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Work Endorsed Vacation to the Oregon Coast

I love my new job for many reasons, but one of the best perks is getting to travel around our division, which includes Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. I’ll get to go to Alaska soon (hooray!), but got to go to Oregon last week for two days. Since the work we were doing was contingent upon a document being signed first, we were just sort of bumming around Astoria, Oregon for 24 hours before our job actually began.

Astoria is on the Colombia River, which is the final river that Lewis and Clark took to reach the Pacific Ocean. Astoria is the oldest settlement west of the Rocky Mountains, and is also where “Goonies”, “Free Willy” and “Kindergarten Cop” were filmed, so there you go. When we arrived it was raining so hard that you couldn’t see the Washington Coast across the river.

The 101 bridge - 101 goes from California to Washington. The 101 bridge - 101 goes from California to Washington.

Here is a photo from the following morning when it was sunny.

Did I say sunny? I meant sunny relative to Northwest weather. Did I say sunny? I meant sunny relative to Northwest weather.

Since work was delayed until about 4,00, my coworker and I decided to spend the day driving down the Oregon coast to Canon Beach, one of the famous Oregon seaside towns.

Seagull contemplating life Seagull contemplating life

Canon Beach is famous for the huge rocks coming up from the sea, which were created from volcanic lava. Haystack Rock is one of the largest rock structures on a beach anywhere in the world. I would have loved to have gone up to it and explored it like a ten year old, but it’s hard to predict when the tide is going to come in. Actually, it is probably pretty easy, but I don’t have an app for it.

Haystack Rock Haystack Rock

I’ve been to a few Caribbean beaches for work, but I don’t think any of them were nearly as beautiful as this cold, misty stretch of sand. Apparently Lewis and Clark heard about a dead whale on this beach and came running with Sacagewea to see it.

Mist, cold, beach. No dead whale. Mist, cold, beach. No dead whale.

We drove up the coast to Seaside, Oregon for lunch and also to kill some more time. We went into a cute little bookstore, of which there are many in the Pacific Northwest (one of the regions finer qualities). While walking through the store I looked down and saw a large cat, so I said “hi” to it. It meowed back. I was enchanted.

My name is Oz. I live at the bookstore. My name is Oz. I live at the bookstore.

We also found this store that had everything 50% off, I guess you have to do that when your town makes 90% of revenue in the Summer. It also had what looked like an old fashioned sweet shop on one wall.

Like going back in candy time Like going back in candy time

The town looked a lot like Del Ray Beach, where Chris’s parents live. Main strip leading towards the beach, fudge and ice cream shops, places to buy home decor with seagulls on it, etc.

The glamorous town of Seaside, OR The glamorous town of Seaside, OR

While we were in a restaurant we got the first of FIVE hail storms we saw that day, this being the only one we weren’t driving through.

Hail storm Hail storm

Lewis and Clark apparently trotted through here too, or at least stood at the end of the street pointing a blunderbuss, as one does.

Lewis and Clark statue Lewis and Clark statue

We also walked into a seaside version of “The Birds”, starring gigantic Pacific Coast Seagulls. They were just sort of milling about on this hotel’s front lawn. Just waiting for the perfect chance to eat a tourist.

A flock of seagulls. A flock of seagulls.

I was really excited to see a rainbow after one of the rainstorms stopped. I think rainbows are absolutely amazing – to think that all those colors are there all the time.

One upside of all the crazy weather One upside of all the crazy weather

After seaside adventures we finally had to start work. The assignment was in Long Beach, WA, which apparently has one of the longest beaches in the world, but is also Dumpsville, USA! I’ve seen small towns on the East and in the Midwest, and nothing is nearly as scary as small towns in Washington state. I don’t know why they are creepier, but I bet after a few years I’ll be able to define it better.

Long Beach, Washington. This is part of the main street. Long Beach, Washington. This is part of the main street.

Oh, this was in the work car we were driving, I included it just for my father-in-law, Ken, who works on these.

Snow!

Although full disclosure with our work car, the roads were so windy on the route home (we took 101 along the ocean) that I got sick on the side of the road. This is the SECOND time I have done so while riding in a work car. Unfortunately I’ve always been the youngest in my offices since I started work (which is not a good position to be in as a woman, take it from me), and being the barfer does not help one seem older. Although now my friends are all joking that I’ll always get my own car from now on, so that’s a benefit.

With all the crazy weather we’ve been getting, there is now a lot of snow in the mountains. This is fantastic, because it means the ski slopes are open now! Since we don’t have anyone to celebrate Thanksgiving with this year, we might go out skiing next weekend. I’m really happy to be in Seattle, and we are having a great time here, but I am sad that we’re out here alone for the holidays. But we did get really good news this week, Chris got a new job he wanted with Living Social, which he starts in January. I’m very proud of him, he is an excellent worker and deserves a good job. And my friend Erin is coming out to work here in our division, which is fantastic! I’m also proud of her for getting the spot, and looking forward to having a friend from home living nearby. Hooray for good news!

Snow! Snow!