Good Friends
Last weekend Ann and I played tour guide for my buddy John and his wonderful wife Judy.
About a month ago John and I were chatting and he said they were making plans on where to go for vacation. I asked him his options and they included Costa Rica, their favorite place in Mexico, or somewhere in the states they haven’t been before. I said, “Why not come to Oregon? It’s a beautiful place!”
Well, that’s what they decided to do. Judy had always wanted to see the Redwoods and after I assured them that the drive down the Oregon Coast was stunning and, of course, they had a place to stay if they drove past Springfield, Oregon won out over Costa Rica! (I’m sure the decision had nothing to do with the fact that I assured John that the beer here is a hell of a lot better than in Costa Rica.) Not only did they get the coast and the Redwoods, they squeezed in a white water rafting trip down the Rogue River!
So what did we do when they came here?
Unfortunately, we only had a little more than 24 hours to show them life in the Northwest (John thought they were going back on Sunday so we lost a day there, then just before they left they found out that John’s classes had been pushed back a couple of weeks, so they could have stayed longer . . . damn!).
They arrived around lunch time, so while Ann was working we went to Steelhead Brew Pub (Now McKenzie Brewing) to have a schooner of the Bombay Bomber, an English-style IPA and what passed for lunch. Then, since a friend of his from Texas said he should try the Ninkasi when he’s out here, we went to the Ninkasi Brewery. I had a pint of the red and they shared a sampler. By that point Judy and John agreed with me that the beer here is better than in Costa Rica - by far.
We picked up Ann for dinner at La Pearle, and then settled in back home for an evening of catching up through the telling of countless stories. (It is from John that I learned that life is just a series of stories.)
The next morning, after one of Ann’s awesome breakfasts, we decided to show them a bit of the other reason why we live in Oregon. Off to Brice Creek! After a couple of stops there, they were game for a relatively short hike so we went to Pinard Falls, using logging roads as a short cut.
What can you say? They loved it! Judy just couldn’t believe all the greens and the huge trees, which must have been particularly striking given the dry scrubby part of Texas they live in.
Alas, time is fleeting. We returned home via Pegasus Pizza and a Pelican Dark Ale and John and Judy took off for Portland with Ann’s recommendation to have breakfast at Mother’s. They texted us from Portland the next day to thank Ann for the recommendation (and to find out what ale we had at Pegasus, they were at a brewpub and wanted it again!).
All in all, it was great seeing John and meeting Judy. It had been 16 and 1/2 years (New Year’s day 1998) since I’d last seen John. And we immediately started talking like it had only been a week. Like I said, good friends.
Talking about vacations. Ann’s work gave her a bonus - an extra week’s vacation. We’ve decided to take a marathon vacation and this Saturday we’re heading to Yellowstone and the Grant Tetons for the better part of 3 weeks of camping, hiking and photographing.
Since we’re camping, I’m not likely to blog, but I hear there is cell coverage a lot of places so I will probably be posting iPhone shots on Facebook and Instagram as will Ann. It should be beautiful! And yes, we’ve already purchased our bear spray!
We’re hoping it doesn’t turn into a “Road Trip” type vacation. (See two blog posts ago!)