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.”
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