Portland, Or, Monday, 9/22, 2008
I'm going to try and catch up a bit on the blog, even if I won't be able to post it for a day or two... the place I'm at tonight, The Edgefield, has no internet connection, and I'm not sure what I'll end up with on the coast. So, I will blog the old-fashioned way -- like a travel journal -- and post later... :-) (yay, it's later...)
So, some catch-up. I think I blogged Friday night, when I arrived in Polson, Mt. That was the day I visited Glacier Park. Since then, I have driven from Polson, Mt., through Missolula, then down on Rt. 12 through Clearwater National Forest to Lewiston, Id. You cross over into Idaho while going through the Clearwater National Forest.
The drive to Missuloa was pretty uneventful, but once I hit Rt. 12, that all changed.
Clearwater National Forest was beautiful. It is like the Pacific Northwest or even like Vermont and New Hampshire. You just drive for miles along a road that winds alongside a river through the mountains. I actually drove rather slowly. I pulled over once or twice to let someone pass me, but overall, I had the road to myself. I stopped a lot and got out of the car, walked around a bit, peaked up some trails, that sort of thing. It was just plain relaxing. Here are some pics...
(It was, indeed, a windy road... as river roads tend to be...)
Once out of Clearwater, I drove through the northern part of Idaho to the Washington border at Lewiston/Clarkson. This is a pretty industrial area. Linda warned me that it might be a bit noisome, and it was... but only for a little bit of time, thankfully...
I continued on Rt. 12 in Washington... this is big wide open farm country and the weather started to change for the worse. It was overcast and drizzly. I drove through Walla Walla Washington -- a cute little college town. It was just outside of Walla Wall that I actually got pulled over for speeding. I was going 70 in a 60. The
State Trooper was sufficiently intemidating what with his fancy State Trooper hat and all... so I did the most appopriate thing and "Yes, Sir'd" him a lot. When he saw I was from SF, he blamed me for the weather -- isn't that just so typical? But in the end, he gave me a break and told me to slow it down, which I did for the rest of the way to Portland....
Here are some random pics from the drive...
As I mentioned in an earlier blog, it was a long drive. I was pretty tired when I hit I-84, but I was bound and determined to make it to Maryhill for the night. It was dark by the time I hit I-84 (see the two pics below of the Columbia River when I hit it at the junction of Rt. 12 and Rt. 730), so it seemed a pretty tedious drive at this point, plus the weather was crappy. But I drove and drove and drove and finally hit Maryhill -- but the one place I checked was booked and the other two looked creepy, so I decided to go on to the next place. This turned out to be
The Dalles. Everything booked -- I checked like 4 places. Continued on to the Hood River exit. Booked! So, I gave up and drove all the way to Portland... finally found a Best Western off of exit 16. Sigh. The life of a road traveller.
Sunday, as noted, I went to Powell's and met up with Barbara. Spent the day chillin with her, and later, James. I had a good day.
Today, Barbara took be back up the Columbia River so I would get to see at least some of the
Columbia River Gorge in daylight. We took what I think was the old highway, Rt. 30, east along the Oregon side of the river, to Kultnomah Falls. Okay, beautiful.
On our way back to town, Barbara stopped to show me
The Edgefield, a former poor house that was turned into a hotel and restaurant by a pair of enterprising brothers. I loved the place and decided I needed to spend the night here... (which is where I am now). The place is full of all sorts of interesting artwork and has a really surprisingly great vibe about it... In my room is a painting of a clown with a cigar. He reminds me a bit of Bob Hope. We had lunch here and I booked a room for the night...
Then we went back to Portland and drove into Washington Park then over to the Pittock Mansion. Sadly, we arrive too late to tour it, but it was still pretty and just means it will be something I need to do next time I'm here.
I ended up back at The Edgefield and then joined Barbara and James for drinks in the wine bar. We listened to a truly atroicous band play (or shrill as the case may be) what they considered to be folk rock, but which was really badly expressed bluegrass. But we had fun despite that. They make their own wine here so I may bring back a few bottles... :-)
Here are some random pics of the art that is all throughout the hotel... oh, and Kim and Bill... apparently they have some wonky Par 3 course here...
My one regret... not buying the beautiful vase I saw in the glass blowing shop... sigh...
Tomorrow, Tuesday, I head west for the coast, though I will do so by going south to Eugene first. Then is it 101 all the way home, baby. I'll stop at least once on the way... perhaps even twice... maybe in Sea Ranch :-)
Nigh night...
