Exploring Portland's Main Attractions

The almost 5 hour trip from Crater Lake to Portland was all we could manage after spending the morning on the lake, so we had a very low key evening on our first day in the city. After two nights of camping, I was ready to sleep on a real bed and we had decided to try the apartment/room rental website Airbnb.  If you have never heard of it, you should definitely check it out! We had such a great experience the first few nights staying at people's houses, that we ended up using the site to book almost all of the remainder of our nights on the trip.

The first night we stayed in an "urban farm" where we enjoyed fresh eggs in the morning, were able to air out and dry our tent, and did some laundry.  The house smelled a bit like a "farm," but the people who lived there were very nice and we had a pleasant stay.

Once we packed up our clean clothes and dry tent, we set out to explore Portland.  Our first stop was the highly recommended Portland Japanese Gardens in Washington Park, just west of downtown. We had heard that this 5.5-acre garden is the most authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan from several reviews (and it is listed on their website).  The $9.50 adult entry fee was a little steep, but we decided it was worth paying for the preservation of a park.  The gardens were really beautiful and mostly peaceful.  We occasionally found ourselves near a group and had to move away to continue enjoying the serenity the gardens offered.

The Strolling Pond Garden housed colorful fish

One of the many Japanese sculptures in the Garden

The waterfall was one of my favorite areas

We enjoyed walking on the narrow paths through the different areas

From the Japanese Garden, we walked across the street to the Washington Park International Rose Garden, a free garden that houses 9525 rose bushes.  The only disappointment we experienced was that there were no rose buds on the bushes that were supposed to be the "blackest" red.  

One of my favorites - a two-toned rose

An amphitheater right next to the rose garden

Walking around the gardens built up our appetite, so we made our way to Dick's Kitchen in the northwest area of Portland.  The restaurant was recommended to us by our airbnb hosts and we had a delicious meal.  We decided on meat entrees in this farm-to-fork restaurant - of which there are many in Portland!  Colin went with the sausage, and I couldn't decide on a burger.  Instead of one large burger, I did the 3 sliders - one beef, one buffalo, and the "guest burger" of the week which happened to be the "dork" (duck/pork).  They were all very good.  The dork was the driest, and my beef cheeseburger was the most satisfying.  

Sausage and beef, buffalo, and dork sliders

The other tip we received was that we could park in the Whole Foods parking lot downtown for up to 2 hours for free if we bought something there.  We've never had a problem finding something to nosh on at Whole Foods!  Leaving the car in the parking garage, we set out on foot to explore downtown Portland.

Walking around downtown Portland

We just happened to come upon a yelp.com recommended dessert shop called Saint Cupcake, and we just had decided to go in for a treat.  The cupcakes were good, but nowhere near as good as Magnolia's or Gigi's.  We actually had one cupcake that was not good. I know that seems impossible to have a cupcake not taste good, but they put salt on the frosting and it was not a pleasant sweet-salty taste.

Seven layer bar and an assortment of mini cupcakes

The other sights we visited on our 2 hour walking tour of downtown Portland included the Central Library, Ira Keller Fountain, Pioneer Courthouse Square, and the Portland Building.  Central Library's interior was impressive, with its etched-graphite staircase.  I had read that this library is the oldest on the west coast.  The  18-foot-high waterfalls that comprise Ira Keller Fountain were soothing, providing us with a wonderful place to rest.  We did not spend much time in Pioneer Courthouse Square, the area which had been compared to Union Square in NYC by several travel guides. The area is much smaller than Union Square in NYC, and an Italian festival took almost the entire square with it's food trucks and music.  Our final stop, the 15 story Portland Building, had an impressive statue of Portlandia - the Goddess of Commerce - on a second story balcony.  Looking up at the statue from the street I could believe it is the second-largest hammered-copper statue in the world (after the Statue of Liberty).  We were invited in the building to visit a gallery, but decided we had to get back to the car.

Central Library's etched-graphite staircase in the main lobby

We walked through quite a few parks all over downtown

Taking a break at the Ira Keller Fountain

Looking up in awe at Portlandia sitting on the Portland Building

Back at the car, we made our way up through the northwest district to the Farmers' Market, before heading to our airbnb accomodations for the evening.  The farmers' market was pretty good, with about 10 farmers offering a variety of late-summer produce.  We were fortunate to find a really great airbnb rental for this second night in Portland. The location was on a bus line to downtown, or we could walk the 2 miles if we wanted, the house was so clean, and the hostess went out of her way to make our experience wonderful. She had 3 different types of coffee makers for her renters and showed me how to use her cappuccino maker, and she gave us some change for the bus.

This farmers' market had some of the largest zucchini I've ever seen

After "checking in" and a quick meet-and-greet with the homeowner, we took the bus downtown to get some dinner.  Since we had such a big lunch, we opted for some Happy Hour appetizers on the outdoor patio at Pink Rose, in the upscale Pearl District. I immediately decided on the bacon-wrapped dates, thinking back to how amazing the bacon-wrapped figs were in Napa.  Colin ordered the chorizo-manchego stuffed mushrooms, and both proved to be delicious and thoroughly satisfying.
.

Bacon-wrapped dates (L) and chorizo-manchego stuffed mushrooms (R)

We spent the rest of the evening walking the mile along the waterfront and making our way back through downtown. One thing that stood out to me as we walked along the water was the visibility of homeless youth.  They seemed to congregate along the main roads that we walked along and unlike NYC, homeless individuals seemed to hang out together.  Almost every group had a few dogs with them, and neither the people or the dogs seemed to be starving.  Under one of the bridges, there was a soup kitchen being served out of a truck. Obviously, this was the reason for the large gathering of people in this area, but we found groups in many areas where food was not being served.  When we spoke with some of the locals about our observations, we were told that many of the homeless youth chose that lifestyle as part of their anarchist beliefs and the groups moved north from California as the weather got warm and moved back south when it got cold in Portland and Seattle.  The explanation seemed logical as these individuals gathered in groups, unlike most homeless individuals we typically saw in NYC that were almost always alone.

Enjoying a nice 1 mile stroll along the water.

Before heading back to retire for the evening, we make a short stop into the massive Powell's City of Books to check out Mt. Rainier hiking books and decide on a hike for the next day.  Then, we completely exhausted ourselves with the almost two mile walk through Nob Hill and back to our room in the northwest section of the city.  Colin kept his GPS watch on for most of our travels and said we walked about 15,000 steps during our day in Portland!  With the amazing weather, we felt we had to be outside.  For the second night in a row, I was grateful for a warm shower and a clean and comfortable bed.

What has your experience been like with airbnb.com?

What is the most interesting combination of meat you've ever had in a hamburger?

An Impressive Sight at Crater Lake

We woke to a cold, damp morning in the Redwoods, and the depressing weather made us eager to leave the area.  Each mile we traveled away from the coast, brought us closer to the giant trees and away from the fog and by the time we reached the main road, the car's heat had warmed us up.  We stopped once to hike among the old trees that resided near the Newton B. Drury Parkwary in Prairie Creek Redwood State Park, which got our blood flowing before we set out for Oregon.

The 4.5 trip from the Redwoods was rather uneventful and felt long after a not-so-restful night's sleep.  We did manage to find a beautiful spot to have lunch in Grants Pass, OR just over halfway to Crater Lake,  The Tap Rock Northwest Grill offered us good food and a wonderful outdoor balcony overlooking the Rogue River.

 The Tap Rock Northwest Grill in Grants Pass, OR

The Dungeness Crab BLT Chopped Salad

Colin's Dungeness Crab BLT Chopped Salad was delicious and my BLTA (bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado) was also very good. I'm not sure why, but the picture of my meal somehow disappeared from our camera.

We finally arrived at the Mazama Campground near Crater Lake around mid-late afternoon and secured our campsite shortly thereafter. We quickly set up our tent, hoping the slightly warm air and sun would dry the dampness from the morning, and I managed to get a nice, long, warm shower in the "upscale" campground shower facilities.  It was refreshing to be clean and I was ready to check out the lake.

Our campsite at Mazama Campground near Crater Lake

Our first view of the lake was unbelievable. People had told us that seeing Crater Lake is similar to the Grand Canyon - the beautiful images you see in photographs do not compare to the beauty and experience of seeing it in person.  We definitely felt that experience.  Even as the sun began to set, the crater's enormity and vivid blue waters were breathtaking.

Our first view of Crater Lake 

 Circumnavigating the lake near sunset

The "ship" formation in the lake

In the hour it took us to circumnavigate (one of Colin's favorite words from the trip) the lake, it got chilly as the sun dipped into the horizon.  The forecast predicted overnight temperatures in the upper 30's, so we dressed in several layers and zipped our sleeping bags together when we went to bed in the tent.  I was very grateful for our warm sleeping bags and even more grateful that we have ones that can be zipped together.  The only thing I lacked was a hat!  The dry, cold air was actually a better experience than the damp warmer weather in the Redwoods.  For some reason, I usually feel colder when it's damp than when it's cold and dry.  It also helped that we were better prepared for it to be cold.

We woke to beautiful, clear blue skies on Wednesday morning, the 4th day of our trip. Our early morning rising in the campground allowed us to spend a long morning exploring the lake.  The first stop we made was to Crater Lake Lodge where we enjoyed some breakfast, coffee, and warming up basking in the sun on the rocking Adirondack chairs, taking in the beauty of the lake.  The lodge was beautiful and the view from the lobby could not be beat.  Unfortunately, rooms were booked when we tried to reserve them and they were a tad bit out of our price range. It was still nice to enjoy a morning acting like we belonged there!

The lodge's lobby

Beautiful reflections during the morning sun

The lodge has quite a view! Glad we got to enjoy it!

Once we were sufficiently warm and full, we made our way to the northeastern side of the lake to hike down the the boat launch and swimming area.  The 700 foot descent down the crater's edge was very steep and there were many warnings at the trail's start.  The switchbacks made it easier on the knees, and going down is always easier than going up.  Each time we looked down into the water, we were awarded with views into the clear blue-green water.  Sometimes I felt like I was back in New Zealand hiking in Abel Tasman National Park.

Once we arrived at the water's edge, we threw off our socks and sneakers and got our feet in the water.  Some people near us swam in the water, indicating is was very cool, but it felt really nice with our feet in the water.  The air temperature quickly reached the upper 70's/low 80's, providing us with the most dramatic temperature change of our trip.

 Cooling down

Enjoying the warm air and cool water

Not far from where we enjoyed the shallow water, we found a group of people cliff jumping into much deeper water.  It was fun to watch these people of all ages have the courage to participate in such an exhilarating activity.  We watched as a mother and her son counted to three before jumping in together.

The "cliff" from which people jumped into the refreshing water

By late morning, we were ready to start our journey to Portland.  Stay tuned for those details!!

What is the most impressive place you've been?  Were you able to take photos that did the view justice?

Where was the coldest place you've ever camped (and what was the temp)? How did you stay warm?

The Redwoods Really Are Impressive

From Napa Valley, we headed north on Highway 101 towards the coast, where our final destination was Redwood National Park.  We knew there would be multiple campgrounds in the area and hoped some would be open when we arrived.  For that reason, we left fairly early and made just a few stops along the way.

The first stop we made was a bathroom break/tourist stop at the Real Goods Solar Living Institute, a 12-acre demonstration site for permaculture.  One of my travel books suggested it was worth a visit, and we were not very impressed. One cool feature was a bicycle that converted human force into energy.  

A bicycle that converts human energy to usable energy

It reminded me of my science teacher friend who has talked about creating this in his classroom.  I think it’s a brilliant idea and it was cool to see it at work in this institute.  The work this Institute does and what they stand for is really awesome, but we found the grounds difficult to navigate. We arrived too early for their tours and the visitor information center was still closed, so maybe our experience would have been better had we arrived later.

Heading north, we continued on Highway 101 until reaching Humboldt Redwoods State Park and the Avenue of the Giants.  The name refers to the giant redwood trees that line the road as you drive.  We had planned to stop at the giant tree in this area that you can literally drive through, but we missed the turn and didn’t want to backtrack (we were still thinking about campsites that might be filling up).  Instead, we continued about 30 miles on this leisure road that runs parallel to Highway 101, stopping along the way to take pictures and stand among the awe-inspiring trees. 

Colin looks so small among these trees

Enjoying a picturesque drive along the Avenue of the Giants

From Avenue of the Giants, we kept heading north through the beautiful mountains that were enhanced by the sunny skies.  Once we reached the coast, the scene was dramatically different.  The cool air and fog made the coastal towns of Eureka and Arcata look depressing.  During our very brief stop at a dollar store in Eureka (to pick up some bottled water and a can opener), we saw signs of a depressing economy.  We didn’t make the time to visit areas of Eureka off Highway 101, so there may have been better areas to this town.

Checking to see just how cold the water is in northern California

The final leg of our journey to Redwood National Park from Eureka brought us more views of a foggy coast.  Our depressed attitude continued when rangers at the visitor center discouraged us from the campground I had been hoping for on the beach.  We decided to get a “backcountry” camping permit just in case we didn’t find an available site at the campgrounds.  Most national parks have “first come, first serve” campgrounds which can not be reserved in advance. Since it was still fairly early in the day and we didn’t have any grand plans of doing serious hiking in the foggy, cool weather, we decided to drive the 5 miles on the winding dirt road, in our Chevrolet Sonic rental, to the Gold Bluffs Beach Campground to see if any spots were available. 

The drive was worth the trip when we found multiple open sites.  I had read that this campground offered nice campsites on the beach, with showers and clean bathrooms, and this was all true.  Unfortunately, the skies remained overcast, but the afternoon was less foggy and not unbearably cool.

Out campsite with the beach in the background

Colin preparing dinner near the picnic table and metal food storage container

We decided to hike 3-4 miles of trails into the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park where we hoped to see elk (from a safe distance).  Though we did not see any elk, we continued to be impressed with the Redwood trees, and somehow stumbled upon a beautiful area of the park called Fern Canyon.  Walking on the wooden planks around the canyon’s river, and admiring the vibrant green ferns that surrounded us was magical. 

 Look closely - that's me at the bottom

Surprisingly, our necks were not sore from looking up all the time

Entering Fern Canyon

Getting over and around the water in Fern Canyon

From Fern Canyon, the end of our inland hiking expedition, we walked almost 1 mile back to the campground along the beach.  As I have overheard Colin describe the experience to others, the walk and the campground in general had a very “post-apocalyptic” feel because the sky broke neither blue nor sunlight and each campsite contained a solemn camper with obligatory fire.  The skies remained overcast (though we did catch a glimpse of a sliver of the sun as it dipped into the horizon), and the weather remained cool and damp during our entire 22 hour stay.  On the hike and in the canyon we did not experience the same dreariness as on the beach.

Colin's "post-apocalyptic" experience on the beach

The glimpse of sun as it dipped into the horizson

After indulging in lots of local delicacies in Napa Valley, our lunch, dinner, and breakfast in the Redwoods were comprised of food we brought with us.  I was very grateful for the metal food storage containers provided by the park service at the campsite after posted notices reminded me that bears inhabit the area.  One of our first stops in San Jose, after In-and-Out Burger, was at Costco to stock up on canned sardines, salty chips, mixed nuts and Clif Bars for our days in the parks.  We quickly learned how to make a satisfying meal by crushing the chips and adding them to the sardines in tomato sauce.  It was like having a fish stew.  Throughout the course of the 15 days, we went through about 20 small cans (6 oz each) of sardines, 2 large Costco size bags of chips, a large canister of mixed nuts and 20 Clif Bars. 

Stocking up on sardines, Clif Bars, nuts, and chips at Costco

What experiences have you had on the coast in Northern California? Did it resemble a post-apocalyptic scene?

What staple food items do you buy when you are traveling on the road and/or when camping?

33 Hours in Napa Valley

We were both exhausted as we made our way up the mountain in Napa to our lodging – my former colleague’s home.  Once we arrived, we were grateful for a night’s sleep on the pull-out couch in a very large “cottage,” set among vineyards at the top of a mountain near St. Helena, CA.

We awoke to a glorious day, filled with sunshine, and had a delicious breakfast laid out by our hostess Ellen, a Dietitian who is now attending culinary school at The Culinary Institute of America. The local fruits and artisan breads were the highlights of an all-around wonderful breakfast.  It was just the thing we needed before setting out to explore the region by bike. 

While we did not engage in the 30 or 100 mile “bike ride” that was being held in Napa Valley, we did ride about 25 miles with many who were part of that ride.  Not only were we not willing to get up early for the ride, the bike shops were not yet open at that time of day. 

 

Taking a break from our ride to take a few pictures

Note the other riders ahead of me

Halfway through our ride, we found the charming Cliff Lede Vineyard just off a side road that seemed perfect for a break.  We enjoyed the warm, dry mid-afternoon under the pergola, near the fountain and refueled with snacks that we brought with us and with the water provided by the vineyard.  Others around us were oblivious to our intrusion as they sampled the vineyard’s wine.  After riding in the warm weather, wine was the last thing I wanted. I could tell how dry it was when my lips starting feeling chapped. This became my reminder to drink more water.

Enjoying a break under the pergola at Cliff Lede Vineyard

The very cute courtyard at Cliff Lede Vineyard

One of the many vineyards along the road between St. Helena and Yountville

On our way back to St. Helena, we passed the take-out joint called Gott’s Roadside, whose long lines led us to believe the food was worth eating.  So, after returning our bicycles, we walked to Gott’s and enjoyed a burger and raw tuna tacos, which were both delicious.  The green onions, avocado, sesame and cilantro on the tuna added wonderful flavor.  Colin, who has a critical palate, gave the burger two thumbs up and an approval rating similar to In-and-Out burger, maintaining both just below his beloved Shake Shack on the scale of best burgers.

Gott's Roadside

Raw tuna tacos (left) and Gott's Burger (right)

With the rest of our afternoon, and before heading back to the “cottage on the hill,” we walked around St. Helena, drove around some of the areas we had not seen on our bicycles, and went to check out the Culinary Institute of America. 

Back at the cottage, Ellen was busy preparing another wonderful spread for our pre-dinner appetizers.  The blue cheese filled and bacon-wrapped heated figs were divine, giving me a new favorite appetizer.  It is a recipe I plan to try in the future. Eating the appetizers under the gazebo among the vineyards could also have contributed to the amazing dining experience.

View of the vineyards from behind the cottage

Ellen was able to reserve a table at a farm-to-fork restaurant called Market, which was not overly expensive.  On a previous visit to the restaurant, Ellen’s husband raved about his burger, so we decided to try one.  And since we had filled ourselves on appetizers, we decided on a salad for our second meal.  Throughout these posts you will notice that Colin and I share all of our meals.  Thankfully, neither of us are picky eaters, so we are able to order any two meals and split half of each.  I find it to be one of the best things about our traveling experiences. 

The other thing you will notice is that we don’t take many pictures of our meals or experiences when in the company of friends/family. We try to enjoy the experience with people and be fully present with them instead of focusing on getting it documented.  I am not always successful at being attentive with people, but I do try.

Our short visit in Napa Valley was just what we needed to start our journey.  I was very grateful for the two nights lodging, delicious meals, and fantastic weather.  On Monday morning, after another overly satisfying meal, I felt ready to begin our journey north.

What was your favorite part about Napa Valley or what do you look forward to in the area? 

I definitely enjoyed all the local food and the weather!

So Many Places in Under 36 Hours

The first leg of our trip was a 3 hour drive from Raleigh to Charlotte, NC on Friday after work.

We managed to get 2 weeks worth of stuff into 3 "carry-on" bags. 

Eleven hours later, we were on the first leg of our trip, a 2.5 hour flight from Charlotte to Dallas/Ft. Worth.  I would have preferred to not sit in the last row of the plane. It wasn't even the bathrooms that were the problem, it was the loud engine that blocked the view out the window.  Thank God for earplugs!

After a quick, 45 minute layover, we got back on the same plane, in the same seats, and cruised 3.5 hours to San Jose, CA.  Traveling with the sun meant our 7.5 hour flight got us into California only 4.5 hours past our departure time.  Yes, I know it will suck coming back against the sun.

We were welcomed in San Jose with beautiful skies and mountains!

Leaving the airport, we saw an In-N-Out Burger that just happened to be on our way. Our meager breakfast and lunch left us salivating at the sight of the fast food joint. We had to google the secret menu, and managed to successfully order an "animal style" burger and a 2x2 "protein style" burger. Don't know what that is, check it here.

Colin is a huge fan of In-N-Out Burger

Since the weather was so nice, we decided to make our way through San Francisco to John Muir Woods north of the city.  

Heading into San Francisco

Crossing the city on one of the awfully hilly streets.

I was quickly reminded of how scary these are!

The view back to San Francisco Bay from north of the city was beautiful 

We saw a lot of San Francisco when we visited back in 2010 and took lots of pictures in and around the city at that time. During that trip, we also drove to Muir Woods, but it was getting too late to hike.  We later learned that we had missed a great deal in the park, so we knew we had to get back there. Once we got out of the car and walked into the park, we were in awe. Neither of us could believe that we had missed out on seeing the massive Redwoods when we were so close.

This time, we enjoyed a leisure stroll through the woods, taking in all the protected natural beauty the park could offer.  I think experiences like this cannot be justified by pictures, but I will share a few anyway.

Experiencing the massive Redwood trees in John Muir Woods

So glad we decided to visit this park on our arrival

Our trip did not end with our nature exploration. Colin wanted to get something to eat in San Francisco, so we made our way back into the city to the Mission District, where we found ourselves in a small restaurant reminiscent of the many in the Lower East Side of Manhattan.  At Weird Fish, Colin enjoyed the fish and chips and I opted for the smaller famous clam chowder. We also indulged in the vegan cheesecake.  All of the food was delicious, especially after working up our appetite on the hike.

Chowder and fish and chips at Weird Fish in San Francisco

Just after 9pm (midnight east coast time), we finally left San Francisco for our accommodations in Napa Valley.  The hour and a half drive was brutal after all of the adventures of the day. It did not help that the last 15 minutes had us twisting and turning up a mountain.  But, this is how we Millers usually travel - there is no rest for those who want to see everything! 

Check back in soon for all the things we got to see on our latest adventure!

Have you ever been so close to something really awesome and you didn't get to see it?!

Did you end up going back?

A Not So Little Indulgence

It is rare for us to go to a chain restaurant, but for Colin's birthday, all he wanted was delicious dessert.  We debated between the $15 chocolate fondue at the Melting Pot and getting cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory.  It was a tough decision, but the birthday boy opted for the cheesecake.

It sure is a good thing we don't do this very often.  Each slice provided us with about 900 calories, 30-40 grams of saturated fat and about 90 grams of carbohydrate.  And for those that think they are getting a better option with the banana cheesecake, you are wrong! Each of these slices had a similar amount of calories, saturated fat, sodium and carbohydrates.

The Melting Pot may have been a better choice, but it is rather difficult to get nutrition information quickly for both places. The best I could find was 341 calories for the "dessert plate for chocolate fondue" and another 371 calories for the "s'mores chocolate fondue." Those totals were for a 1/2 order. So, we each would have consumed about 700 calories instead of 900, 10 grams of saturated fat instead of 30-40, and a similar 90 grams of carbohydrate (or sugar).  We've never dined at the Melting Pot and will likely find ourselves there one day for the experience.  I never realized people just go in for the dessert fondue. I think that would be my choice as well.

What restaurants/eateries do you go to just to get dessert?

Stay tuned for exciting posts about the trip you have helped us plan!