Exploring the Pacific Coastline & Portland
Early to Mid-June 2021

Humbug Mountain is one of Oregon’s highest mountains. The state park of the same name is nestled between the mountain and the Pacific Ocean. The mountain was originally called Sugarloaf Mountain. It became known as Tichenor’s Humbug in 1851, after a team of explorers sent by Captain William Tichenor got lost and headed north of Port Orford instead of south. Although the mountain was a disappointment to those early explorers, we loved our stay here.

This was our first overnight stop in Oregon, after a full day of exploring the Pacific coast.

The coast has the same sort of rugged features we had seen in California: rocky cliffs dropping down to the ocean, huge rocks jutting up from the water, and hillsides full of early summer wildflowers.

We took the Boardman Scenic Corridor and stopped at waypoints that had significant views or historic interest.

We walked the beach and explored tidal pools. We marveled at star fish, clinging to rocks, waiting for high tide to bring their next shellfish meal.

Our site at Humbug Mountain State Park was leafy and separated from neighbors by landscaping and trees.

At the far end of the campground area, we discovered a path that crossed under the highway and led out to the ocean.

We made this our regular evening walk, to enjoy the sunset and seabirds.

Continuing up the coast, we used Tugman State Park as our base for exploring the Coos Bay area. Coos Bay is the largest city on Oregon’s coast, and also the largest deep-draft port between San Francisco and the Puget Sound. It has a long history as a port for lumbering, fishing, and trade. It has some great sights and restaurants. We had an elegant lunch at Restaurant O, the upscale restaurant of Masterchef Eoghain O’Neill. It was such a treat to escape the fried fish and chips that dominate menu options along the coast.

At Shore Acres State Park, we enjoyed a woodland walk through blooming rhododendrons. This garden, which dates from 1906, was the former estate of lumber baron and shipbuilder Louis Simpson.

The formal part of the gardens features roses and a Japanese garden.

We were too early for roses, but rhododendron and native azaleas were in full bloom.

Rangers were scrambling to take care of the large lawns and hedges. It occurred to me that park volunteers might still be “laid off,” due to Covid restrictions. The garden has good bones and history, but would benefit from the extra TLC of volunteer gardeners. Hopefully, they’ll be able to return soon.

From Coos Bay, we continued north on Highway 101, cruising through small coastal towns like Hecata Beach and Yachats. Lighthouses along the coast have become a favorite visitation spot for us.

The views from these are always expansive, and there’s usually a good walking trail to the site. During our time in Michigan last year, we learned a lot about the “surfmen” who rescued storm-stranded ship passengers. The Pacific coast, with its cliffs, rocks, and crashing waves was every bit as dangerous, and you have to respect the daring of these rescue teams.

Near Newport, OR, we stayed at South Beach State Park. Day trips into Newport brought more fun dining options at Local Ocean Seafoods and the Rogue Brewery’s Pub.

Steamed mussels and clams are plentiful here, and John is always happy to sample what’s on tap at a good brewery. Dead Guy Ale has always been a favorite, and now our go-to list includes Honey Kolsch and Yellow Snow lager, which is actually great, even though the name is a little off-putting.

Near Tillamook, we camped for free at Blue Heron French Cheese Company.

As Campendium members, we were invited to park in a farm field and spend the night. We had a wine tasting and sampled some deli goodies in their store. Blue Heron is a big on-line merchant, and all the things they put in their gift baskets are for sale in their deli. We got a bottle of wine and some wonderful shrimp pasta salad for dinner back in our van.

We wanted to see Portland, so we turned east at this point, and traveled through dairy and nursery country along Route 6.

Nursery after nursery full of landscape plants and Christmas trees. Lots of wineries in the Willamette Valley. The upper side of the Columbia Gorge (Washington state) is drier and less green. Vineyards are irrigated, but the hillsides are bare.

We stayed at a mix of places, including a Harvest Host stay at Plum Hill Vineyards and a few nights at state parks.

Before going into Portland, we went further east and traveled along the Columbia River Gorge out to The Dalles. The Gorge is impressive from both the Oregon and the Washington sides. Multnomah Falls is right along the highway and an easy stop.

We stayed at Memaloose State Park near Hood River. It’s tourist season in this area, and we aren’t always able to stay in our first choice of parks. We snagged the last available site at this park, (right next to the highway…) and it turned out to be good as a base for exploring. We visited Hood River, which is a bustling town, and we were able to find a bike trail into The Dalles. The whole area deserves a deeper dive, and we promised ourselves a return visit another time.

On our way into the city of Portland, we drove to Washington Park, and visited the Portland Japanese Garden. This five acre garden features waterfalls, a koi pond, and stunningly beautiful landscaping. Everything is lovingly pruned. No weeds or faded blossoms to be seen here.

I had visited years ago, and wanted to show John this garden. We both had an amazing time. The garden is so serene, even with lots of visitors.

Just down the hill, we managed to catch the Portland Rose Garden in absolute full bloom under a true blue sky. More than 9,500 roses in a dizzying array of color, form, and fragrance.

I have never seen a rose garden as large as this one. Portland bills itself as the City of Roses, and roses are in bloom everywhere: highway medians, street corners, businesses and homes. Our timing for roses couldn’t have been better!

To further explore the city, we planned a two night stay at a Boondocker’s Welcome location in Portland. In this program, individuals welcome self-contained rv’s on their premises for a night or two. We connected with a host named “RadiusWoodGuy,” who has a woodworking business in the Albina section of Portland. Seemed right up our alley: sawdust, machines, and someone interested in seeing our van build. French, as everyone calls him, is an engaging and welcoming host. We parked our van in front of his shop, literally inches from the sidewalk. Oddly, even though we were so close to the street, we felt safe and slept well here.

The neighborhood, like most city ones, is in its second or third iteration. Older homes are disappearing and being replaced by infill apartment houses. It’s diverse with a vibe of young people. Just a short walk from French’s shop, Mississippi Avenue is a street of quirky businesses and a mecca for dining.

Portland has gone in for outdoor dining bigtime. Restaurants have built permanent structures, sort of booths on the street, for outdoor dining. It’s also a city of food trucks. You can find corners designated as food truck courts, sporting half a dozen or more independents, cooking everything from African to Indian cuisine.

One night we ate at BarBar, the next night at eAt, where we had terrific oysters on the half shell. We had so much fun in the neighborhood, that we never went into downtown Portland. I guess that gets added to the bucket list for next time around.

We had some great chats with French. He was a super host, offering us an electric hook up and use of his shower. He even shared a watermelon with us – a delicious treat to enjoy as we headed on up the road. We hope our paths cross again next year. For now, the road continues to take us northward.

Next up: Washington state, from Rain Forest to Mountains