Category: Travel

Posted on

Roadside novelty

America developed a national highway system starting in the thirties with a boost after WWII. Paved roads improved commerce but also gave birth to the cross country road trip.

Along our web of highways enterprising business men constructed cement monuments to gophers, dinosaurs and mythical lumber jacks as enticement to the many new sojourners. Some offered food and beverage, but all were rest points so travelers could stretch their legs and spend some money.

The age of roadside attractions has passed or more to the point was bypassed when we upgraded to the Interstate.

However, the monuments remain and it’s amazing what you can find sitting just a mile or two off the freeway. As the weather warms we venture farther from our home base. These road trips, by design, avoid the freeway but any Historical Marker is always a reason to pull over.

Recently we came across a throw back to the time of blue highways, a tea pot shaped gas station in central Washington.

The Teapot Dome Service Station is a former gas station built in the shape of a teapot located in Zillah, Washington. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

It is an example of novelty architecture and was intended as a reminder of the Teapot Dome Scandal that rocked the presidency of Warren Harding.

 

Posted on

A GREAT Pub … just a bit out of the way

Mitchell, Oregon is roughly halfway between Portland and the Oregon / Idaho border. Sitting on the south edge of Highway 26 there are few reasons for you to do much more than just drive past the sleepy little town.

However, Painted Hills unit is just a few miles east and we venture to that spot 3 or 4 times a year. JQ pointed out the existence of a brew pub, but I was reasonably skeptical of the pours it might offer.

Turns out I was mistaken. Tiger Town Brewing offers a great selection of house brews, a guest tap and an amazing assortment of high end whiskey. Who’d of thunk.

We chose a couple of glasses of different ales and a ‘dram’ of Weller’s. Then, from their adjoining food cart we shared a basket of delicious fish and chips. The menu offered a nice variety of pub fare. Tiger Town may be a bit of a drive but if you ever find your self on Hwy 26 in Central Oregon this is a definite must stop.

Posted on

Tight-line Dead Drift

For a few years now we’ve been dabbling with the ‘Euro-nymphing’ flyfishing technique. About this time last year we got some formal instruction from Mary Ann Dozer. Then this week we finally broke down and purchased a dedicated euro-nymph rod.

I found an Orvis ten foot three weight that cost less than two hundred dollars. It arrived this week, so we took it out for a test cast on the Crooked River.

Euro, or tight line nymphing uses a two fly rig with weighted wet flies or split shot. As the name implies this is fished with the line kept taut through the arch of the drift.

The day was warm, for mid-February, and sunny. We hooked up to several fish and caught a couple of decent ones. There is an old adage which says, “a bad day fishing is better than a good day at work.”

Well … this was a GREAT day on the river.

Posted on

Late Winter Road Trip

There is a regional flyfishing show in Seattle every year that we’ve been interested in checking out.

Last year we had a huge snowfall around the time of the show. But this year we’ve enjoyed a few weeks of mild weather and clear roads, making a trip north and west a possibility.

Any time we’re on Pacific Northwest roads during winter, we travel with basic emergency supplies. Cold weather coats, hats, gloves and boots and a cooler full of rations.

Columbia River, Washington Hwy 14
Snowqualmie Pass

Our route plan was to use US 97 north to Washington state, hit interstate 90 and use Snoqualmie Pass to get over the Cascades

There are still a few feet of snow in the passes but the lower level roads appeared clear.

We kept watch for changing weather conditions, even tracked avalanche warnings, knowing Snoqualmie Pass is at risk. When stopping for coffees and to stretch our legs, we spoke to a couple of area locals about road conditions. Apparently there was a road closure at MP 67, but they figured it would be open by the time we arrived (which it was).

South Central Washington has fruit orchards and over 240 wineries.

We’d never been through these parts of the state so it was nice to explore some new country. Apple and wine country to be exact, plus it’s really a beautiful drive.

Seattle, Washington

Getting to Seattle and the show was not a problem, took our time and made it through the crazy Seattle maze of freeways.

The show was … well, glad we went, but we’re not going again … okay.

Didn’t explore Seattle, instead we headed out the next day to knock around Central Washington.

Our plans got shuffled when there was an avalanche delay on Snoqualmie and we had to shift routes south, then east to White Pass and into Yakima.

We encountered a bit more snow on this southern route and any view was hindered by a snowstorm. We did however get a sense for the potential of White Pass and the Mt. Rainer area and plan on a revisit.

Spent a night in the heart of Central Washington wine country and the charming little town of Zillah. It’s just east of Yakima and on the northern edge of the Yakima Nation’s reservation. This area is on the eastern edge of the Cascades and the start of some really beautiful canyon land we are itching to check out.

Posted on

Cup of Camp Coffee

Life in Central Oregon affords us the luxury of day trips to a large selection of scenic places. Occasionally we’ll hit a pub or restaurant, but more often these trips are accompanied by a packed lunch and sometimes dinner.

The one constant in all our adventures is a cuppa camp coffee … or two.  Sometimes we cook a meal but regardless the size of the offering we always put the kettle on the stove.

 

We’ve had the same picnic kit for nearly 40 years. At it’s heart is an old  “Frostline kit” with a small nylon utensil bag both gifts from Jack’s older sister. In here is a small ‘billy’ can, tea pot, two bowls, a couple sets of eating utensils, a sharp knife and a white gas stove.

Gear has gotten upgraded over the years. We still have a vintage Svea 123 Bronze stove, but our current cooker is MSR’s PocketRocket canister stove, it is a much quicker set up. Yeah, there is a S-bucks on every corner but our steamy hot mug served up with a view is unlike anything you find outside a chain latte store’s window, It is hard to equal.

The go to recipe on these cool winter outings is equal portions cocoa mix and Trader Joe’s instant coffee stirred into a mug of water fresh off the boil.