Blerf Blog: When Old Friends Come to a New Place

A while back, I sketched out a one week trip to Oregon as a possible get-together for our friend group.

https://blerfblog.blogspot.com/2025/01/a-one-week-itinerary-for-oregon.html

Well, we did it. It was only three of us. Myself and Patti, plus my sister Jane and two friends, Janine and Scott.

Here's our travelogue.

We picked up Scott mid-day on the Tuesday the 9th and got some railroad stuff out of the way for Scott and Don. Stopped by the Vancouver Amtrak Station and watched a BNSF freight train cross the Columbia.

Had a nice lunch on the Vancouver waterfront, then stopped by for a visit at the Columbia Gorge Model Railroad Club

Portland Union Station model

Overview from operators area

Following that, we checked into out VRBO in Troutdale and then picked up Jane and Janine at the airport and then hit the food trucks and Safeway in Troutdale for dinner and supplies.

Rest up! Psycho-tourism starts tomorrow! Also, it was quickly established that the "shotgun" passenger was also auxiliary stop sign and red light spotter as the driver (me) often found other things more interesting to look at...

Wednesday the 10th. First stop, Multnomah Falls - has it's own exit on I-84!

Patti, Scott and Jane hike up to the bridge

Janine and I stayed at the bottom.

Then we headed west to Hood River and lunch at Full Sail Brewing for lunch.

Columbia River - Trains and Windsurfers

...and tourists

Then on to the Fruit Loop!

A Lavender Farm

A farm stand - with cookies!

We actually did buy some fruit...and a loaf of bread that turned out mostly hollow inside and some lavender ice cream!

The final sightseeing stop for the day was Timberline Lodge at Mount Hood.

Heading from the Fruit Loop to Mount Hood

Timberline Lodge

Timberline Lodge fireplace

Mountain top emerges from the clouds

On a short hike

We returned to Troutdale the way we came, back through Hood River. ...mostly so Janine could visit the pillow store (aka Walmart - only the finest!) and dinner at a Mexican restaurant in town.

On the way back from dinner, we let Janine drive. Or, rather, Janine, seated behind the driver, asked for someone to grab her a water from the third row and then started laughing. Then she made the mistake of telling us she thought she was driving and that's why she didn't get the water herself! We let her live it down...or not.

The pillow was a key piece of "redesigning" the sleeping arrangement for Jane and Janine. The "twin beds" were more like cots and took some moving and blending with a day bed to make comfortable sleeping. Other than that, the VRBO was very serviceable and in a great location.

Thursday, September 11th.

Another day in the gorge. This time we started on historic US 30.

The vista from Crown Point

Vista House at Crown Point

Latourell Falls

Shepherd's Dell Falls

Bridal Veil Falls

There were more falls we could have visited, but the day was short and our plans were long!

Rowena Crest Viewpoint

We stopped at Rowena Crest for lunch - PB&J - and a quick walk. But, it was too windy, so we headed for The Dalles.

First stop, Sunshine Mills. A winery where they used to make the flour for Cheez-its. Cool place. Underwhelming wine. Trains outside, though...

Next stop, Tierra de Lobos winery in The Dalles. Ordinary building with much better wine!

"Land Wolf" winery

Patti and Janine tasting away!

Jane, Scott and I tried to find the fish ladder at The Dalles dam there, but the visitor's center was closed. Great views of dam and bridge, though. ...and another train.

Grain shuttle on the UP

We crossed the bridge and travelled back on the Washington side of the Columbia to Beacon Rock. Jane, Patti and I climbed to the top. Elevation about 700 feet over the base. Used to be an old volcano core, eroded away by glacial flooding. A trail was built in the early 20th Century with lots of switchbacks.

Here's a picture of the last time we climbed it.

Parking lot view....

At the top. Met some fellow tourists who lent us this sign.

Friday, September 12th. Portland.

...is weird.

Doing our part

A Portland icon. Two of us managed to find the train books rather quickly. Another, the horse books.

Pioneer Courthouse Square

Another icon

Lunch at Deschutes Brewery. Jane and I split a flite...and by split, I mean 67/33!

Off to the International Rose Test Garden.

Hanging out with the founder.

On our way back to Troutdale, we stopped at Mount Tabor. It had a view of the city from the top, a nice set of trails that worked just fine for four of us...Patti decided to fall on a dusty downhill and Jane showed great restraint waiting 5 whole minutes before saying, "You should have worn sneakers!"

We hit the Safeway for some apps and the Troutdale food trucks for the entree. Janine made up a really nice wine and cheese and fruit plate. We ate, drank and crashed early!

Saturday, September 13. Happy Birthday, Jane!

Also, going to the coast day. We got an early start on what would be a long day. First stop, Mount St Helens. Nearly plastered a mule deer on the way up. Thankfully, Jane yelled and I braked and swerved and the deer crossed unscathed.

Forty five years has tamed a lot of the devastation. The visitor's center closest to the mountain is currently closed because the road has been washed out for a couple years, but the next closest one had all the information about what happened during and after the eruption.

Mount St Helens today. Johnson Ridge, between here and the mountain, was "washed over" by the landslide as the mountain came apart.

Tree stump from tree snapped off at base from the blast, 45 years ago.

Island of ash coming back to life in Coldwater Lake

We ate our lunch down at Coldwater Lake. There are remnants of the forest that was blown down by the blast. We are 4-5 miles from the crater here. The forest here is on an aluvial fan that resulted from the mudslide from melted glaciers on the mountain.

Everyone piled back into the van and we headed to Astoria, where the Columbia River meets the Pacific. A significant place in the Pacific Northwest's history. The pole there commemorates that history.

Jane climbed to the top.

The view toward the Pacific

This is the area where Lewis and Clark's Expedition of Discovery wintered. The site of Fort Clatsop is pretty well established but the fort recreation is a best guess, imagineered structure.

Then we drove down the coast to Manzanita to our VRBO. A very nice place where every room had a ocean view.

Oregon coast vista.

Jane's birthday dinner at Big Wave Cafe. They shoehorned our party of 5 at a booth + table that they called "unique seating". Excellent fresh fish plus 4 deserts and 5 forks to finish it off. Yes, we sang.

Lot of people had beach bonfires going at Manzanita

Sunday, September 14th.

After a slow morning, we headed south along the coast.

Morning walk. Lots of these along the coast. Step over the blue line and you're safe!

View on the way south.

Just so happened to stumble across a steam excursion at Garabaldi

Tillamook Creamery had free cheese samples....and ice cream for sale!

We visited Cape Lookout State Park

...and went for a short hike

Trail flora

The view along the trail.

One more notch south got us to Pacific City.

The view from Pacific City

We climbed the dunes.

How did this driftwood get here?

Headed down

Went back to Manzanita to watch the sunset from the house.

Watching the sunset...or some other things.

Got some good Thai takeout for dinner.

Last day. Monday, September 15th.

Another big day. Drove all the way down to Newport. Stopped in Depoe Bay to watch the grey whales from the shore. We had great luck at Boiler Bay. There were several feeding close to shore. You could hear them spout as they came up for air. Grabbed some lunch at The Horn - a restaurant the overlooks the bay and the harbor, both. Finally got some chocolate cake for Jane's birthday! A huge piece more than enough for five forks.