Posted on

Oregon: Land of Fossil Beds, Wineries and Flowers

Scroll down to see more content

I’ve never thought a lot about Oregon. I assumed it was a lot like Washington, not that I had much of an idea of that state either. All I knew was that I wanted to visit a Texas friend who had moved to Washougal, Washington (just across the Oregon border and near Portland). So, in August of 2022, after dropping the husband at the Boise airport for his weeklong trip to NYC, I decided to head west and take in the Oregon sights.

And so, with a blank slate, I set off to explore the state.

Heading west in Oregon.

But wait. I had been to there before – way back in the day, as they say. It was for work. I can’t remember the details of the assignment only that it was to Beaverton, Oregon. My husband remembered it was for a software training class for a company I worked for in Chicago. I vaguely recall going to the first Nike store, but that’s all the memory I have of that trip.

Anyhoo, back to exploring this new(ish) state with a blank(ish) slate… I was traveling alone which meant I could take my time and stop whenever and wherever I wanted. The first day or two was slow. There was so much to see, much more than I expected: adorable little towns, gorgeous farmland, national monuments and learning about fossil beds.

The John Day fossil beds that cover 1/5th of Oregon were discovered in 1864 by a missionary and amateur geologist. He recognized the importance of the fossil beds and made them known – as any good missionary/message deliverer would. Since then, over 45,000 fossils dating back as far as 45 million years ago, representing over 2,000 plant and animal species have been documented.
Much different than the near-desert landscape you see today (above), a hardwood forest dominated the scene here about 33 million years ago and 45 million years ago it was a rainy, hot, jungle-like environment evidenced by layers upon layers of fossils.
About 33 million years ago, iron rich volcanic ash fell on this landscape and over time, the iron oxidized and stained the clay soils, forming the rusting red hills you see today.
The arid, desert like environment of central Oregon doesn’t mean lack of beauty.
Small towns are sparse, but meticulously maintained and/or restored.
One of the Three Sisters mountains not far from Bend, Oregon.
I made it to Washougal, Washington to see my friend and her pup!
And then we explored Portland!

I had a wonderful week in Oregon/Washougal, Washington. But it was time to met the hubby back at the Boise airport, so I scurried back to Boise. Picked him up. Drove home. Spend the night. Stared at each other. Twiddled our thumbs. I then suggested that we go explore more of Oregon together before attending a wedding in/near Portland the following weekend. And we were off!

We took a more direct route to the Oregon coast – didn’t stop and see fossil beds and such. One night on the road and then we were in Newport, Oregon, a working, yet picturesque, waterfront.

Newport, OR

From the Oregon coast, we went inland a bit to McMinnville to explore and then to Newberg for wine tasting.

In McMinnville, OR we found the farmers market and picked up a bouquet of flowers. I also found a hotel for a future visit. I didn’t know it then, but it’s part of the McMenamins’ properties. More on that later…
We visited Beaux Freres winery in the Willamette Valley (Willamette rhymes with dammit), one of 700 wineries across the valley. The region, known for their Pinot Noirs, has two-thirds of the state’s wineries.
Remember to look around. You never know when there might be a gorgeous vista; it might even be above you!
Outside of Camas, OR we happened upon the Swans Island Dahalia Farm. We picked up a bouquet of flowers there, too.
Glimpses of the wedding weekend: Multnomah Falls and a vineyard along the route to the venue, one of the pear trees and the view of Mt. Hood from the ceremony/reception site.
Photos from our trip through more small towns on our way back to Idaho.
Edgefield Hotel, a McMenamins property in Troutdale, OR.

And last, but certainly not least, are the McMenamins properties which include restaurants, pubs, and hotels. I happened upon my first McMenamins property when my Texas/Washougal friend, my Texas/Chicago friend, and I met up in the Portland area for a long weekend. The local friend heard about Edgefield, suggested we go, and off we went! Its uniqueness is apparent immediately. The whimsical decor, historic structure, and reception area all tell the tale of a very special place.

I couldn’t figure out the best words to describe the McMenamins vibe so I copied this from their website, “McMenamins is a family-owned company in the Pacific Northwest serving our own handcrafted beer, wine, cider, spirits and coffee alongside good, honest pub fare since 1983. Steeped in art, history and a sense of place, locations range from neighborhood pubs to historic hotels where live music and history talks are the norm, and soaking pools, movie theaters and other fun prevail.” 

Mike and Brian McMenamin opened their first pub in Portland 40+ years ago. In that time their portfolio has grown to 65 locations across Oregon and Washington. This is not a chain. I repeat, this is not a chain – – each property is unique. If you’re in the Pacific Northwest, you might check out a McMenamins pub or stay in one of their hotels. For a complete list of their properties check out their website: https://www.mcmenamins.com/

Another McMenamins tidbit. Customers purchase “passports” so they can track the venues they’ve visited. Once they’ve completed all the stamps they become known as a Cosmic Tripster. Among other perks, you get to attend the annual Cosmic Tripster Party. Do I have a passport you ask? Why, yes – yes I do. The time I’ve spent in Oregon and Washington has me longing to return. When and how often? I don’t know, but the passports don’t have a “use by” or an expiration date. 

Until we meet again Oregon and Washington!

2 thoughts on “Oregon: Land of Fossil Beds, Wineries and Flowers”

Leave a comment