Blogs from Oregon, United States, North America - page 25

Transcribed from a letter written April 11th, 2015. Wow! After 8 days of riding I’ve made it around the Olympic Peninsula, down the Washington coast, and crossed the Astoria-Megler bridge into Oregon. This letter is being written as I take a few days to relax and heal up from the first week of riding in Cannon Beach, Oregon. The weather has been miraculous, the first 6 days on the Peninsula almost seeming like summertime. The last two days into Oregon were a bit wet and windy, but who can complain at 25%? After a week without checking my email, text messaging, or hearing the ringtone of my phone, I am beginning to settle into a steady state of calm. Being inches from semi-trucks loaded down with timber, passing by at 80 mph may be a little ... read more

Long perceived as a "hipster" city, this preconception of Portland is in reality, not too far-fetched. That is, if hipster entails liberal politics, environmental consciousness, temperate climate, food carts, and fervor for beer and coffee. This city prides itself on being different, as evidenced by their slogan, "Keep Portland Weird," and if strange is good, then Portland is great. But as unique as this town is, other city governments around the country are taking note and following suit; renown for their dedication to public transportation, high walkability, and large bike-share program, Portland's city council is setting an example for running a sustainable town. Sustainability is also dependent on natural resources, which is quite abundant in the Pacific Northwest. As Seattle is flanked by Puget Sound and Lake Washington, Portland is also surrounded by water; the Willamette ... read more

Back in Portland for the second time and about to head south. We are hiring a car in a few hours and spending two days slowly winding our way down I-5 and 101 towards the Bay Area, California. The time we've spent in the Pacific NW has been varied but wonderful, matching easily the expectations in my mind built on a month-long visit here in 2006. Portland has changed a lot in the ensuing nine years, or so most people we have met here have said. The city is bigger, busier, more corporate. Its unofficial motto, "Keep Portland Weird", bares less relevance now than it did a decade ago or twenty or thirty years ago. Honestly I can't be 100% sure as my memories are hazy but certainly the skyline is a lot more jagged with ... read more

After being rained out a couple of days and enduring marginal weather a couple of others, Wednesday, October 22, 2014 was a beautiful day to be out and about whether driving to a new location, taking a scenic drive or exploring an outdoors attraction such as a waterfall or a covered bridge. My regular followers know that Wednesday is my relocation day, and this Wednesday was no exception although this Wednesday found me stepping outside the box. Since my next destination, Klamath Falls OR, is only about 140 miles and 3-1/2 hours from Bend OR and since I had been assured by the folks at the Bend Visitor Center that there was adequate room for parking my rig with the Pilgrim in tow, I did have one stop planned for the trip south. That stop, High ... read more

The drive from Shady Firs RV Park in Randle WA to Sisters Creekside Campground in Sisters OR would be just under 300 miles and about 5 hours per MapQuest. There is a shorter route that takes two-lane roads the entire distance. Were I not pulling the Pilgrim, I would have taken that route, but I now opt for the easier Interstate highways when pulling the trailer particularly when it’s raining and the roads are wet, just as I found them on October 15, 2014. The first and last portions of the drive (about 150 miles total) would be on two-lane roads anyway. U.S. 12, which is the location of Shady Firs RV Park, took me from Randle to I-5, and OR 22 and U.S. 20 took me from Salem OR to Sisters where I completed the ... read more