Farley Heads for the Pacific Coast, Day 2: Bugs, Booze and Bocce

This morning I startled awake at 5:15 a.m.  I'm glad I did.  I missed the most brilliant part of the sunrise while I was getting dressed, but I caught an amazing reflection of it in the clouds and water to the west.

I missed the best part of the sunrise, but not the best part of its reflection

We only had a few hours to drive today, so it was pretty leisurely.  We stopped just across the river in Umatilla, Oregon, at the Pacific Salmon Visitor Information Center.  Not a lot of activity this time of year; September is the biggest run up the fish ladder, but we did see a few from the underwater viewing area.

Watching salmon climb the fish ladder back upstream.

Changing into shorts as the day warmed up, Marc discovered he had a tick!

Our only other stop was the Maryhill Winery, back on the Washington side of the river farther west.  We did a tasting, then got a glass of rose and checked out a free set of bocce balls and ventured to the courts to play. With the rules posted on the wall, it was pretty easy to learn.  It was like we were back in college bowling again.  I won; just let's make sure that fact gets stated.

Wine-tasting at Maryhill Winery.

Marc's doppleganger was standing
beside him at the bar.  I can't believe how
much they looked alike, from their hair
and glasses all the way to their similar sandals.

Reaching back into my college years to
regain my bowling form for bocce in the vineyard.

Tonight we're staying at Haystack Reservoir about 45 minutes north of Bend.  It's a real, $12 pay campsite.

$12 gets you neighbors who are much less sketchy.

Farley Heads for the Pacific Coast, Day 1: Roll On, Columbia, Roll On

Today was the first day of a three-week Farley trip.  On the itinerary:  Bend, Oregon (for some transmission work at German Transaxle, a VW specialist, and maybe, coincidentally, some beer); maybe Portland, to meet our friend Rick Alton, unless he meets us in Bend); the Oregon and California coast; Nevada (by default, because you can't get to Salt Lake from California without going through its endless scrub-brush desert); and finally ending up in Salt Lake City at the end of the month for the Warped Tour all-day punk concert.

Today was also pretty uneventful.  We met our friend Andy Hander in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, for Vietnamese lunch and pre-season Cougar football talk.  Another stop outside Tri-Cities, Washington, at one of those tourist traps that sells jellies, sauces, salsas and candies, as well as a little fresh, local produce.  I got a whole pint of raspberries for just $2.49.  That's insane.

OMG, hot and spicy Vietnamese chow mein.

Then we headed on to Paradise Park on the Washington side of the Columbia across from Umatilla, Oregon.  Another freecampsites.net find and perhaps one of the best.

Room with a view.

There's even a waterfront swing!

Walking the shores of the mighty Columbia.

There was a sign about sturgeon fishing on the access road to the park.  I'm assuming that's what someone was trying to catch with this thing I found on the beach.  It's now hanging from Farley's rear-view mirror.  And I might need a tetanus shot.

I grew up picking raspberries every summer. Sometimes I really miss Washington.