Oregon Travel

Today another good day of sight-seeing; up a little late, but good breakfast @ the Shiloh Inn, then hit the road to tour:
a) the Tillamook Cheese Factory; very interesting and tasty exhibit!
b) the Blue Heron Cheese Factory, a French cheese factory.
Both of them use all the dairy products from the Tillamook Valley and watershed and they are great. Early pioneers tried to grow crops when the forests were cleared but too much rain. Cattle were perfect and they morphed into the dairy business and never looked back.
We then continued south and hugged the coast line, visiting a lighthouse and ended up in Newport, a neat little seaside village and bay wharf. Dungeness crab and fish stew: Yum.

Oregon Travel

What a beautiful place this area is!! We traveled to Astoria yesterday along the Columbia River, following Lewis and Clark trail. Once in Astoria it was plain to see there was lots to do, so we just found a really quaint B and B, walked around the little town (established 1811, named after John Jacob Astor) and had a nice little dinner. We got up this am, had breakfast with the owner and the other guests which was really fun, and then we toured the town (you know the drill; Maritime Museum, old Queen Anne style house museum, and then my Mecca, Fort Clatsop). I just love the Lewis and Clark story and to see where they spent the winter was so cool.
We didn't leave there until about 3 but drove all the way down to Tillamook. What a beautiful drive, we took lots of pics, and finally found a motel and had a dinner. I am engorging myself on Seafood; RazorBack Clams, Fish and Chips, Steamer Clams, etc. We were able to get a LITTLE exercise by a 2 mile hike along (you guessed it) another Lewis and Clark path.
Now we are in Tillamook and plan to tour a cheese factory tomorrow and then head further south. It's only Monday (I think..).

Oregon Travel

OK; we've just returned to the hotel in Portland after a nice day and evening in Portland!
This morning Susan, Era Cherry, Greg Cherry, and his lady friend Myrna (from Atlanta) all went down town and had a nice breakfast (I had Lox and Bagel on Cream Cheese,etc)..yum! Then we went to the Saturday Open Market (kind of a glorified 4th Ave thing in Tucson...) and I really didn't see too much there of interest. Then, however, we went across the street to attend the Annual Beer Fest here in Portland. This event was really fun, quite interesting. People from all over the US and Europe attended, and you could sample lots and lots of different beers. Was a fun time!
We then headed back to the hotel, rested a bit, got cleaned up, then headed over to Karen and Brian's place for the wedding. Had to admit, had my doubts after last night's "rehearsal", but it turned out real nice. The back yard setting w the small pond and fountain, the stream, and lighting all made for a beautiful setting. Brian looked very handsome in his vest and nice outfit, and Karen was beautiful. It was presided over by John ..., a pastor from Grant's Pass who knows the family, and the ceremony was very nice. We wish them all the best. Susan and I just said "good-night" to Gregg and Myrna, and then Era . We will see Era here @ breakfast and then I guess we will make a spot visit back to Karen and Brian's before we go on our way. Don't have any idea how to put some pics up because Inger didn't show me how....Love to all, DAD

First day of "the Blog"

This is the first day of this dinosaur's experiment w "the Blog". Inger is helping with this endeavor. We will see if it is interesting to anyone trying to find me or see what is new in our family!