September 26-28

We continued east a quick ten miles on Interstate 84 to the Bonneville Dam and Cascade Locks complex, a site I’ve visited before and look forward to each time.  At the time of its construction in the 1930s it was the largest water impoundment project of its type in the nation, able to withstand flooding on an unprecedented scale.  It is named for Army Capt. Benjamin Bonneville, an early explorer credited with charting much of the Oregon Trail and its Historic District was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1987.

In 1896, prior to this damming of the river, the Cascade Locks and Canal were constructed, allowing ships to pass the Cascades Rapids, located several miles upstream of Bonneville.  With funding from the Public Works Administration in 1934, two large projects were started, the Grand Coulee Dam and the Bonneville Dam.  Working in non-stop eight-hour shifts, 3,000 laborers from the relief or welfare rolls were paid 50 cents an hour for the work on the dam and raising local roads for the reservoir. 

The Bonneville Dam blocked the migration of white sturgeon to their upstream spawning areas.  To cope with these problems, the dam features fish ladders to help native salmon and steelhead get past the dam on their journey upstream to spawn.  California sea lions are also attracted to the large number of fish and are often seen around the base of the dam during the spawning season.  As of late their impact on the salmon has become worrisome, but historically, pinnipeds such as sea lions and seals have hunted salmon in the Columbia River as far as The Dalles and Celilo Falls as remarked upon by people such as George Simpson in 1841. 

We spent time in the lower level of the dam complex watching the salmon work their way up the ladder, and then took an elevator to the top to catch a view of the river, the dam, the locks, and the other structures surrounding it.  When finished, we hopped back in the van, the afternoon beginning to wane, and made our way back to the house to put a dent in our beer inventory. 

Soon it was time for dinner and our destination was the Radio Room, a cool Art Deco style former service station, built in 1949 and restored, along with its sister bar, the Keys Lounge.  Seated I ordered a Rosebird, a signature cocktail (Apple-Spiced Bourbon, Lemon, Grenadine and a Cherry) at the Happy Hour wallet friendly pricing of $9 along with a Ham and Gruyere Sandwich (Cherry Bourbon Glazed Ham, Gruyere, Stone Ground Dijon, Arugula, Caramelized Onions on Sourdough) with Fries.  The drink was unique and refreshing but the sandwich left something to be desired, too much mayo and way too much arugula. 

The next day we drove out to the coast so that we could visit the Tillamook Creamery that Joanna and I stopped at during our 2021 road trip that would take us to Idaho for the Adventure Cycling Idaho Trails Relaxed bike tour (https://3jmann.com/2021/09/22/aca-idaho-trails-relaxed-part-six/).  I figured it would be good way to kill most of a day in a comfortable fashion and allow the guys to see some pretty countryside. 

And that turned out to be the case, to be inside a moving vehicle as it rained off and on while we watched the scenery roll by through wipers moving back and forth on the windshield.  We arrived to a much less chaotic situation than the last time in 2021, that one just after Covid travel restrictions had relaxed so the crowds were huge and the venue critically understaffed. 

We entered the complex and immediately went up to the second level to do the self-guided walking tour, where one walks down one side of the aisle viewing one half of the cheesemaking process, then makes a U-Turn and walks back to view the second half, mostly the logistics of portion control and packaging. 

We finished our tour upstairs and hungry, we returned to the first floor with two food options; the first to get real food from that side of the food court (Cheese Curds, Mac and Cheese, Grilled Cheese, Cheeseburger, Pizza, Soup and Salads) or the dessert side (Ice Cream and even more Ice Cream). 

As I had to go to the restroom, the choice was made for me when I returned and saw the guys in the Ice Cream Line.  When it was my turn I ordered a three scoop serving and honestly can’t recall eating that much ice cream since the days of Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour and their infamous trough (a double banana split with six scoops of ice cream and toppings.  It was served in a one-of-a-kind Farrell’s pig trough). 

I’m have to admit that I made my way through it all, and believe me, it was a big load of dairy.  We finished up after I bought a t-shirt for Gemma in the gift shop and headed west for twenty minutes to cover the eleven miles to the Cape Meares Lighthouse.  Built in 1890 it served as the light station for Tillamook Bay.  The light itself was iron-plated, and due to its exposure to the elements, it required frequent repainting over the years.  The Fresnel lens produced light visible for 21 miles and four sides of its 8-sided lens were covered with red glass, which produced an alternating red and white beam as the light turned. 

In 1963, the lighthouse was deactivated and replaced by a newer tower and the following year, the Coast Guard made plans to demolish it.  However, due to public outcry, the plans fell through, and the Coast Guard turned the station over to Tillamook County.  For many years the site was plagued by vandalism, which has since abated.  The U.S. Coast Guard permanently switched off the Cape Meares Light in June of 2014, as it was no longer considered necessary for safe navigation of the seacoast.  The structure was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.

We didn’t spend much time here as the guys aren’t into lighthouses as much as Joanna and I are, but then again there wasn’t a lot to do there, so we climbed back in the van and made our way back to Portland for a few beers and then on to dinner at one last McMenamin’s property, the Chapel Pub.  Built in 1932 to house the Wilson-Chambers Mortuary, in the late ‘30s, new proprietors added a set of chimes to the building’s many features.  The addition prompted a change in business name to the Little Chapel of the Chimes and the introduction of organ and chimes concerts and wedding ceremonies.  It also ontinued as one of the city’s finest funeral homes until late in 2005, when its corporate owners decided to consolidate operations and close this venerable property whereupon the McMenamin’s purchased it and turned it into the venue we enjoy today. 

Another stunning property indeed, we were seated, and I ordered what would be an unusual Old Fashioned, fish tacos, and a Caesar side salad.  The drink was tasty and the food as good as it gets, just the right combination and amount of food to offset the dairy bomb I’d consumed earlier in the day.  We settled up and returned to the house for one last night of friendly conversation, sending Doug and JB off to the airport early the next morning for their respective flights home (Doug would have a long day with three legs, eventually landing in Los Angeles later that night to spend a few days with Joanna and I there). 

Before returning the car and taking our own flights, Evan and I hit the Nighthawk Café and Lounge, which began offering oil changes and diner food in 1931, and has operated as a proper diner restaurant since 1980.  Reviewers have cited it as offering iconic greasy spoon breakfasts, or one of the city’s 10 best scumbag breakfasts or In 2020, Taylor Rock and Dan Myers included it in The Daily Meal’s list of “America’s Greatest Old-School Restaurants”.

It certainly had that vibe as were seated in a sizable dining area adjacent to the bar.  I ordered a coffee and their Veggie Omelet (cheddar, bell peppers, onions, spinach, tomato, and mushrooms) with cubed fried potatoes, it was not the best one I’ve ever had, but certainly good enough and very filling, more than adequate to see me to my flight and on to home.  Another good Cisco Fest ended, enjoyed by one and all with plans already in place for the next year.  Perhaps it will be the Black Hills and the Badlands of the Dakotas.  We’ll keep you posted. 

Links

Bonneville Dam: https://www.travelportland.com/region/bonneville-dam/

Radio Room: https://www.radioroompdx.com/

Tillamook Creamery: https://www.tillamook.com/visit-us/creamery

Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farrell%27s_Ice_Cream_Parlour

Cape Meares Lighthouse: https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=131

Chapel Pub: https://www.mcmenamins.com/chapel-pub

Nighthawk Café and Lounge: https://thenitehawk.net/