Oregon!

After attending the two RUSH concerts, we've spent a fair number of days with our good friends who live in Lake Oswego, OR. We've known these friends since forever. While reminiscing, we determined we've known each other for 15 years. We played on the same co-ed soccer team when we had both moved to Anchorage. Ross was the best man at our wedding. Great friends who've been too kind & let us mooch, stay with them.

Yesterday, we drove about 1.5 hours to the coast to visit Cannon Beach. Luck would have it that the best parking spot we could find was in front of their local knitting store, Coastal Yarns. So - the boys & Ross were sent running to the beach & I helped stimulate the local economy.

Who could resist yarn named after a local treat? On our way to Sacramento (where my May Rockin' Sock Club kit awaits) I'll knit this up into a pair of Celtic Braid Socks (see right photo) a pattern by Cabin Fever. Very cute - but using a cable needle w/socks is a bit 'fiddly'. I do need to master the cabling without a cable needle technique. I tried & failed miserably on a pair of Firestarter socks. Oh well - some time....

Cannon Beach was so cute - we decided to return & spend a couple of days here. Of course - now that we're here there are gale force winds & rain. Oh well - doesn't matter - we'll have plenty of beach time when we get down to San Diego. I'm able to sit & relax w/my new yarn & pattern while watching the surf crash on the shore. Yes - the freedom as teachers to pick up & go wherever is quite nice.

We ate lunch at this log cabin restaurant. Yummy food - the kids were thrilled they could order a PB&J on white bread. Yucko.... I recommend the bay shrimp & avocado sandwich. :0) What we found to be pretty cool were the drainage spouts around the outside of the building:

A Crane

A Frog

After our visit here, we'll return to Portland to watch Ross compete in the Dragon Boat races. The Dragon Boat races are part of the Rose Festival currently taking place in Portland. Ross is the 'flag catcher'. I guess his job is to stand at the bow of the boat & lean over & grab the flag at the end of the race. Last year they made it to the finals & ended up losing to a 'blind' team. Hmmm - Perhaps the rowers were visually impaired & the flag catcher was able to see? Monday morning our plan is to head south & visit the Oregon Caves National Monument. Wade & I went there on our drive up after graduating from college in 1993 (yikes!). We plan to roll into Sacramento sometime Wednesday afternoon.

Well - back to knitting. Ciao~

The Holy Grail...

STR - the yarn I've heard so much about is turning out to be akin to the Search For The Holy Grail. I'm in Oregon, I've visited 3 yarn shops, and still - no luck. Hmmm - Oh well, I will not be deterred - I WILL find this yarn. I love the wonders of the internet - I quickly found another yarn shop which just so happens to be on our way north to the Seattle area. This time I let my fingers do the walking & found out said establishment does in fact, have some STR in stock. Wish me luck.

Yesterday, Wade & I set out sans children for the 1st of our 2 RUSH (not Limbaugh) concerts. We set out from Sacramento around noon for what was estimated to be a 9 hour journey to the Portland area (don't you love Map Quest?). We crossed into Oregon & my knitting radar went off - a quick trip into Ashland (home of the Shakespeare Festival) & I found Websters. No STR yarn, but I did manage to make my trip worthwhile. :-)Wade is really sweet to allow me to indulge in my knitting addiction.

After our quick stop in Ashland, Wade had the inkling to take a "quick" drive over to the coast to see the sunset. Yeah - not so quick & not so great for the sunset. We drove along a very windy logging road to Coos Bay & then headed north along 101 toward Florence. It took us nearly 2 hours to drive 69 miles to the coast & not only did not see the sunset (it was very cloudy), but hardly saw the ocean! The 101 took us near the Oregon Dunes which were pretty cool to see. At Florence we decided to head back toward I-5 & Eugene. Again - another windy road & this time in the dark. Dinner consisted of water, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches (the dinner of Road Trip Champions), Grapes (Thanks Sylvia!), and a candy bar procured at our gas stop in Redding. Quite the gourmet, romantic meal. lol

Once we hit I-5, we had to decide on a place to camp for the night. By this time it was 11 PM (our "quick" trip to the coast took us about 5 hours), and we were still 100 miles south of our friends' house. Wade thought it might be funny to just show up at their house & pop the top in their driveway for a fantastic early morning surprise. At about 11:30, Wade had second thoughts & decided perhaps we should stop somewhere else. A well-lit rest area along I-5, about 20 miles south of the state capital of Salem was our overnight accommodation of choice. Apparently it is also the rest stop of choice for truckers who cruise I-5. We awoke bright and early at 6am thanks to the wake-up call of diesel engines & a rooster somewhere near by. Truck engines are LOUD!!

The "view" from our suite

After a quick breakfast, we hit the road & arrived at our friends' house in Lake Oswego. We Roaches are a swell bunch - we even provide morning wake up calls!
Next stop: White River Ampitheatre to see "An Evening With Rush" to celebrate their Snakes and Arrows album. We're crashing at a friend of Margaret's tonight. Margaret even arranged for the new HP book to be reserved for me at a local book store! We might even take in some of the local sights of Tacoma tomorrow before we head back to Portland for concert #2. :0) This road trip is turning into something akin to "Where in the World Are The Roaches"? Where will we turn up next?

**In case any of you are wondering or concerned, we didn't abandon our children. They are spending some quality time with their grandparents in Sacramento while we enjoy the 2 concerts. Wade's parents are driving them up to Portland on Sunday. Have I mentioned I love my in-laws? You couldn't ask to marry into a better family!

Oh yeah - finished the baby socks. I guess these can count for my July Socks of the Month. I'm near the heel on the Embossed Leaves Sock #2, so I should get two socks done for credit for July.

~Ciao!