A Trip to Astoria

[Wyody]

Finally made the trip from Lincoln City to Astoria. Glad we did.
Best thing #1 - Greek Food!! Been waiting since we got in the state nearly a year ago to find some Greek food. Found it.
6th St. at the River-View area. Little place tucked into a business complex. Gyros (yeerows), Souvlaki, Dolmades, Baklava, and for the Vegan, Lemon-Rice soup and a great salad!
Best thing #2 - There's a hill. 600 feet high. On top is a tower - 125 ft high. A Lewis & Clark memorial. 162 spiralling steps to the top. For 75 cents you can buy a little balsa-wood glider like grampa had and sling it from the top. Be sure to slant the wing a bit - long, long flight down.
What a view!! Coming from the Rocky Mountains, we tend to miss them a bit - but the east view answers the call! Nearly breathtaking - then, turn around to the west and there's this eternity-long bridge crossing the Columbia to Washington - reminding me for all the world of driving down the Keys in Florida then, turn to the SW to see the south bridge across Johnson Bay while looking over into Warrenton. You can see the Ocean - but all the while you wonder if you're only imagining it.
It's an old town - historic - but is the second town I've seen that seems to have a little something going for it as far as work and live-ability (the other being Florence) along the coast. If you don't have to work, I'd think Yachats would be a possibility too.
Astoria is a basic 100 miles from Portland and I'd guess a basic 120 miles from Lincoln City.
I don't know much about the town yet - but the trip was well worth it ... if for nothing else, I got to fling an airplane off the top of that tower!! WooHoo!

[PDXnative]

Ahhh, you finally found Astoria and went to the Astoria Column. Cool town!! Those gliders sure are fun. We were there in September. You MUST go to the Columbia River Maritime Museum (big buildign on the waterfront with a the boat). One of the best museums I have ever been to. Very interesting!!

If you can find Lebonese food, much better than Greek, yet similar!!!!

[Wyody]

Passed up the Maritime Museum for this trip. Maybe next year - or maybe we'll move up there.
My brother knows the area pretty well. Grew up going there and Seaside and Cannon Beach. This was my first trip past Tillamook.
We now have two trips to take - but not sure when. One is up to the Islands across from Seattle where I have relatives and have had numerous job-offers. The other is to take the Mrs. down past Coos Bay and into Northern California a day. Although she lived in the L.A. "area" (Canyonland), she's never been north past Santa Barbara - so, must educate, at least, to some extent. Then, maybe back to Astoria. River sure is wide there - even dwarfs the Mississippi!
I remember Lebanese coffee. Do you suppose they lace their food with a mountain of hash-hish too??
I'm game! Whoops, never say that during hunting season. I'm in!

[Panterro]

Ahh yes.. been there, drove down that way from Seattle once. Took the scenic route. There is a nice park on the Washington side of that bridge. The beach in Seaside a little ways down from Astoria is where I stuck my feat in the Ocean for the first time. It was a spiritual experience for me.

Glad you made it there Wyody. Its an awesome place.. I hear it has grown some since the mid 90's when I was there.

[Wyody]

Almost funny. I was thinking, while we were there that, "Pan might enjoy this town". Not sure why. I think because it has that "old eastern" feel to it - which is how I remember the Gulf coast and the Atlantic coast. Except for the more powerful Ocean, it reminded me of a few North Carolina towns on the Atlantic shore.

I thought about crossing the bridge - but we'd had a full day - about a 3 hour drive in Saturday 101 traffic. Also, I didn't know what awaited on the other side - could only see "mountains". That's still another weird thing about being here, i.e, coming from 7000ft and 13000+ft mountains to summits that say "250 feet above sea-level". Didn't stop in Seaside or Cannon except at a couple of yard-sales ... but that whole section of coast has the best overall views I've seen in Oregon so far. I doubt that I would want to live in those beach-towns - too touristy. But Astoria could be a different story.

[Panterro]

You would be right.. its one place I am thinking of moving too. Just because of the awesome views and feel to it all. I loved it.. if you ever get back.. there are some beaches there that will rock your world. If you ever get out that way again...

The 101 is an awesome drive, a tad scary at night if your not used to all the trees. Next time cross that bridge and go up and see some of them Washington beaches. Like Long beach, And then take a look at Aberdeen. Then keep going and check out Forks and then another city I love Port Angeles. You'll get a chance to see the rain forest out there on the way. Like I said its a spiritual experience.

Yeah you know me pretty well.. Love that old world style and charm.. something about it always makes you feel welcomed and at home.

[Wyody]

Pan, I have been on the beach in Washington. The only name I recall is Copalis Beach. I'd been working the hills/mountains north of Centralia. I found the inland a bit too swampy and foggy and the beaches too gray - but both times I was there, I believe it was January. Saw a whole mess of gray-whales playing not far off shore.
I do need to get up that way - meant to do it this year - now, it'll probably be the same time of year as before so, may not see anything different. It was also about 1985 or so - imagine some has changed.
I've stopped investigating Washington since we moved to Oregon - but should get back into it. I'm just kind of waiting to see if we will stay in Eden or hoof it back to the Ohio area ... I find that a grandchild is one super-magnetic pull!! Only problem I really ever had with Ohio was ... Ohioans!!

[Panterro]

You know thats one place I have never been.. OHIO, if I have I don't recall. I know a few people in OHIO, Akron. Never been there though.. they say they get plenty of snow, and its not uncommon to have to dig yourself outta your house in the winter months.

What can you tell me of the area?

[Wyody]

Ohio gets it's fair share of snow. And ice.
The eastern side - which includes Akron - gets a good amount of snow some years - blowing and drifting to good depth. It's like that clear into Pennsylvania quite a ways.
The southern part gets hit - but it usually melts within a few days. Slows things down with the ice.
All the area around Lake Erie gets lake-effect snow with some degree of permanence.
Ohio is another one of those states where you wear short-sleeves under your snowcoat 'cause you just never know ...
I don't want to be a naysayer, really - but if you're not from there, I wouldn't advocate moving there. It seems to have it's own "personality" ... or, lack of it.
Go Bucks!!