Oregon in one breath

Last week I took a road trip with a great group of people through Oregon, down the coast and into the desert. Our itinerary was packed with so many incredible sights, eats and activities that it’s a little too tempting to use the word “whirlwind” to describe it. More posts are on the way to zoom in on some of the more amazing parts of the trip – Goonies! Cyclepubs! Deconstructed s’mores! – but for now, here’s how the week felt, in one breath.

Succeeding where Chester Copperpot failed.

Cross the Columbia to a singing seal chorus, round one of oysters (on salad, it’s healthy), count all the shipwrecks, spiraling staircase, nausea and vertigo and great tower views, slide into the front seat and roll down the windows, stare down at Cannon Beach with doubloon at eye level, round two of oysters (raw with champagne!), sleep and wake up to the sound of the waves, biofuel and coffee fuel, cheese flying down twisting conveyor belts to jazz flute musak, cinnamon buns for breakfast in ice cream form, round three of oysters (beer battered!) and six types of beer (holy shit it’s only noon), ankle-deep in the Pacific before a steep sand dune (can you sandboard it? turns out no), coffee and windows down again, round four of oysters (fresh from right down the road!), into the desert with hot latte in hand, pork belly and pizza next to the railroad, turn 360 to see all the volcanoes, cycle through the streets on a pub built for fourteen, waving beers at cops (but don’t high five passing motorcyclists), immense sunset followed by fire followed by sleep, high desert with raptors, porcupines and sleepy otters, calorie-free croque monsieurs and caffeinated coffee cupping, vodka infusions with peppers, basil, and ginger, wine paired with quail and cherries (also calorie free), cabins with tubs that fill from the ceiling, back in the van, back on the coffee, it’s Portland! it’s pork! plus a little ice cream (next to a diet clinic), seat buckles barely click, music blasting and border.

Whew.

My trip was sponsored by Central Oregon Visitors Association, Oregon Coast Visitors Association, and Travel Oregon, but the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

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