EXPERIENCE THE NORTHWEST AIRSTREAM-STYLE
19
DESTINATION IDEAS
74
GREAT CAMPSITES
OREGON 04 McKenzie River 08 Tumalo State Park 14 Lemolo Lake 18 Ashland 20 Central Coast 26 Oceanside 30 Wine Country 34 Metolius River 40 Painted Hills 44 Cottonwood Canyon State Park 46 Oregon Campsites
WASHINGTON 48 Mt. St. Helens 52 Deception Pass State Park 56 Lopez Island 60 Lake Sammamish / Seattle 64 Washington Campsites
IDAHO 66 McCall 72 Sun Valley 74 Idaho Campsites
CALIFORNIA 76 Redwoods National Forest 80 California Campsites
PHOTOS: STACIE STRUBLE AND CORINNE KUPISH
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 1
Where should I go in my new Airstream? WHAT SHOULD I DO? These questions might seem like no-brainers for some, especially those who have been at the Airstreaming lifestyle for a while, so it might come as a surprise that these are two common inquiries here at the Airstream Adventures Dealer Group. The questions derive from the unique nature of modern Airstream owners and how this iconic brand has such a broad appeal. For many years now, Airstream Inc’s annual owner’s survey has reported that nearly half of all new Airstream owners have never towed a trailer or sat behind the wheel of a Touring Coach. These new guests have been a big factor behind our commitment to easing and shortening the learning curve for new owners through our programs like quarterly Owner’s Clinics at each dealership, regular Newbie Rallies with the TED DAVIS local Airstream club for a hands-on MEMORIES & ADVENTURES MAGAZINE camping experience, and our tow training classes, just to name a few. As evidenced by the magazine in your hands, we’re not through yet! Without further ado, I’m very excited to welcome you to the inaugural edition of M&A magazine—a publication designed to help answer the two biggest questions our guests have, to help pave the way for your own incredible Memories & Adventures and to entertain you while we’re at it! This project has been over a year in the making and was executed through
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a partnership with Statehood Media, the publishing group behind 1859 Oregon’s Magazine, 1889 Washington’s Magazine and OnTrak magazines. Rather than gather a bunch of writers to surf the web and tell you about the wonderful places they found, we wanted to get professional writers and photographers out using an Airstream within a threehour drive from our dealerships and then let those experiences drive the content and recommendations. We brought the Airstreams and technical expertise, Statehood Media brought the writers, photographers and publishing expertise, and a year later, you hold the fruits of this partnership in your hands. Within these pages, you’ll find first-person Airstream travelogues, vetted campsite recommendations from the off-grid to the luxurious, activity suggestions based around those locations (including places to eat and drink) and even some recipe ideas featuring locally sourced food ingredients. It’s our objective and sincere desire that you find all of it helpful, informative and entertaining, so please let us know how we did. Your feedback is always welcome and your Memories & Adventures will continue to be our highest priority. Thanks for reading.
TRAVEL WELL,
TED DAVIS
Notes from the Flying Cloud A MEANDERING TALE OF AIRSTREAM ADVENTURES IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST A road trip is a state of mind. Expectations range from epic tales of pioneer wagon trains to station wagons and Chevy Chase. In literature, we dust off our sense of American rugged individualism and get On the Road with Jack Kerouac. We’ve pined to reach new highs with Ken Kesey and his magic bus, Further. We’ve watched Thelma and Louise. Whatever the destination, in the final mile of any road trip, you rarely take the trip you thought you were going to take. Things happen. Until last summer, my family’s typical road trip took on the redolence of a zoo. The minivan was packed to the windows and smelled of the prior trip. Was it camping at the coast KEVIN MAX or trekking in the Steens? Maybe just an STATEHOOD MEDIA errant ham sandwich. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Flying Cloud Airstream is 25 linear feet of beauty dressed in a silver pencil skirt. It sleeps four easily—five if you push it—has a full shower, a separate WC, a full kitchen and a dining area. It turns heads at campgrounds and invites easy conversations with longtime Airstreamers and aspiring owners. It’s tempting to channel the bravado of Airstream’s founder, Wally Byam—good looking, a war veteran and a Stanford graduate—when whistling down the open road. Young Byam, in the early twentieth century, tended sheep in Eastern Oregon near Baker City. He soon began to devise a better warming hut for cold nights at the base of the Blue Mountains. By the 1930s, Byam had moved into production with the trailer that would soon become a symbol of American adventure and the international envy of anyone with good taste. After signing a partnership with Airstream Adventures
Northwest in May, Statehood Media would have the honor of sharing Byam’s dream and Kerouac’s journey. “Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever on the road,” Kerouac wrote as he launched into the heart of a post-Whitman America. It was all pretty simple and inspirational. We just hooked up our Airstream and dedicated some weekends to finding new experiences in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest. My wife made a list. My daughters packed bags. My head was already in a Flying Cloud. I’d like to thank Ted Davis and Ty Adams from Airstream Adventures Northwest for this opportunity and partnership. They took a bold step in seeking to fulfill a bigger vision of customer service for Airstreamers with this piece. Without their enthusiasm and creativity, Memories & Adventures would never have come to life. Also Sheila Miller, my managing editor, launched herself far beyond her comfort zone and into a world of pickup trucks, Airstream trailers and, in some cases, the absence of Netflix. Only later, in reading her stories with her husband, Scot, and attack Poohuahua, Felipe, did I glimpse her initial anxiety. In the office, she put up a front of Stone Cold Sheila. By her second outing, she was already talking about the next. The expression on Felipe’s face on page 31 captures our gratitude to all involved in creating the first Memories & Adventures. An Airstream behind you and everything ahead of you, it’s time to explore!
KEVIN MAX Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 3
OREGON
AIRSTREAM ODYSSEY McKenzie River area offers hot springs, bike trails and roaring waters BY KEVIN MAX
“THE BEST WAY TO GET TO KNOW YOUR AIRSTREAM IS TO USE IT,” WROTE THE AUTHOR OF THE NEWBIES GUIDE TO AIRSTREAMING. STAY CLOSE TO HOME IN CASE ANYTHING GOES AWRY ON THE FIRST AIRSTREAM FORAY. I TOOK THIS ADVICE TO HEART, REMEMBERING THE LAST TIME I DID ANYTHING LIKE THIS. I once borrowed my friend’s new camper van for an easy jaunt to the coast. Before my family was four hours into the trip, we had broken the recline mechanism on the driver’s seat, snapped the latch to the refrigerator and left the awning to be shorn in a coastal wind. As I drove out of the parking lot at the Airstream dealership and made my way to the McKenzie River, it was with trepidation and determination to not repeat my errors. Was the hitch properly hitched? Did the width fit the width of the traffic lane? Was this really happening? Just a few more miles to Belknap Springs, where Sarah, my wife, and her Swedish friend, Kristina, would be expecting me. They had just finished taking road bikes out on the McKenzie Pass Scenic Bikeway, a 76-mile out-and-back from Belknap Springs to Sisters that is one of fifteen Scenic Bikeways of Oregon. This was a pre-summer Wednesday, before the pass opened to vehicles. Sarah and Kristina, however, have the ability to gab seemingly without breathing on hill climbs while covering topics ranging from current events and old gossip to upcoming adventures and, of course, the odds of my unscathed arrival. I felt like Homer returning from his Odyssey as I pulled the aluminum trailer into Belknap Hot Springs Resort. The lodge
LEFT Kristina Strandberg hits a log bridge over the McKenzie.
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Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 5
ADVENTURE GUIDE EAT
+ Belknap Lodge + The Open Door, Sisters + Stewarts 58 Drive-In, Oakridge
PLAY
+ Soak at Belknap Springs + Ride the McKenzie Pass + Hike the McKenzie River Trail + Hike to Tamolitch Falls (Blue Pool) for a natural wonder
STAY
+ Belknap Lodge + Camp Yale
ROAD RECIPE
Grilled wild Alaskan salmon & oysters SERVES 4
FOR GRILLED SEAFOOD 2 LBS WILD-CAUGHT SALMON 4-6 OYSTERS SALT LEMON Heat grill until coals are grey, to reduce gassy briquette taste. Place salmon in the center of the grill and the oysters around it. Discard any oysters that are open. Grill salmon until center flakes with a fork. Grill oysters cup-side down for 8-10 minutes. Salt salmon and serve with lemon. Squeeze lemon into oyster shell and shoot.
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is a classic log and timber construction. The springs were developed into a large pool adjacent to the lodge. Most of the resort dates back to the 1860s when Rollin Simeon Belknap, originally a Vermonter, discovered the salt springs and laid claim to them with the intention of building a health resort. For my health, all I wanted was a good drink after a half-dozen attempts to reverse into the trailer slot. Some campers looked on in amusement and disdain, smirking from the shadows of their awnings and hoping I would fail. Then there are those people who want you to succeed. “Can I help?” A tan gentleman in board shorts, flip flops and a T-shirt stepped out of the lodge. He’d had multiple Airstreams over the years and was happy to share his experience. That night we grilled wild Alaskan salmon and oysters that I had packed back from Pike Place Market the day before. I opened a bottle of Oregon pinot noir and a rosé from Paso Robles, courtesy of the fellow Airstreamer. Ah, camping. Lying in bed that night, I listened to the McKenzie roar past our camp on its 90-mile trek to the Willamette. The McKenzie River Trail keeps 26 miles of adventure under its well-preserved canopy in the Willamette National Forest. Many call it one of the best mountain bike journeys in the country. Thankfully its remote location keeps the trail clear of amusement park warriors. “Is there a Stawr-bucks nearby?” Pair this trail with a stunning road ride on the McKenzie Pass or the Aufderhiede—a ride that passes Cougar Reservoir and on to Oakridge—and you have the terrain for a two-wheel fantasy weekend. We camped well that night on high-thread-count sheets and got an early jump on the encroaching heat of the morning. We set out on a trail run, slashing through sunlight piercing the forest canopy. After 8 miles, we were back for a quick soak and ready to get back on the road.
YOUR MEMORIES & ADVENTURES NOTES
ABOVE The McKenzie River.
THE MCKENZIE RIVER TRAIL KEEPS 26 MILES OF ADVENTURE UNDER ITS WELLPRESERVED CANOPY IN THE WILLAMETTE NATIONAL FOREST. MANY CALL IT ONE OF THE BEST MOUNTAIN BIKE JOURNEYS IN THE COUNTRY. Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 7
8 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
OREGON
GREAT ESCAPE Flying Cloud becomes home not-so-far-away from home BY SHEILA G. MILLER
SOMETIMES STAYING CLOSE TO HOME IS A COUNTERINTUITIVE WAY TO GET AWAY FROM IT ALL, ESPECIALLY IF IT’S YOUR FIRST AIRSTREAM OUTING. MY HUSBAND, SCOT, AND I TOOK THE FLYING CLOUD TO TUMALO STATE PARK FOR OUR MAIDEN VOYAGE WITH THE 25FOOT TRAILER. WE WERE A LITTLE NERVOUS— BUT WE ENDED UP WITH A NEW PLACE TO GET AWAY AND SO CLOSE TO HOME.
LEFT Practicing the lost art of reading at Tumalo State Park.
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 9
10 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
ADVENTURE GUIDE EAT
+ Zydeco Kitchen + Cocktails + 900 Wall + Jackson’s Corner + Brother Jon’s Public House
FROM TUMALO STATE PARK, YOU CAN RIDE YOUR BIKE INTO DOWNTOWN BEND AND SPEND THE DAY TASTING BEER AT ANY OF THE TWENTY-TWO BEND BREWERIES. Tumalo State Park is just a mile up the road from home, which means we could run back if we’d forgotten something on this first outing. We quickly forgot we were so close—in fact, the quick getaway allowed us to explore our town like new arrivals. Tumalo State Park sits alongside Tumalo Creek on the northern edge of Bend, just ten minutes from the bustle of downtown. We headed to the trailer straight from work on our first night. I decided to make my favorite snack to christen our experience. We crunched our popcorn while reading next to our campfire, blissfully unaware that we had errands and chores awaiting us at home. From Tumalo State Park, you can ride your bike into downtown and spend the day tasting beer at any of the twenty-two Bend breweries. You can use that time in downtown to do some shopping at the boutiques or sit down to dinner at Zydeco or 900 Wall. During summer, you can rent a floatie and CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Felipe finds his own spot in the Flying Cloud. Heading out on a walk at Tumalo State Park. Heating up an easy casserole for dinner.
DRINK
+ Volcano Vineyards’ Bend Blends + Boneyard RPM IPA + Deschutes FreshSqueezed IPA + Bend Brewing Co. Outback Old Ale
PLAY
+ Bend Ale Trail + Ride the Deschutes River from the Old Mill to Drake Park + See a concert at Les Schwab Amphitheater + Run the trail network in town + Hit the High Desert Museum + Go beer tasting at Bend’s many breweries + Eat popcorn by the campfire + Explore Bend’s extensive trail system
STAY
+ Fall River Campground + Sisters Creekside Campground
HISTORICAL NOTE
+ Bend started as a mill town in the 1800s. After the lumber industry was decimated in the 1980s and 1990s, a developer redeveloped the lumber mills in the center of town as a shopping mall. Today the Old Mill District is one of the most vibrant parts of the city.
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 11
ROAD RECIPE
Magic Popcorn, five ways SERVES 2
FOR POPCORN C00KING OIL I CUP POPCORN KERNELS 4 TBSP BUTTER BRAGG NUTRITIONAL YEAST RICE CRACKERS DRIED SALTED SEAWEED GRATED PARMESAN CHOPPED ROSEMARY TRUFFLE OIL Cover the bottom of a large saucepan with cooking oil. Spread the oil around the bottom of the pan, then add all the kernels so they’re a single layer—no popcorn kernels should be on top of each other or they won’t cook properly. Cover the pan and then heat on high. Shake the popcorn kernels around a bit as oil heats. Popcorn will start popping—keep an eye on it and ensure it doesn’t burn by removing from heat as soon as popping slows. Heat butter either in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave. Pour popcorn into bowls and mix with butter. Next, pick a topping – Bragg nutritional yeast flakes are my favorite for their nutty flavor. Other options include “hurricane popcorn,” made by mixing up dried and salted seaweed and rice crackers in the popcorn; adding parmesan cheese and chopped (or dried) rosemary into the popcorn for Italian flair; adding a little truffle oil to the butter, or coating the popcorn with ranch dressing powder. All are delicious.
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TOP The dining room doubles as a quiet space for a local beer. LEFT Felipe, known for his acts of caprice, has no boundaries.
YOUR MEMORIES & ADVENTURES NOTES
ride the river, or head farther afield and check out the mountain bike scene at Phil’s Trail and other trail networks around the area. Hiking and kayaking around mountain lakes is straight up the Cascade Lakes Highway. In winter, skiing and snowboarding at Mt. Bachelor or in the wayside sno-parks is that direction, too. Back at the Airstream, we spent time on our maiden voyage learning its functions and figuring out how to make it our own. Where were the lights for the bathroom? When should we turn off the water pump? Soon we had it mastered and set out for a walk through the quiet park. With our dog, Felipe, a small, white teacup-of-a-dog, we met new friends as they asked for a tour of the Flying Cloud. They were happy to show us their recreational vehicles or trailers, too. That evening we cooked a simple pasta and chicken casserole, then settled again at the campfire for another quiet session of reading. If home was calling nearby, we couldn’t hear it.
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 13
OREGON
SMOKE ON THE WATER Side effects of fire season turned Lemolo Lake into a surreal scene BY KEVIN MAX
IN SUMMER 2017, WILDFIRES RAGED THROUGHOUT THE WEST COAST. SMOKE FROM MAJOR FIRES BLANKETED NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, OREGON, WASHINGTON AND EASTERN BRITISH COLUMBIA. EVERY DAY WAS GREY. THE SKIES RAINED SOOT AND ASH.
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Woman vs., Nature as Elizabeth Justema uses her core ... to no avail.
ADVENTURE GUIDE EAT
+ Tri-tip with Pearl Couscous + Crater Lake Lodge
DRINK
Kids hammocked while adults took the Airstream.
It was into this mess the four of us went, down to Lemolo Lake in Southern Oregon, 15 miles from Crater Lake National Park, to meet more friends already at the scene. A translucent film of smoke altered reality, making for a surreal (and mildly toxic) weekend in the woods. Lemolo Lake Resort has approximately thirty sites for full RV hook-
+ DANCIN Vineyards Barbera + Cascade Lakes Brewery Blonde Bombshell and Hopsmack
ups. Just down a short trail from this campground is Lemolo Lake. The marina at the resort has boats to rent. Our friends took advantage of that and scored a pontoon boat for the weekend. We all brought paddleboards, too, and kept them down by the lake for easy and frequent use. The morning and evening forays on the water were bizarre. You could hear
PLAY
+ Pontoon boating on the lake + Fish for rainbow trout + Standup paddle on Lemolo Lake + Hike/run North Umpqua Trail
STAY
+ Lemolo Lake Resort + Poole Creek Campground + Bunker Hill Campground
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 15
ROAD RECIPE
Tri-Tip with Bob’s Red Mill Pearl Couscous SERVES 12
FOR TRI-TIP 3 POUND TRI-TIP ROAST FROM YOUR BUTCHER CRACKED PEPPER SALT BUTTER
BOB’S RED MILL PEARL COUSCOUS 3 CUPS BOB’S RED MILL PEARL COUSCOUS WATER SALT 1 ENGLISH CUCUMBER, SLICED AND QUARTERED 1 BUNCH CILANTRO, FINELY CHOPPED 2 LARGE TOMATOES OR A BAG OF HEIRLOOM TOMATOES, DICED Tri-tip Heat iron skillet over fire for 10 minutes. Add a tablespoon of butter to skillet and distribute the melted butter across the pan. Sear tri-tip roast on all sides to seal in juices and create a slightly burnt outer skin. Once roast is seared, take out of skillet and place directly on grill. Turn down the grill and cook tri-tip until medium rare, approximately 30 minutes depending on the thickness of the roast. Flip the roast no more than twice. Bob’s Red Mill Pearl Couscous Boil 4½ cups of water and 2 teaspoons of salt. Pour in couscous and reduce heat to a simmer until all of the water is absorbed. Couscous should be al dente after about 10 minutes. If not, continue to boil and add water in small amounts until couscous is al dente. Set couscous aside to cool for 5 minutes. Chop all vegetables and fold into cooled couscous. Salt to taste.
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kids on paddleboards before you could see them. From the shore, you could hear the dip and pull of the paddle as it cut through water. Slowly bodies and vessels would push through the gauzy film and paddle back to the shore. Even so, we had some clear mornings when the wind was light and the smoke contained. During these times you could see across the majestic lake and know why people came here to escape in the summer. We also seized on these mornings to head out along the North Umpqua Trail, beginning less than a mile hike or run from camp. Along this 79-mile river trail, waterfalls abound. Within our run parameter, we encountered three waterfalls, one footbridge, one large fallen tree crushing a rail of the footbridge and otherwise pristine scenery. On the 60mile stretch of the North Umpqua Trail between Glide and Lemolo Lake, there are ten waterfalls and at least as many campgrounds. Despite our ominous and confining grey surroundings, that night, we feasted merrily in the haze. We fired a tri-tip roast, made Israeli couscous, a green salad and bread with a crunchy crust and soft crumb. We poured Blonde Bombshell and Hopsmack beer from Cascade Lakes Brewery. Our red wine was a vibrant barbera from DANCIN Vineyards. All of our actions, all of our libations seemed like little acts of defiance in that summer filled with smoke from a record-breaking fire season.
YOUR MEMORIES & ADVENTURES NOTES
Izzy Max emerges from the wildfire smoke on Lemolo Lake.
YOU COULD HEAR KIDS ON PADDLEBOARDS BEFORE YOU COULD SEE THEM ... SLOWLY BODIES AND VESSELS WOULD PUSH THROUGH THE GAUZY FILM AND PADDLE BACK TO THE SHORE. Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 17
OREGON
ADVENTURE SOUTHWEST A trip to Ashland ends in a delicious detour BY SHEILA G. MILLER
It was an inauspicious start. Our truck had gotten a flat tire on a previous trip and it hadn’t been fixed yet. I was told the spare was a real tire, but my anxiety was at an all-time high (which is saying something). So I began driving down the highway with the dashboard telling me I had a flat tire, which I didn’t, but which had me white-knuckling it the whole way to our campsite. Ah, but the campsite. We found a spot at Howard Prairie Lake, about 40 minutes east of Ashland. The lake resort has a small restaurant, a store and a laundry facility, as well as a cabin that can be rented out. This is a very large campground, and there’s not much privacy. But we found a site shrouded by towering trees and very close to a hiking trail. The lake is big and stocked with fish, if fishing is your scene. Even better, there are boat rentals—you can grab a 15-foot aluminum boat for $50 for a half day, then cruise around and take in the views of Mount McLaughlin. We headed into Ashland for dinner and a show. As Bend residents, naturally we’re always looking for a good brewery, and we found our sweet spot at Standing Stone Brewing Co., which cooks up delicious, upscale pub food. It’s imperative that, when in Ashland, you don’t skip the Oregon Shakespeare Festival offerings. Each season the festival puts on nearly a dozen shows in three theaters. If you really want to feel some living history, make sure you are watching in the Allen Elizabethan Theater.
The next morning, back at the Airstream, we cooked up our favorite breakfast treat—bacon sandwiches. Then we took our dog, Felipe, for a long walk to a pier filled with fishermen casting for their daily catch. They seemed to be having a lot of luck. The weather was so beautiful, and the lake so mesmerizing, we spent much of the afternoon just reading in the shadow of our trailer. While there were other setbacks along the way—discovering the ball hitch pin had fallen out at some point on the journey and having to resort to a carabiner to lock the ball hitch in (this is not a pro tip—get a replacement pin), the cool weather and the sounds of lapping lake water made it all a little easier to forget. I found myself looking on the bright side when we discovered we had little oil left in the truck, and had to stop at a Ford dealership in Medford. That bright side was a swing through Medford meant we could stop at Oregon’s only In-NOut. Glamping? Perhaps not, but I never look a gift horse, or a Double Double Animal Style, in the mouth.
IT’S IMPERATIVE THAT, WHEN IN ASHLAND, YOU DON’T SKIP THE OREGON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL OFFERINGS. 18 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
ADVENTURE GUIDE EAT
+ Larks Home Kitchen Cuisine + Alchemy Restaurant & Bar + Loft Ashland + Plancha Modern Mexican & Tequila + Pie & Vine + Sesame Asian Kitchen
DRINK
+ Caldera Brewing + Standing Stone Brewing Co. + Edenvale Enoteca + Liquid Assets
PLAY
+ Oregon Shakespeare Festival + Boat on Emigrant Lake or Howard Prairie Lake + Wine taste at Belle Fiore Winery and Irvine & Roberts Vineyards
STAY
+ Cantrell Buckley Park + The Point RV Park
ROAD RECIPE Ashland’s famed Oregon Shakespeare Festival
YOUR MEMORIES & ADVENTURES NOTES
Bacon Breakfast Sandwiches SERVES 2
FOR SANDWICHES 2 ENGLISH MUFFINS 2 SLICES TILLAMOOK CHEDDAR CHEESE 4 EGGS 4 SLICES BACON, FRIED CRISPY AND BROKEN INTO SEVERAL PIECES BUTTER SRIRACHA (OPTIONAL) Fry eggs on stovetop, breaking yolks. At the same time, butter the English muffins and put them in the oven under the broiler, or fry in a separate pan. When eggs have hardened and aren’t drippy, fold so they’ll fit on the English muffin. Top with a slice of cheddar cheese, then top with bacon. Add sriracha or other hot sauce for a little kick.
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 19
20 MEMORIES & & ADVENTURES ADVENTURES | | Summer Summer2018 2018
OREGON
DOWN THE COAST A foggy shoreside stay in Oregon’s lesser-visited coastal spots BY SHEILA G. MILLER
MY HUSBAND AND I LOVE THE OREGON COAST—BUT MY FAMILY HAS OWNED A HOME ON THE NORTHERN OREGON COAST SINCE I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, SO WE HAVEN’T HAD MUCH OCCASION TO VISIT OTHER LOCATIONS. THE AIRSTREAM WAS OUR CHANCE TO DIP OUR TOES INTO A NEW PART OF THE PACIFIC. I TAKE MY BEACH TIME VERY SERIOUSLY, EVEN WHEN I KNOW IT WILL BE TOO COLD FOR SUNNING MYSELF. SO I PLANNED AHEAD—I BOOKED A SPOT RIGHT ON THE OCEAN AT BEACHSIDE STATE RECREATION SITE. TEN OF THE THIRTY-THREE RV SITES ARE ON THE OCEAN SIDE, AND WHEN I SAY IT’S CLOSE TO THE OCEAN, I MEAN IT—WE COULD SEE THE WAVES FROM OUR WINDOWS AND A TWO-MINUTE WALK PUT US ON THE SAND.
Summer Summer 2018 2018 || MEMORIES MEMORIES&& ADVENTURES 21
ROAD RECIPE
Miller’s Grillers SERVES 8
FOR BURGERS 2 POUNDS OF HAMBURGER, THE LEANER THE BETTER 1 EGG WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE ½ CUP BREAD CRUMBS CAYENNE PEPPER GARLIC SALT 1 CUP CUBED TILLAMOOK CHEDDAR CHEESE BUTTER LETTUCE/TOMATO/ONION MAYO (AND WHATEVER OTHER CONDIMENTS YOU PREFER) 8 HAMBURGER BUNS Mix the meat with the egg, bread crumbs, and a few healthy dashes of Worcestershire sauce, as well as the pepper and salt until the yolk is mixed throughout the meat. Next, mix the cubes of cheese into the meat—this will make for quite a mess on your grill but will also give you cheese melted throughout the burger and will mean some crispy cheese bits on the outside, which is the best part. Form the meat into eight patties (or fewer if you want a huge burger)—I’ve found smaller, thinner patties work a lot better when grilling with charcoal. When using a charcoal grill, be sure to let the coals reach a high temperature and stay hot for awhile before putting the meat on the grill. Butter the buns and set them face down on the grill until they’re charred to your liking. Cook burgers to medium rare, then build your burgers—mayonnaise, tomato and fried onions are our favorite.
22 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
Scot prepares cheeseburgers with Burgerville spread.
We arrived at the right time—just as the smoke from wildfires and a 90-plusdegree swing was passing through our area of the state. At the coast, it was in the 50s and overcast, with fog wafting along the beach as we endlessly walked our dog, Felipe. He couldn’t get enough of the romping along the sand, though he could have done without the paw cleaning using the outdoor spigot on the side of the Airstream. Our first night, we went lowbrow with a cobbled-together meal. It was perfect for a cold evening in the trailer, and we found ourselves listening to the waves crash seemingly just feet from our heads. The next morning, after another stroll along the waterline with Felipe running ahead, we took a drive along the coast. Heading south, we passed the Sea Lion Caves, a privately owned wildlife preserve since 1932. The caves are a year-round home to Steller sea lions. Next, we stopped in at the Heceta Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint. The state parks department offers lighthouse education programs every day, weather permitting, and the tower, built in the 1890s, was recently restored. Reaching the lighthouse is a short, easy hike, part of a 7-mile trail network in the area that winds through wildlife viewing areas. Next we headed down to Florence for lunch, where we stopped at Homegrown Public House. The unassuming spot makes clam chowder so good I was convinced to try it for the first time in my life (my husband can be very persuasive). Seeking seafood, I also had an oyster po’boy and rounded it out with several of my husband’s garlic and fontina fries. Then it was back for more walks on the beach and an evening cookout—though there was a fire ban that prevented a campfire, we were able to light our camp grill and make burgers. We sat at our picnic table and watched the ocean—it was simple and just right for another cool, damp evening.
Create your
ULTIMATE AIRSTREAM Kitchen and dinette remodels • Corian countertops • Upgraded upholstery Custom holding tank options • Updated finishes • Enhanced storage Upgrade and add appliances • Additional sleeping options
Tiered Gourmet Cabinet, with Wine Fridge
Grand Lounge with Corian Pedestals
Grand Lounge Desk
Dishwasher in Gourmet Cabinet Twin Bed Conversion
Sofa to Recliner Conversion
Grand Lounge
Washer Dryer Combo
Ultimate Airstreams is proud to be a factory authorized upfitter, and part of the Airstream Adventures Dealer Network
Contact Ultimate Airstreams for your custom project today! UltimateAirstreams.com | 503.882.2631 | info@ultimateairstreams.com Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 23
24 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
ADVENTURE GUIDE EAT
+ Homegrown Public House, Florence + BJ’s Ice Cream Parlor, Florence + Hilltop Cafe Bistro, Waldport + La Pomodori Ristorante,
Florence
+ Bay Street Grille, Florence + Mo’s Chowder, Florence
DRINK Felipe goes big on the Oregon Coast.
FELIPE COULDN’T GET ENOUGH OF THE ROMPING ALONG THE SAND, THOUGH HE COULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT THE PAW CLEANING USING THE OUTDOOR SPIGOT ON THE SIDE OF THE AIRSTREAM.
+ Silvan Ridge Pinot Noir + LaVelle Vineyards Red Blend + 7 Devils Brewing Endless Summer Blonde + Agrarian Ales Country Song Saison + Le Bouchon + Maple Street Grille
PLAY
+ Sea Lion Caves + Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area + Heceta Head Lighthouse + Visit the Sea Lion Caves + Walk on the beach during low tide looking for shells + OHV on the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area
STAY
YOUR MEMORIES & ADVENTURES NOTES
+ Sutton Campground + Alder Dune Campground + Pacific Pines RV Park + Waxmyrtle Campground
HISTORICAL NOTE
+ There are nine original lighthouses on the Oregon Coast and most are still active. Seven of them are open to the public with tours in the spring and summer. Heceta Head Lighthouse is the most photographed lighthouse.
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 25
26 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
OREGON
HAPPY ACCIDENTS Unintentional landing in Oceanside leads to spectacular sights and surprises
BY KEVIN MAX
WE TURNED NORTH ALONG THE OREGON COAST LOOKING FOR A GOOD TURNAROUND. THE ROAD IS NARROW AT NETARTS ON HIGHWAY 131 AND THE SIDE ROADS THINNER YET. AFTER TEN MINUTES, WE HAD STOPPED SHOUTING AT EACH OTHER AND STARTED ENJOYING WHERE THIS WRONG TURN WAS TAKING US.
A few miles farther west on 131 and the windblown coastal pines stepped back from the road. Behind them was a blue sky plumed with grey and white clouds as if painted by a crude and unpracticed hand. Around this canvas dozens of paragliders flew in and out gnat-like, rising and falling with each coastal inhale and exhale. Oceanside, Oregon came to us by pleasant accident. We found a shoulder that was good and dry and looked out over the Pacific there at the south end of Oceanside. The whole town was along a single road behind us and could be walked in ten minutes, five if it were raining or sleeting and cold. The beach was narrow and washed over at
high tide. But the late morning tugged the sea back out and the grounds crew for the paragliders staked a pink plastic ring on the beach for a landing zone. The bobbing fliers circled until they could make it down without being blown out to the water or pushed against the steep-facing seawall. We scooted under them along the beach and were in awe of their courage. At the end of this stretch was a massive beachhead with an odd door built into the earth of its side, as if making passage for hobbits. There was no sign telling us not to go in, so we went in. I ducked my head and let my pupils while moving forward. Bonk! Well.
Summer Summer 2018 2018 || MEMORIES MEMORIES&& ADVENTURES 27
YOUR MEMORIES & ADVENTURES NOTES
28 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
It was a dark 100-meter rock tube of a passage, a spot of light coming from the far side that provided backlit profiles of the rocks under foot and small tangents of illumination coming from the oceanside concrete wall. I looked into one of the tubes and saw that it was a perfect circular aperture tunneled out to the sea, as if it were a natural View-Master. In my viewer, I saw blue waves crashing into white foam at the feet of monoliths. Our accidental visit got better. In the tiny town of Oceanside is Roseanna’s Cafe, a seafood café on a bluff above the Pacific. Up front are desserts in jewel cases and shirts to memorialize the visit. In back is a modest dining room with windows as big as you need them to be. Chowder was the right thing to do on this chilly day. Cape Lookout State Park, about 34 miles north of Lincoln City, holds its own legend among coastal camping spots. Most camping berths there are surrounded by trees or shrubs or both, giving this big campground a more intimate layout.
ADVENTURE GUIDE EAT
+ Netarts oysters and chowder at Roseanna’s Cafe + The Schooner Restaurant & Lounge
DRINK
+ ArborBrook pinot noir + Pelican Brewing Hazy Rock IPA
PLAY
+ Beachcomb in Oceanside + Watch paragliders in Oceanside + Hike or run Cape Lookout’s North Trail + Make s’mores on the beach
STAY
+ Cape Lookout State Park + Barview Jetty Park
ROAD RECIPE
Kumumoto Oyster Stew SERVES 5
From the westerly lots, you can throw a stone and land it in the ocean. From the beach, a good arm can throw another and almost hit the massive monoliths just beyond the break. The North Trail is a good one for hiking or running, traveling south and climbing a lush old-growth forest with Sitka spruce. A rock ladder parallels a flume about a mile into it. A bouncy footbridge spans a marshy spot farther along. Within 2.3 miles, you can reach the summit parking lot of the Cape Lookout Trailhead, declare victory and turn back. Down below and just off this point, whales migrate north for the summer months. That night, we made oyster stew and drank a pinot noir from ArborBrook Vineyards from the Chehalem Mountains AVA. We were not brave enough to collect seaweed for our salad. It was still months before the forest floor of the Coastal Range would push up chanterelles for our omelets, so, the next morning, we took coffee and walked back down to the soothing Pacific one last time.
TOP LEFT Chowder and more at Roseanna’s Cafe. BOTTOM LEFT A blessed berth on the south end of Oceanside. ABOVE Izzy Max on a windblown Oceanside beach.
FOR STEW 1/2 PINT OYSTERS 1 1/2 QUARTS WHOLE MILK 1 TEASPOON SALT BLACK PEPPER 1 TABLESPOON WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE PAPRIKA 3 DROPS TABASCO SAUCE 1/4 CUBE BUTTER ONION SALT Drain oysters, saving nectar. Combine cold milk, oyster nectar, salt, pepper, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, onion salt and bring to simmer. Do not boil. Add oysters and let simmer about one minute. Place one pat of butter in each stew bowl, add hot stew and dash of paprika. Recipe: Oregon Oyster Farms, Newport.
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 29
OREGON
LOCAL FLAVORS A mother-daughter duo delve into the best of Oregon wine country BY SHEILA G. MILLER I learned my camping skills from my parents. My mother is in her late sixties, and has never been camping. Taking her on a mother-daughter wine-tasting weekend in Oregon’s Willamette Valley wine country was my chance to test her mettle. After picking my mom up in Portland, we set off for McMinnville. En route, we stopped in Dundee, trailer in tow, for a quick sparkling tasting at Argyle and lunch at the Dundee Bistro. Argyle’s sparkling wines are, to my mind, the best Oregon has to offer, and the tasting room’s modern look is open and airy, much different than most wineries in the area. At Dundee Bistro, my mother ordered a pizza, and I indulged in a mid-afternoon burger (it’s always good to have a solid base of meat, cheese and bread when planning to wine taste the day away). This was my first trip piloting the truck and Airstream without the help of my much stronger husband, so I was a bit nervous about the setup and take-down. We left Argyle, and I promptly ran over a bright orange stanchion (sorry, ODOT!). It got caught in the wheel well of the Airstream, completely out of reach for me. It must have been a couple of miles before it dislodged. We arrived in McMinnville without it. We arrived, with no apparent damage to the vehicle. Only my pride was injured. We had planned to camp at Champoeg State Park, but there were no RV spots available, so instead we went more urban. We got a spot at McMinnville’s Olde Stone Village RV Park, which allows short stays like ours. Nearly all of the spots are pull-through, which means I didn’t have to back the Airstream into the right position. Better yet, the park is clean, offers free wi-fi and a great shower setup. These accommodations are next door to the Evergreen Aviation &
30 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
Space Museum, and has a footpath that leads from the park to the museum. My mother was a little too impressed with how easily I was able to detach the Airstream from the truck and get us all set up for our two nights at the park. After sending a quick selfie to my husband as proof of my talents, we headed to Eyrie Vineyards’ tasting room. Tucked away on a little side street in McMinnville, the tasting room is unassuming and minimalist, adorned by the most important ingredient— wine. Eyrie is one of the original Oregon wineries, started in 1965, so our expectations were great. Eyrie wines were so well balanced that we each bought bottles to take home for the holidays. With a bit of time until our dinner reservation, we swung over to the R. Stuart & Co. wine bar on Third Street in the heart of downtown. We had a cheese plate and a flight of lovely Oregon pinot noirs. We were excited to see that R. Stuart & Co serves wines from a variety of vineyards. We closed our eyes and tasted the differences between wineries and winemakers. We had dinner at The Barlow Room in Dayton, the sister restaurant of the Palmer House with interior brick walls,
ADVENTURE GUIDE EAT
+ Thistle + The Barberry + The Painted Lady + The Barlow Room + Bistro Maison
DRINK
+ Argyle Winery + Sokol Blosser + Domaine Drouhin + Domaine Serene + Stoller Family Estate + R Stuart & Co + Eyrie Vineyards + Dobbes Family Estate
PLAY
+ Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum + Wine tasting at any of the 150+ wineries in the area + Tour a winery and indulge in a variety of wine tastings + Splash around at Wings & Waves Waterpark + Hike at Erratic Rock State Natural Site
STAY
+ Champoeg State Park, Donald + Olde Stone Village RV Park, McMinnville
FROM TOP Domaine Serene will transport you far from Oregon with its Old World look. Dobbes Family Estate is unassuming and makes great wine.
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ROAD RECIPE
Airstream Sangria SERVES 8
FOR SANGRIA 1 BOTTLE RED (OR WHITE) WINE 2 CUPS CLUB SODA OR OTHER FIZZY WATER 1-2 SHOTS OF YOUR HARD ALCOHOL OF CHOICE (VODKA, BRANDY, RUM WORK WELL) 2 TABLESPOONS SUGAR 1 LEMON, CUT INTO WEDGES 1 LIME, CUT INTO WEDGES ANY KIND OF FRUIT YOU WANT ( I LIKE TO ADD BERRIES) Mix red wine, sugar and shots of hard alcohol in a pitcher, then squeeze wedges of lemon and lime into the pitcher. For best flavor, refrigerate overnight. Add fizzy water or club soda right before serving, and dump fruit in the mixture. Serve.
32 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
wood-plank floors and country simplicity. When we arrived, The Barlow Room was quiet, but it quickly picked up as locals streamed in for steaks and Northwest cuisine. Mom had the mango chicken, and I went with steak frites. Both hit the spot. We started the next morning early with a 10:30 stop at Sokol Blosser in the hills above Highway 99. This winery is another of the old guard, with the family first planting vines in 1971. The family’s stewardship of its vineyards over the past forty-six years shows in its impeccable wines. In the beautiful new tasting room wrapped in a modern facade of blonde wood, we looked out floor-to-ceiling windows as fog lifted off the hills. In this slice of the Willamette Valley, the most prominent names in Oregon winemaking abound—Stoller, Erath, Dobbes, Ann Amie and Domaine Drouhin. One of the incredible things about wine tasting, particularly in Oregon, is how you can drive a few minutes and find a stunning variety in wines and wineries. Domaine Drouhin has a simple French country appearance that complements its French roots in Beaune, the heart of the Burgundy-producing region 130 miles southeast of Paris. Domaine Drouhin’s large deck with expansive views of its vineyard opened the space and, with its delicate pinot noirs, transported us to the famous cellars of Burgundy. After another delightful flight of wines, we uprooted for Domaine Serene, a beautiful Spanish Mission-style tasting room reminiscent of Napa Valley wineries. Mom and I shared a charcuterie plate and a flight of wine while people-watching those who were dressed to be seen.
YOUR MEMORIES & ADVENTURES NOTES
ABOVE A flight of sparkling wines at Argyle tasting room is a great way to start a day in wine country.
After many tastings, we retired for a few hours to the Airstream to recharge before our dinner at The Barberry. McMinnville and the surrounding towns have so many excellent restaurants including Thistle, a farm-to-fork haven; The Painted Lady, a romantic Victorian house with a menu of gourmet Northwest cuisine; Sage Restaurant, the downtown soup, salad and sandwich eatery; Wild Wood Cafe, a breakfast mecca; Bistro Maison, the French cuisine cottage and The Barberry, a global menu with Northwest ingredients. With wind and rain whipping outside, mom and I sat near a huge fireplace and delighted in our hearty entrees of steak and potatoes and a perfectly cooked pork chop over sauteed greens. The marathon of the day’s wine flights behind me, I convinced myself I’d earned a créme brûlée. Sunday morning, it was time to put my Airstream skills to the test once again in preparing to get back on the road. Yet again, I was successful—even receiving an ovation from my mom for my mechanical prowess. We decided we had one tasting left in us. Since we’d have the 25 feet of Flying Cloud behind us, we decided to research flat and large parking areas on our way home, and discovered Dobbes Family Estate just off Highway 99 in Dundee. I parked on the street with space to spare, and we headed in. The Dobbes pourer dove deeply into the background of our pinot noir, the cherry and cranberry aromas with the earthiness of the soil enriched by the last ice age Missoula Floods that washed down the Columbia and into the Willamette Valley. We bought more bottles, under the pretense of saving them for the holidays.
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 33
34 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
OREGON
ADVENTURE GUIDE EAT
+ Suttle Lake Lodge + Camp Sherman Store + Robert’s Pub, Black Butte
DRINK
+ Ninkasi Pacific Rain Pale J. Scott Cellars 2015 Blanc de Noirs + Three Creeks Brewery Knotty Blonde Ale
PLAY LEFT Running along the Metolius River. ABOVE The girls found a new study paradigm while glamping along the Metolius.
A BEAUTIFUL STUDY HALL
+ Hike or run the Metolius River Trail or nearby Black Butte + Hike to the Metolius Headwaters + Bike to Suttle Lake Lodge and enjoy a beer
STAY
+ Cold Springs Resort + Camp Sherman RV Park + Smiling River Camp ground
Metolius River provides a peaceful background for studying sisters BY KEVIN MAX
IT WAS THE LAST WEEKEND OF HIGH SCHOOL, AND MY TWIN DAUGHTERS WERE STUDYING FOR THEIR FIRST YEAR FINALS. WE PROPOSED A DIFFERENT PARADIGM FOR STUDY HALL. INSTEAD OF A HOME-BASED SEDENTARY SLOG, THE AIRSTREAM AND THE SOOTHING BABBLE OF THE METOLIUS RIVER WOULD SERVE AS A MORE INSPIRED (AND ACTIVE) SETTING FOR STUDYING. WE CONVINCED THE PARENTS OF THE GIRLS’ FRIENDS, ALSO FRESHMEN, THAT THEY SHOULD GRAB THEIR BOOKS AND TENTS AND JOIN US. THE FORECAST SHOWED SUN ICONS THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 35
I HAVE NO REASON TO DOUBT THAT THERE ARE RAINBOW AND BULL TROUT AND KOKANEE SALMON ... BUT ANGLERS STANDING IN ITS CLEAR WATERS STRUGGLE TO SUBSTANTIATE THIS CLAIM AMONG ITS SMART FISH. The Metolius River, as it runs through Camp Sherman, is twenty minutes northwest of Sisters, Oregon and just inside the Willamette National Forest. Almost 30 miles long, the pristine river is a tributary to the bigger Deschutes River. I have no reason to doubt that there are rainbow and bull trout and Kokanee salmon in the icy blue river as many printed guides claim, but anglers standing in its clear waters struggle to substantiate this claim among its smart fish. We secured an RV spot along a tributary creek at Cold Springs Resort in Camp Sherman. This resort has spacious RV and camp sites on grass between a creek and the Metolius River, striking the perfect balance between nature and nurture. That Saturday afternoon, we pulled in, extended the awning, pulled a picnic table under it, and the kids began a new dynamic for studying. That evening, we walked just over the bridge and through the woods to Camp Sherman, a mountain outpost with no more than the essentials for maintaining life in the woods—with two notable exceptions: the Camp Sherman Store and the Kokanee Cafe. We reserved a table for eight at the hidden gourmet gem, Kokanee Cafe. Here, culinary arts are on display in a rustic cabin setting. Out here, parents and their students could feel relaxation flowing over and smoothing the rigid rocks of stress. In the morning, we brewed coffee from nearby Sisters Coffee Company and sat a while until the morning and coffee warmed us. We then laced up our shoes for a riverside run. Upriver today and downriver tomorrow. The trail here is flat and easy to run or hike. RIGHT An intricate hand-carved totem pole in Camp Sherman.
36 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 37
38 MEMORIES & 38 AIRSTREAM PUBLICATION ADVENTURES| |Summer Summer 2018 2018
ROAD RECIPE
YOUR MEMORIES & ADVENTURES NOTES
Salmon Crudo | Portland | Red Star Tavern SERVES 4
FOR CRUDO 5 OUNCES CHINOOK SALMON 3 TABLESPOONS KOSHER SALT SEA SALT (TO TASTE) ½ CUP UNSEASONED RICE WINE VINEGAR ¼ CUP SHAVED FRESNO CHILI PEPPERS 1 TABLESPOON GREEN ONIONS 2 TABLESPOON SHALLOTS (DICED) ½ CUP EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL Place salmon on a plate lined with a paper towel and lightly cure salmon with kosher salt (using approximately 1 to 2 tablespoons). Let it sit for ten minutes. Then, wash or cure with rice wine vinegar. Pat dry and set aside. Using a knife or mandoline, shave the Fresno chili peppers into thin strips. Then, bias slice one green onion. Dice one shallot. Slice fish into 1-ounce slices or cubes. Arrange on the plate and then add olive oil, the pepper strips, shallots and green onion. Finish with sea salt.
A bit upriver, we ran out to a lookout point where the Metolius River bubbles up from underground, the headwaters. I had never been to a river’s headwaters before. This felt original. The girls spent the day studying in the Airstream and at the picnic table, while Sarah and I went on a mountain bike ride with our friends. Miraculously, we ended up outside the Suttle Lake Lodge, where we encountered a couple good beers on tap at the aptly named Beer Shack—hops and forest therapy. That evening we built a fire and prepared a simple salmon crudo recipe we found in 1859 Oregon’s Magazine, a green salad and good bread from Sisters Bakery. We drank cold Knotty Blonde Ales from Three Creeks Brewery in Sisters. The stars were out and the campside creek whispered hushed notes that passed us by en route to the Metolius. The next morning, we’d run downriver for miles on beautiful trails before heading back. We stopped once more at the Camp Sherman Store for refreshments on the way back to Bend and high school finals. Note: *Kokanee Cafe is now owned by Hola, a Peruvian and South American restaurant based in Bend.
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 39
OREGON
PAINTED HILLS A three-generation trip back in time BY KEVIN MAX
This kind of trip is well-suited for mothers-in-law who are fascinated by bursts of color, and their grandkids, who are consumed by surges of energy. No longer distracted by work and raising kids, grandparents can look the Medusa of time square in the face and not turn to stone. Painted Hills and the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument are a theater for the Cenozoic Age and a remote national treasure. Painted Hills is a geologic coloring book which turns out to be a perfect teaching platform for students and a gaping wonder for mothers-in-law whose aesthetics are modeled on hanging flower baskets. “Ooh, look at that hanging basket!” About 10 miles northwest of the small Eastern Oregon town of Mitchell, Painted Hills is one venue of the threepiece National Monument that includes the Clarno and Sheep Rock units—replete with ancient fossils, colored bands of former lake-bed sediments and spring wildflowers. Easy, short and paved trails finger out from all of these sites along paths that appear to be more psychedelic time travel than geologic windows into climate change. Cameras and a hanging-basket sense of wonder are requisite. We found two RV parks in Dayville, a little more than
40 miles past Painted Hills. Oh, but the drive! The heather greens, the weathered browns and the soaring blues of water and sky converge in the aptly named Picture Gorge just west of Dayville. The South Fork RV Camp cuddles up to the south fork of the John Day River. We were lucky to have site #5, which backs onto a pleasant riffle that soothes the sheep across the river and behind thick hedges. The hushing also helped us count sheep over the nasal barnyard noises coming from the elderly sleeping quarters. Dinner was gourmet chicken sausage from Otto’s, a new take on an American classic. The pairing of a Barley Brown’s Point Blank Red brought just the right balance and color to the meal.
EASY, SHORT AND PAVED TRAILS FINGER OUT FROM ALL OF THESE SITES ALONG PATHS THAT APPEAR TO BE MORE PSYCHEDELIC TIME TRAVEL THAN GEOLOGIC WINDOWS INTO CLIMATE CHANGE. 40 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
ADVENTURE GUIDE EAT
+ Dayville Café, Dayville + Tiger Town Brewing, Mitchell + Sidewalk Café, Mitchell
DRINK
+ Rosé- Quady North Rosé + Red – Delfino Tempranillo + White – Kriselle Cellars 2013 Viognier + Tiger Town Brewery, Mitchell + Barley Brown’s Saison
PLAY
+ John Day River Rafting, various + Road biking, Old West Scenic Bikeway + Fishing the John Day River + Running rural roads of Eastern Oregon + Hiking the trails of Painted Hills + Take photos of Painted Hills at dusk + Hike the short trails around Painted Hills + Eat corned beef hash at Dayville Café + Learn more at Thomas Condon Paleontology Center
STAY
+ S. Fork RV Camping Park, Dayville + Ochoco Divide, West of Mitchell + Lands Inn, Hwy 19 + Barnhouse, Buck Point Road
HISTORICAL NOTE
+ The fossils in the area were the result of geologic processes that took place between 45 and 50 million years ago.
FROM TOP The money shot of the beauty of Painted HIlls. Izzy elated to be out at the Painted Hills.
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 41
TOP LEFT Good random humor in Dayville. MIDDLE LEFT A boney sculpture outside of the Condon Paleontology Center. BOTTOM LEFT Grandma Nanni at Painted Hills. ABOVE A barn at South Fork RV Camp.
42 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
Morning in Dayville began with a cold drizzle and a low tolerance for discomfort. “Dad, don’t be a wimp!” my daughter Fiona poked. Kids have no corporal thermostat and so don’t truly understand the basis for my protest. I hoped to find an ally in my often “it’s-too-co-wald” mother in-law, there in warm bedclothes and sipping coffee. Nay. The ayes had it and out we went, trailing up along rural Cummings Ditch and tails of smoke coming from small farmhouses along South Fork Road Grant Co No. 42. There aren’t many options for breakfast in Dayville, population 145. Truth is, you only need the Dayville Café, a country wooden box with a menu drawn from local ranches—local beef from Painted Hills and the kind of house-made corned beef hash that put Cheshire grins on fat commissioners at county fairs. “We prep for four hours, work for twelve hours, clean for two hours and repeat,” our server said. That passion is any diner’s reward. The Thomas Condon Paleontology Center about 10 miles northwest of Dayville is a high desert oasis of science and education. The 11,000-square-foot state-of-the-art classroom offers visual learners good answers to questions about species, evolution, climate change and cataclysmic events. The portfolio of fossils here is a stunning array from camels that roamed a desert landscape to hippopotami that lumbered out of ancient lakes. Newly informed of ancient times, we hit the road again, winding back west on Highway 26 and into present day, where my mother in-law, in the back seat, content and oblivious, read roadside signs as if calling out letters from her optometrist. “Mmm. Curves ahead. Open range. Ochoco National Forest.”
YOUR MEMORIES & ADVENTURES NOTES
ROAD RECIPE
Simple Gourmet Chicken Sausage and Chips SERVES 6
FOR SAUSAGE 6 OTTO’S CHICKEN SAUSAGE LINKS 1 SPANISH ONION DICED 1 LARGE TOMATO SLICED IN HALF MOONS DILL PICKLES LANGLOIS MUSTARD BUTTER 6 LARGE BAKERY HOT DOG BUNS 1 BAG OF KETTLE CHIPS
Dice onions. Slice tomatoes and pickles. Over an outdoor fire grill sausage until skin is almost breaking open. Lightly butter and grill buns butter-side down until browned. Combine sausage, bun and custom mix of veggies and condiments. Do not defile with ketchup!
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 43
OREGON
NO SERVICE, NO PROBLEM Remote Cottonwood Canyon is a paradise of path along the John Day River BY KEVIN MAX
WE DECIDED TO SHOCK OUR SYSTEMS BY GOING TO ENVIRONMENTAL EXTREMES. FIRST WE’D LUMBER OUT TO ONE OF OREGON’S NEW STATE PARKS IN HOT, DRY EASTERN OREGON, THEN SLIDE OVER TO THE COAST FOR A WET AND COOL CAMP WITHIN EARSHOT OF POUNDING SURF. Cottonwood Canyon State Park is 51 miles southeast of The Dalles and on the northern reach of the John Day River. It was dusk on a Thursday evening in April when we pulled in, towing a 19-foot Flying Cloud Airstream. On this spring day, early season and in the remote wilds of Moro, Oregon, nearly two-thirds of the sites were taken. First-come-firstserve anxiety quelled, we found a beautiful site within sight of the river and next to the bike share. Yes, bike share. The campsites are a mix of tent spots and slips for trailers, though no hookups. If you’re early, you can snag one of the ten or so sites with a wooden lean-to shelter for rain or sun protection. Whoever designed this park did so with the right touch of restraint and infrastructure. In the rugged river valley, there are trails extending more than 4 miles along each side of the Columbia tributary. Runners and hikers will delight in these paths. The scenery is from the ages and for them as well. The John Day is the third longest undammed river in America. The basalt walls rise, in parts, to 1,920 feet above it. At runner’s and hiker’s level are some intriguing rock formations, from crystallized massive walls to soaring columns greened by spring vegetation. Any time you drive past Cascade Locks going anywhere, get your seafood at Brigham Fish Market. The Brigham family offloads their daily catch from their boat on the river behind the market. That night, I rubbed Columbia steelhead with salt, pepper and lemon olive oil and grilled it outside over charcoal on a small Weber grill. We rounded it out with a green salad and A.D. Beckham grenache, an Oregon wine fer-
44 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
The bikeshare at Cottonwood Canyon.
mented in clay pots in the ancient tradition of Greeks, Italians and Spanish. No one was stirring in camp that morning when we grabbed two bikes and rode over to the old Murtha cow camp just down the trail. An old barn stood in good shape, and a windmill rose in the foreground of modern wind turbines over the hills in the distance. State Parks is building four new cabins that are expected to be habitable, hospitable even, by August. Running and hiking play out on either side of the river. We chose the near bank and downstream trail
ADVENTURE GUIDE EAT
You’re on your own out here.
DRINK
+ A.D. Beckham Grenache + Double Mountain Vaporizor + Deschutes Fresh Squeezed
PLAY
+ Run or hike the John Day River + Take a camp bike for a ride + Road bike Highway 206 to Condon (out and back 52 miles)
STAY
+ Cottonwod Canyon Recreation Area + JS Burres State Park Moon over my Airstream at the placid Cottonwood Canyon State Park.
that was easy underfoot for 4 miles out. As the sun rose and the day warmed, snakes came out to sun on the trail, too. We jumped over two, and Sarah’s shrieks seemed to propel her higher upward and faster forward. It’s hard to divine a non-venomous Pacific gopher snake from a rattler when sprinting. Nonetheless, it was one of the best trail runs I have done in recent years. Along the river are access points for anglers and for those with rafts, kayaks and canoes. At 8,000 acres, Cottonwood Canyon is Oregon’s second largest state park. Silver Falls is bigger by a thousand acres. There aren’t many places left on this planet where cell phones work only as cameras—Cottonwood Canyon is one of these. The sun gave a good warmth to the morning air as we sat outside and drank coffee before packing it in for the Oregon Coast, a world apart.
YOUR MEMORIES & ADVENTURES NOTES
ROAD RECIPE
Columbia River Steelhead SERVES 4
FOR FISH 1 COLUMBIA RIVER STEELHEAD FILLET 1 T LEMON OLIVE OIL SALT PEPPER
FOR SALAD 1 HEAD BUTTER LETTUCE 1/4 RED ONION, SLICED THINLY 2 VINE TOMATOES OIL AND VINEGAR DRESSING PEPPER Light charcoal and wait until they smolder without flaming. Rub salmon with lemon olive oil. Salt generously. Sprinkle pepper sparsely. Cook over coals skin-side down and until it forks to your preference.
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 45
CAMPSITES
OREGON WILLAMETTE VALLEY
COAST
Champoeg State Heritage Area
Beachside State Recreation Site
8239 Champoeg Road NE St. Paul, OR 97137 503.678.1251 8 full-hookup sites, 67 electric/water sites
Silver Falls State Park
20024 Silver Falls Hwy SE Sublimity, OR 97385 503.873.8681 52 electric sites
Willamette Valley Wine Country RV Park
16205 SE Kreder Road Dayton, OR 97114 971.267.2130 171 Full hookup sites
Lost Lake Resort and Campground
9000 Lost Lake Road Hood River, OR 97031 541.386.6366 62 no-hookup sites
Milo McIver State Park
24101 S. Entrance Road Estacada, OR 97023 503.630.7150 44 electric/water sites
LL Stub Stewart Memorial State Park
Buxton, OR 97109 503.324.0606 x226 102 full-hookup sites
46 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
4 miles south of Waldport Waldport, OR 97394 541.563.3220 32 electric/water sites
Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park
84505 Highway 101 S Florence, OR 97439 541.997.3641 47 full-hookup sites, 121 electrical/water sites
PHOTO: MICAH WHALEY
Valley of the Rogue State Park I-5 Exit 45B Rogue River, OR 97525 541.582.3128 95 full-hookup sites, 55 electric sites
Howard Prairie Resort
3249 Hyatt Prairie Road Ashland, OR 97520 541.774.8183 51 full-hookup sites, 80 water/electric sites
Glenyan RV Park & Campground 5310 Highway 66 Ashland, OR 97520 541.488.1785
Alder Dune
89630 Highway 101 Florence, OR 97439 541.547.3679 38 no-hookup sites
Sandbeach
Cloverdale, OR 97112 877.444.6777 62 no-hookup sites
Cape Blanco State Park
91814 Cape Blanco Road Port Orford, OR 97465 541.332.6774 52 electric/water sites
SOUTHERN OREGON
Mazama Campground Crater Lake National Park Crater Lake, OR 97604 541.594.3000 214 sites, some with electric hookups
Lake of the Woods Resort
Harriman Route Klamath Falls, OR 97601 541.949.8300 12 full-hookup sites, 10 electric/water sites plus no-hookup sites
Emigrant Lake
5505 Highway 66 Ashland, OR 97520 541.774.8183 32 full-hookup sites, 40 no-hookup sites
EASTERN OREGON
Wallowa Lake State Park 72214 Marina Lane Joseph, OR 97846 541.432.4185 121 full-hookup sites
Grande Hot Springs
65182 Hot Lake Lane La Grande, OR 97850 541.963.5253 100 full-hookup sites
Cottonwood Canyon State Park 99989 OR-206 Wasco, OR 97065 541.394.0002 21 primitive sites for self-contained RVs
Steens Mountain Wilderness Resort
35678 Resort Lane Frenchglen, OR 97736 541.493.2415 38 full-hookup sites
CENTRAL OREGON
Tumalo State Park
64170 OB Riley Road Bend, OR 97701 800.551.6949 23 full-hookup sites
The Cove Palisades State Park 7300 Jordan Road Culver, OR 97734 541.546.3412 85 full-hookup sites, 88 electric/water sites
Cold Springs Resort
25615 SW Cold Springs Resort Lane Camp Sherman, OR 97730 541.595.6271
Twin Lakes Resort
11200 South Century Drive La Pine, OR 97739 541.382.6432 22 full-hookup sites
Little Crater Campground La Pine, OR 97739 541.383.5300 49 no-hookup sites
Summer Summer2018 2018| |MEMORIES AIRSTREAM & ADVENTURES 47 PUBLICATION 47
ABOVEAirstream in its natural environment..
WASHINGTON
ACTIVE BEAUTY Wildflowers, waterfalls and wipeouts at Mount St. Helens and Gifford Pinchot National Forest BY KEVIN MAX
I WONDER IF MOST OF AMERICA THINKS OF MOUNT ST. HELENS AS BURNT BACON FROM THE 1980 ERUPTION AS ONE OF MY DAUGHTERS DOES. “IT’S ALL GOING TO LOOK THE SAME,” SHE INSISTED, “BLACK AND CHARRED.” THE AREA SURROUNDING THE ACTIVE VOLCANO COVERS MILLIONS OF ACRES—MANY OF WHICH WERE EFFECTIVELY UNTOUCHED BY NATURAL DISASTER.
48 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
ADVENTURE GUIDE EAT
ABOVE Lower Falls on Lewis River. LEFT A decapitated Mt. St. Helens through a mountain meadow.
On Mount St. Helens’ southeast side, Gifford Pinchot National Forest is one of the country’s oldest. It forms a deep green apron around Mount St. Helens, stretching more than 2,000 square miles, and sopped up America’s most destructive volcanic eruption in recent times. This young volcano got a 1,300-foot trim when its peak became a crater. Still, you stand there in awe and look at it as a heavyweight who has just stepped from the ring, beat but unbeaten. Eagle Cliff campground on the southeast shoulder of the mountain is three-and-ahalf hours from Seattle, two hours from Portland and four hours from Bend, where we started. On the longest day of the summer, you can skirt past Mt. Hood, cross the Columbia and snake into the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, up Meadow Creek Road to Curley Creek Road and still beat the golden hour for photography. Leave a little extra time to amble into Walking Man Brewery in Stevenson. The laidback railroad sidehouse with beers of various well-crafted hoppiness pulls on a traveler’s taste buds. The heat that day in Stevenson reached 92 degrees. Even the shade didn’t stop the heat from getting behind my eyeballs. We needed to get deeper into the trees. On this weekend, we fled our teen daughters, driving into the woods with mountain bikes and running shoes and a dog. We booked the first night at a campground that accepted trailers, just to get our bearing. The next night, we’d freelance it. Our dog, Guinness, is a sled-pulling breed who can, and yearns to, tug like an ox for miles on end. Snow makes him happier and his eyes wilder, but trails, any trails, are his understanding of the verb “go.” He looked out the window and saw
trees getting bigger, rivers getting louder, trails more abundant and a jitterbug of wild overcame his car manners, compelling him to whimper to bypassing cedars, trails and deer. “Ohhhhh, look at that. Ohhhhh, did you see that,” his cavity shaking this sound from deep inside. Curly Creek winds narrowly through Western Red Cedars to Eagle Cliff campground. Under a canvas of cedars and pines, this thatch-roof den is 10 degrees cooler than the beer garden in Stevenson. A general store with basics and showers and laundry make Eagle Cliff a good stopover for a night to clean up on longer trips. There are no hookups for trailers, but other amenities abound. Out the back of the campground is a logging road steep enough that you focus on your breath and footwork until you get to the top and look back down over Swift Reservoir, a deep-hued blue down past a field of purple foxglove and white daisies with lemondrop centers. Click. Sarah was taken by the beauty. The bald eagles circling overhead, she said, were a surprising treat. I felt bad pointing out that they were actually vultures and probably eyeing our dog as carrion. Back in camp, a decades-old Land Rover pulled in to the slip next to us. Next to them was another vintage Land Rover with a cartop tent. Across from them were more Land Rovers, some with kids, some with dogs, some with kids and dogs. Our first night called for something spicy and hearty—burgers stuffed with diced jalapeños and tiny chunks of cheddar. I wanted to have made those myself, but, in a rush to get out of town, I relied on the kindness of my butcher. Sarah made coleslaw and we garnished with veggie chips, another clever
+ Walking Man Brewery, Stevenson, WA + Camp store at Eagle Cliff campground + Country stores in Cougar, WA
DRINK
+ Red – Saviah Cellars 2014 Barbera + White – KVa Piano 2016 Sauvignon Blanc + Walking Man IPA + Everybody’s Brewing Mountain Mama Pale Ale
PLAY
+ Run, bike, hike the scenic Lewis River Trail + Mountain bike on miles of trails + Take the kids to Ape Cave + Take a dip in eddies of the river + Explore the waterfalls + Visit the majestic Lower Falls + Hike, run, bike Lewis River Trail + Visit Ape Cave with kids + Make your own version of Country Store Carbonara
STAY
+ Lower Falls Campground + Beaver Bay Camp + Taidnapam Park
HISTORICAL NOTE
+ Gifford Pinchot National Forest is named for Gifford Pinchot, the first chief of the United States Forest Service, who served from 1905 until his firing in 1910. He is said to have coined the term, “conservation ethic.”
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 49
LEFT Counting the age rings of a tree cross-section along the Lewis River. This is actually a massive tree serving as my stage on a quick stop along our run. RIGHT Guinness finds a way to cool off and get a drink.
ROAD RECIPE
Simple Country Store Carbonara SERVES 4
FOR CARBONARA 1 PACKAGE OF SPAGHETTI 4 EGGS 1 CUP OF GRATED CHEDDAR CHEESE 1 ONION DICED 6 PIECES OF BACON, COOKED PEPPER TO TASTE Boil water and add spaghetti. While water is heating, cook 6 pieces of bacon until nearly crispy. Remove, blot and set aside. Grate 1 cup of cheddar and set aside. Dice one onion and cook on medium heat in bacon pan with bacon grease until semi-transparent. Drain noodles when they are al dente. Scramble four eggs in a glass and pour over noodles, Add bacon, onion and cheese and toss until they are evenly distributed. Serve on plates, bowls or camp cups.
50 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
way to offset beef with vegetables. We popped a 22-ounce of Walking Man’s Imperial IPA and insisted that meal was the best. We read and wrote for the first time together like digital nomads with everything in the world we needed right there. We soon fell asleep— gone to a soft and safe place in the Flying Cloud. Morning came with a heat warning. Temperatures would reach beyond 100 degrees. We were up early waiting for the coffee to hit our brains and make sense out of this impending heat warning. Before 7 a.m., we were out the door for a run along the Lewis River. Lewis River is a 96-mile-long tributary of the Columbia River to the south and has three dams that form Swift Reservoir, Yale Lake and Lake Merwin. Today, we’d see about 4 miles twice of this river in an out-andback run on soft trails. Rushing water pushed a cool breeze down the banks and along the trail. Overhead, a thick canopy blocked most of the sun, creating a partially lit diorama of green and gold beneath it all. The only people we encountered were two people camping 3 miles in from the trailhead in what was probably one of the finest tent spaces cleared and flat along the Lewis River. I felt like I could have run for hours. On our way out and close to the trailhead, we spied an isolated and unoccupied camping spot about 50 feet deep that would perfectly suit our pursuits for the next twenty-four hours. On Forest Road 9039 around milepost 20 and less than a quarter mile from the trailhead, there it was, a natural u-shaped cutout with a firepit near the back and nothing but trees all around. You could hear the Lewis River across the road and down a steep embankment. As far trailer camping goes, this was a solid eight. If the river were diverted across the gravel road to our side to whisper there at night, there might be no better place. With this discovery, we felt like we had arrived as trailer campers in the backcountry. We relocated, dressed and set out for the town of Cougar for re-supply and dinner items. We drove past it before realizing we had hit town center. A 1990 Census, the last official count, put Cougar population at 122. That seemed about right. Shopping for food came down to two country stores across the street from each other, one of which doubles as a gas station—both sold auto essentials. Creativity finds its honest beginnings in scarcity. Sarah walked up and down the few aisles of one store before connecting the dots—eggs, bacon, Tillamook cheese, spaghetti noodles, an onion—spaghetti carbonara! And Washington cherries for dessert. We drove aimlessly but with purpose, to find good views of Mount St. Helens and to see what Ape Cave was all about. Ape Cave is, reportedly, the longest lava tube in North America at 2.5 miles long. At this time of year, its popularity spills out beyond the parking lot to cars lining the road approaching the lot. On a day that’s already hotter than 90 degrees, who could blame the parade marching into a cool cave? We decided to head back and scout a mountain bike loop for tomorrow. Originally, we thought this trip would be based around a seminal mountain bike ride that included 26 miles and 5,000 feet of climbing. The snowpack above 4,800 feet was a reminder of a big winter just behind us and a deterrent for that ride. From our camp, we surmised that we could ride 9 miles of forest road upriver to a Lewis River trailhead, duck in there and ride back along the trail we had run that morning. Country store carbonara, Sarah called it, was really good that night. Of course, being in the woods is a drug that alters your ability to accurately review and rate food. For the first time, we prepared everything in the kitchen and ate together at the dining table. In three more years, we
would be empty-nesters. If these were notes for that period, we were going to test well. Lower Falls on the Lewis was just beyond the point where we’d duck into the woods tomorrow on bikes. As the sun faded over a distant ridge, we jumped in the truck and headed to Lower Falls for the golden hour of photography. We arrived at the day-use parking just as a photographer was packing up for the evening. He did not make eye contact. This thief had already stolen the perfect shot. You can hear the falls before you can see them through a dense forest and down a steep cliff. But seeing it for the first time is glee of discovery, all heightened and tickling where the your hair makes contact with your head. A hundred feet down, the river spread to accommodate a wide multi-tiered rock façade. The water got thinner there to spread like blonde hair coming out of a ponytail and spill over its edge. It doesn’t matter how many people have seen Lower Falls, it had the keen ability to make it seem as though you were the first. The light was perfect. Tomorrow’s mountain bike was deceptively technical and challenging. No one who saw me in a T-shirt and yesterday’s technology would consider me a top rider. God knows, you can spend a lot of money and end up with the social stigma of what Australians call, “all the gear and no idear.” I don’t have the money for that status. My wife has better gear and more of an idear. At one point during the ride, my front tire slipped left and headed off the trail and down a steep embankment. My body followed, cartwheeling. The river was another 30 feet down, and I hoped not to make it that far. For years, I had considered of what it would be like to have my bike plunge off a trail and down a hillside. Maybe I gazed too long into the jaws of existentialism in college courses, but I knew it would happen one day and that I would have to take responsibility for all of humanity with my actions. Existentialism is as somber as its Danish inventor—when you make a decision, it is a model for all of humanity and all of eternity. I stretched my body and bike to make for a flatter surface that would be harder to cartwheel for all of eternity. Suddenly I stopped, legs long out below me in a mess of prickly brambles. I sat up slowly, breathed deeply and took in the beauty of the Lewis below me and the smell of the red cedar all around me. From somewhere above me, “Honey! Are you all right?”
YOUR MEMORIES & ADVENTURES NOTES
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 51
52 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
WASHINGTON
QUICK & QUIET A vist to Washington’s most-visited park ends with a sweet treat BY KEVIN MAX Our visit was short but fritter-sweet. Deception Pass State Park lies 83 miles north of Seattle near Anacortes. The park itself, 6 square miles, spans two islands—Hidalgo to the north and Whidbey to the south—and is connected by bridges on the National Register of Historic Places. We were there only for a night and a morning and to catch the ferry to Lopez Island in the San Juans. After a long drive that began in the Redwood National Forest that morning, we had driven the length of the state of Oregon and most of Washington. In Anacortes, we found sea-to-me Black Rock Seafood, and of the vast seafood choices, we narrowed it down to fresh Dungeness crab meat, with crab tacos in mind. As the sun retreated, we pulled into Deception Pass State Park, looking left and right as we crossed the narrow bridges separating Hidalgo from Whidbey. I was beginning to understand the attraction of this area. We pulled into Cranberry Lake Campground and set up for dinner. Towering pines in dense groupings characterize this vast but relatively private park. We made tacos with fresh local produce and fresh crab. We drank a Chateau St. Michelle 2014 cabernet sauvignon Ethos Reserve and read books until sleep overwhelmed us. Morning broke in the quiet of the forest. We grabbed our coffee and walked out to Deception Pass West Beach, where gulls and bald eagles were already well into their day. The air was clean when it went deep into your lungs. The waft of fish and salt and plants of the forest floor together made me feel instantly healthy and alive. Fishing vessels motored out through the channel. In a bay known for its strong tides, there were no engineless boats, no kayaks. We put on our running shoes and lit out on a run tracing the shape of the island north and east on the Pacific Northwest Trail, past an outdoor theater that had a Civilian Conservation Corps timelessness about it and into the Goose
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 53
ADVENTURE GUIDE EAT
+ Black Rock Fish, for fresh seafood, Anacortes + Picnic anywhere in the park
DRINK
+ Aslan Brewing Space Eagle IPA + Chateau St. Michelle 2014 Ethos Reserve cabernet sauvignon
PLAY
+ Hike or run the island trails + Visit tide pools of Rosario Beach + Take photos from the and of the historic Deception Pass Bridge
STAY
+ Deception Pass State Park + Cranberry Lake Campground + Bowman Bay Campground + Quarry Pond Campground + Ben Ure Cabins
54 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
ABOVE Airstream tucked away on the ferry for the sea voyage. TOP Looking north out into Deception Pass.
IF WE HAD MORE TIME ... WE WOULD HAVE PAID HOMAGE TO THE MAIDEN OF DECEPTION PASS, A 30-FOOTTALL WOODEN CARVING OF A SALISH TRIBAL MAIDEN WHO SACRIFICED HERSELF TO FEED HER VILLAGE.
YOUR MEMORIES & ADVENTURES NOTES
Rock Perimeter Trail. In all, we navigated a decent loop that brought us around Cranberry Lake from the south end. During our run, we may have encountered two other human beings. As a result, I was shocked to learn later that Deception Pass State Park is Washington’s most visited park. If we had more time in the area, we would have hiked north to Rosario Beach to see the show of snails, crabs and anemones lurking in the tide pools. We would have paid homage to the Maiden of Deception Pass, a 30-foot-tall wooden carving of a Salish tribal maiden who sacrificed herself to feed her village. Before we boarded the ferry for Lopez Island that morning, we stopped to get gas at a station with no gas. Nonetheless, something on the counter inside grabbed my attention. My human frailty lies neither in gambling nor alcohol but in fritters, mostly apple fritters. There lay the best-looking fritters I had seen in months, years even, large but dense and with the crisped malformations of a mad artist. This carrot fritter was the work of Donut House in Anacortes. I swore I would get another upon the return ferry from Lopez.
ROAD RECIPE
Simple Fresh Dungeness Crab Tacos SERVES 2
FOR TACOS
4-6 SMALL 5-INCH FLOUR OR CORN TACO SHELLS 4 OUNCES BLACK ROCK DUNGENESS FRESH CRAB MEAT RED CABBAGE, CHOPPED 1 BUNCH CILANTRO, CHOPPED 2 TABLESPOONS SRIRACHA 2 TABLESPOONS MAYONNAISE LIME SALT Chop cilantro and cabbage and set aside. In a small bowl or cup, mix Sriracha and mayonnaise together. If using flour shells, warm them. Place shells on plate and fill each with an ounce of crab meat. Lightly salt the crab. Add a dollop of Sriracha-mayo mixture. Layer on red cabbage and cilantro. Squeeze a thin slice of lime over the top. Enjoy.
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 55
56 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
WASHINGTON
A FERRY TALE With a ferry system, adventure doesn’t stop where the road ends BY KEVIN MAX
Washington State Ferries actually let us reserve space for the truck and trailer on a ship from Anacortes to Lopez Island. As an Airstreamer, this was all new to me and expanded my exploration of the Pacific Northwest. We threw our bikes in the back of the truck and pointed for Anacortes, the departure point. Lopez is one of the 400 islands in the San Juan Island archipelago, some of which are part of Washington and others of the Canadian San Juans. On Lopez Island, Spencer Spit State Park was the campsite I had tried to reserve, but it was booked. One website said that dropping in and finding a last-minute spot was possible, but who wants to get to a small island and have no place to camp? I booked a lesser spot as backup. We had driven no more than 2 miles when we came upon a curiosity. Off to the side of an intersection of two roads that held nothing but open fields and a few cows was a woman sitting on the ground as if she had just fallen off the bike next to her. Her legs went straight out in front of her and her arms
ABOVE A logged-in beach at Spencer Spit State Park. LEFT Lopez Island is in the middle of nowhere but in the center of it all.
temporarily propped up her torso. This could have been anyone’s aunt who had gotten separated from her annual biking trip and taken a few wrong turns before going over. I stopped the truck and reversed until we could see her from the passenger window, now open. “Are you ok?” I asked. “Are you coming from the ferry?” she asked, rearranging her limbs until she was on her feet. “Just left it,” Sarah said. “Oh good. I’m waiting for some bikers,” she said. “Where are you coming from?” “Bend.” As she approached the truck, Sarah spied something poking out from the woman’s helmet. “Is that a bottle cap?” “Beer-view mirror,” she said. “Does it work?” asked Sarah, an envious gear junkie.
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 57
ADVENTURE GUIDE EAT
+ Pork roast and goat cheese salad + Lopez Islander Resort & Marina + Gallery Restaurant & Lounge + Horse Drawn Farm + Sunnyfield Goat Far
DRINK
+ Brook & Bull 2016 cabernet franc + Fremont Brewing Session Pale Ale
PLAY
+ Road bike the whole island + Source dinner from farm stands + Walk Spencer Spit + Kayak Lopez Sound
STAY
+ Larrabee State Park + Lakedale Resort
58 MEMORIES& & ADVENTURES 58 MEMORIES ADVENTURES || Summer Summer 2018 2018
She spun it around to show us the thumbnail mirror inside of the bottle cap. “Deschutes Brewery,” I said. “That’s where we’re from.” And on it went until she had offered us the vacant spot next to her camp host plot at Spencer Spit State Park. Five minutes in at Lopez Island and its friendly reputation was already in full color. On the ferry over, I had read an article about the island, its 15-mile by 8-mile coastline, its agrarian culture and its friendly people known to give a two- to three-fingered wave from every passing vehicle. We set up at Spencer Spit and jumped on our bikes to explore. It was a few miles through rolling farm county west on Cross Road and south on Fisherman’s Bay before we got to the town. We were in its center before it smallness registered. We continued riding south on Fisherman’s Bay Road until we came to a sign for Sunnyfield Farm and goat cheese. Down a gravel drive was a farm shop. We popped off our bikes. Inside was a freezer with goat meat for stew and kabobs and a refrigerated case with feta, yogurt and fresh goat cheese. We left $10 in the cash box for a pint of goat cheese, wrapped it in spare clothing and stuffed it in my paniers. Tonight’s meal planning had begun. On we rode south along Mackaye Harbor Road, stopping just short of Agate Bay. “The beach is up there!” a man huffed past us, pumping hard on his pedals. Agate Bay’s sky blues fused with ocean hues punctuated by dark monoliths sitting in the bay. My budding synesthesia in this setting felt comfort and relaxation—an almost drowsiness of color. On the bike back to Spencer Spit, we came across a sign declaring Horse Drawn Farm. Down its gravel road we rode. Goats bleated and greeted. We walked into the farmstand shop and found onions, garlic, tomatoes and a freezer of pork. We left money in the cash box for a pork roast and onions. That night, back in the camp host spot, we built a fire, thawed and cooked our roast and made a salad with goat cheese. We opened a 2016 cabernet franc from Brook & Bull in Walla Walla. Another great agricultural discovery.
BELOW Agate Bay, Lopez Island.
YOUR MEMORIES & ADVENTURES
ROAD RECIPE
Roasted Pork Shoulder & Goat Cheese Salad SERVES 4
FOR PORK SHOULDER 2 POUND PORK SHOULDER BUTTER SALT
LOPEZ ISLAND GOAT CHEESE SALAD MIXED GREENS (ARUGULA, FRISEE, MIZUNO) SUNNYFIELD FARM GOAT CHEESE AVOCADO OIL AND VINEGAR Heat grill for 15 minutes and partially close holes by 30 percent. Heat iron skillet until very hot. Add a teaspoon of butter and seer pork on all sided. Remove skillet and place roast in center of grill. Turn roast at five minute intervals until cooked medium rare. Salt to taste. Serve with goat cheese salad and choice of libation.
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 59
WASHINGTON
URBAN VIBES, LAKESIDE VIEWS Bellevue offers city access without sacrificing a natural backdrop BY KEVIN MAX
THE IDEA WAS TO HACK SEATTLE — TO FIND A SUITABLE SPOT FOR A 25-FOOT TRAILER AND CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE CITY THAT YOU COULD DRIVE IN, WALK OR LYFT AROUND TO PARTAKE IN URBAN DELIGHTS. AFTER A PROLONGED SEARCH, WE FOUND NO GOOD OPTIONS FOR THE AIRSTREAM. THEN WE LOOKED A LITTLE FARTHER AFIELD IN BELLEVUE.
Vasa Resort Park on Lake Sammamish is a privately owned lakeside RV park that also has a beach, swimming area, a dock and good views if you luck into the spot we did, fronting the lake. Just 12 miles east of Seattle and on the outskirts of Bellevue, Vasa made for a faux-Swedish launch pad for urban excursions. Any good urban hack should involve the icons of American culture—eating, drinking, shopping, soccer, Pike Place and Uwajimiya markets. On the first day, we sipped coffee in the Airstream and looked out over the blue morning sun on Lake Sammamish. Birds were first to recreation, preceding kids by an hour. We laced our running shoes and headed for East Lake Sammamish Trail, a mixed surface that runs parallel to the lake. A striking architectural tour of homes indeed! The ensuing theme for the day was Bellevue. We drove into the bustling center of consumer cravings in downtown Bellevue. Bellevue
60 MEMORIES 60 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES& |ADVENTURES Summer 2018 | Summer 2018
Square and The Collection in Bellevue kept my wife busy collecting “basics” by the bag and makeup in exotic shades. “Don’t worry, honey, I needed this,” she said. “These are just basics!” Even the basics seem complicated to me. A typical male, I suppose, nothing makes me hungry like sheepishly following my wife through aisles and stores. It all made me wolfish. At Pogada, a restaurant with Croatian cuisine and white tablecloths, I tried a seafood-laden cappellini dish and Croatian favorite. Sarah put in for a Greek tuna salad with lemon vinaigrette—pairs better with basics. While Sarah retrenched among the shops, I popped in to the Bellevue Arts Museum and took in the Electric Coffin’s evolving Future Machine exhibit. Right on Bellevue Way and across the street from shopping, the museum caters well to the overstimulated shopper. This unpretentious collection of art is well worth the visit and respite from retail.
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 61
ADVENTURE GUIDE EAT
+ Lowell’s, Seattle + Tavolata, Seattle + Three Sisters Bakery, Pike Place + Tavern Hall, Bellevue + Pogada, Bellevue
ABOVE Pike Place produce for your own Sammamwich. LEFT A good spot at the Vasa RV Park.
DRINK
+ Le Caviste, Seattle + Tavern Hall, Bellevue + Fremont Brewing, Seattle
PLAY
+ Seattle Sounders at CenturyLink Stadium + Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue + Pike Place Market + Seattle Art Museum + Cougar Mountain, Bellevue + Lake Sammamish, Bellevue
STAY
+ Tolt MacDonald Park & Campground + Blue Sky RV Park + Kitsap Memorial State Park
62 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
Every morning is better with French press coffee. Drip seems neither strong enough nor hot enough. Pour-overs don’t mingle water and coffee long enough, just a fleeting kiss. French press is ceremonial and full of process, ending with a plunge like a Tibetan Om. Do not jump foolishly and with haste into this day, it exhales. We drove a few miles to Cougar Mountain, a quiet reserve in the middle of a suburban network. There are 35 miles of trails on this peak. Running them is an up-and-down recreation, more challenging than the flat Lake Sammamish trail. That day’s Seattle schedule was a full one. Sounders game day is electric around CenturyLink Field. We hoped for a good match, of course, but also to see the Sounders send D.C. United back to their humid homes with another loss and a little less united in a 4-3 game. Already in South Seattle, we took a car to Uwajimaya, the iconic market for Asian goods. If you don’t know what you want, it sometimes makes sense to follow a camp counselor with a dozen kids in tow. They all clamored for and converged on one product in the snack aisle, like piranha attacking flesh. Like a vulture watching from above, I swooped in to pick the carcass clean. I had found a new favorite—cylinders of rice crackers rolled with seaweed paper. We hopped a Lyft back to Pike Place Market, where we jumped in the lunch
line at the popular Lowell’s. A classic element of the market and “Almost Classy” for the past sixty years, Lowell’s is known for its fresh seafood. Not one to defy tradition, I ordered the king salmon potato croquettes, while Sarah had the belle of the ball, a market seafood salad. Though its arteries may be clogged with traffic, Seattle is a healthy, walkable city. We wandered in and out of Capitol Hill, up to Queen Anne along the docks on the Sound and finally to the new Starbucks Reserve Roastery on Pike Street. The French press must be fed. Before heading back to Vasa, we popped into Ethan Stowell’s Tavolata on Capitol Hill for red wine and a Manhattan. The new venue from the Stowell empire is a great spot that opens to the elements, and the elements were perfect this day. We stopped at a supermarket with controversial dinner creations in mind. Back at the RV resort and in full view of the lake, I made the Lake Sammamwhich, Beecher’s cheese melted over ham with tomato, caramelized red onion, sliced fig, a spot each of mustard and mayo all served on a toasted ciabatta roll. The setting sun rolled out a golden canvas over Lake Sammamish. On our way out of town the next morning, we returned to Pike Place for to-go salmon and mussels and a bundle of flowers to cheer the ride home and offset the fishy odors.
ROAD RECIPE
YOUR MEMORIES & ADVENTURES NOTES
Lake Sammamwich SERVES 2
FOR SANDWICH TWO CIABATTA ROLLS, SLICED, BUTTERED AND GRILLED 4 SLICES GOOD HAM 4 SLICES BEECHER’S CHEESE 1 TOMATO SLICED 1 RED ONION, SLICED THINLY 4-6 FIGS, SLICED LIKE THICK HAM ARUGULA BROWN MUSTARD MAYONNAISE Prepare all veggies first by slicing and setting aside. Either grill or heat on stovetop the ciabatta rolls face-down until light brown. Remove to plates and, using the same pan, melt cheese over ham. Put ham and cheese on the grilled face of the bottom pieces of ciabatta rolls. Artfully add veggies. Combine mayonnaise and mustard, then apply to grilled side of top of ciabatta rolls. Put it all together and serve with dill chips and a green salad.
THOUGH ITS ARTERIES MAY BE CLOGGED WITH TRAFFIC, SEATTLE IS A HEALTHY, WALKABLE CITY.
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 63
CAMPSITES
WASHINGTON SEATTLE AREA
Penrose Point State Park 321 158th Avenue SW Lakebay, WA 98349 253.884.2514 82 no-hookup sites
Vasa Resort Park
3560 W Lake Samammish Pkwy SE Bellevue, WA 98008 425.746.3260 Full-hookup sites
COASTAL/ISLAND
Moran State Park
3572 Olga Road Olga, WA 98279 360.376.2326 124 no-hookup sites
Deception Pass State Park 41020 SR 20 Oak Harbor, WA 98277 360.675.3767 134 electric/water sites
Waterfront at Potlatch
21660 US-101 Skokomish, WA 98584 360.877.9422 16 full-hookup sites
Cape Disappointment State Park 244 Robert Gray Drive Ilwaco, WA 98624 360.642.3078 137 no-hookup sites, 60 full-hookup sites, 18 water/electric sites
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
Spencer Spit State Park
521 A. Bakerview Road Lopez Island, WA 98261 360.468.2251 37 no-hookup sites
Odlin County Park
148 Odlin Park Road Lopez Island, WA 360.378.8420 13 no-hookup sites (size limitations)
Kalaloch Campground Olympic National Park F Road Forks, WA 98331 360.565.3130 168 no-hookup sites
64 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
Ohanapecosh Campground Mount Rainier National Park 208 Ohanapecosh Road Packwood WA 98361 360.569.2211 x6627 188 no-hookup sites
Lake Wenatchee State Park 21588 State Route 207 Leavenworth, WA 98826 509.763.3101 155 no-hookup sites, 42 electric/water sites
Riverbend RV Park
19961 Hwy 20 Twisp, WA 98856 509.997.3500 59 full-hookup sites, 8 water/electric sites
Takhlakh Lake Gifford Pinchot National Forest Takhkakh Loop Road Randle, WA 98377 53 no-hookup sites
EASTERN WASHINGTON
Lake Chelan State Park
7544 S. Lakeshore Road Chelan, WA 98816 509.687-3710 103 no-hookup sites, 17 full-hookup sites, 18 electric/water sites
Ginkgo Petrified Forest/ Wanapum Recreation Area 4511 Huntzinger Road Vantage, WA 98950 50 full-hookup sites 509.856.2700
Fishhook Park
4562 Fishhook Park Road Prescott, WA 99348 509.547.2048 41 electric sites
Charbonneau Park and Campground
642 Campground Road Burbank, WA 99323 509.547.2048 52 electric hookup sites
PHOTO: EMILY GREEN
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 65
IDAHO
RESERVE, THEN ROAM Glamping around McCall BY KEVIN MAX
CENTRAL IDAHO IN PAYETTE NATIONAL FOREST IS SITUATED ON A PENINSULA JUTTING INTO THE SOUTHERN END OF PAYETTE LAKE. AT ITS COMMERCIAL CENTER IS MCCALL, A LAKESIDE MOUNTAIN IDYLL WITH YEAR-ROUND ALLURE. ITS DOWNTOWN HAS EVERYTHING FROM BREWERIES AND EATERIES TO SHOPPING AND SKATING ON A COMMUNITY ICE RINK AND SKIING AT NEARBY BRUNDAGE. IN ALL SEASONS, OUTDOORS IS THE MUSE.
When it comes to glamping, the best policy is reserve, then roam. That is—reserve the best spot that you can live with, then, once in the area, seek the prized spot not listed on any website. We booked a spot at Ponderosa State Park campground at the southern end of Payette Lake. The park lies at the base of a peninsula that juts well into Payette Lake. A trail outlines the peninsula and goes for almost 7 miles. It’s a good trail run or hike with varied and scenic terrain as it meanders into a deep forest and along the lake. We later drove the short 10 miles into McCall to spend the rest of the day there. At the marina, the Ski-Doos were all in action, so we rented standup paddleboards and set out across the lake. Vacation houses line the shore. Motor boats towed kids, who bumped along behind, beaming glee and tension at once. I added a wrinkle of thrill and stupidity by paddling with my phone in
66 MEMORIES & & ADVENTURES ADVENTURES | | Summer Summer2018 2018
my pocket, hoping to get one good photo. Wakes of speed boats came at me in waves of anxiety. On the shore, pickup sand volleyball was in play. Families sat in the surrounding grass and watched. Watching others in athletic pursuit has a way of making me hungry. The top deck of McCall Brewing Co. offers a tall, wide view of McCall and Payette Lake. It has a more local feel than being down in the harbor with map-in-hand tourists. We ordered up the Mackinaw Red and Hippie Hopped Pale, leaving some room for the McCall burger and Asian lettuce wraps. More options with a brewery setting are Salmon River Brewery down on the lake and Broken Horn a mile from downtown. Or hop over to the stately Rupert’s at Hotel McCall for a more cosmopolitan menu of duck confit crèpés and Basque croquetas.
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AT THE MARINA, THE SKI-DOOS WERE ALL IN ACTION, SO WE RENTED STANDUP PADDLEBOARDS AND SET OUT ACROSS THE LAKE. VACATION HOUSES LINE THE SHORE. MOTOR BOATS TOWED KIDS, WHO BUMPED ALONG BEHIND, BEAMING GLEE AND TENSION AT ONCE.
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Ponderosa State Park, Idaho.
That night we sought a more secluded camping spot and went for a walk. Farther out along Payette Lake, we found the perfect lakeside slip with spectacular views. After much practice, we are able to de-camp in fifteen minutes. Minutes later we arrived to a setting yellow sun and the white blooms of forest fire over Sawtooth Peak to the east billowing into an ocean of blue sky. In a few months, we’ll return to these peaks when they’re covered with snow. It will be time to get cozy and a little crazy. The charming Shore Lodge is the perfect retreat after skiing at Brundage Mountain. Shore Lodge along the western bank of Payette Lake has all of the trimmings of a resort but styled as a lodge. New eateries Cutwater and The Narrows Steakhouse along with Shore Lodge’s renown Cove Spa make for a romantic retreat during the winter months.
ADVENTURE GUIDE EAT
+ McCall Brewing Co. + Bistro 45 + Rupert’s at the Hotel McCall + Cutwater, Shore Lodge
DRINK
Brundage Mountain has 1,900 feet of vertical, 1920 acres of lift-served trails, 18,000 acres of backcountry and a notable story to tell. In the late 1950s, locals Warren Brown and Corey Engen, enlisted the financial support of potato mogul J.R. Simplot, who had a summer house in McCall. Engen, was a Norwegian immigrant and former captain of the U.S. Nordic Ski Team during the 1948 Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, The controversial Avery Brundage was then the International Olympic Committee chairman, though the name may be a bizarre coincidence with the naming of Brundage Mountain.
ABOVE A found camping spot near Ponderosa State Park. BELOW Paddleboarding on Payette Lake.
+ McCall Brewing Co. + Salmon River Brewery + Ruperts at the Hotel McCall + The Bar, Shore Lodge
PLAY
+ Cove Spa + Paddleboard and SkiDoo on Payette Lake + Run or hike Ponderosa State Park + Mountain bike at Jug Mountain Ranch + Ski at Brundage Mountain
STAY
+ Shore Lodge + Hotel McCall + Ponderosa State Park, camping
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ROAD RECIPE
Potato Cake SERVES 8
FOR CAKE 7 MEDIUM IDAHO POTATOES (3 1/2 POUNDS), SCRUBBED 6 OUNCES JARLSBERG CHEESE, SHREDDED 1 TEASPOON POWERED CUMIN 3 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL 1 TABLESPOON MINCED GARLIC 4.5 OUNCE CAN CHOPPED GREEN CHILIES, SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER 1/2 CUP CANNED VEGETABLE BROTH COOKING SPRAY Preheat oven to 425° F. In small mixing bowl, combine cheese and cumin; set aside. Slice 3 of the potatoes very thin (less than 1/8 inch thick), by hand or using a slicer. In a 10-inch cast iron or other oven-proof skillet, over medium heat, heat olive oil and add garlic, swirling to coat bottom and sides of pan. Keeping pan on heat, layer sliced potatoes starting in center and continuing up sides. Working quickly, season each layer with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle potato layers in pan with half the cheese and half the chilies. Quickly slice two more potatoes (keeping pan on heat), layering them in pan with salt and pepper. Top with remaining cheese and chilies. Again, quickly slice two more potatoes and layer slices on top. Pour broth over all in skillet and spray top of potatoes lightly with cooking spray. Place 9-inch cake pan on top of potatoes and fill pan with pie weights or dry beans to weight potato cake. Bake approximately 1 hour or until potatoes are tender. Run a metal spatula around edge of potatoes to loosen cake. Invert cake onto a serving platter and carefully lift off skillet. (If any pieces are stuck to skillet, loosen with spatula and replace on cake.) If desired, garnish with fresh watercress leaves or extra shredded cheese. Cut into wedges and serve.
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In 1961, Brundage Mountain was christened with Engen as its manager. The name, Brundage, reportedly comes from a shepherd who grazed his sheep in the area. No matter what time of year, Burgdorf Hot Springs proffer warmth and rusticity. In a wooded area 30 miles north of McCall a young German immigrant, Fred C. Burgdorf, made a claim to this plot in 1870 after being tipped off by a Chinese miner. In winter, visitors can rent snowmobiles from Cheap Thrills in McCall to make the trek to the natural springs soaking pools surrounded by fifteen cabins with wood stoves and little more. At the end of our McCall visit, we headed out highways 21 and 75 along a 220-mile scenic route through the Boise National Forest and eventually into the Sawtooths, toward Ketchum and Sun Valley. Along the way, we found Jug Mountain Ranch, an out-of-the-way resort that sits adjacent to a network of mountain bike trails. A hearty mile-long climb takes you from parking lot to nirvana. After the climb, we zoomed our bikes down thrilling single track. In that blur, something caught our attention—a shipping container hidden in dense trees and jutting out into Jub Creek Reservoir. We pulled hard on our brakes and investigated. Looking through the windows, we spied a renovated container with beds, a wood stove, a small kitchen and an open porch to the water. We put this on our list to come back to next time we’re escaping to McCall.
YOUR MEMORIES & ADVENTURES NOTES
TOP An isolated rental unit on Cold Creek Reservoir. ABOVE Running the shoreline of Payette Lake.
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 71
LEFT A classic site on Sun Valley Road.
IDAHO ADVENTURE GUIDE EAT
+ Town Square Tavern + Grumpy’s + Il Naso + Ketchum Grill + Pioneer Saloon
WONDERLAND Easy to find whimsy, adventure around Sun Valley in any season
DRINK
+ Beer on tap at Grumpy’s + Upchurch cabernet sauvignon
BY KEVIN MAX
PLAY
+ Visit Hemingway’s grave + Hit Goldmine second-hand shop + Zenergy + Sun Valley Ski Resort + Trail Running + Nordic skiing at Galena Lodge + Easley Hot Springs + Sun Valley Opera
STAY
+ Limelight Hotel, Sun Valley + Sun Valley Lodge + Camp in Sawtooth National Recreation Area
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THIS TRIP PUTS GLAMPING IN ITS HIGHEST FORM. SUN VALLEY SKI RESORT IS THE STUFF OF DREAMS—ITS REVERIES GO BACK TO THE ROOTS OF ALPINE SKIING IN AMERICA AND REMAINS A TOP DESTINATION. TODAY, THE RESORT IS AN ICONIC DESTINATION WITH 3,400 VERTICAL FEET, TEN LIFTS AND MORE THAN 100 TRAILS. THE SKI LODGES ARE BUILT FOR AGES PAST AND FUTURE. MASSIVE WOOD BEAMS, BRASS FIXTURES, MASSIVE CHANDELIERS, STONE FIREPLACES IN A COLLUSION BETWEEN COMFORT AND OPULENCE, LODGE AND JAZZ ERAS.
YOUR MEMORIES & ADVENTURES Up the Sawtooth Scenic Byway heading north from town, is the Nordic mecca at Galena Lodge. North Valley and Galena trails and Wood River trails, which are free and open to the public. The mountains that tilt off the highway are known as the Boulder Mountains, despite their smooth and boulder-less appearance. One runs out of names, I suppose. Try the full-moon dinners at Galena Lodge December through March. For a surprising bit of culture in this mountain town, check out the Sun Valley Opera. This is an intimate way to see top musical acts in a small setting. The opera takes place at the Community School Theatre and, now, at the new Limelight Hotel downtown. You can either boondock along Highway 75 and the Wood River and Nordic ski trails, or stay at the Limelight Hotel and use your Airstream as midday basecamp for skiing and tailgating. Down on Main Street Ketchum, there are too many places that demand the attention of a drink or two—Pioneer Saloon, Sawtooth Club, Whiskey Jacques, Despo’s for Mexican and margaritas. My favorites include the Ketchum Grill, a classic with good food and lively conversation; Il Naso for lively Italian cuisine in an intimate den; and the new-comer Town Square for upscale Middle Eastern dishes and well-traveled wines. Of course, there is the burgher of burgers, Grumpy’s just north on Warm Springs Road. Hoist a schooner of beer, then tipsy-toe over to Ketchum Cemetery to pay respects to the writer’s writer, Ernest Hemingway. Summer in Ketchum also makes for a top -notch Airstream destination. Last July, Sarah and I rolled into town over the Galena Pass and down the spine of 75, the scenic byway. Our daughters had a Nordic skiing camp there, yes, in summer, giving us time to play in Ketchum’s other season. We set up at Easley campground, 14 miles north of town. Wood River and North Fork campgrounds are also good options for camping and just down the road. From Easley, it’s also a short drive to one of the most varied and scenic trail runs in the West. Fox Creek Loop spins out over 6.8 miles through stunning vistas of the Boulder Mountains, bombasts of wild flowers, shocks of white aspen and chars of recent burns. If you’re spending any time in the area, this is one of the flagship trails for hiking or running along with Adams Gulch and Pioneer Cabin. We spent the next few nights in town, where we decamped at the new Limelight Hotel. Limelight, which opened in January 2016, is a destination luxury hotel with a modern, sustainable and clean vibe. Dogs are equally pampered guests. Limelight’s pool area is a great place to unwind with truffle fries, lamb lollipops and margaritas. Limelight is just a jog from another spectacular run. The Bald Mountain trail to the upper station of the Roundhouse Gondola gains 3,230 feet in the 5.3 mile-round trip. Run up and ride down. There’s also some amazing gravel riding in the area. Join the Queen of Pain, Rebecca Rusch, for her own private Idaho bike tours. If you want to take a different approach to recreation, Limelight Hotel is connected with Zenergy, the top fitness and spa in Ketchum, that has musical guests in the summer. The night we went, outside in the heat of summer in the courtyard, a jazz singer crooned sultry songs that healed all of my broken places.
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CAMPSITES
NORTHERN IDAHO
Priest Lake State Park
314 Indian Creek Park Road Coolin, ID 83821 208.443.2200 56 no-hookup sites, 62 water/electric sites, 11 full-hookup sites
Round Lake State Park 1880 Dufort Road Sagle, ID 83860 208.263.3489 16 full-hookup sites, 35 no-hookup sites
Farragut State Park
13550 E. Highway 54 Athol, ID 83801 208.683.2425 61 no-hookup sites, 156 full-hookup sites
Heyburn State Park
57 Chatcolet Road Plummer, ID 83851 208.686.1308 73 no-hookup sites, 56 full-hookup sites
Dworshak State Park
9934 Freeman Creek Lenore, ID 83541 208.476.5994 46 no-hookup sites, 57 full-hookup sites
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Hells Gate State Park 5100 Hells Gate Road Lewiston, ID 83501 208.799.5015 29 no-hookup sites, 51 full-hookup sites
Winchester Lake State Park 1786 Forest Road Winchester, ID 83555 208.924.7563 46 full-hookup sites, 22 no-hookup sites
Wolf Lodge Campground 12329 E. Frontage Road Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814 208.664.2812 19 water/electric sites, 27 full-hookup sites
Beaver Creek Campground NF-1341 Priest River, ID 83856 208.443.1801 41 no-hookup sites
Copper Creek Campground Copper Falls Road #2517 Bonners Ferry, ID 83805 16 no-hookup sites
Camp Coeur d’Alene 10588 East Wolf Lodge Bay Rd. Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814 208.664.4471 96 full or electric/ water hookup sites
Twin Rivers Resort 1823 Twin Rivers Rd. Moyie Springs, ID 83845 208.267.5932 26 full-hookup sites, 8 electric/water sites
Clearwater Crossing RV Park 500 Riverfront Ave Orofino, ID 83544 208.476.4800 50 full-hookup sites
Wagonhammer RV Park & Campground 1826 Hwy 93 North Fork, ID 83466 208.865.2477 52 full-hookup and electric/ water hookup sites
Arrowhead Mountain Village 955 S Highway 55 Cascade, ID 83611 208.382.4534 123 full-hookup sites
PHOTO: EMILY GREEN
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CALIFORNIA
AMONG THE GIANTS History and therapy rooted in the Redwood National Forest BY KEVIN MAX
THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS ARE TREE HISTORY WRIT LARGE. THE FIRST TIME YOU DRIVE THROUGH THE GIANT SEQUOIAS AND WALK BENEATH THEM, IT BRINGS, AT FIRST, A SILENT SHOCK THAT RECEDES TO AWE—BEING HUMBLED IN THE PRESENCE OF SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY.
The exclamation “Wow!” must have been uttered here first, summoned from pure reaction without diction. The sheer size of a redwood— wow! The 16-foot trunk is wider than my car. This one is twice the width of my car. Getting out of the car, the next dimension unfolds—wow! This tree is 300 hundred feet tall and as thick at the top as at the bottom. The California Redwoods are 206 square miles of massive stakes driven into the forest floor as a history marker of America. The first growth rings of the Redwoods, were there 700 years ago, when Karuk, Yurok, Hupa and Tolowa tribesmen wove through the trunks in pursuit of the night’s meal. They stood, as the civilization in their shadows culled by 90 percent with the arrival of the spaniards. They were there at the arrival of people with paler faces after the Mexican-American War and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, then the passage of horses and carts carrying gold-miner pans and broken dreams on the unwitting march to manifest destiny. Trees
store sugar, cellulose and carbon, even environmental data. Imagine if they could play back memories. Then there’s me, standing in awe of it all. Just be in the Redwoods, I tell myself, and you, too, will be part of the historic memory, another atom cast in carbon and stacking up through the canopy like a natural Tower of Babel. Last night, as we drove south from Oregon, we stopped on a whim in Cave Junction. Good things happen here.. Cave Junction is home to Taylor’s Sausage, a fifth-generation craft salumi. The deli’s walls are made of carnivore dreams— refrigeration cases filled with packages of beer sausage, bockwurst and boudin blanc. We grabbed a pack of jalepeño sausages and Taylor’s version of English bangers, hoping to impress a British friend at dinner in a couple of nights. Across the deli and on a stage surrounded by dining tables was a two-person music act. They crooned “Sweet Melissa” to a hopping scene on a Thursday night.
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ADVENTURE GUIDE EAT
+ Hiouchi Cafe, Crescent City + North Coast Grill, Crescent City + Taylor’s Sausage, Cave Junction
DRINK
+ Worthy Strata IPA + Corison cabernet sauvignon + Sea Quake Brewing, Crescent City
PLAY
+ Run/hike to the largest trees in the Redwoods. Repeat. + Nature walks through Forest Service. + Dip your toes into Smith River. + Guided kayak tours on the Smith River.
STAY
+ Jedediah Smith State Park + Redwoods RV Resort
A covered bridge over Smith River in the Redwoods.
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park was full, so I reserved a spot at Redwoods RV Resort, a surprisingly quiet camp outside Crescent City and along the Redwood Highway, a scenic byway. We honored our Taylor sausage with one of the best comfort camp meals—Pigs in Space, grilled sausage cut to bite size then folded into mac n cheese. We drank Worthy’s new Strata IPA that brought tropical flavor to the cool Northern California night. After the dimensional daze of the size, scale and age of the Redwoods wanes, we woke up and put on our trail running shoes for forest therapy, a psychological designation just now gaining foothold. Hiouchi Trail wound softly underfoot, with glimpses of the Smith River. This out-and-back with an additional leg on Howland Hill Road accounted for more than 6 miles and an hour of mind-clearing therapy. Part of our Redwoods weekend retreat involved a breakfast stop at the Hiouchi Cafe just a couple of miles back up the Redwoods Highway, in a little red wood building. Serving Crescent city locals since 1931, the town’s history was plated along with pancakes and bacon.
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YOUR MEMORIES & ADVENTURES NOTES
AFTER THE DIMENSIONAL DAZE OF THE SIZE, SCALE AND AGE OF THE REDWOODS WANES, WE WOKE UP AND PUT ON OUR TRAIL RUNNING SHOES FOR FOREST THERAPY, A PSYCHOLOGICAL DESIGNATION JUST NOW GAINING FOOTHOLD. Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 79
CAMPSITES
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
PHOTO: MICAH WHALEY
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park 1561 U.S. 199 Crescent City, CA 95531 707.465.7335 86 no-hookup sites
Ancient Redwoods RV Park 28101 Avenue of the Giants Redcrest, CA 95569 707.722.4396 49 full-hookup sites
McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park State Highway 89 Scenic Burney, CA 96013 530.335.2777 104 no-hookup sites
Sonoma Coast State Park Wright’s Beach Campground 7095 California 1 Bodega Bay, CA 94923 707.875.3483 27 no-hookup sites
Lava Beds National Monument Lava Beds Campground Rd. Tulelake, CA 96134 530.667.8113 43 no-hookup sites
Yosemite National Park Upper Pines Campground 9024 Southside Drive Yosemite National Park, CA 95389 209.372.0200 238 no-hookup sites
Lassen Volcanic National Park Manzanita Lake Campground Mineral, CA 96063 530.595.6121 179 no-hookup sites
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Castle Crags State Park 20022 Castle Creek Rd. Castella, CA 96017 530.235.2684 76 no-hookup sites
Samuel Taylor State Park Golden Gate National Recreation Area Taylor Park Rd. Lagunitas, CA 94938 415.488.9897 59 no-hookup sites
Westport Beach RV Park & Campground 37700 North Highway 1 Westport, CA 95488 707.964.2964 88 full-hookup sites, 11 no-hookup sites
Olema Campground
10155 Highway 1 Olema, CA 94950 415.663.8106 26 full-hookup sites, 54 water/electric sites
Mt. Lassen-Shingletown KOA 7749 KOA Road Shingletown, CA 96088 530.474.3133 21 full-hookup sites, 12 water/electric sites
Woodson Bridge State Recreation Area 25140 Kopta Road Corning, CA 96021 530.839.2112 37 no-hookup sites
Lime-Saddle Campground Oroville State Recreation Area 3428 Pentz Rd. Paradise, CA 95969 530.876.8516 44 full and no-hookup sites
KOA Trinity Campground
60260 State Highway 3 Trinity Center, CA 96091 530.266.3337 208 full and no-hookup sites
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memories inspired by
AIRSTREAM
EMILY GREEN
MICAH WHALEY
EMILY GREEN
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MICAH WHALEY
STACIE STRUBLE AND CORINNE KUPISH
STACIE STRUBLE AND CORINNE KUPISH
TY ADAMS
STACIE STRUBLE AND CORINE KUPISH
EMILY GREEN
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 83
STACIE STRUBLE AND CORINNE KUPISH
GRANT ELLMAN
GUS MENENDEZ
MICAH WHALEY
84 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
GRANT ELLMAN
STACIE STRUBLE AND CORINNE KUPISH
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 85
GUS MENENDEZ
MICAH WHALEY
STACIE STRUBLE AND CORRINE KUPISH
86 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
EMILY GREEN
EMILY GREEN
STACIE STRUBLE AND CORINNE KUPISH
EMILY GREEN
STACIE STRUBLE AND CORINNE KUPISH
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PHOTOS: STACIE STRUBLE AND CORINNE KUPISH
88 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018
Summer 2018 | MEMORIES & ADVENTURES 89
90 MEMORIES & ADVENTURES | Summer 2018