Tag Archives: on the road

oregon coast

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We’ve carved out 3 1/2 days to see the coast of Oregon from top to bottom. Nowhere near enough time to explore all there is to see along the way and get to know the place. But, fortunately, what there is plenty of is staring out the passenger side window at the views of the ocean – changing all the time. Every two miles I want to stop and soak up the scene, but Bridget, the hard-nosed driver, says no can do if we’re going to make it to Brookings by our appointed time. We stop to eat and sleep and poke our noses into a couple of lighthouses along the way. In the end, the pictures tell the story. Continue reading →

portland, oregon

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We’ve got a four-night stay in Portland – again at another airbnb – this time a fully equipped basement apartment up in the northeast area of town. It’s an “in” night, one for watching of few episodes of “Mad Men,” and while I caught up on some work, Bridget figured out our plan of attack on Portland in the upcoming days. All I need to do is check out Powell’s Bookstore sometime and go see Willy Porter on Friday night; other than that, my schedule is free. Continue reading →

the gorge – oregon

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From Maryhill, Washington, it’s over the Columbia River to Biggs on the Oregon side, and just a few miles ahead, where the Deschutes River empties into the Columbia, we’re in the Gorge – a river canyon that descends to 4,000 feet in places and extends from here all the way to Portland. Continue reading →

washington – part 4

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A few quiet days in Birch Bay were all we needed – Bridget to finally get out from under the weather, and while she did that, I got to spend some quality time with Ron and Linda and Agnes and Chris – enjoying good food and drink (wine, wine and more wine, delicious donated salmon, and papples – the latest in fine fruits, being a cross between pears and apple), but more than that – time spent with friends is good for the soul – all the laughter over stories shared. The best things in life do come for free. Continue reading →

washington – part 2

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In a stroke of good luck, at a tourist brochure stand in Montana we picked up “Washington State’s Scenic Byways & Road Trips” magazine, so I’ve had weeks to pore over scenic routes in Washington and plot our course through the state. From everything I’ve seen in this magazine and heard from a lot of people, Washington has an awful lot on offer in terms of natural diversity and beauty. I’d like to see it all, but we have to pick and choose. Here’s the route we ended up taking … Continue reading →

washington – part 1

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We wave goodbye to the Miniatos in Tsawwassen and drive to the Canada/US border, about a 40-minute drive. We pass by White Rock, where we had lunch on August 31 with Hilda. From our vantage point on the shore, Hilda pointed out Blaine, Washington, to me just across the water. That is our destination tonight: Blaine. Actually, Birch Bay, an outpost of Blaine. Continue reading →

victoria, british columbia

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One week left in British Columbia and we’re spending it on Vancouver Island. Any way you look at it, one week is not nearly enough time to get it done. The best we can do, then, is tackle the southern half of the island – and even then, much of it will be impressions on the fly – and leave the northern half till another visit. Continue reading →

vancouver, british columbia

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Thirty-odd years is a long time between visits, and a lot has changed in the interim. Vancouver has gone huge on me. Somewhere in there, Vancouver became every investor’s dream, and along with all the capital came a whole lot of people. How it’s played out, at least in part, is property values have soared, there doesn’t seem to be a square inch of available space, and it looks and feels like a real estate bubble just waiting to burst. We’ll have to see how that pans out, but in the meantime, as a visitor, all I have to do is enjoy it while I’m here. And so I do. Continue reading →