Today we explored the north Oregon coast from Tillamook to Astoria. We finally made it to the Pacific. After an overcast start the clouds rolled back and the sun came out, no doubt in honor of our arrival. It is difficult to believe that this section of coast is frequently hidden by clouds and rain. On days like today it's beautiful.
Along the way we visited a lighthouse at Cape Meares. The rocky coast here is similar to that of Prince Edward Island on the Atlantic coast.
Further up the coast was the famous Tillamook cheese factory (in Tillamook, of course). The shop floor was a combination of skilled labor and automated machinery that started with milk and ended with wrapped blocks of cheeses of various sizes and shapes. Gloria and Carolyn sampled the fresh ice cream while I gawked at the assembly line. Later we all sampled the cheese. I highly recommend the extra sharp cheddar. We purchased some for sharing with our friends, but it's a long trip home and if we become stranded away from restaurants, the cheese will be the first thing to go.
This section of the Oregon coast varies from rocky cliffs to flat sandy beaches reminiscent of Cape Cod. We walked Rockaway Beach, visited the wreck of the Peter Iredale (1906), had superb chowder up the coast, and finished with a second tour of the Columbia River Gorge, this time from the Washington side.
Tomorrow we head for Seattle, with a stop at what’s left of Mount St. Helens first.
See you along the way.
5 comments:
Good Morning David and Gloria,
I have been following your travels along the way and your pictures and journal entries have been so enjoyable. That part of the country is truly magnificent. However, I have to admit the Tillamook cheese factory really got my attention. HA! HA!
Have a safe and wonderful adventure as you head home.
Sandy ( Write Stuff)
Hi David and Gloria,
Thank you so much for sharing your travel adventures with us. What a marvelous trip it's been -- including but certainly not limited to the cheese factory!
I hope the remainder of your trip is also safe and wonderful.
Rita ( Write Stuff )
I think the point where a piece of machinery malfunctioned on the assembly line at the cheese factory was the high point of David's day. LOL Maybe when he gets to Seattle there will be a problem with the gears on the Space Needle and he, of course, will have the correct tool in the car. And Gloria, of course, will know which bag that tool is in.
Seriously, I loved showing the travelers around and I'm delighted they got to see so much.
Thanks for following and posting. It is interesting the the cheese factory got the most attention. I am trying to set up a tour in Wisconsin. Stay tuned! Davud
So cool you got to meet Carolyn & Mike (they are terrific hosts) and these pictures are wonderful. I'm very interested in your journey, both geographically and writerly :)
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