Day 7 - Florence, Oregon to Lake Oswego, Oregon

Up and on the road at XXX. Our plan was to have breakfast at the Old World Gingerbread Village in Mapleton, Oregon. Been there serveral times and good food. Barb checked their webpage and they would open at 7:00. Perfect. Made the 35 minute drive up the Siuslaw River to find "Closed" and "For Sale" signs. So we made the one hour plus drive through the small towns, and I do mean small, of Rainrock, Deadwood and Low Pass to Ron's in Junctiom City, Oregon. And to make matter worse, no Starbucks for nearly two hours.

Today must be plowing day in the Willamette Valley. Everywhere dust billowing high into the air as farmers prepared the land for the next crop. We did see quite a bit of corn growing and other green stuff we couldn't identify.

Once on Interstate 5 North, we found traffic has increased considerably since we left the West side of the mountains thirty years ago. We were too early to check in, so headed to Washington Square for a little window shopping and scored a box of peanut brittle from See's Candy for the drive home from Redmond.

Did manage to check in early. On the sixth floor of the Hilton Garden Inn and the view is nothing but green trees. Light green, dark green, pine trees, maple trees and no cactus. If it wasn't for the taxes, crime, politics and rain we could live here.

Click to enlarge

I want to mention something a litle strange that happened a couple of days ago. I'm stopped looking at the giant Paul Bunyon when a guy pulls up beside where I'm parked. We staart talking and when he says he is traveling I asked from where. He says Arizona. I say that's where I live. He says Buckeye. I say me too and in Sun City Festival. He says me too. Turns out we live a couple of blocks apart. That in the middle of nowhere California.

Dinner was at John Barleycorns pub, which is one of many McMenamins pubs in Oregon and Washington. We had a great visit With our son Jeff and daughter-in-law Anita and finally had a no seafood meal.

Tomorrow we are off to Sandy, Oregon, for Barb's 60th high school reunion.