Japanese Dock Reaches Agate Beach, Oregon

Suzanne and Emily were on hand to help scrape stuff off the dock.

To read more about the Japanese Dock that reached Agate Beach check out this story from NPR.

Depoe Bay

We tried to go out whale watching in Depoe Bay but they said when there are "sheep," a.k.a. white caps, on the ocean they don't recommend going out and the last trip out they couldn't find any whales. Instead of whale watching we went thru the shark and whale museum and then stopped at the Devil's Punchbowl and Agate Beach, where the dock from Japan washed up. 

The clouds over Agate Beach.

Japanese dock at Agate Beach.

The Devil's Punchbowl.

Mo's clam chowder at the little cafe right at the Devil's Punchbowl!

Tillamook

This rainy, foggy day we followed the Pacific Coast Highway to the Tillamook Cheese Factory. The weather didn't affect Em's Starlight Mint or my Peanut Butter Chocolate ice cream cones.

"Don't run with our cheddar, it's very sharp." -Tillamook ad

The GPS directed us along the scenic route, through the forest, back to Seaside but, we have still not spotted Sasquatch.

Columbia River Highway and Waterfalls

We spent our first day in Oregon with Mike, Loretta and Ludwig following the Historic Columbia River Highway and Scenic Waterfalls route. We stopped at the Vista House near Gresham, Oregon to start.

Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Vista House

Loretta, Mike, Ludwig and Emily

Ludwig adjusted the shutter speed on my camera so I was able to get some neat photos of the waterfalls. After the tour, Mike and Loretta took us to lunch at a cool diner overlooking the river and gorge, where the marion berry pie was all tangy-berry goodness!

 Multnomah Falls

 Bridal Veil Falls

 Horsetail Falls

Shepperd's Dell

Fort Stevens to Cannon Beach Oregon

We stayed at the Fort Stevens campground and hiked down to the shipwreck of the Peter Iredale.

There's a marsh between the campground and the beach and a fair amount of mosquitos live there.

The next morning we went to see the old fort which was used during the Civil War and WWII.

Challenge accepted. 

Breakfast at Crepe Neptune in Cannon Beach.

 

 Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach

The view from our hotel at Seaside.

From Astoria to Seaside

Yesterday we crossed the massive Columbia river and stopped in Astoria at the Columbia River Maritime Museum which turned out to be pretty sobering, with a display on overfished salmon. Conservation statement wrapped around a... fork?

The chowder at Norma's in Seaside is really good comfort food!

In Idaho for less than an hour...

3-mile deer migration path
High wind/dust storm area
Baby rattlesnakes (and eggs)
Lamas, at the gas station

Adventure? Check!

I miss that Ol' Dial-Up Modem Sound

Back in the days of the BBS this was one of the best sounds you could hear.  It meant that you were connecting (or getting on-line) to a Bulletin Board System.  This is an endangered sound.  Much in the same way that you don't see many Model-T's driving around, most kids today will never know this awesome "noise".  Read more about the sounds here... The Mechanics and Meaning of That Ol' Dial-Up Modem Sound.