021 Riding along the coast...

October 19, 2008 – Sunday

Florence, OR

Another incredible way to start out a day is riding a motorcycle along the coast while the sun is shining down on everything around you.  Even though I didn’t ride my bike to Yachats yesterday, I made up for it today.  Uncle Lyle, my Mom & Dad and I took our bikes along the coast, one of the most incredibly beautiful rides yet, but I’m a sucker for the ocean.  We had coffee in Yachats at the Adobe Resort and Restaurant, at a table overlooking the crashing ocean waves.  

We didn’t spend too much time in the town since we planned on heading back to Redmond when we finished our ride, but I showed everyone where I had spent my time yesterday.  On the way back to Florence, my parents and I decided to stop at the sea lion caves; supposedly the largest Sea Lion Cave in the world.  Since it was a gorgeous day, however, all of the sea lions were out sunning themselves on rocks a couple of clicks down the road instead of hanging out in the cave.  I know I would be if I were them!  We found them there when I stopped to take a couple of coastal photos at an overlook.  There were hundreds of sea lions, swimming, sunning & playing around.  After we left the cave, we finished our ride back to Florence to meet Aunt Patty & Lyle again.

We packed up our things and headed back home to Redmond, stopping on the way at the small restaurant previously mentioned in yesterdays post.  I picked up some literature on the place and took a few photos of it myself.  What a fabulous spot.

And now, we’ll be back in Redmond for a while but my parents swear that they’re really heading back to Minnesota this time…   So, we’ll see!

019 We’re all here cause we’re not all there...

October 18, 2008 – Saturday

Oregon Coast/Yachats, OR

A great way to start out the day is a hike down to visit the ocean.  Even though it was cold and windy, it is most certainly wonderful and beautiful.  After getting back from the hike, I drove my car up to Yachats for the mushroom festival.  I actually turned back once while I was on my way there, to get my bike instead…  But then I turned around again and continued along the road since I knew I’d want to drink some wine while I was there.  It was a gorgeous day, however, and it would have been an incredible ride along the coast.

Once I arrived in Yachats, I found the city hall where they had signs up promoting the mushroom event.  There was a farmers market with some creative goods, canned foods & mushrooms for sale and inside was a setup for the Mycological Society with tons of different kinds of mushrooms on display with detailed info.  While I was there, I decided it was time to pick up a book on mushrooms.  I figured that the people working there would be a good source for helping me figure out which book to start with.  I had a good laugh at one of the signs in the room, “Who says you can’t eat poisonous mushrooms?  You can eat any of them once…”

Before I left the City Hall, I decided to buy a basketful of fresh Chanterelles from one of the vendors who had picked them by hand earlier that day; they looked spectacular.  Also, I asked around to find out where I should go for some dinner, a glass of wine and a special mushroom dish.  On the way to the next venue, I passed by a thin, small guy with a leather jacket on, big grey beard & huge knife sheath who was leaning against a phone booth.  I didn’t make eye contact.  I did make eye contact with some people in the Yachats River House where I went for a glass of wine.  It was a very cute little place with a gorgeous deck and amazing view of the ocean and some city countryside.  While I was there I visited with a couple of people who were also there for some food & wine as well as a couple of people who worked there.  It was quite enjoyable meeting them and sharing stories of where we’re from, where we’re going, and what everyone knows about the town…  Again and again, I love meeting new random people in the different places I travel.

After I finished my wine, I decided to see what else the town had to offer, so I went across the street to the Drift Inn which had been recommended to me for dinner.  The only seat open at the bar was right next to the phone booth guy who was quite excited that I was going to sit by him.  I guess he was smitten from when I passed by him earlier and was happy to have the chance to chat with me.  It was probably the motorcycle jacket that I had on, as well as the big sunglasses, polka dot scarf in my hair and heels that got him.  I was looking pretty styling actually…  He mentioned that he had seen me earlier when I passed him but I probably hadn’t wanted anything to do with him because I saw the big knife.  I wonder if that happens to him often?  We did end up chatting for a while and it was entertaining; Beau was his name and he lives in the mountains, hence the big knife.  Living in the middle of the mountains, he keeps the knife for protection, instead of a gun.  Overall, his life is yet another that is quite different from what I’m used to and it was really interesting talking with him for a while.

When he left, I went back to my car to grab my notebook so that I could catch up on some writing and note-taking.  As I waited for a pick-up to pass by, the driver stopped for me to cross.  When I arrived at my car, I found out that the pick-up driver happened to be parked right behind me.  I smiled at him on my way back to the restaurant and he smiled brightly and got out to say hi to the girl he just let pass in front of him on the road.  I told him his dogs were beautiful and he asked me if I wanted to meet them.  Of course I had to say yes!  Mark’s dogs were Misty and T-Bone, both rescued and now loved.  Mark, with a large reddish colored beard, wearing beige overalls and a plaid shirt, was just starting his own business in the area and calling it Stonewood Creations.  He’s a welder and makes creative stone sculptures.  He didn’t have any cards on him but I’d love to see some of his work!

Back at the Drift Inn, I ordered the special, a mushroom crepe with a spicy pepper sauce which came with a salad that had the most incredible ginger dressing, and I ordered a fabulous glass of white wine with the recommendation from the bartender.  A couple of new guys come in and sit on my right, Matt & Geoff.  They had been out hunting mushrooms earlier, Geoff teaching Matt about them.  Matt ended up giving me a large amount of Chanterelles and told me how to cook them for the best results.  Geoff and I talked a lot about traveling, he was excited about what I was doing and happy for me to be taking notes and writing about it so that I could consider writing a book some day.  He’s taken trips on freighters which excited me since it’s something I want to do.  I wish I had some business cards with my blog site so that I can share it with strangers who I meet along the way.  I chatted with another couple at the bar for a while as well who were also out of town.  Overall, there are very friendly folk in this area and I’ve been quite comfortable!

A band played later that night, led by a young fiddler player with lots of curly gorgeous hair and tons of talent.  His backup was a trio of older, white-haired men who were fantastic.  I guess most of the locals in Yachats were hiding away during the mushroom festival weekend; I can’t wait to go back again sometime when they’re out and about as well.  Besides Beau, I met only people who didn’t actually live in Yachats.

Finally, it was time to move on.  I had heard that the nighttime venue was the Landmark,  so I finished out my night there.  Another live band, this time some great blues & rock, in a dark dive bar atmosphere.  There, I ended up chatting with Matt from Fresno, CA who has traveled a lot, also has a motorcycle, and was there for the festival.  We danced with some other folk in the place to some of the music, though nobody there was partner dancing and it drove me crazy on the great blues songs.  After a while, I decided that it was time to head back and call it a night, so I drove back to Florence on the dark twisty, curvy coastal roads very carefully.

The Unofficial Slogan of Yachats: We’re all here cause we’re not all there.”

018 Finally, The Coast.

October 17, 2008 – Friday

Florence, OR

This last week has been a slow one; I am just recovering from a cold.  It’s been nice, having some time to relax and recuperate in a beautiful spot without many responsibilities to worry about while being sick.  Mainly my days have been filled with having coffee, breakfast, lunch, dinner, then doing some painting in the evening and occasionally at other times during the day.  My dad has been helping with the chores around the ranch, my brother left last Monday but he was quite a ranch hand as well.  It was really fun having him out here, even though it was really cold a lot of the time.  We did get in a few rides, but at some point I had enough of my fingers falling off and I skipped out on a couple.  When my brother got back from one of them, he said that his glasses had salt tears frozen to them from his eyes watering and getting onto them.  Yes, it was cold.  Yesterday when it was finally warmer and we were heading to visit Grandpa & Mary again, I stopped to buy new gloves for cold weather.  I’m excited to wear them, they look spectacular!

Speaking of my bike, a few days ago, my Uncle asked me if I had a name for my bike.  I don’t, so I told him that.  He and my Dad had a lot of fun trying to come up with something clever, offering me suggestions all the time.  My Uncle thinks I should just call it “Bitch”.  My Dad, however, came up with “Independence.”  I suggested that I combine the two and call it “Independent Bitch.”  What do you think?  Actually, the latest that Uncle Lyle came up with was iBitch.  I kinda like that one, too.  It’s entertaining, and nice to know where some of my behaviors, actions and thoughts come from.  I’m definitely my Father’s daughter.

By the way, the snow did go away; it didn’t stick around for too long, but I didn’t care at all for it while it was here.  The mountains really look beautiful layered in fresh snow, but it’s not enough for me to want to be too close to it.  While I’ve been staying at the ranch, it has been wonderful to have some time to paint.  I made a larger version of a concept that I worked on at my time in the yurt and finished the other one that I started there which I don’t care for much.  However, I painted one more that I actually do like quite a bit.  I may post it here, as well as its inspiration so people understand a bit more.

There are some kittens at the ranch that are growing up quickly; they’re leaving their basket just barely at this point.  Well, I’ve made friends with them and I just know that one of them wants to come with me and be my car cat.  He/she is adorable, black with bright blue eyes that look directly into mine.  He/she usually comes to greet me when I come to visit, scampering up to say hi.  I adore it.

This weekend I found a mushroom festival in Yachats, on the coast.  I was determined to attend some of it, and was trying to get well all week so that I was ready for the jaunt over to the coast.  By the time today arrived, my Aunt Patty, Uncle Lyle, Mom & Dad decided that they wanted to come with as well.  Originally, or at one point anyway, my parents had decided they were going to go back to MN today but my Mom really decided that she wanted to see the coast before leaving.  So, we packed everything up and headed out this morning.  My Mom, Dad, Uncle & Aunt took the motorhome, trailering my Dad’s scooter and my Uncle’s Harley Sportster.  I, of course, have my car with my bike trailered as well.  I packed everything up before we left in case I didn’t return.

What an incredible drive.  It was nice having a reminder of why I fell in love with Oregon years ago.  It’s gorgeous here and it feels like home.  I may possibly consider living here, away from things, people, life.  My Uncle Lyle knows this land pretty well, the people in it and the places also.  While we were driving through some small sort of village place my Uncle pulled over ahead of me, and I followed of course.  He told me that the restaurant right next to us, now closed, used to be one of the best places to stop for pie & burgers.  I blurted out, “I want it” and he said, “well, let’s put together a business plan…”  So, we’ll see.  I wouldn’t mind running that for a few months out of the year and closing down when it got cold again, actually setting up shop for a long period of time in one place…  Quite the concept for me!  I have already designed a bit of it in my head, and right now it’s called Reese’s Treehouse Café.  I’m sure that will change as the concept grows.

Eventually we made it to the coast, just in time to unpack our bikes and go for a short ride.  It’s nice to be next to the ocean again; I think I prefer the Pacific to the Atlantic but either is better than neither.  When I first laid eyes on it this time, I said, “I can’t live in Minnesota.”  Everyone laughed, but they know how serious I really am.

Tonight is nice and laid back; sounds of the ocean from only a quarter of a mile away, a movie in the RV with my Dad & Uncle while my Mom & Aunt went somewhere to play bingo.  I think I’ll try to get sleepy, maybe have another beer, then get to bed so that I can fully enjoy my day here tomorrow.  

Thanks for coming with me!

017 Ammo Boxes & More...

October 10, 2008 – Friday

Redmond, OR

Ammo boxes, Model T’s, Painting & Napoleon Dynamite…  That’s some of what today held.  My Uncle Lyle was looking at my trailer and saw potential for more…  So, he commenced with the modifications.  My new trailer is now quite spectacular; mostly the same, but so much cooler.  I now have an ammo box attached to the side of it where I can store all of my straps and bungees, or whatever else I want.  Also, with the extra side step on one side, my feet no longer dangle in thin air when I’m loading my bike.  The side step has a pin in it for me to attach my ramp directly to it and use it for storage while going down the road.  With a couple of bungees, I can attach quite a few things and free up lots of room in my car.  Very convenient!  As well, using some zip ties and just drilling a few holes, we attached the cord for the lights to the side of the trailer, running them down the line of it.  Very slick.  No more having to worry about running it around the bike and having it flap in the wind!  Just hook it up and go.

Later in the day, my Uncle Lyle, Buster and I went for a little ride in the model T.  That was great fun since I hadn’t ridden in it yet.  Even though it was a bit of a chilly day, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  It’s not every day that a person gets to ride in a model T!

And finally, I painted some more.  I really enjoyed the little prototype that I created during my time in the yurt outside of Glacier, so I ran with that on a larger scale.  Though it could use a bit of work yet, I like the concept overall.  It feels good to paint.

To finish off the day, we had some dinner and settled in to watch Napoleon Dynamite.  Believe it or not, my Aunt & Uncle have seen that movie almost 30 times…  Crazy!  

I guess there’s not a whole lot for me to report today, just a few items of interest to me…  And maybe some other crazy out there!

016 An old Model T

October 9, 2008 – Thursday

Redmond, OR

Biking is really quite enjoyable.  Warm, sunny days are perfect for getting in a nice long ride.  Now, for a little something different, you can choose to be a bit more ridiculous about it and get in a bike ride whenever you want, despite the conditions…  This is what my Dad & brother and I did yesterday, in our ride to Prineville and back.  Prineville is only about 10 minutes away from the ranch so it is a short ride there.  When the weather is less than desirable, though, it seems much longer than it really is.  The day was cold and it looked like there were storms ready to collide right over the whole area.  Of course, we still went.  It was cold and I hadn’t gotten new gloves yet so I just about froze my fingers off completely, again.  Despite how the weather appeared, we managed to escape most of the really bad conditions.  After we had some coffee and Heath & Dad had a sundae from Dairy Queen, the rain started.  Luckily it wasn’t coming down too hard, but it was still coming down.  And did I mention that it was cold?  We made it back alright, despite the rain, and just in time for dinner which really helped to warm us up.

Last night, it snowed.  Yes, it snowed.  It’s only October 9th and I’m in Oregon and it snowed.  I was none so happy about that, as it's also a large part of why I'm not in Minnesota right now... To escape the snow...

Today, luckily, the snow from last night disappeared though it was still quite cold and winter jackets were necessary.  First things first, we all helped out with polishing up the Model T from 1916 so that it looked loved & cared for.  Many people probably don't know, but I totally have a thing for old cars.  It took a while to crank it up and get it running, but after a while it sputtered to life!  The headlights on the old car work like a lantern, covered by glass and lit with fire, they’re mostly for other people to see the car coming toward you in the dark; not for lighting up the road or anything else.  
My Uncle Lyle bought the Model T with the ranch and once a year the man who worked on it in his younger years visits the car again.  This was the day.  Living in Portland, his daughter comes to get him once a year so that he can spend some time with the car.  Funny, he’s not coming to see his daughter, but his car instead.  His cars and his work were his life, his passion.  As soon as the car was out, ready for him to have a ride and see it, he moved quite quickly.  Did I mention that he’s 96 years old?  My Uncle helped him into the car, they took it for a spin, then sat in it for quite some time while we all listened to him tell stories of the old car, learning quite a bit more about it.  Quite a fascinating experience over all!

Later that evening, after going for yet another freezing cold ride – you would have thought that by now I had learned my lesson – we made it back to have dinner and then finish up the night with a couple of movies, Hot Rod & RV.  They were both pretty funny and it was a great end to the day.