From Portland to British Columbia

Since LA we've covered over 2800 miles and are now well into British Columbia, but not without first finishing the drive along the Oregon coast, spending nights in Portland and Seattle, drinking in Vancouver, and missing a few turns as we head north through BC.

If you ever have the chance to drive the Oregon coast make sure to visit Cannon Beach.  It is a beautiful beach with huge rock structures in the tidal zone.  It was low tide and windy, fairly cool but not without sun bathers.  Certainly not your southern California coastline. 

Cannon Beach at low tide

The sun continued to shine as we drive the last 30 minutes or so up the coast to Astoria, OR at the mouth of the Columbia River.  As far a we could tell it was a boom then bust town now supported cruise liners whose passengers visited the many antique and curio shops and restaurants.

We had a bed in Portland, and with neither of us having spent any time there we left Astoria for the big city.  Portland seems wonderful.  Other than being the runaway capital of the US, it and all of Oregon for that matter has great beer, people and sights.  We spent the night in  a nice suburb, enjoyed showers and a mother's meal.

Logging rules in the northwest

In the morning we drove a little out of our way, east along the Columbia to see the Multnomah Falls.  Route 30 east along the river is a beautiful drive.  Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Hood are still deep in snow this time of year and the falls are roaring with spring run-off. Then we turned back off our detour and headed for Seattle.

Rt. 30 from below, along the Columbia river between Washington and Oregon

As we neared Seattle the rain that has made the north west famous returned, and so did heavy traffic.  At 3pm I-5 was stop and go. I didn't get a great sense for Seattle, other than it seems like wealthy suburb islands with scattered downtowns here and there.  It's a much bigger and wealthier city than Portland and looks the part.  One of Conrad's home-town friends showed us around and gave us beds for the night.  In return, I bestowed unto him the last of my contraband before leaving the country.

Evidence of old growth forests in Oregon.  Now planted trees make up most of the  landscape.

We crossed the border into British Columbia in the rain with little trouble.  Vancouver is just a short drive from the border and from the short time we were there, we both decided it was a great place with beautiful and diverse people and it deserves a week of our time.  However, we left shortly after a drink and a meal at a nice pub.

There are two roads that go north from Vancouver through BC.  So far we've stayed west, taking rt. 99 through Whistler, rt. 97 north to Prince George, Hwy. 16 west past Smithers and are currently driving north on rt. 37 which will take us to Watson Lake in the Yukon Territory.

Just about all of BC is rural, mountainous, and at this time of year is beautiful.  The creeks and rivers are swollen with run-off from the high snow fields, threatening native villages, bald eagles are crossing over with higher and higher frequency,  and on this Victoria weekend the towns are ghostly with their inhabiters taking to the country side for some spring pleasure.

Smithers was a ghost town on Vistoria's day

We've spent the last two nights in the trailer, fairly warm and no worse for wear, although some exercise would do wonders for my back.  Everyone is eager to talk or help with directions.  We met a fellow last night at a little diner who had left Vancouver last week with his bike and panniers en route Prudhoe Bay, Alaska.  He's blogging about his travels HERE and HERE.  Very admirable! 

Stefan and his bike, plus nearly 70 kilos of gear!

The Oregon Coast

Since our departure, we've driven 1,000 miles north and a little west to where I finally write.  We are just south of Lincoln City below Despoe Bay on the Oregon coast staying in a beautiful, warm beach cottage.  The sun has just set (20:41) and it has, at last, stopped raining.

Until today it had been raining since we arrived in San Francisco on the 15th and we were lucky enough to spend two of the first three nights in homes.  I have an aunt and uncle in Berkeley whom I don't see enough. We stayed two nights with them, spent a day with my cousin and a friend and shipped out after eggs and bacon on the 17th.  With the San Jauquin Valley, SF and $4.45/gal behind us, we followed the Sacramento River north towards Oregon.  Then we left I-5 to follow the Rogue River northeast before turning back to Redford and Eugene, still in the rain.  We spent that night outside Eugene.  This morning we drove west to reach the coast, then up RT 101 to Newport.

Boats in the Newport Harbor

Cliff along the OR coast north or Florence

Newport's a great fishing town on either side on the Big Elk River.  On a recommendation we had chowder and Fish & Chips at Mo's down by the water.  We saw the seals at the harbor and stopped by the Rouge Nation World Headquarters on the south side of the river - highly recommended.

Rogue Nation World Headquarters, Newport, Or

This makes me giddy

When we had seen enough we  followed the coastal cliffs north to this cottage.  I've been in absolute awe of the Oregon coast since we hit it, almost all of Oregon in fact.  A friend of Conrad has lent us her beach cottage for the night.   So we'll be here for the night and then somewhere north of here tomorrow night, perhaps Portland or Washington.

Low tide in  Lincoln City, Or

Our cabin for the night

Oregon has some of the biggest names in fly fishing, and for good reason.  The McKenzie, the Rogue, the Deschutes, and a countless number of other streams, rivers and lakes produce world class steelhead, salmon and trout year-round.  Maybe we can afford another day here and head east to wet a line.