded in fog, but today it cleared up enough for us to get some great pictures.

The Golden Gate Bridge was built in 1937, so it is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. They're marking the occasion with an anniversary lapel pin (that I've added to my collection) and a nice flower display.