Astoria 31 May 2024

I happened to be up briefly just at sunrise, and was rewarded by the buttery glow emanating from the eastern horizon. And back to bed and the best sleep of the trip so far. Partly the bed, partly the place, and partly having been on the road long enough for the old traveler habits to kick in.

After three travel days, a day of calmness, and enjoying the amenities of this place.

Breakfast at Blue Scorcher Bakery and Cafe. As too often happens, I got a picture of the drinks

But we were too hungry for me to take a picture until we were already well into the scramble . . .

a thought about EV readiness

We aren't.

Across the street from this profoundly egalitarian bakery coöp, where one would reasonably expect many of the customers would be driving EVs, there is a 4-port charging station (hurray!) except it belongs to the Blink Network, that won't recognize my ChargePoint membership. (Boo!) Now if the banks can figure out how to do money cooperatively, how is it that the various EV charging profiteers are too busy tire pissing to work out a cooperative arrangement and make it easier for EV owners to interoperate? Why do we have Tesla (with its proprietary plug) and ChargePoint, and Blink, and who knows how many other territorialists inconveniencing the greater good?

Because we're stupid?

So we drive east to the Astoria Coop where one might similarly expect a good proportion of ecologically aware drivers to arrive in EVs, and what do we find? A free plug in for two cars. (Yeah!) As I back in to accommodate the charging cable, another driver glides in and when we finish connecting, he looks me in the eye and offers a cordial “Good morning!”

Let it also be noted that when I asked our AirBnB host if he could arrange a plugin for me, he promptly did so.

Back in our aerie, well fed and with food for several of the meals at home during our stay – GREAT kitchen with amenities – I look out east, and realize I would never tire of this view.

One of the delights of this view: the Marine Traffic Map online lets us know who's who passing and at anchor. More on that tomorrow, a designated 'at home' day.

Early afternoon, we set out across the 4.1 mile long Astoria-Megler Bridge, highway 101's crossing of the Columbia. Fun fact: its main span, over the ship channel, is 1,232 feet in length, the longest “continuous truss” in the nation.

On the Washington side, the highway winds along the shore, a basalt outcrop from the nearby volcanism, and here tucks into a tunnel.

Gorgeously lush northwestern foliage, insanely green. Above, Beard's Hollow has been a destination for centuries or maybe millennia: a rich resource for the First Nations people who lived on this (relatively) clement bit of Washington. With the installation of the jetty system installed by the Corps of Engineers to create the Columbia Marine Highway, the circulation around the river's mouth changed, and what was a lagoon and sand bar filled in. It's still a great view.

On the trail up to the Cape Disappointment viewpoint (plus visitor center and, at no extra charge! gift shop) it was plain to see that the northern temperate rain forest foliage is having a great year, especially the Sitka Spruce and Angelica.

Talk about great years! I was of the opinion that our Caspar grasses are having a champion year, but these grasses are four feet high.

Steep trails and an insulting amount of money asked for moved us along from Cape Disappointment State Park and the visitor center (for a fee). A gentleman sitting soaking up the view said, “not much except Louis and Clark stuff. The Maritime Museum in Astoria is much better.” Having already been, we agreed and headed out.

My recollection of Long Beach was beautiful long white sand beaches lightly interspersed with the usual beachside touron dreck. The situation has reversed – we drove five miles up the peninsula and didn't see a single bit of beach.

On the eastside road, lots of cranberries though, bright red in preparation for Thanksgiving. 

Memories of World War II just below the visitor center: a gun emplacement to protect the Columbia from the Japs and Germs.

Lunch at Salt Pub in Ilwaco. Amazing Red Pepper soup, steamers and smoked wild salmon spread with a tasty dry raspberry and apple cider. With a sprightly personable server and an okay view: