Oregon Coast

I went to bed last night in Portland with great plans to take a walking tour this morning and maybe visit an historic house in the area. The rainy weather and early departure time made me quickly rethink all that this morning. Instead I got in the car and headed for the coast. Looks like I have to add Portland to the growing list of areas that I have pasted through with barely a glance.

Have you read the book The World Without Us? It details how quickly nature would overwhelm most man-made structures in a matter of days and weeks if the earth was depopulated overnight. There is a terrifying part about Manhattan -- the subways flood, followed by the streets above collapsing and the buildings following suit all in a matter of days and weeks. During the drive this morning, this book kept coming to mind. Oregon's Route 26 has enormous evergreens overhanging the road and I felt sure that without constant upkeep this road would quickly revert to forest. How about Stephen King's The Stand? This time a virus takes out most of the population. The main character travels across the country in search of... well, at this point Stephen King gets all mystical and weird (as he is prone to do). I am willing to suspend disbelief about the virus and even the mystical crap, but after reading The World Without Us and now seeing these roads I no longer buy the cross country journey aspect!

Dana recommended I visit Cannon Beach, so I decided that it would be a good place to stop for lunch. Despite a cloud having landed on top of the town, I walked around and enjoyed some of the many art galleries. Due to the wet weather, my suede bag stayed in the car so (despite being tempted) I was unable to buy the tabletop bronze sculpture titled, Anna. Instead the cash in my pocket got me a glow-in-the-dark jellyfish glass globe. It was an end of the season sale and, after the fabulous jellyfish at the Vancouver Aquarium, I just couldn't resist. The damn thing weighs a ton and, if nothing else, will give the mini some added heft through these mountain passes.  For lunch, I tried to keep with my local cuisine initiative and ordered the oyster burger. It was... not good. I like oysters, but in patty form is was really just a collection of boogers -- it's too odd a texture to eat as a sandwich. As I got back in the car I had an overwhelming desire to brush my teeth.

Let's Go sent me to Tillamonk and a cheese factory for a tour. I had no idea there were so many dairies in Oregon.  The tour was 'self-guided,' which means that you can just wander around the factory,  ending with a large selection of cheddar tastings. The cheeses covered a wide range including a mild, a medium, a sharp, an extra sharp and a pepper jack. In a way it reminded me of a trip that Colby and I took to Napa -- some stupid questions on my part lead to a very nice man sitting us down and having us taste a Pinot Noir, a Merlot and a Cabernet. It was the first time I really understood the differences in the different wines and this was the first time that I had tasted the different cheddar strengths side by side. After the wine tasting I emerged with a solid preference for Merlot, but today no such cheese standard exists - I love all cheese and appreciate all varieties equally.

The cheese factory also has an enormous and very popular (even on a rainy day) ice cream counter. It's all in the milk family. Despite sampling a few flavors, I ordered a small strawberry. Delicious as it is, sometimes a whole scoop of pumpkin can just be too much. After my funky lunch I felt it was best to stick with the basics!

Now for the real question: Does my trunk, in 50 degree weather, count as 'refrigeration,' or do I need to eat a block of garlic cheddar for dinner?