Hello Everyone! This newsletter is going to be a short one this week as I am going to be out in the wilderness of Olympic National Park for several days and away from my computer. I hope it’s a wonderful adventure out there, but I don’t want to forget about what I’ve been up to this week so I thought I’d just go ahead and get this done before I head out.
When I left you guys last week, I was on my way to tiny South Bend, Washington on the Willapa River. South Bend is a cute little town with a couple of oyster farms and a nice brewery and I availed myself of both while I was there. When I got to town, I popped into a tiny little hole-in-the-wall spot called the Chester Club for a cold beer and some oysters. If I stumbled into this place in Nebraska or Vegas I would order anything but oysters, but with the oyster fleet in view out the window and the World’s Largest Oyster just a block away, I knew they had to be good. And they were – probably some of the best fried oysters I’ve ever had. With my belly very happy, I moved up the road to the Willapa Brewing Company which is a part of one of my travel resources, Harvest Hosts, which hooks travelers up with businesses for overnight stays. I get a spot in their parking lot for the night and in return I buy a few beers. It works out well for everyone. It was a busy night there as the road crew who is doing construction on the highway was having a party, but it was fun to be there and enjoy some of their tasty brews.
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest, and also the most important. It has always served as a trade route from the interior to the coast from the time American Indians paddled their dugout canoes up and down the river to the tall ships of the fur trade to modern trade ships of today. It also has several major dams which provide much needed power to the region and the river also serves as the border between Washington State and Oregon. The incredible waterfalls on the Oregon side bring in tourists by the thousands, but the small towns of the Washington side are friendlier and more livable. It gets hot out there, and it got too hot for me to stay too long and I ended up cutting my visit a little bit shorter than I would have liked, but I still had a great time out there. I hope you enjoy these photos from the beautiful Columbia River Gorge…
fell hard for Astoria during my stay in this classic Oregon town. I would say most people of my generation have seen the movie The Goonies, which is both set in and filmed in Astoria. It’s definitely one of my favorite childhood movies so I came here already having warm feelings towards the place, but it did not disappoint. There were surprises around every corner and even after a few days in town, I felt like there was still much more to be discovered.
Astoria was founded in 1811 at the mouth of the Columbia River just six years after Lewis and Clark cruised down the Columbia to the Pacific Ocean on their transcontinental adventure. That makes Astoria the oldest American city on the west coast. Originally Fort Astor, it was built by the American Fur Company to exploit the local fur resources of the region and named after the company’s founder John Jacob Astor. The fort would later be sold to Canada’s Northwest Fur Company and be renamed Fort George. The region would fall under joint American and British rule after the Treaty of 1818 but would eventually become a fully American town after the Oregon Treaty of 1846. With the decline in the fur trade, fishing would become the town’s major industry and the local canneries were humming 24 hours a day. The need for workers brought in many immigrants, notably from Scandinavia, China, Hawaii and the Punjab region of India. Fishing is still a major industry in Astoria today, but not like it once was. Tourism has played a big role in the local economy, and increased dramatically after The Goonies was released in 1985. Forty years later, there is still a steady parade of tourists making a pilgrimage up to see The Goondocks on the hill in Uppertown.
I loved all of the historic buildings, signs and businesses as I strolled the streets of Astoria. The history museum was wonderful and kept me occupied for several hours and the Flavel Mansion is a lovingly restored Victorian mansion and a real local treasure. Dead Man’s Isle tiki bar was a particular favorite while I was there, but I also really enjoyed the crowd at the Chart Room and Fort George Brewery. Blue Scorcher Bakery makes some delicious baked goods and definitely don’t miss the amazing tuna fish and chips at The Bowpicker which is cooked on an old boat and has a line whenever it’s open - it’s worth the wait. Astoria felt like a town that has a plan and works to implement it and the local identity is a strong one. It’s location near the coast and its proximity to Portland bring in a steady stream of tourists and keeps the town bustling throughout the year. This was my first time in Astoria, but it definitely won’t be my last. I hope you enjoy these photos from the amazing little city of Astoria.
Rockaway Beach is an adorable little beach town in Tillamook County on the Oregon Coast. A train from Portland brought visitors to this charming destination long before the coastal road was built and today a brightly painted caboose welcomes you to town. You can still ride the train as well, but only as far as Garibaldi on the Oregon Coast Scenic Railway. Rockaway Beach is also home to Pronto Pup, which claims to be the originator of the corn dog. The Twin Rock Arch is visible from anywhere on the beach and is quite a beautiful formation to see. I loved Rockaway Beach at first sight and ended up staying the whole day, soaking up some rays and enjoying the small-town charm of this great beach spot. It was such an easy place to pass the time, which I imagine is why it’s been such a beloved destination for as long as it has. If you’re ever traveling up or down the coast, be sure to carve out some time for a visit. I hope you enjoy these photos from my time in Rockaway Beach.
Rockaway Beach is an adorable little beach town in Tillamook County on the Oregon Coast. A train from Portland brought visitors to this charming destination long before the coastal road was built and today a brightly painted caboose welcomes you to town. You can still ride the train as well, but only as far as Garibaldi on the Oregon Coast Scenic Railway. Rockaway Beach is also home to Pronto Pup, which claims to be the originator of the corn dog. The Twin Rock Arch is visible from anywhere on the beach and is quite a beautiful formation to see. I loved Rockaway Beach at first sight and ended up staying the whole day, soaking up some rays and enjoying the small-town charm of this great beach spot. It was such an easy place to pass the time, which I imagine is why it’s been such a beloved destination for as long as it has. If you’re ever traveling up or down the coast, be sure to carve out some time for a visit…
Bandon is an adorable little town of about 3,300 people on the southern Oregon coast. Originally Coquille Indian land, it was first settled by people of European decent in 1853. The town was established in 1873 by four men from Bandon, Ireland in County Cork and named for their old world home. Cranberries were introduced into Bandon in 1885 by Charles McFarlin of Massachusetts and have been grown and harvested successfully in the area ever since. Tragically the whole town burned to the ground in 1936 in a fire that claimed eleven lives. It has risen from the ashes and rebuilt as a charming coastal town with a lot to offer.
Bandon was probably my favorite town on the whole Oregon coast. The Old Town area was full of art and color and I loved just walking up and down the waterfront. The beaches were absolutely stunning with so much more to see than just the famous Face Rock and an evening stroll proved to be an excellent choice. The history museum, housed in the old City Hall, was one of the best local history museums I’ve ever been to in a town this size. Of course I loved the hand-painted signs around town, the beautiful carved wooden sculptures and the Coquille River Lighthouse. Of all the towns I visited in my first week along the coast, this was the one that stood out and a town I will definitely return to. Thank you, Bandon, for a wonderful stay. I hope you enjoy these photos from Bandon, Oregon.
Hello Everyone! It is wonderful to be back writing This Week on the Road, but not nearly as good as it is to actually be back on the road. I spent the last year dreaming of the open highway ahead of me and the wind in my hair. As much as I love my hometown and my family and friends, I missed the natural landscapes around which I have built my life. For the rest of 2025 I plan to surround myself with beaches and mountains, waterfalls and glaciers, sunsets and wildlife. I have also learned in my life that while some people thrive on routine and knowing their surroundings, I live for new places I’ve never seen or visited. I may love the museums and bars and coffee shops at home, but for me there is always something special about walking into the unknown – a town or restaurant or music venue I’ve never been in before. I can spend my time looking around and picking up on the details of the place, eavesdropping on the local gossip. I like being the stranger in town. It’s a role I embrace. This last week+ has been a wonderful reintroduction to the world of travel and vanlife for me, with a few familiar places, a few familiar faces and a whole lot of something new.
I have really been looking forward to visiting Ferndale, the Victorian village in Humboldt County, and it was so much more than I ever imagined it would be. This charming town is over the river and down the road from the main highway and while it’s definitely not a secret it still kind of feels like it is.
Ferndale got its start back in 1852 when brothers Stephen and Seth Shaw came to the area to claim a homestead and begin farming. They found that the land was particularly suitable to raising cattle and a small dairy community would begin to grow. William would eventually leave the area, but Seth remained and built a beautiful Gothic home, which he called Fern Dale. When a post office opened in the area, the name was adopted for the town. That house is now called Shaw House and is still there to see in all its Gothic glory.
Dairy, and especially butter, would be the main industry of the town for quite some time, and a process of cutting and wrapping butter in paper for transport was pioneered in Ferndale. Once this process had been developed, butter was shipped down the Eel River and sent south to San Francisco and the town would grow. Butter brought wealth to the area and many fine homes and buildings were constructed in the Victorian style of the time, often called “Butterfat Palaces”. I’m thrilled that so many of these buildings have survived and dairy continues to be the main industry driving the local economy.
I spent a couple of days in Ferndale, taking these photos. I found the locals to be friendly and welcoming as one would expect in Northern California. I particularly enjoyed a conversation about the upcoming Humboldt County Fair one night in the Palace Saloon and also attending an Old Timers’ baseball game at the local ballfield. Breakfast at Joe’s Place was top notch and I loved being able to enjoy a glass of local wine above the bar in the Gazebo. Taking these photos was a joy, especially of the Gingerbread House, Gazebo, the Victorian Inn and the beautiful lamp posts around town. I hope you enjoy these photos of fabulous Ferndale, a town full of Victorian charm in the heart of Humboldt County…
Originally a Pomo Indian settlement, a lumber town was established on this site in 1852. The town was originally called Meiggsville, and then Big River before finally settling on Mendocino, named after Spanish navigator Antonio de Mendoza. Many of Mendocino’s early non-native settlers were from New England which is definitely evident in the architecture. In fact, several episodes of the TV show Murder, She Wrote were filmed here, and Mendocino stood in for the fictional town of Cabot Cove, Maine. Quite a few films were made here as well, perhaps the most memorable of which was James Dean’s 1955 classic East of Eden. Today, Mendocino is one of the most charming little towns along the California coast and attracts a wonderful mix of artists, tourists and small-town enthusiasts like myself. I thought it was cool that the town still has many of the original wooden water towers, built before the town had a central water supply. My favorite places to photograph were definitely the stunning old Masonic Hall with it’s beautiful statue called Time and the Maiden, the old Mendocino Beacon Building, the unique water towers and of course the gorgeous coastline. I hope you enjoy these photos from stunning Mendocino, California.
Vitus Bering claimed Alaska for the Russian Empire in 1741 under orders from Tsar Peter the Great. Russia’s hold on Alaska would last until they sold the territory to the United States in 1867 and their primary focus was on the abundance of valuable furs found in Alaskan waters. The most enduring legacy of Russian culture in Alaska is the strong presence maintained by the Russian Orthodox Church in the state. This summer I had the pleasure to visit these four beautiful Russian Orthodox churches, three in the Kenai Peninsula and one in Anchorage. As someone born into and raised in the Russian Orthodox faith, I found it fascinating to visit these churches and I was thrilled (or, perhaps, blessed) to see them all on sunny days. I hope you enjoy my photos.
Hello Everyone! I hope this post finds you all well. I am safely back at home in Washington D.C. after my tour season finished last week. It’s nice to be here with my family and friends and I’m catching up on some rest and some quiet time. I know I promised you these photos a couple of months ago, but things got really crazy at the end of my season, plus I was pretty tired from such a busy summer. But here are the rest of my photos from my time in Alaska this summer. I hope to get a couple of more little photo essays done in the next couple of weeks and get a proper update written and hopefully share some of my photos from my last trips in California and the one I’ve just returned from in the Deep South, but it’s Wednesday night and I want this to get this out on Thursday so I’m going to keep it short and sweet today. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I promise I’ll be back with you real soon. Thanks, as always, for reading.
