Adam Sawyer

From the North Oregon Coast Press Trip.

Day three started out in a relatively leisurely fashion. Breakfast was scheduled for 8:15 kitty-corner from the Sandy Cove Inn at a place called Auntie M’s. We were treated to an array of pastries, fresh fruit, coffee, and a very memorable set of quiches. Breakfast was relaxing and full of entertaining conversation.

As breakfast was winding down, I began percolating at the chance to get outside. We had an unanticipated break in the weather that was making my feet itch. We left breakfast and took a driving tour of Seaside that lead us down to the beach, and then to the Seaside end of the Tillamook Head Trail. In all actuality, this might have just made my itchy feet worse. Maybe it was the sun breaks through the misty trees, the smell of ocean air, or the fact that we had just witnessed a juvenile bald eagle swoop down from above; whatever it was, at that moment the Tillamook Head Trail looked like the most inviting trail I had ever laid eyes upon. But alas, today it was not meant to be. Our next stop was the Seaside Aquarium; the oldest privately owned aquarium on the west coast.

The Seaside Aquarium wound up being one of the more memorable places I visited. We were again treated to a behind-the-scenes tour that included what used to be living quarters on the 2^nd floor of the building. Even more fascinating, however, was the skate egg case that we were allowed to peek at in the back of the aquarium. Then the coup de gras was watching our host, Keith Chandler, feed the seals.

We then traveled back to the beach where we met up with David Posalski, owner and operator of Oregon Storm Tours. We strolled near the lip of the surf with David, looking for sand dollars and listening to the wide array of tour options his company offers. Certainly intriguing enough to warrant a trip back to Seaside for one of David’s tours. I suppose at this point I should just go ahead and label trip theme four: On this tour, there will be a ton of stuff that I need to come back and try out myself. David’s tours being one of them.

We sauntered down the Seaside Promenade to our lunch stop. David treated us to lunch at another one of his companies, the Tsunami Sandwich Company. The chili might not have been my favorite, but the turkey sandwich I had (the Lighthouse) was epic. As somebody that wears numerous occupational hats, I really enjoy watching other people do the same. David transitioned from eco-knowledgeable tour guide into counter person/sandwich maker with graceful ease. It’s not an easy thing to do and I loved watching it. Another point of interest at lunch was the wall-enveloping, Seaside-ending tsunami mural that adorned one end of the store. It depicts a shop-view perspective of an apocalypse-sized tsunami bearing down on us. This I also loved.

Then the group went to the Funland Arcade on Broadway. The place was in fact, very fun. The arcade, of course, possesses all of the paycheck reducing midway games that I’ve grown to know and love. They also have a slew of new video games. But that’s not what we were there for. No, we were there to play Fascination. “What’s Fascination?” I’m glad you asked. Fascination is an old Amusement Park game that dates back to the early 1900’s. It is part skee ball, part bingo, and all awesome. The winner of each game was awarded a small trinket as a prize by the gentleman that was officiating play. By the way, I’m sure this man possesses a variety of talents, but on this day it appeared as if though he was born to moderate midway games. We played against each other for several rounds, each increasing palpably with competitive intensity. It’s amazing what the promise of a Seaside coffee mug will do to a group of over-fed and under-rested travel writers.

We bid adieu to Seaside and made our way down the coast towards Cannon Beach, stopping first at Ecola State Park. This was another spot I had visited before, and was very much looking forward to stopping at when I saw it on the itinerary. While soaking up the postcard views, we were lucky enough to glimpse a small family of elk grazing on the hillside. I took in the views, clean air, sunshine, and wildlife, with a broad smile on my face. I always feel better when I’m outside, but at that moment I was utterly content. It was now time to leave the park and check into our hotels.

The group would again split for the evening lodging-wise, and I feel like I might have drawn the big straw. I stayed at the Surfsand Resort and I can’t imagine a better room or better location in Cannon Beach. See that picture? That’s from the deck of my room. Bam! Since this is a blog post and not an actual article for a publication, I’ll save all the details about this place for the proper forum. I will, however, share the blog-worthy little fact that they provided me with a complimentary gift basket and a nice bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir. I probably shouldn’t boast about this too vociferously, but few things put a spring in my step like a free bottle of wine.

That night’s dinner was at the Driftwood Restaurant and Lounge. I should also mention that the meal was provided for us by Escape Lodging. Some of the folks on our tour stayed at one of their fine establishments that evening. Harkening back to trip theme four; I need to come back to Cannon Beach, the Ocean Lodge looked incredible. I regret that I didn’t get the chance to check out the other digs, the Lands End Hotel, as I heard that place was pretty much amazing as well. I digress. That night I had the Dungeness Crab Casserole. After all, it is crab season on the Oregon Coast and everywhere we went it was crab, crab, crab! When in Rome I suppose. The casserole did me proper. Tons of crab (shocker) baked in a sharp cheddar and parmesan sauce.

It turns out that a Dungeness Crab Casserole and two glasses of wine make a wonderful sleep aid. Now combine that meal with a Tempur-Pedic bed. On this evening I would sleep the slumber of kings. Check out the next morning was at 8am.

I am very pleased to announce that I am now a contributing writer and photographer for the Intertwine. The Intertwine Alliance works to ensure that the region’s network of parks, trails, and natural areas are completed and cared for. They also aim to help the residents of the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan region connect with nature and live active, healthy lives. If this isn’t in my wheelhouse, I don’t know what is. Here is a piece about the Tualatin Hills Nature Park that went live on their website today.

Day two on the coast started out just as wet as day one had finished. This was unfortunate since we were on our way to the Astoria Column. At 600 feet above sea level, the Astoria Column is the highest point in Astoria and on a clear day affords stunning views in every direction. That’s on a clear day. Luckily though, Paula Bue, a volunteer from the Friends of the Astoria Column was there to give us the history of the “Beacon of the Pacific Northwest Coast”. The column, which is also an ornate work of art, was open on this day despite the weather. Traditionally, if you climb all 164 steps to the top you can throw a biodegradable, balsa wood airplane from the top of the column. Planes can be purchased for $1 in the gift shop. I did this. The primary reason was because I was there and now I can say I did it. Another, perhaps more daunting reason, was that my daughter would give me the business if she found out I had the chance to climb to the top of something and throw an airplane, and opted not to.

Somewhat soggy, we left the Column and stopped at the Heritage Museum where we were once again met by museum guru and Name Hall of Fame inductee, McAndrew Burns. Housed in the old City Hall, the Heritage Museum is home to a treasure trove of historical goodies. Of particular interest to me were artifacts from a saloon called “The Louvre”, owned by a fellow named Gus Erickson. Take my Underground Portland tour sometime and I’ll tell you all about this character.

Our next stop was the historic Liberty Theater where we were treated to a behind-the-scenes tour. This place was grand. We of course learned about the history of the building, but one of my fellow writers (hi Allen) asked what I considered to be a somewhat odd question at the time; he asked about ghosts. Our guide was pretty much done with her spiel at that point, but it didn’t take much prodding for her to unload several fascinating stories about what has been seen, or reported to have been seen, over the years. Allen would ask this question of any guide in any old or historic venue, and it would typically yield great results. It turns out that whether or not you believe in such things, these stories are often riveting threads in the historic tapestry of this country’s older dwellings. Sometimes people won’t be all that forthcoming unless you ask. I’m adding it to my repertoire. Thanks Allen!

We had some free time to wander around Astoria before reconvening at Fulio’s for lunch. I have actually had the pleasure of eating here before and was happy to be back. Owner, Peter Roscoe, was a relaxed yet attentive host that provided us with appetizers, as well as whatever we wanted from the menu. Peter was insistent that I try something that wasn’t on the menu, a lamb French dip. Admittedly, I had really wanted to square up on the eggplant parm. That being said, I think if the owner of a joint that is providing you with a free lavish meal insists you try an off the menu item, you roll with it. I was exceedingly pleased that I did. We also had a special guest at lunch, Astoria mayor Willis Van Dusen. The mayor joined us to detail the new Garden of Surging Waves project that the city is currently working on. The garden, which sounds amazing and is due for completion this year, will honor and commemorate Astoria’s Chinese heritage.

From lunch we headed out to visit the folks at High Life Adventures. This was a fun and interesting stop for a few reasons. For starters, we were treated to a delicious home made M&M based dessert. Then we were taken around the property and shown the new zip line park that they will be opening this summer (more research). The family that owns the land and the company were great. They have deep, generational ties to Oregon’s logging industry and very much believe in running a sustainable operation. I believe they referred to themselves as “Tree hugging loggers”, which I thought was great.

We then headed to the Lewis and Clark National Historic Park (aka Fort Clatsop), which was another stop I was greatly anticipating. This is the very place where Lewis and Clark hunkered down for a winter, and I had never been. A fort has been recreated on the grounds to match, as best as possible, the inhabitancy described in the journals of Lewis, Clark, and the rest of the men on the journey. This place certainly gives you a fresh perspective on the difficulty the men faced. We also watched a very informative short film documenting the plight of the Clatsop tribe and their relationship with the Lewis and Clark expedition.

It was now time to check into the evening’s accommodations, only this time the group would be split up. We were staying in Seaside and I had the good fortune of landing at the Sandy Cove Inn. The Sandy Cove Inn occupies a property that had a less than savory reputation some years ago, with the colorful euphemistic nicknames that typically accompany such establishments. Since then, the property has become family owned and transformed into a boutique motel complete with themed rooms and WiFi. The place was cozy and comfortable, eclectic and colorful. Just in case you’re interested, I stayed in the Wave Room.

Dinner on night two was provided by the Twisted Fish Steakhouse. We were treated to appetizers and once again allowed to order from the menu. I had been jonesing for seafood for quite sometime, and picked this moment in time to get my fix. I chose a dinner consisting of lobster, scallops, and grilled salmon, accompanied by seasonal veggies and scalloped potatoes. I raise my glass to you Chef Jake Burden. That meal, and the brownie the size of my head that I was served for dessert, were both very much on point.

Now it was time for bed. We got back to our rooms a bit earlier than the previous evening, and this was a good thing because we were scheduled for breakfast the next morning at 8:15.

Yesterday’s burst of sunshine and warmth got me dreaming of summer. This week’s picture is a couple of years old, from a backpacking trip up Opal Creek.

I met our guide and driver Tracie Driver (that is her name), at the Shilo Inn near the Portland Airport. Tracie owns and operates a wonderful company called NorthWest EcoExcursions. She also, as I would come to find out, has probably forgotten more about nature in the NorthWest than I’ll ever know. Just prior to 11am, six other travel writers and yours truly loaded into Tracie’s van and shipped off for Astoria.

It rained the entire drive. Rain, as well as fogged up rear windows, would prove to be a theme for the week. So too, however, would be the diligent van window sleeve-wiping of the group. Even when wet, perhaps especially so, Oregon scenery is breathtaking.

At around 1pm we arrived at the BRIDGEwater Bistro where we met Lucy Gibson, the wonderful human being that organized this adventure on behalf of the Oregon Coast Visitors Association. We were treated to a set of exquisitely plated tapas, followed by a set of desserts. This stop set the tone for what would be another theme on the trip; eating. We were going to eat our way down the North Coast of Oregon, and it was going to be delicious. I had purchased new pants with a slightly smaller waistline prior to this trip. By day three I was back into my “big boy” pants.

We left the BRIDGEwater Bistro quite full and bound for The Columbia River Maritime Museum for a guided tour. The museum and our guide Carol were remarkable. We learned a lot in a short amount of time, but what really stuck out for me was learning about the Bar Pilots of the Columbia River. Click that link to find out all about them, but suffice it to say that they just aren’t human.

From the Maritime Museum we headed down the street to the Oregon Film Museum and met with museum director McAndrew Burns. Names just don’t get better than that. The museum is housed in the old Clatsop County Jail and is absolutely fascinating. It also affords visitors the rare opportunity to purchase a “Set Pass” and shoot, star in, and edit their own mini-movie.

Then it was off to Fort Stevens State Park. It was about this time that the heavens decided to get serious about wetting down the Oregon Coast. We weren’t able to get out and see much at Fort Stevens, but Park Host Keith Dooley was kind enough to drive us around. At well over 4000 acres, the place is massive and as close to Shangri-La as a car camping family is likely to get. We also met with Jim Scheller from the Warrenton Trails Association. That made me giddy. He told us about the extensive trail system that weaves its way through the park and the town of Warrenton. I’ll have to do some field research on those trails this summer.

Then it was time to check into our digs for the evening and freshen up. My room at the Cannery Pier Hotel clued me into what trip theme number three was. We were going to be staying at some of the nicest places on the North Coast. I headed down stairs for the Wine and Smoked Salmon reception. Then the group went upstairs for the “Official” wine and appetizers provided by Clemente’s, which were “Officially” out of this world. Theme 2b; We were going to also drink our way down the North Coast of Oregon, and it was going to be delicious. During appetizers Christopher Lloyd (not that one, different guy entirely) from Columbia River Eco Tours gave us an engrossing presentation about the tours his company provides. We were supposed to have one of his tours earlier in the day, but the weather told us no. More field research for a later date.

We then loaded into the van and departed for the Rogue Ales Public House for yet another round of appetizers, but this time instead of wine we had beer samples. Now it was time for dinner proper.

Dinner was five courses with wine pairings at Baked Alaska. Yes, after three rounds of appetizers and drinks, it was time for a five course dinner. At Baked Alaska proprietor and Chef Christopher Holen, provided me with perhaps the greatest culinary experience of my life up to this point. No hyperbole, he and his staff blew my doors off with a combination of menu items and one of a kind dishes created just for us. Chris is a scary-good mix of talent and charisma that will take him far. I expect to see him on the Food Network before all is said and done.

When we departed for the hotel, it was somewhere around 9:45 and I was gassed. I typically don’t go to bed anytime before midnight, but on that evening I was drooling before my head hit the pillow. It’s a good thing too, because the next morning I had to eat breakfast and be ready to leave by 9am.

The 4th Annual Trail Skills College is coming in April. I was lucky enough to go a couple of years ago and thoroughly enjoyed every minute. Here’s an article about it. Oh, and I will never take trails for granted ever again.

More amazing waterfall goodness less than a mile from the trailhead. Read the latest Portland Family Outdoors column here.