Blogs from Oregon, United States, North America - page 7

While on our trip out west earlier this year, my husband and I made a point to stop and visit Tillamook, Oregon then travel on a little southward to Myers Flat, California. We selected the former because we love to go on factory tours and we had heard about the Tillamook Cheese Factory nearby. Though many of the tours that we have gone on since our honeymoon have been brief and short, this one was impressively thorough. We met at the gift shop as the tour group assembled, where we were invited to sample all different kinds of cheeses created and sold by Tillamook. The white cheddar was one of our favorites, as was the creamy spread served with hot pepper jelly and crackers. Once everyone had arrived, we moved into a small amphitheater, where we ... read more

Oregon 2018 Portland Resting and overview. A lie in at last with an 8am breakfast. A route march then to catch the tram into town. After several false turns we managed to catch the tram to Down Town Portland at $2.50 for the geriatrics. A deal. A slope around town into various shops and then a cycling shop where I bought some padded cycling fingerless gloves . These are the first I have found since Jackson Wyoming 4 yrs ago. Then a look around the largest bookshop in the world, Powell’s, and it is massive with a great selection of books in about 8 large rooms. Bill and myself found a sew-on badge here for our saddlebags after trawling the whole of Portland. We called at the Pendleton Woollen shop, since Richard W bought his Pendleton ... read more

Oregon 2018 Cascade Locks. The Dalles Hotel was nice and the meal at Baldwin’s Saloon, although expensive compared to previous establishments, was good too. As we ate we saw a goods train go past with approximately 130 carriages on, which could equate to 3000 tonnes -serious stuff. Away at 8am into brilliant sunshine again in 12 degrees of heat taking the cycle way heading west along the river for 6 miles or so. This was the perfect time to travel west as the sun was on the hills across the Columbia creating the most amazing shadows. The cycle track was in very good condition with sweeping bends and smooth tarmac passing the International Garden (which was just in front of a tarmacadam plant which you will all have been pleased to see, of course). It ended ... read more

My husband and I have now visited the Pacific Northwest on three occasions and I truly believe, every time we go back, that it becomes more and more beautiful. From the foggy air rising over the Pacific that never feels too thick or too heavy to the mountains jutting into the ocean and the waves crashing along the shore, this is a place that astounds and amazes us every time. When we went back a few weeks ago, we were planning to spend a little more time in the region around Astoria, Oregon and Cannon Beach. While I have written extensively about our prior two visits to Cannon Beach, we had only been to Astoria once, in a whirlwind visit that only lasted about two hours. This time around, we planned to spend two full days ... read more

Oregon 2018. Sisters Town Day off cycling today so wandered around town looking at the many art and craft shops typical of any tourist town. The bike shop got the most interest with a lot of purchasing going on and bartering with the owner. The girls seemed to get the better hand of their husbands and walked away with bulging bags of clothing whilst the men walked away with hardware. Sisters is typical of any American town with wide roads diagonal parking on either side and single story shops with false high fronts. Coffee shops, restaurants, bakeries and cafes enough to fatten up any passer by. Much interest was shown in the antique shops with old kitchen ranges and cowboy boots, plus much interesting steel sculptures made from scrap farm mowing machines etc. We went into ... read more