You may have seen pictures. You may have heard stories. You may have imagined it. No matter what, though, nothing can prepare you for the breathtaking scenery of Oregon. It’s like Norman Rockwell took a bunch of meth and drew the most picturesque outdoor landscape he could possibly imagine. I landed at PDX yesterday and for pretty much the entire drive out to Clackamas County, my jaw was hitting the steering wheel. The trees, the mountains, everything… it’s just awesome (literally — lots of awe during the drive).
First thing’s first: this is what Alaska is giving out on their flights. I haven’t flown on Alaska for years, but it’s nice to know that somebody somewhere said “Enough is enough with these plain pretzels! We’re putting artificial flavoring on them from now on!” Honey mustard pretzels, y’all. The future is now.
Our first stop was Bunsenbrewer, a science-themed brewery with a huge selection of beers both brewed on-site and from other local Oregon breweries. The inside was super cool: lab tables everywhere and the beers are served in beakers. I felt like I was back in high school chemistry class, but with beer!
Next up was a trip to the Timberline Lodge and the Cascade Dining Room. The lodge itself is a gorgeous old building sitting on top of Mt. Hood. During the winter, you can ski ’til you’re blue in the face (and fingers and toes). In the Fall, though, it’s all about the view. Just look at that treeline:
Inside the lodge, you’ll find the Cascade Dining Room, one of the nicest restaurants in the entire Mt. Hood region. It’s got an old-timey lodge feel with wood everywhere and the menu is pure Oregon. They have an in-house butchery program, so I went with the pork chop. While I appreciated the ambition, I wouldn’t necessarily say that the prices ($25-$50 for entrees) justify what winds up on the plate. That said, I enjoyed the pork chop itself, especially the bacon that came wrapped around it like a belt.
On the way down to our accommodations at The Resort on the Mountain, we passed a doughnut shop in Sandy and Lady Fly&Dine can’t miss a chance to enjoy some doughnuts so we high-tailed it back to Joe’s Donut Shop in the morning. Boy am I glad we did. It was superb. We had a blueberry fritter, pumpkin rum, devil’s food, applesauce, and a maple bar. All delicious. Feast with your eyes!
Looking forward to another full day of #OMHT fun today! I’ll report back tomorrow morning.
Your enthusiasm and post suggests this is your first time here, and we are a very friendly people! Welcome.
If you have a car and time, drive to Hood River and through the Gorge. Stop at the Bonneville Dam and see where salmon are counted to determine the health of the species-as they go back upriver to spawn. Visit Portland….it’s fabulous. And then head west until you hook up w/the ocean. The shortage route is via Highway 26 and when you get there in about 75 minutes, head towards Cannon Beach and either stop there or go another 12-15 miles to Manzanita. Oregon is beautiful. I hope you have a great visit…
Thanks!