You’ve heard the old idiom, “Stop and smell the roses”, but that doesn’t’ confine one to simply sniffing plants in the genus Rosa. Rather, it refers to slowing down and taking some time for yourself to really authentically enjoy life and all that it has to offer. This being the first post of this personal Substack site I’ll take a moment to share a little background before moving on to today’s outing where I took time to “smell the roses”.
In July of 2023 I took on a new role in Portland and in September my wife Kay and I moved to the City of Roses. It has been one thing after the next for the past 6 months and this weekend was the first opportunity when time, workload and weather coalesced to allow me some time to get out and wander around the area along highways 26, 101 and 6 Northwest of Portland while Kay was off with church friends. This site will capture my musings as I continue to wander around the area, wondering what is around the next bend. I also travel a lot for work so I’ll include those walkabouts as well as news, information and observations about any great food joints I run across…. So, here goes…
Today’s trip (230+ miles in 9 hours with stops)
I started out at 0830 this morning by heading northwest out of town on highway 26. Within a half hour the hustle and bustle of Portland was left behind and I was meandering down a country highway lined with farms, fields, trees then mountains. Within an hour I made it to my first stop, Camp 18, a logging themed restaurant that has been serving the area since 1986.
Inside the Camp 18 Dining Room
After digging into a mounding plate of biscuits and gravy, bacon, sausage, country potatoes and a couple over easy eggs accompanied by some tasty coffee, all of which really hit the spot, I hit the road again headed for the coast. I knew a lot of walking was in my plans for the day and I needed to stock up.
My first stop along the coast was in Seaside where I pulled into Seaside Cove on the southern end of town.
Seaside Cove
While the sky was overcast all day the weather was in the upper 40s to low 50s throughout and after a bit of a stumbling traipse along the rock-strewn shore I decided to make my way back towards the blacktop street to hopefully get to the site I had come here to see without twisting an ankle. After a few moments of wandering along a stamped down path I came across a monument called The Sailor’s Grave.
The Sailor’s Grave
Sailor’s Grave Plaque
After contemplating the plaque I continued on my journey through the lovely streets of Seaside, a town which reminded me of the Monterey/Carmel area and everything that Pacific Grove and 17 Mile Drive have to offer.
Seaside villas in Seaside
As I walked along the street I saw little indications in front yards of the quaintness of the town and while it did appear to have quite a few vacation rentals there was also a sense of community.
Community Library
Finally, a couple blocks on I made it to my first destination, the Painted Rock Beach.
Entrance to Painted Rock Beach
More rocks on Painted Rock Beach
There were thousands of rocks, many commemorating an event, some remembering a life lost, many very colorful and just as many faded due to the ravages of time and sea spray. One rock in particular along the path caught my eye and I didn’t know quite what to make of it. It said, “The rest of the Last of my Life”. I sat there wondering, “Does this mean they have now retired and they are going to enjoy what is left of their time on the beach?” And then I thought, “Or does this mean that they have some life altering situation that is limiting their time on Earth and they are going to spend what’s left of it watching the waves?” Either way, I knew that my mission today was to enjoy and appreciate every minute of my time, so after a brief contemplation I prepared to move on to the next site.
The Rest of the Last of my Life
On the way back to the car I ran across another monument, this time though not just to sailors but to an Honor Roll of all Seaside High School participants that served in all of our military branches in the Vietnam War. At first I was shocked when I saw this as I’ve visited the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC and it’s quite a site to behold, that long black wall with all of the names of those who gave their lives in sacrifice halfway around the world. So when I saw this monument at first I thought it was a memorial and I couldn’t believe that even though almost 41,000 personnel directly lost their lives in Vietnam there couldn’t have been that many (there’s about 120 names on the monument) from one tiny high school in Oregon that the war affected. I read it again and while it is really hard to read in the picture (it was hard to read standing right in front of the monument) it states that these are the men and women who “Served”. All gave some, some gave all, and once again I was left perplexed by what something really meant and had to fill in the blanks in my imagination.
Vietnam War Honor Roll Monument - Seaside High School
Back in the car again and another 20 minutes down hwy 101 I turned off the main road onto a winding two lane blacktop road lined by ferns and moss-covered conifers reminiscent of some Jurassic scene. Following to the very end it took me out to Indian Beach.
The Road to Indian Beach
Indian Beach
Once again, the place was packed with surfers in wet suites enjoying the waves.
I left the beach and headed further down 101, making a side stop through Cannon Beach. I didn’t capture any photos but I am highly confident that a return trip is in the cards, possibly as soon as our son Billy 3 comes to visit for his Spring Break in March. It really is a destination town and I can’t wait to get back out there.
As I continued further down 101 I had to stop several times at scenic vista pullouts to take in the scenery. I should also note that in California Hwy 1 or Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) as it’s known, is the highway that runs along the ocean from the southern boarder up to around Eureka, whereas in Oregon it’s 101 that is the state’s coastal highway.
Scenic vista 1
Scenic vista 2
I had to take at least one selfie today to prove I was there
Selfie near Neahkahnie Viewpoint along Highway 101
Heading further south on 101 I came to Rockaway Beach. I haven’t looked into the history here, but with Manhattan Beach and Rockaway Beach in the area it’s obvious a New York transplant found their way here, got homesick and named everything the same from back home. I found the town itself to be rather boring and forgettable as I passed through it so it’s probably good that it has a memorable name so it something other than a dot on a map. However, on the southern end of town I found the Twin Rocks and the beach itself to be pretty spectacular.
Twin Rocks, Rockaway Beach, OR.
In order to get the shot above I had to pull off the highway and go down a little road that dead ended at the beach after going past the Twin Rocks Motel.
View from the beach looking back at the Twin Rocks Motel
Seeing the Adirondack chairs on the beach in front of the firepits and horseshoe area I knew that this would be a great place to have as a home base for another trip. I went in to visit the manager, but they weren’t there so I grabbed a brochure and I’m already thinking about a trip with Cottage 1 in mind.
On the way to Twin Rocks I passed up the Original Pronto Pup, the world’s first corn dog franchise established in the 1930s. I kept going as I headed south to Twin Rocks, but after wrapping up there I just couldn’t get that GIANT corndog (looks like it’s made from a large propane tank painted orangish/brown) on top of the building out of my mind, so I doubled back 5 minutes and stopped in.
The Original Pronto Pup, Rockaway Beach, OR
Wall signage inside restaurant
I ended up ordering a Jalepeno and Cheddar Smoked Sausage Pup for a mere $4.
Jalepeno and Cheddar Smoked Sausage Pup
I devoured the whole thing, except for the very last bite. Now, I will say, the sausage itself and the batter on the dog were outstanding, but for any connoisseur of corndogs, let me ask you, aside from maybe the last bite of an ice cream cone that has that solid chunk of chocolate in the bottom, is there anything that compares to that last little crispy bite of corn dog batter that gets stuck to the stick? I think not.
The last bite
I saw the Super Pup on the menu but didn’t think to go for it, then I saw them actually making it but couldn’t get a picture. When I sat down at the shared picnic bench the folks next to me had both ordered a Super Pup and I asked them before they dug in if I could take a picture. Unless I was REALLY hungry I’m not sure I could eat the whole thing. The picture really doesn’t do it justice. This thing was quite literally a foot long. It was MASSIVE, all for $8.
The Super Pup
Ok, maybe I could have eaten it because about 10 minutes down the road I saw signs for the Tillamook Country Smoker Factory Outlet and their 2 foot long jerkey sticks.
Tillamook Country Smoker Factory Outlet
I stopped in to check it out and this place was wall-to-wall covered in all kinds of jerky. I ended up getting a jalapeno stick which was delicious but I think could have used a bit more heat. I gave her a $5 and she gave me back $3.75. That is one of the nicer things I’ve enjoyed thus far living in Oregon is the lack of Sales Tax. You pay the price it says and nothing more (unfortunately that doesn’t extend to the city of Portland and all of the other outrageous taxes they apply here, fodder for another post perhaps).
Jerky Stand
I had to see these 2 foot jerky sticks and when I did I actually found them to be pretty reasonably priced at $14 for a bundle of them in various flavors.
The 2 Foot Jerky Sticks
With the Jerky Factory in the rear view mirror I headed on to the next major attraction I anticipated on this trip, the Tillamook Creamery. I was very pleased to get front row parking and free charging for my Mustang Mach-e, plugged in, and headed in for the self-guided tour.
Tillamook Creamery
I knew this trip I wouldn’t have time to go on the guided tour so I made my way upstairs to the overlook area and checked out the manufacturing floor.
Cheese Factory Floor 1
Cheese Factory Floor 2
I also learned that Cheddar is not only a noun, but a verb and that there is a process called Cheddaring used to make the cheese.
The Cheddaring Process
The place was jam packed with visitors so I didn’t bother trying to order up a fresh scoop of ice cream (I love the Tillamook Marionberry ice cream), so with a couple extra miles on the battery I headed out and made my way the 20 minutes or so out to Cape Meares, traveling the Bayocean Rd along Tillamook Bay right at water level until I came to the Cape.
Cape Meares parking lot
From the parking lot it is a .2 mile jaunt down the blacktop path (that runs at about a 30 degree downgrade, so I knew the hike back up would be no fun). However, the scenery was beautiful and there were several vista points to take in the views.
Cape Meares vista point
Once you get to the end of the path you come out right at the top of the Cape Meares Lighthouse and have the rare opportunity to be at eye level to the Fresnel lenses at the top due to the fact that while this lighthouse stands 217 feet above sea level the height of the lighthouse itself is only 38 feet from the ground it stands on, the shortest on the Oregon Coast.
Cape Meares Lighthouse Fresnel Lense
The lighthouse was commissioned in 1890 and used continuously until 1963 when it was decommissioned, and an automated light was placed nearby.
Cape Meares Lighthouse
The walk back up was bearable and by continuing up through the parking lot and about another eighth of a mile further I arrived at the Octopus Tree, a rather weirdly formed Sitka Spruce that is 250-300 years old with 8 trunks but no central trunk.
The Octopus Tree
Leaving Cape Meares, and after another 25 minutes or so along hwy 131, I came to my next major attraction on my agenda, the Tillamook Air Museum. I could literally see it from miles away (that picture below is zoomed way in and was taken from about a mile away).
Tillamook Air Museum Hanger
Because I had arrived shortly after 3pm and they were closing at 4pm when I asked about the veterans discount the lady at the cash register said, “well honey we’re fixin’ to close here shortly so I’ll do you one better, just give me $5 bucks”… Alrighty then. This place is massive inside. If you go to their website or elsewhere online you can see that in its heyday in the 40’s when it was a Naval Air Station it housed 5 or 6 huge dirigibles at a time. While it does still have a decent selection of planes I was expecting more. I think where it shines (and an area I didn’t really get to take advantage of given the time) is all of its displays and simulators. I took a bunch more pictures that I won’t bore you with here as I was looking for new ideas for scale models to build and for examples of aircraft weathering and paint colors.
Inside the Tillamook Air Museum Hanger
I will show you this one picture though because I thought it was interesting. This is an example of a drone the military used in 1946 for pilots to practice shooting down. Who knew we had drones that long ago?
Radioplane OQ-19 Drone
As interesting as that is the fact that Norma Jean Dougherty (AKA Marilyn Monroe) was working in the Radioplane Drone Factory in Van Nuys, CA when she was discovered by an Army photographer, and the rest is history….
Marilyn Monroe working in the Radioplane Factory
Leaving the museum, I had a good hour-long drive along hwy 6 until I reached my final destination of the day, Apolloni Vineyards.
Bocce Ball at Apolloni Vineyards
I have a very red heavy collection of California wines and I wanted something local and lighter for this spring and summer, so I stopped in for a tasting with the hope of picking something up. Because I arrived at 4:35 and they close at 5 they weren’t able to do a flight tasting, but they did provide a half glass of their Pinot Grigio, which I enjoyed immensely and was exactly the thing I was looking for. I picked up a couple bottles.
Apolloni Vineyards 2022 Pinot Grigio
After a hard 9-hour day of smelling the roses I decided to reward myself once I got home by ordering up a mushroom pizza with Italian sausage, goat cheese and hand-pulled Mozzarella from Oven and Shaker. This James Beard-nominated owner knows a thing or two about good pizza, and this my friends is the pinnacle of good pizza (I mean I’m salivating thinking about eating the cold leftovers for breakfast tomorrow, it’s that good). I’d share this with anyone that makes the trek up to Portland to visit.
Oven and Shaker Mushroom Pizza
So, that was my Saturday. What did you do today to smell the roses? Leave a comment….