Truffle Shuffle

Days 17-18

The Dalls, Columbia River, Portland and Astoria. That drive along the Columbia River between Boise and Portland was amazing. It was great to see those cliffs, falls over the freeway. I wanted to get to the coast. I wanted to see sunset from the beach. I passed thru Portland and headed to Seaside. The trees kept getting taller and taller. The 101 came up and I made the quick left to the beach.

I about fell out of the car getting up to the beach. I still had 90 min to sunset, I just wanted to touch the ocean. I drove from Raleigh to Astoria. WOW!!! Then I saw the rocks off the coast. It was just like The Goonies and several other films and pictures I’ve seen. It was so exciting. It’s something about hills, trees and the ocean. It’s nothing like our beaches. It just seems flat and oh cross a waterway and bam the beach in NC.

I went on and found a hotel in Astoria. It was overlooking the river. I was able to watch sunset out of my hotel window and hear the seals. That was special. I walked to Safeway, grabbed a quick dinner and chilled. It was Gooines day tomorrow!

Come to find out the two houses the kids lived in was across the street and up the hill. I parked and walked up the hill. There it was. Just like in the movie but the fence now was white. No zipline from next door but maybe one day. Yep, just before I left, Truffle Shuffle!

I drove by the house his dad worked in. The jail was across the street. Also, the school in Kindergarten cop is the SAME NEIGHBORHOOD. Crazy.

Next I checked out downtown and went to the National Park where Lewis and Clark met the ocean. Did that and headed out to the coast. I went to where the Columbia and the ocean meet. There is the shipwreck you also see in The Goonies. Walked down the beach some and then it was time to head south. I was planning to get past Eugene. Then heading to the SE from there.

I hit up the Tillamook Ice Cream factory. They were not doing tours but the scoop shop was open. Had two scoops of huckleberry and Oregon salted caramel. I stop in Salem and grabbed a picture of the capital. Eugene for a Slurpee and some beer. In-n-Out for dinner. Just after midnight I hit the hotel and crashed.

Off to Nevada.