Hello Everyone!
The weather is definitely warming up this week. Temperatures have been pushing up towards 90°F (32°C) on me here in the Pacific Northwest but thankfully it cools off quite a bit in the evening. Personally I would have loved some more springtime temperatures between winter and summer, but I know it’s almost June so it’s getting to be that time. The days are getting really long out here which has its pluses and minuses, but for the most part it’s been pretty good. I finished off my time in Oregon this week and I’m definitely glad I had the opportunity to see the Willamette Valley and all it had to offer. It was a relatively quick push back across the north of the Beaver State and southeast Washington to put me back into Idaho. I had a fabulous trip up into the depths of Hells Canyon this week and am ending the week here in Pullman, Washington just across the border from Moscow, Idaho. Both are pleasant university towns, but Pullman has a Planet Fitness so I dipped over here for a workout and I might as well finish up this week’s post while I’m here.
After I left you last week, I decided to stay the night outside of Portland at Edgefield, the old Multnomah County Poor Farm which is one of the McMenamin brothers’ signature properties. I thought a relaxed afternoon seemed like an excellent choice at that point and since I could get a dorm bed there for just $45 and be able to enjoy all of the amenities of the resort, I jumped at the opportunity. I had stopped by Edgefield on my way up the Columbia River Gorge last September and really wished I could have spent more time there, so I’m glad I had the chance to on this go-round. The main building at Edgefield is a beautiful, old, brick building with lots of art, nooks and crannies to explore. The property had four bars and the winery open while I was there, plus the main restaurant. I enjoyed a soak in the soaking pool, a nice long walk around the property and a plenty of quiet time reading my book. All of the shared spaces encouraged conversation and I really enjoyed chatting with several people during my stay. It was a wonderful afternoon and evening and somewhere I would definitely recommend if you’re ever in the area.
Mount Angel got its start as Roy, Oregon back in 1850. Thirty years later, Reverend Adelhelm Odermatt arrived with a group of Benedictine monks from Engelberg, Switzerland. Together, they established an abbey, a church and a school and were soon joined by a group of settlers from Bavaria. When a post office was established, they took the name “Mount Angel” which is the English translation of the town Engleberg. This sleepy little town of about 4,000 people grows a hundredfold each fall as tourists from around the world arrive for their annual Oktoberfest celebration. Mount Angel built their glockenspiel in 2006 and it is apparently the largest in the United States. It was a joy to watch when it came to life and on a quiet Sunday afternoon, I was the only one there to see it. There are some great old buildings and some beautiful cast iron signs and signposts around town which I have to believe came from the local Windischar's General Blacksmith Shop. I especially enjoyed the beer at the Benedictine Monastery’s wonderfully named St. Michael Taproom and will have to visit the monastery itself on my next visit. I definitely enjoyed wandering the streets of this little Bavarian town in the heart of the Willamette Valley and would absolutely recommend a stop to anyone passing through the area.. And if you’re there in September, you’ll be in for a real treat as their Oktoberfest looks like a heck of a good time. I hope you enjoy these photos from quaint and picturesque Mount Angel Oregon, the Willamette Valley’s Little Bavaria. Prost!
I had a wonderful time at the Dayton Days Rodeo in beautiful Dayton, Washington over Memorial Day Weekend. Here are some of my favorite action shots from the bull riding and barrel racing events, my two favorite rodeo events. In the bull riding, you can definitely see some of the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat in some of these pics. Remembering that a bull rider only needs to stay up for 8 seconds between the gate opening and a successful ride, yet only one or two were able to make it that long. I don’t really shoot a lot of action or sports shots, so these were fun photos to take. Enjoy these photos from the Dayton Days Rodeo.
Back in 1950, a local farmer named Paul Trent took two photos of supposed UFOs from his land just outside of McMinnville. These are some of the earliest and most famous UFO photos ever taken. They were printed in Life magazine and in newspapers across the country and around the world. Every year McMinnville hosts a UFO festival which is equal parts serious lectures and discussions at the convention center and tin foil hats and ray guns at the street party downtown. I was thrilled to be able to attend the UFO Fest this year and to be able to take some photos of the parade and the participants in costumes around town. Sometimes it’s nice to take some photos just for fun.
Driving into historic Brownsville, Oregon put a huge smile on my face. I first saw the movie Stand By Me as a teenager, and I had read the Stephen King novella The Body even earlier. This coming-of-age story of four boys navigating adolescence in the small town of Castle Rock (Maine in the novella, Oregon in the movie) really moved me. I’ve seen it dozens of times in the intervening years and Brownsville was where it was filmed. The whole town felt so familiar to me and it really is a quintessential small town and the perfect location for the movie to have been filmed in. I loved just walking the streets and taking it all in and I had a beautiful day to be there. I went to Pioneer Park and watched some young people playing baseball which was fun (the park was the scene of the pie-eating contest in the film with locals used as the extras in the scene). I enjoyed a great lunch at Randy’s and dinner at the Brownsville Tavern and just really enjoyed my visit. I even sat in my van and watched Stand By Me while I was there. I’m not the only person who visits Brownsville because I’m a fan of a 40 year old movie. They even have an annual festival to remember and celebrate the film. If you’re ever cruising through Linn County, pop in and have a look around. It’s a wonderful town full of wonderful people and I’m sure they’ll be glad to have you. Enjoy these photos from Brownsville, Oregon which will always be Castle Rock to me.
Pulling through Oakland, Oregon on an overcast spring morning, I caught a glimpse of a great, old Bull Durham Tobacco ghost sign next to a vacant lot. Turning onto Locust Street so I could hop out and take a photo of the sign, I found myself in the middle of a delightful historic district. Back in 1846 as westbound emigrants were making their way down the Oregon Trail, the last obstacle they faced was one of their greatest: navigating the treacherous Columbia River Gorge. A party led by Scott Applegate pioneered a cutoff from the trail to avoid the river and the Applegate Trail was born. Following this trail, the Campbell and Cornwall families ran into winter conditions before reaching the Willamette Valley and ended up settling right where they were. Their settlement would eventually grow into the town of Oakland. When the railroad arrived in 1872, Oakland would grow into a transportation hub. Stearns Hardware opened in 1887 and has been going ever since. Over 80 of the buildings in town were built between 1852 and 1890 which led to Oakland being the first city placed on Oregon’s historic register back in 1968. I didn’t stay in Oakland long, but it really made an impression and I hope to return in the future. For a small town, it sure seemed to have a lot to offer. I hope you enjoy these photos from historic Oakland, Oregon.
Hello Everyone!
It’s been a beautiful week of spring weather here in north-central Oregon’s Willamette Valley. The days have been warm and sunny and the evenings cool and pleasant. It’s the kind of weather where I don’t really want to do anything but sit outside and read my book and enjoy the day. Thankfully the days are long so there seems to be time for that and to keep exploring. Oregon is such a pleasant and relaxed state, making it a wonderful place to enjoy such fine spring weather. Cherries and strawberries are coming back into season which makes me happy and flowers are blooming like crazy everywhere I look. I’ve spent the week chasing waterfalls, exploring small towns, finally making it to the end of the Oregon Trail and exploring the state’s capital city of Salem. My camera has been busy and I’ve really been enjoying my week so let me get right into it.
After finishing up this post last week I went out to have a look around downtown Lebanon. It’s a quaint and quiet little town but it didn’t have much to offer. I stopped into a little bar called Sam’s Place for a beer and then called it an early night.
On Thursday I took off first thing and headed out to see the Hoffman covered bridge out near Scio. This was a great, fully functional bridge with a 10 ton weight limit still in daily use. It was quiet enough out there when I visited to take a few photos on the bridge, which was pretty cool. From there I made my way into Albany for the day. Albany is a cute little city of about 56,000 people situated on the Willamette River and founded back in 1848.
Crescent, Oregon is the kind of town that makes me hit the brakes as soon as I pull in. Coming from Bend in the North, the first thing I saw when I arrived in Crescent was the giant bear statue atop the public library. Next, the lumberjack on the Woodsman Inn caught my eye. Finally, the Bigfoot Tavern sealed the deal and I pulled over and came back to take some photos. Crescent got its start back in 1909 when Edward Rourk opened a small store in the area. A post office opened in the store the following year and Rourk would serve as the postmaster for several years (the store still stands today). The coming of the railroad and the opening of Highway 97 both contributed to the growth of Crescent and its population today hovers around 400 people. I wasn’t able to find out much more about Crescent online, but the next time I’m passing through I plan to stop and ask some questions. I hope you enjoy these photos from quirky little Crescent, Oregon.
Hello Everyone,
Spring has definitely sprung here in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon. Flowers are blooming, pollen is flying and minor league baseball is just getting started. The weather has been amazing and it’s nice to be here. I’ve had a very pleasant week on the road here in the Beaver State as I made my way from Bend through the Cascade Mountains and up into the Willamette Valley. It’s been a week of mountains, lakes, waterfalls, covered bridges and adorable little towns – all things that make me happy. The days are getting longer and my spirits are high. Let me tell you all about what I’ve been getting up to lately.
After I left you last week, it was already pretty late in the day. I wandered through downtown Bend and then down to Monkless Brewery, a Belgian-style taphouse situated right along the Deschutes River. It was a sunny afternoon and the view out over the river was amazing. The bartender was friendly and the beers were excellent. I’m a big fan of Belgian beer and consider it the best beer in the world, which is only an opinion but one I’m not alone in. Many Belgian-style beers just don’t live up to the expectation set by labeling it as such, but Monkless was a real exception and it quickly became one of my favorite breweries in the region. I had a couple of beers there and then wandered down by the river for a while to soak up the last of the sunshine. I stopped into the River Pigs Saloon for one last quick beer after the sun went down before calling it a night.
I hit the road on Thursday morning and headed south towards Klamath Falls. I passed through a couple of small towns on my drive, but one made me stop and get closer look. Crescent is the sister city of the nearby company logging town of Gilchrist .
Hello Everyone!
Greetings from sunny Bend, Oregon. It feels like this week has lasted considerably longer than the seven days since I last wrote. Unfortunately, I was falling into a bit of a funk in Idaho as everything seemed to still be closed for the winter. From roads and trails to campgrounds and museums, I constantly felt like it was more effort than it should have been to find things to see and do. And since it was cold out there, I struggled to get out of bed in the morning. I wouldn’t say I was depressed, just kind of bored and anxious to be out exploring, as summer is fast approaching and this may be the last summer I have off from work for a while. I want to make the absolute most of it. A little dose of Oregon was just what the doctor ordered. Oregon has been bright and sunny since I arrived over the weekend and it’s been amazing to be out on the trail, chasing waterfalls and beautiful scenery and finding things open around town. I will look forward to seeing more of northern Idaho in a few weeks, but for now it is great to be back in the Beaver State.
After finishing this post last week, I set out into the night to enjoy one last wander through downtown Boise, a city I have come to really enjoy and feel comfortable in over the last year. I stopped into Gatsby’s 1920 speakeasy, where the correct password got me buzzed in through the plain door in a dark alley. Once the door shut behind me I found myself in a small library where a bookshelf was swung inward to reveal a beautiful old wood-paneled bar. I had a nice cocktail and then moved on to Press and Pony, another prohibition era bar, where a Guinness seemed to be the best option. I wound up back at my old favorite, The Pengilly Saloon, for some live music and a nightcap to end my time in Boise for now.
Gold was discovered in the Boise Basin on August 2, 1862 by a prospecting party led by George Grimes. After Grimes met an untimely end, the rest of his party made a quick exit from the area. Prospectors returned the following spring and the search for gold began in earnest, with settlements springing up throughout the region. The town of Bannock City was among them, a town which would later be renamed Idaho City after the Territory of Idaho was established in 1863. During its heyday, Idaho City was the largest city between St. Louis and San Francisco, even outgrowing Portland. It was known as “The Queen of the Gold Camps” and it was often said that the streets of Idaho City were paved in gold (although in reality they weren’t paved at all). Two years after its founding, Idaho City burned to the ground, losing 80% of its buildings in the flames. The town would quickly rebuild, only to suffer another devastating fire just a few years later. This time, wooden buildings were rebuilt with brick. Over $300 million dollars worth of gold was pulled out of the Boise Basin, which would be several billion dollars today. As the gold played out, the miners departed for other strikes in other places. Today, Idaho City has a year-round population of around 500 people. There are some great old buildings around town, beautifully preserved. Of note are the oldest Catholic church, Masonic Hall and Odd Fellow’s Hall (I.O.O.F.) in the state, all of which are still in use today. There’s a fantastic old two story schoolhouse which now serves as the City Hall and Idaho’s old territorial prison. Idaho City is a quiet town and I really enjoyed all of the old buildings and gold rush history. I hope you enjoy these photos from Idaho City, where the streets are (definitely not) paved in gold.
I had planned on spending an hour or two in tiny Challis, Idaho, but ended up there for the better part of the week. My van had a bearing act up on the way into town which is never a good feeling, but thanks to good luck and good karma, I found two excellent mechanics to get us back on the road. John and Scott took good care of my van and became friends along the way, but the age of my van and the remoteness of Challis meant we had to wait a few days for parts to come in. I passed much of that time at the town’s wonderful library, reading in the park or hanging out at Shyla’s Hideaway or Bux’s across the street. All of these things were a blessing and I’m truly grateful to have landed in such a pleasant little town during a time of distress.
The land on which Challis would come to occupy was once the seasonal hunting ground of Shoshone and Nez Perce Indians. Fur traders came through in the early 19th century looking for beaver, and the ranchers that still occupy the area would follow. But, like so much of the west, it was a gold strike that caused the area to really take off. Gold was discovered in 1873 on the Yankee Fork of the Salmon River and miners rushed in from all corners of the globe, inevitably followed by saloonkeepers, shop owners and prostitutes who relied on the miners’ trade. Challis was founded in 1878 and named after the man who surveyed the townsite. It became a central supply town for the surrounding mines, a role it still fills today. With a population of just over a thousand people, Challis is the largest town and the county seat of Custer County. I wish I had taken more photos while I was there as it is quite a scenic town, but I had a lot on my mind and wasn’t in the mood. I did take some though, and I hope you enjoy these photos of Challis, the gateway to the Yankee Fork.
