Ending our Trip With the Columbia River and Mt. Hood

One good thing that resulted from spending our second-to-last night in Portland was that we were able to spend our last day exploring more of the areas in and around the city.  Awaking to another beautiful day, we decided to set out west along the Columbia River on the scenic Historic Columbia River Highway.  The first stop on this route was the Vista House at Crown Point, an interpretive center set atop a cliff with some amazing views.

Looking east along the Columbia River Gorge from Vista House at Crown Point

The crowds were plentiful at the Vista House and once we started driving further east on the historic highway, we found ourselves in very slow moving traffic.  Being the Sunday before Labor Day, it seemed everyone was out enjoying the lovely Sunday afternoon on the Columbia River.  After sitting in traffic for about 30 minutes, we managed to find a parking spot not far from the famous Multnomah Falls.  Our short walk brought us to the impressive, 642-ft, two-tiered falls, which are the 2nd highest non-seasonal falls in the U.S.  We wanted to hike the 1 mile to the top, but heard from a police officer that tickets were going to be issued to people who parked on the side of the road.  Scared we would get a ticket, we quickly enjoyed the view, took a few pictures, and speed-walked back to the car.  Since we were able to see that all the cars ahead of where we parked were not moving, we turned around and re-traced our path back to the highway. There was still so much we wanted to see and sitting in traffic, even on a nice day in a pretty area, was not on our day's agenda.

The impressive Multnomah Falls outside Portland, OR

We missed out on a few additional waterfalls along the Historic Highway by taking I-84, but I am glad we did not spend our entire afternoon in traffic.  Shortly after leaving Multnomah Falls, we arrived in the town called Hood River, known for it's wind and water-loving patrons.  On the water during our visit, there must have been at least 100 people either kite- or wind-surfing.  It was fun to watch the beginners and the experts take off from shore and quickly glide through the water as they caught the wind just right.  Over the past few months, during several of our trips to the beach, we've watched kite- and wind-surfers and have thought about trying it out.  We definitely want to try sailing and surfing, and it would be fun to try other water sports too.  We just need to live closer to the water so we can go at any time!

Strolling along the Columbia River in Hood River, OR

Hundreds of kite- and wind-surfers in this outdoorsy town

Before continuing on to Mt. Hood, we enjoyed a sandwich and fresh juice at a local restaurant called Ground, but I didn't get a picture of the meal. The cozy coffee shop was a perfect place to fill up with a satisfying meal on a Sunday afternoon, even if we hadn't done any exercise all morning.  

We caught our first glimpses of Mt. Hood from Portland, but our first "up-close" view came just a short time after leaving Hood River.  The 11,240-ft mountain stood majestically in front of us for most of the scenic drive to the mountain, and we saw almost all of the sides of the summit as we drove the U-shaped road around the mountain and back to Portland. 

Driving to Mt. Hood from Hood River

Once back in Portland, we made our way to Cartlandia, one of the city's many food truck pods.  This pod, located in the southeastern outskirts of Portland, had been recommended to us by our airbnb hosts.  With about 15-20 food vendors, we expected to have a lot of options, but we were very disappointed in what was available.  There was some variety, but a few of the vendors were not open and it was difficult to find a particularly desirable dish.  The only highlight of our experience was trying Elk sausage.

The entrance to Cartlandia, a food truck pod on the outskirts of Portland

Colin's tasty Elk sausage

My sub-optimal southwestern pork sandwich

Our very expensive, and very disappointing desserts

Making our way from food truck to food truck

As we drove from Cartlandia to our last night's lodging, which was a heavily discounted Priceline hotel on the eastern side of the Willamette River, we came across another food pod called Cartopia in the very trendy Hawthorne District. Unable to pass up an opportunity to compare food pods, and really wanting a good food pod experience, we stopped and sampled some pizza and dessert.  This pod contained only 4 vendors, but the pizza and dessert we ate were so much more appetizing than either of our entrees or desserts at Cartlandia. Colin was most amused by the pizza truck, with it's large stove contained inside.

The small food truck pod, Cartopia, in the trendy Hawthorne District

Pyro Pizza, with its huge stove in the truck

That huge stove at Pyro's makes a very good pizza

The Sugar Cube food truck across the street from Cartopia

A delicious brownie topped with ice cream, fudge, and caramel from The Sugar Cube

We had great plans to go out for a walk after indulging in so much food, but once we checked into the Crowne Plaza-Downtown and realized how late it was, we made the smart choice to pack our bags for our Monday morning flight.  To lighten the burden of responsibility, we borrowed the movie, Book of Eli, from the front desk and watched as we packed our things.  

The sun setting on our last day in Portland, OR

The down-filled, comfortable king-sized bed and spaciousness of our hotel room felt luxurious after two weeks of camping and staying in airbnb rentals.  But, our two weeks in California and the Pacific Northwest would have lacked the social interactions and I would have not appreciated the luxury if not for those experiences.  Just as I would not have appreciated so many beautiful, sunny days if we had not also experienced some cold and wet ones.

Stay tuned for the last post about our trip back to North Carolina from Portland.  Some of the details will may surprise you!

If you've ever kite- or wind-surfed, tell me about your experience!

Where is the best food pod or food truck?

The Coast and The Goonies

Our destination after leaving Olympic National Park was the mouth of the Columbia River.  There are several state parks in the area and we hoped to find a campsite in one of them.  We made our way to the southwestern tip of Washington State, to Cape Disappointment State Park early afternoon, only to be turned away at the campground because of no vacancy.  Being the Saturday of Labor Day weekend, we knew it would be a challenge to find a campsite, but hoped we would get lucky at one of the non-reservable parks.

Cape Disappointment State Park

From Cape Disappointment, we made our way to Astoria, Oregon via the Astoria Megler Bridge and found ourselves at 368 38th Street, more commonly known as the the Goonies house.  Colin is a huge fan of the movie and we just had to check it out.  The current owner of the house was doing some outdoor work on a ladders, so we didn't stick around too long.

Astoria Megler Bridge to Astoria

Sign at the street entrance to the Goonies house

The Goonies house 

As it was getting late in the day and we were so close to the water, but had not yet gone to the beach, we went straight to Cannon Beach in Oregon from Astoria.  Cannon Beach is also a noteworthy Goonies location, and many of you will recognize Haystack Rock in the images below.  

The day was picturesque, but the air temperature was very cool on the water.  There were a surprising number of sunbathers wearing bathing suits, and a few people braving the very cold water.  I kept my long sleeve shirt and pants on, and could only keep my feet in the water for short periods of time before they started to feel numb.  

A picture-perfect afternoon at Cannon Beach in Oregon

The tide heading out and Haystack Rock in the background

Haystack Rock

Very cold water (52 degrees) in the Pacific Northwest

Braving the cold water in the tidal pools near Haystack Rock

While sitting on the beach and enjoying the warm sun and cool air, I used my cell phone to find lodging for the night.  Knowing Portland was only an hour and a half away, we decided to look up some Airbnb rentals there and assumed we'd be able to get a hotel if all else failed.  As I made a few requests for a rental, the sun continued lowering in the sky and before long, I started to get cold.  To warm up and wait for the sunset, we opted for some hot tea and snacks at a local coffee shop.  Our meals this day were comprised of our staples (sardines and Clif Bars) since we had not found any restaurants along our drive that looked appetizing.  In addition to some warm snacks and beverages in the coffee shop, we were also able to finalize our accommodations in Portland for the evening. 

Relieved to find lodging and warmed from the coffee shop, we walked back to the beach to watch the sun set.  It was a beautiful display of varying shades of orange, pink, and blue.  What made the experience even more enjoyable were all the people that were still on the beach, many sitting around campfires in their sweatshirts and shorts.  If it wasn't for the cold water temperature in early September, I would consider living there knowing I would enjoy the laid-back culture.  But, being unable to swim is a major deal-breaker for both me and Colin.

A beautiful sunset at Cannon Beach, Oregon

It was too bad we could not have stayed on the beach, enjoying a campfire. Thankfully, the drive back to Portland wasn't too long.  The day did include more driving than we would have liked (a whopping 345 miles), but there is nothing like the beach to rejuvenate a person.  Our airbnb accommodations proved comfortable and the best (as usual) was taking a warm shower after camping the night before and being on the beach most of the afternoon.  Being in Portland also meant we could explore the Columbia River east of Portland, which I had heard was also very nice.  

Stay tuned for a recap of our adventures on the Columbia River and Mt. Hood!

Where have you enjoyed a campfire on the beach? 

What is your favorite part of the Goonies movie?

My favorite quote is "Heeeyyyyy you Guuuyyyyss!"

Touring Olympic National Park in Washington

From Seattle, we made our way south, west, and back north along the Puget Sound to Olympic National Park.  Since we did not leave too early, we arrived on the west side of the Sound around lunchtime and relied on our go-to phone app, yelp, for a place to eat.  Being adventurous, we opted for Pho T & N, a Vietnamese restaurant with wonderful reviews.  We ordered two suggested menu items, the vegetarian pho and the short ribs, shrimp and rice.  They were tasty, and we received huge portion sizes, but we were out of our element in the restaurant. We had to ask what to do with all the sides!  Colin talked to the manager for a bit and learned about the Vietnamese traditions of adding fresh ingredients to the pho (soup dish) just before eating.  By this time we had eaten most of the ribs/shrimp/rice since the soup had been too hot.  We ended up taking most of the pho with us and wished we had done the reverse.  We ended up eating the pho for another day and a half and by that time the powerful smell was getting repulsive.

Vietnamese short ribs, shrimp, rice, salad, and veggie roll

Traditional Vegetarian Pho

As we made our way to Olympic National Park, we drove off the main road in Sequim, WA to see the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge.  We wanted to explore the park and get on the sand peninsula, but didn't have cash for the park entrance fee.  There was a park volunteer stationed at the entrance to the path, and we tried to get change for a $20. Not being able to see what the park offered, we were not willing to pay that much at the entrance, but probably would have donated it if our experience was enjoyable.  

From the recreation area road, we were able to see Victoria, BC across the water and enjoy another glorious day.

Beyond the ship is Victoria, British Columbia

Our next stop was the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center in Olympic National Park.  On the drive up the mountain, we has some wonderful views to the Dungeness Peninsula, the town of Sequim, and a better view of Vancouver Island in British Columbia.  We were also approached by some wildlife, who wanted to get a tad bit too close for my comfort!  

Looking down on Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge

Bambi and her calf seemed too comfortable near the cars and people

View from Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park

Enjoying a short, 1 mile (ish) hike at Hurricane Ridge

Since it was the Friday of Labor Day weekend, we assumed it would be difficult to find lodging closer to Seattle, so we continued farther into the park to try and camp on the western edge.  Unfortunately, there were no airbnb rentals, and non-camping lodging was sparse.  I would have loved to camp at the Sol Duc Hot Springs, not far from Hurricane Ridge, but we were warned that the popular campground would likely be full.  It would have been too far out of our way if we did not find a site, and our drive the next day would have been very long.  Thankfully, we managed to get one of the last 4 campsites available in Hoh Rain Forest.  Our backup plan would have been to pull of on the side of a National Forest Service Road to sleep.  We found out that was allowed at one of the park visitor centers.

As we passed Forks, WA, I was tempted to drive into town to see where the Twilight Series was based, but I know Colin would not have enjoyed the detour.  In addition, the sun was getting very low in the sky and we were nervous about arriving too late at the campground.  I did manage to see some stores with posters of the cast along the main road.  

During our drive into the Hoh Rain Forest, we very briefly saw an Elk as it made its way across the road and into the woods.  I didn't even have time to grab my camera!

Our dinner spot on Lake Crescent as we make our 

way across the northern portion of Olympic National Park

The river adjacent to the campground in the Hoh Rain Forest

Our campsite at the Hoh Rain Forest Campground

We arrived at the campsite around 10pm and decided it wasn't worth setting up the tent, so we inflated the air mattress in the back of the Subaru and slept in the car. The queen mattress was a little big for the SUV, so we couldn't inflate it all the way, but it still served the purpose.  It's not like I can sleep in a tent anyway!  I bet a full size mattress would have fit.

Just like in the Redwoods and Crater Lake, it got very cold overnight.  Our experience at the Hoh Rain Forest was similar to the Redwoods because everything was also very damp in the morning.  We tried going for a 3 mile hike to warm up, but that didn't work so well. The best way I warmed up was to blast the hot air on my hands and feet and get the seat warmer going in the car!

Vivid greens in the rain forest

The 3 mile hiking trail at the Hoh Rain Forest

I would have more thoroughly enjoyed 

the beautiful views if I wasn't so cold!

By 9am, we were warmed up (thank you Subaru Forester!) and back on Highway 101 heading south along the coast (yes, we get up VERY early when camping!).  Our next destination was the mouth of the Columbia River, where we hoped to secure another camping spot for the evening after our 3-4 hour drive.  Again, we knew it would be risky because of the holiday weekend, but we took our chances and drove without having a reservation anywhere in the area.  Unfortunately, none of the campgrounds accepted reservations anyway.

Stopping at a beach near Kalaloch to stretch and enjoy the view

A slight detour around Lake Quinault

We made just the two stops along Highway 101 in Olympic National Park Saturday morning to experience all the beauty the diversity within the park has to offer.  It was impressive to see the snow-capped peaks of the tallest mountains at Hurricane Ridge, and then experience a rain forest on the western side of the park.  If you haven't already noticed, we are also drawn to the water.  We can't get enough of beaches and lakes.

Stay tuned for the last two posts about the trip to the Pacific Northwest.  If you are a Goonies fan, you'll definitely want to read the next one!

What should we have ordered from a Vietnamese Restaurant?  Or did we made the best decision?

Was there anything we missed in Olympic National Park that you've experienced? 

A Really Wonderful Day Back in Seattle

We arrived back in Seattle fairly late in the day because we had spent almost all morning in Vancouver, enjoying breakfast and chatting with our hostess and the other airbnb guest.  Then, we had to wait in a fairly long line of traffic at the US-Canada border.  Thankfully, the weather was beautiful when we arrived in Seattle and we had a wonderful afternoon and evening.

Our first stop was to get lunch.  We HAD to try this tiny Cuban sandwich place called Paseo.  On Yelp, this tiny eatery has been reviewed over 1700 times and has 4.5 stars!  If you aren't familiar with Yelp, 50 reviews is a lot, so 1700 is not something I have ever seen before.  We opted for the two most popular sandwiches, the Caribbean Roast and the Paseo Press.  That many positive reviews certainly was no mistake and the sandwiches were mouth-watering delicious.  We savored every bite of our sandwiches, while we sat on some rocks at the water's edge in the Freemont section of Seattle.

The most amazing Cuban Sandwiches every eaten!

I had heard many wonderful things about the Freemont section of Seattle, which is how we ended up finding Paseo.  After lunch, we walked along the river that connects Lake Union/Union Bay and Puget Sound, and stumbled upon the Theo Chocolate Factory.  The tours for the remainder of the day were already full, but we had a great time taste testing the 20 or so samples of chocolate in their store.  After our delicious lunch and some walking, it was the best dessert we could have asked for!  I've seen Theo Chocolates in Whole Foods, but I had never bought a bar.  Getting to try all the samples allowed me to find a few favorites, like the almond, coconut, and the dark chocolates.  We ended up bringing back some drinking chocolate because the sales woman suggested they were not frequently sold across the U.S.  Thankfully they are, in fact, sold in our local stores.

From the chocolate factory, we set out to look for the famous Freemont Troll, located under the Aurora Bridge.  The troll is hideous and enormous. We were not the only tourists checking it out and I had to run in for Colin to snap a quick photo before other tourists did the same.

Running in for a picture with the Freemont Troll

When we tired ourselves with all the walking, we made our way by car to Chittenden Locks.  The locks were very close to the Freemont section and there was quite a bit of activity as it approached 5pm.  We were able to see the locks raise and lower the water to allow boats to pass through. We also got to see quite a few salmon swimming in the fish ladder, and a seal swimming close by.

One of the many boats coming into the locks

Chittenden Locks

Fish ladder on the right, seal swimming on the left

Couldn't quite figure out what type of salmon were swimming in the ladder

Close-up of the seal swimming close to the fish ladder

Boats waiting patiently to pass through the locks

When we checked into our airbnb rental and talked to our host, a middle school math teacher, we found out the Seattle Seahawks had a preseason game at home that evening.  He suggested we try to get tickets on craigslist.  We did try, but were unsuccessful in finding tickets that way.  Instead, we drove down to Pioneer Square just as the game was about to start. We drove around for about 10 minutes before we found a spot not too far away.  Then, we walked towards the stadium with our eyes peeled for scalpers.  It didn't take long to find them and since it was already almost 30 minutes into the game, we easily got tickets for $20.  In the small stadium, the upper deck seats did not seem very far from the field and we enjoyed the atmosphere, the stadium, and getting to be outdoors on a beautiful night!

Arriving at Century Link Field in Seattle

The Seattle skyline from the field as the evening approaches sunset

Seats in the upper deck for $20

Seattle skyline at night

We stayed almost to the end of the game, but the 4th string quarterback was not that exciting.  During our walk back to the car, we admired that the stadium was so close to downtown, public transportation, the historic district and so many bars and restaurants.  

Our airbnb rental was another comfortable room, with gracious hosts that offered coffee, bread and jam for us to enjoy at breakfast.  The best quality about this rental was the view!  Colin and I enjoyed a leisure breakfast while sitting on the outdoor balcony.  We were amazed at all the sea planes that took off and landed in Lake Union.

Stay tuned for our adventures in Olympic National Park!

What is your favorite flavor of Theo Chocolate?

What football stadium is your favorite and why?