From the Traveling Harrington’s.
Please email Olivia@bobheck.com or fredharrington@yahoo.com with comments.
Sunday, June 22, Our 45th Wedding Anniversary and what a wonderful way to celebrate, this trip and our granddaughter Blaire arriving to be with us for 9 days. We drove into Tillamook for church arriving we thought 15 minutes before service, only to discover when we neared the door that summer hours were in effect and we were 45 minutes late. At least we tried. On the way to the church, we passed Tillamook High School. In front of the school was a large sign proudly proclaiming it to be the home of the “cheese makers.” Fred was amused. This town of about 4,000 people is a dairy center. There are dairy farms surrounding the town as well as multiple cheese making plants. So the mascot name is appropriate, but can you imagine the fear the mascot must instill in their sporting opponents?
We headed in to Portland, stopping at Trader Joe’s for dried fruits (they were out of dried cranberries) and nuts, Target, Safeway and the Saturday Market downtown. This market was quite an experience for us.
We wish we could have captured the flavor of the atmosphere. Even though it is called Saturday market, it also goes on through Sunday.
It reminded us of a street faire we attended on 6th Street in Austin with the Hensley’s.
There was lots of hippie type stuff for sale. For many of the locals (I think they were locals) it was a time to show off their colored hair, body piercing and non mainstream dress. It was a hoot to see the people!
After supper we drove to the airport and picked up Blaire, then drove back to the trailer arriving about 10:30 pm. She had dozed on the way because she was still on Texas time, but she “had” to go to the beach as soon as we arrived. There was just enough twilight to get a wonderful view of the Pacific. It is so much fun to have someone so full of life with us.
Blaire-I take the compliment from Moms… There is a beach in Rockport but it isn’t that good of one. So to see a beach so beautiful was a great experience.
Monday, June 23 at 6:00 am Blaire was awake and ready to eat breakfast! Yawn! Soon she and Fred went back to the beach; a short time later we all walked a camping loop and looked at the vegetation. Blaire took 157 pictures of trees, ferns, flowers and signs. We think she is impressed with Oregon. Another trip to the beach at low tide she saw starfish in the tide pools, rocks, and barnacles. She enjoyed watching the tide come back in.
Blaire- yes I did, I love to take pictures and sometimes I amaze myself… The bathroom arrangements are a little different than at home but I can live with it…
In the afternoon we drove to Cape Meares and walked to the lighthouse.
And saw an Octapus tree
We toured Tillamook Cheese Factory and saw them pack their cheese. We each ate a dip of ice cream.
at sundown, we paused the conversations to watch a beautiful sunset.
Tuesday, June 24 we slept until 8:30, more like it. Then we slowly packed up and moved 50 miles up the coast through Bay City, Garibaldi, Rockaway Beach, Wheeler, Nehalem to Nehalem Bay State Park and our new home. After setting up we walked to the beach. This one was a little harder to get to.
Crossing a Big sand dune to the water was work.
Blaire: ugh...
After walking a while Olivia was cold and decided to go back. It was a long way and the trail back to the camp wasn’t marked from the beach. Fred & Blaire were following and took a different trail. We each ended up taking different trails and found our way back. We are not excited to go back to this beach because of the trek. Blaire: UGH...
We decided to go back to the little towns we had passed, stopping for thrift shops (looking for a club aluminum handle for our little saucepan, we guess it has been good since we have had it 45 years), ice cream and smoked salmon. We drove to the Nehalem Winery, tasted and were given a packing box for our California wine, so we can send it home before going to Canada. We also ordered some of their wine. Blaire was the designated driver back to the trailer. Blaire: and i do not hug the middle line...
This is the first time we have really had TV and Blaire is enjoying it. Blaire: because i hadn't really had any in about 2 weeks...
Wednesday, June 25, we left the trailer heading north to stop at all the pull outs, state parks, and anything else interesting. We drove through Manzanita to
Neahkahnie Beach, and views as 101 climbed Neahkahnie Mountain, Blaire drove to the next spot, up the mountain and through a tunnel! She was beaming as she was driving this thrilling part of the highway. Blaire: it was so cool... thank you government for the 101...
Hug Point where the old beach road was treacherous with travelers having to hug the rock to get around the point at low tide of course.
We walked on the beach exploring some of the big rocks
And seeing tidal caves.
We prowled in downtown Cannon Beach,
explored Ecola State Park and the views from the top of the rock, Blaire: notice, ecolA not ecolI...
and Tillamook rock, commonly called “Terrible Tilly”, 1.5 miles offshore with a light house,
then went back to Tolvana Park and
Mo’s Restaurant for a very early supper. Blaire:...mmm... fish 'n chips...
Sitting at a window seat, we enjoyed a family playing on the beach. One young man was either cold or very tired because we watched him get into a bright pink sleeping bag and stay there. Blaire: until his little brother came and took the blanket on top of the sleeping bag... then he got even more snug in that manly man bag...
It was fun watching people of different stages of dress, from bathing suits and shorts, to heavy coats, and all were having a good time on the beach with the famous Haystack Rock in the background.
On our way back to the trailer we saw a Channel 8 truck at the Oswald West State Park pullout. We had heard about a tree falling in a campground somewhere, so stopped to investigate. The reporter confirmed this was the place so we walked down into the campground and saw with our own eyes the fallen tree. Blaire: OMG!!! for all of you that don't know that means oh my gosh... it was a HUGE tree...
This was the trunk
The middle
And the tree trunk fell into a camp spot and crushed the picnic table located between a tent with mother and child and the father in a chair by the campfire. The tree was estimated to be 450 years old. The diameter ten feet off the ground was about nine feet. Remarkably, no one was hurt.
Seeing a crowd at a market in Manzanita we stopped to see what their specialty was. It must be the only market around, because we didn’t see anything special, so Blaire and Fred bought ice cream for supper.
Thursday, June 26, we enjoyed the campground and Blaire. We walked to the horse camping spots, played cards, enjoyed a campfire and she cooked hamburgers for supper. They were delicious!
Friday, June 27 we awoke to a beautiful clear day and moved
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to Ft Stevens State Park at the uppermost coast of Oregon. This was the weekend and there was a constant bike parade through the loops. This park is famous for the bike trails through the park and of course lots of children. It was nice to see families enjoying the out doors.We drove back tothe touristy village of Seaside which proclaims itself as Lewis & Clark territory. They came her to get their salt. We saw the sites and shops. At an artist’s booth
Blaire had her caricature drawn.
Ft Stevens is 200 years old and has been an active fort from Lewis & Clark days through World War II. The Japanese even shelled Ft Stevens during WWII. We visited their museum and saw some beautiful roses including
the evening star rose. Blaire: i still remembered...
Saturday June 28 we drove the 3.5 mile bridge across the Columbia River to Washington State. This proved to be more than just a crossing we initially planned. Turning to the left we found a little town of Ilwaco pronounced ”el wa co”. They were having a market so we stopped to browse. Blaire found a cute t-shirt with Lewis & Clark Road trip 2008, and on the back it shows L&C in a car. 
From there we drove to Cape Disappointment to enjoy the view and
to see the actually point where the Columbia meets the Pacific. We know this will be hard to see in the picture, but on both sides of the picture are massive rock jetties. This river is difficult to navigate because of the changing sand bars. There are only 20 trained tug pilots available to guide ships into the river.
Astoria was next on our agenda. It is appropriately nicknamed “Little San Francisco” being also built on a hill. 
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We drove to the top of the hill to see the Astoria Column and to our surprise
a wedding was underway at the base of the monument. Blaire and Olivia ran with cameras and after the ceremony Olivia told the bride best wishes and that they had had guests from Texas (us) attending. The bride extended an invitation to the reception, but we declined.
In town the Astoria Custom's House reminded us of the "Music Room" in Duncanville and the newly restored "Bank" in Waxahachie.
We found a place to feed Blaire some more Oregon seafood and headed back to the trailer. Blaire rearranged her belongings then proceeded to attempt to beat Fred in gin rummy. She is improving rapidly. Blaire: we will meet again pops...
We contemplated detouring to see Mt St Helens, but decided to stick to our original plan to see the Columbia River Gorge.
Sunday, June 29 we left the coast and headed to the Columbia River Gorge. On the way we discovered bald eagles and enjoyed watching for them. We saw at least 6 during the drive.
At the first “eagle stop” we saw 2 in a tree,
and others were flying.
Then on the Columbia River in the gorge we saw more nesting on navigation markers.
We camped in Viento State Park, no reservations accepted, so we found a nice spot and parked. This Oregon concept is welcomed. Oregon has several camping parks like this one, located near freeways, which do not take reservations. The intent is to provide a spot for travelers for an overnight stop. It is a good concept.
We went to the day use part of the park and watch wind boarders leave the river as they were calling it a day.
This state park is between the freeway on the Oregon side of the river and the railroad. We have always heard that rivers were the highways of the country and that is soooooo true here. Not only do Salmon swim the river, but big cargo ships, paddle wheelers and cargo trains, cars, and trucks as well as recreation vehicles. We just thought Waxahachie had a lot of trains. Here they pass about every hour and are about 50 feet behind the trailer. On the other side of the loop is the interstate and lots of trucks. We are now having warmer weather with the windows open and therefore the noise is louder. The first night we had the air conditioner on and the noise was not as bad, but the second night was cooler so we opened up. When the train came through Blaire ran to the bed room and said could we close up, it was “So Loud”. It reminded us of the I Love Lucy Show when they stayed in an old room with Lucy & Ricky on a bunk bed, just as they settled in a train went right behind the wall and the bed walked across the room, when it stopped and they were discussing it, another train came from the other way and the bed walked back.
This is a nice park though, considering the noise. “You win some and you lose some” as Earl Spinks always said.
We started a patriotic jigsaw puzzle on the inside table for the down time, so we ate outside two nights.
Monday, June 30, we chose to see the downstream part of the river, stopping to see the 
Bonneville Dam
Power Plant
Lock and fish ladders
We took the guided tour offered by the Corps of Engineers and our guide was excellent, explained everything in a LOUD voice and entertained the kids. He was the best guide we have ever had.
We also saw the 10' Sturgeon at the hatchery. They have been known to grown to 20' and 1800 pounds. It is the same sturgeon that produces the highest grade caviar. 
The grounds at the hatchery were well manicured with varigated "gerber?" daisys. 
Master gardeners?
There were also several interesting pots made out of huge pvc pipe, standing with holes cut out for flowers. Good craft idea? 
And lots of these yellow flowers.
We started seeing sweep peas growing wild on the highways.
Then we drove back up the river on the Scenic Columbia River road, i.e. the old road as it twisted, turned, and climbed the mountains.
We stopped for views
at the View House,
saw Multnomah Falls
and other falls.Tuesday, June 1 was Blaire’s last full day with us and we took the Historic Highway into the Fruit Loop south along the Hood River hunting for fruit to pick and a view of Mt Hood. We did see several horse farms and thought of Susan Wolf. This is a great place Susan and Myra there are bicycles everywhere! Unfortunately the fires in California have sent their smoke this way and we couldn’t see the mountain and the late freeze has delayed the fruit so the only thing
we could pick was strawberries. Of course Fred & Olivia sampled quite a few, but Blaire said they were dusty so she just filled her container without eating any. Blaire: no they had dirt on them... i didn't feel like eating bugs...
We stopped to see a lavendar farm.
Back in the town of Hood River, we witnessed the relatively new extreme sport of kite boarding.
It is a very popular sport here. The winds in the gorge blow constantly and are very strong. So this is an ideal place for kite boarding. The accomplished boarders are amazing. At times they leave the water and become airborne. At other times they do a u-turn in the river without losing a beat.
This sport has become quite a big business in this town.This place charges $2000 for lessons!
We drove across the river into Washington and followed the river back to Bonneville and the Bridge of the Gods to a spot we discovered Monday. It is the Wind River Drive In at Cascade Locks and they do a booming business.
Fred & Blaire chose butterscotch ice cream
And we discovered Fred likes to lick with is teeth! Blaire: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...
Wednesday, June 2 we arose at 6:00 AM so we could get Blaire to the plane on time. Double checking her bag and list of things to take we loaded up and drove into Portland and the Pancake &Pig to fill her up for the day. Then on the airport. Blaire has been a jewel of a guest, especially in a trailer. She had a major adjustment to make with the space allowed. Her suitcases were in the car and a little storage space in the trailer. Different bathroom guidelines and sleeping arrangements than at home. She was so cooperative in all things and she didn’t complain a bit. She is a lovely young lady and we are proud of her and enjoyed her visit so much. We enjoyed watching her see a different part of the country. Thanks Blaire for being a wonderful granddaughter. Blaire: i enjoyed it...
After seeing Blaire off we drove across the river to Trader Joe’s for dried cranberries, then on to meet with our new friends, Renee & Jack for a short visit. They are now permanent in Vancouver, WA, just across the river from Portland for the summer. 
On our way back to the trailer we just had to stop at the Wind River Drive In for another ice cream cone.
Love to all,
Fred & Olivia
