Living in Astoria, Oregon for One Month

Here we go again, living in an Airbnb for one month. We are all about the view, and what a view we find in Astoria, Oregon. Watching massive cargo ships and tankers pass below the 4.1-mile-long Astoria-Megler Bridge puts us in a trance.

This behemoth crosses the Columbia River near where it flows into the Pacific Ocean. It connects Oregon to Washington. I love it when the fog rolls in and the foghorns blow, into the mystic.

We are living on the second floor, in a house turned triplex, built in 1904. Of course, noise from the unit above travels through the creaky wooden floors.

Sometimes it sounds like the Goonies are having a bowling tournament upstairs. Yes, the classic adventure-comedy movie “The Goonies” was filmed here in Astoria years ago. But with a view and setting like this, we do not mind the Goonies.

This small city of Astoria with a population of 10,000 marks the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies. Commercial fishing, canneries, and seafood processing used to be the economic base. No canneries currently operate. It is now a service-based economy based on tourism as is obvious from the breweries, funky restaurants, bars, and quirky retail stores that line the streets and Riverwalk.

Seafood stores and breweries attract us the most. Oysters, razor clams, crab, and smoked fish dominate my kitchen.

Most mornings, we walk along the Columbia River while birds hunt and fish at low tide. Summer temperatures hover in the 50s and 60s F (around 10–16 C), as they do along much of the Oregon coast, while the rest of the United States swelters through heat waves.

Putrid scents from a mixture of brewery yeast and waste from seafood processing, mixed with low tide mud come and go, but the air is so cool and fresh it reminds us of Alaska.

I located a good gym that is open 24 hours a day and Marilynn finds scenic hikes both in town, and just a short drive away. We live our life just like in Arizona, only on a different planet with cool temperatures, on a huge river surrounded by old growth forests, only a stone’s throw away from the Pacific Ocean.

Where else can you hike quiet mountain trails that wind through old-growth forest along rugged, rocky coastline in such perfect weather? If you are lucky, herds of elk and deer appear along the way.

When not hiking, Marilynn gets me off the couch to attend events such as the Scandinavian Festival (Her roots), the Pride Parade, and the July 4^th waterfront celebration. Or to climb the 161 stairs to the top of the Astoria Column, for panoramic views. Something goes on every weekend.

As this month flies by, we gear up into travel mode to drive and hike through the Northern Cascades to Winthrop, Washington.

We passed through Winthrop fifteen years ago, saw a flier for an annual blues festival, and swore that we would be back. Guess what, we finally made it! Three days of blues music, with notable names such as Sue Foley, “The California Honeydrops” and Marilynn’s favorite “Southern Avenue” made for an enjoyable way to relax.

The geriatric crowd made me feel young, until realizing that I am one of them.

Time for our descent down into the 115 F (46 C) back home in Phoenix. We take the backroads along the Oregon coast until the interstate becomes the only viable option. Re-entry goes smoothly but feels like a different planet.

Thank You, Abundant Universe!