Summer Adventures in Oregon

Last December, my friend Julie and I decided we needed to go on a roadtrip together the following summer. We met at the treeplanting camp I worked in my first two seasons, and since she lives only 4 hours away we have been able to work in a few visits now and then. 

Our destination became Oregon...we didn't plan it out much, just that we wanted to see Cannon Beach and Portland at some point. We hopped into Leroy, the faithful '86 VW Westfalia I call home during the planting season, and tootled off down South early this past August. 

Our first stop was Seattle, which I had never seen before! We visited the usual tourist hot-spots...Pike Place Market, the first Starbucks, and the Gum Wall, as well as a tasty cheese shop where we bought expensive fancy cheeses and devoured it. 

We didn't get to see the fish-throwing guys!

They only threw the fish when our backs were turned. Its a conspiracy.

I bought some delicious basil & garlic flavored GF pasta at the farmers market, which I realized after the fact was extremely expensive due to the weak Canadian dollar. Oh well. It was tasty...

The Gum Wall. For some reason people have been sticking their chewed gum in this alley for years. I bought into it, and a wad of my gum now resides there as well. This is weird, disgusting, and strangely fascinating. 

After Seattle we drove around the Olympic Penisula in Washington, stopping briefly in Forks to satisfy Julie's old adolescent desire to pilgrimage to the setting of her beloved Twilight. It was worthwhile because the coastal drive near Kalaloch was stunning! 

Arriving on a Friday, we were lucky to secure the very last available camping spot in town! The location was ideal, within minutes of walking to Cannon Beach and all the cute shops downtown. We had a great time there. 

 The day we arrive was windy and rainy, which I think is pretty usual for the Oregon Coast, but the Saturday was gorgeous hot weather. We threw down a picnic blanket on the beach and enjoyed a sunny afternoon, fending seagulls away from our snacks.

In the evening the tide went down to its lowest point, and we went back to the beach to explore and get close to the striking "monolith". It was a beautiful scene at sunset, and I couldn't stop taking photos...

After visiting Cannon Beach, we stopped by Ecola State Park, about 15 minutes drive North from the town, and hiked the trails for a few hours. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking, and we had another beautiful day for it. 

Once we had worked up an appetite, we headed further South to Tillamook to sample the delicious products at the Tillamook Dairy Co-op. It was a worthwhile endeavor, though after eating ice cream, yogurt, and various flavors of cheese, our bodies were begging for a break! (I regret nothing)

Portland included a few important stops: Voodoo Donuts (of which I was unable to partake, but I fully supported)...

 ...and Powell's Books: the largest independent bookstore in the world! It takes up a full city block, has three floors, and a store map. Needless to say, these two booknerds were incredibly happy and spent far more money than they should have.

 

 Overall, it was a very satisfying trip, and I had so much fun exploring with a wonderful friend!
Hope you enjoyed the photos!