25 June 2010
We awoke after a very sound sleep and started preparing for the trip to the wedding venue. Joyce had informed us that the wedding was being held 2 hours northwest of Salem, in the coastal ranges. We had asked if there was anything we could do to compensate for our crashing the wedding. Joyce and Cliff very happily asked if we could transport 100 sunflower plants. These were going to be used as table adornments and then as guest gifts. The view the front seat looking back through the van was very bright and ‘sunny’.
The venue for the wedding was at Cedar Ridge, a summer basketball camp for kids. It is also rented out as an event venue. I was told that there was accommodation for up to 800 people. There are cabins and huge tents all over the property, so it wouldn’t surprise me. The wedding party and family were all staying in the main lodge and side house. The property itself was absolutely beautiful and perfect for a wedding. It didn’t hurt that there was also a slip’n’slide available for entertainment.
The drive to the venue was yet again stunning. Oregon was really showing off for us. We arrived at and unloaded our happy flowers. We then made our way down to the reception hall to see if we could help with any setting up. As nothing was needed we made our way to the rehearsal dinner in the nearby town of Vernonia, a really sweet little town. The dinner was at a wonderful Mediterranean Restaurant. It was there that we were reunited with Edna, Gary and Norma, Bob and Becky and met Edna’s daughter Cheryl. It was a wonderful evening.
After dinner we made our way back to the venue and slept in the van in their carpark, nice and large and private. It was cool but at least it was free.
26 June 2010
We had decided not to attend the ceremony itself, so we headed of towards the Oregon Coast. This area is famous for its beauty, and it really didn’t let us down. The drive towards the coast was through magnificent pine forests. We have seen these everywhere. Then the coast made its first appearance. Just spectacular. We had driven north to the Columbia river, which separates Oregon and Washington state. Then we turned westward for the pacific coast.
Our first port of call was the town of Astoria. This little town has made a name for itself as a movie town, some movies being, The Goonies, Short Circuit and Kindergarten Cop. We have a booklet with all the movies listed and homes used. This town is picture postcard perfect and you can see why they have used over and over. It looks just like we had imagined it would. Thoroughly charming but unpretentious. The perfect seaside town.
We made our way up to the Astoria Column. It sits atop one of the tallest hills behind the town with a commanding view of the entire area. This column is 160 steep steps high. It is something like Hobart’s Shot Tower, but was built for another purpose. It is there to mark the arrival of Lewis and Clark and their Corps of Discovery on the pacific coast. We have been intermittently following in their footsteps for a few weeks now and it culminated with us parking our van, Sacagawea in a place where the woman, Sacagawea had once walked.
After this we spent a few hours driving south down the famous Oregon coast. And it didn’t disappoint. The scenery is simply stunning. We turned inland at Tillamook (pronounced Tillamuck) and made our way back to the wedding venue through some very remote backroads, twisting and crawling through the remote backwoods of the Oregon coastal ranges.
We returned to the venue in time for the reception (which they had graciously invited us to). There had been a few cancellations so we had seats and food and everything. It was a wonderful evening.
27 June 2010
We slept in a bit this morning and wandered down to the reception hall for breakfast at about 9 am. All meals were provided for the guests.
After a good breakfast we played some beach volleyball. The rules were (very) loosely adhered to and the game was more style than substance but it was very entertaining.
After that, we went for a bit of a walk and some people went on the slip’n’slide, which is about 300 meters long and runs down a moderately steep hillside.
About lunchtime, we loaded the van up with wedding gifts and drove in convoy back to Joyce and Cliff’s place. Then we went to the local hotel where Edna and company were staying and said another reluctant goodbye.
We knew it was time to hit the road but we need to thank Edna and her children once again for all of their wonderful hospitality and friendship.
Thanks again.
As the afternoon wore towards evening we made our way south on the I5, exiting eastward on highway 138, toward Crater Lake National Park.
We stopped for the night at a lovely RV park called Elk Haven, and after a great chat with the owners (who identified my accent in 2 seconds and knew where we were talking about because they had been to Brisbane and Surfers’ Paradise before), we settled down for the night in a great little log cabin by the trout ponds. We had dinner sitting on the front porch and were entertained by a trio of ducks singing for their supper.
We awoke after a very sound sleep and started preparing for the trip to the wedding venue. Joyce had informed us that the wedding was being held 2 hours northwest of Salem, in the coastal ranges. We had asked if there was anything we could do to compensate for our crashing the wedding. Joyce and Cliff very happily asked if we could transport 100 sunflower plants. These were going to be used as table adornments and then as guest gifts. The view the front seat looking back through the van was very bright and ‘sunny’.
The venue for the wedding was at Cedar Ridge, a summer basketball camp for kids. It is also rented out as an event venue. I was told that there was accommodation for up to 800 people. There are cabins and huge tents all over the property, so it wouldn’t surprise me. The wedding party and family were all staying in the main lodge and side house. The property itself was absolutely beautiful and perfect for a wedding. It didn’t hurt that there was also a slip’n’slide available for entertainment.
The drive to the venue was yet again stunning. Oregon was really showing off for us. We arrived at and unloaded our happy flowers. We then made our way down to the reception hall to see if we could help with any setting up. As nothing was needed we made our way to the rehearsal dinner in the nearby town of Vernonia, a really sweet little town. The dinner was at a wonderful Mediterranean Restaurant. It was there that we were reunited with Edna, Gary and Norma, Bob and Becky and met Edna’s daughter Cheryl. It was a wonderful evening.
After dinner we made our way back to the venue and slept in the van in their carpark, nice and large and private. It was cool but at least it was free.
26 June 2010
We had decided not to attend the ceremony itself, so we headed of towards the Oregon Coast. This area is famous for its beauty, and it really didn’t let us down. The drive towards the coast was through magnificent pine forests. We have seen these everywhere. Then the coast made its first appearance. Just spectacular. We had driven north to the Columbia river, which separates Oregon and Washington state. Then we turned westward for the pacific coast.
Our first port of call was the town of Astoria. This little town has made a name for itself as a movie town, some movies being, The Goonies, Short Circuit and Kindergarten Cop. We have a booklet with all the movies listed and homes used. This town is picture postcard perfect and you can see why they have used over and over. It looks just like we had imagined it would. Thoroughly charming but unpretentious. The perfect seaside town.
We made our way up to the Astoria Column. It sits atop one of the tallest hills behind the town with a commanding view of the entire area. This column is 160 steep steps high. It is something like Hobart’s Shot Tower, but was built for another purpose. It is there to mark the arrival of Lewis and Clark and their Corps of Discovery on the pacific coast. We have been intermittently following in their footsteps for a few weeks now and it culminated with us parking our van, Sacagawea in a place where the woman, Sacagawea had once walked.
After this we spent a few hours driving south down the famous Oregon coast. And it didn’t disappoint. The scenery is simply stunning. We turned inland at Tillamook (pronounced Tillamuck) and made our way back to the wedding venue through some very remote backroads, twisting and crawling through the remote backwoods of the Oregon coastal ranges.
We returned to the venue in time for the reception (which they had graciously invited us to). There had been a few cancellations so we had seats and food and everything. It was a wonderful evening.
27 June 2010
We slept in a bit this morning and wandered down to the reception hall for breakfast at about 9 am. All meals were provided for the guests.
After a good breakfast we played some beach volleyball. The rules were (very) loosely adhered to and the game was more style than substance but it was very entertaining.
After that, we went for a bit of a walk and some people went on the slip’n’slide, which is about 300 meters long and runs down a moderately steep hillside.
About lunchtime, we loaded the van up with wedding gifts and drove in convoy back to Joyce and Cliff’s place. Then we went to the local hotel where Edna and company were staying and said another reluctant goodbye.
We knew it was time to hit the road but we need to thank Edna and her children once again for all of their wonderful hospitality and friendship.
Thanks again.
As the afternoon wore towards evening we made our way south on the I5, exiting eastward on highway 138, toward Crater Lake National Park.
We stopped for the night at a lovely RV park called Elk Haven, and after a great chat with the owners (who identified my accent in 2 seconds and knew where we were talking about because they had been to Brisbane and Surfers’ Paradise before), we settled down for the night in a great little log cabin by the trout ponds. We had dinner sitting on the front porch and were entertained by a trio of ducks singing for their supper.
Shiny happy faces
Edna, kids and spouses - at the rehersal dinner
Duck Haven - our entertainment whilst eating dinner 
Our lovely little cabin at Elk Haven RV Resort
Up the 160 steps at Astoria Column
The view of the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean
Astoria Column
The magnificent Pacific Ocean
No comments:
Post a Comment