Since no kids or job anymore (retired) I don’t feel a need to travel at the peak of Summer. Plus expensive and TDH (Too Damn Hot). Fall and even Winter are nice, though.
When I was a kid, my parents used to do a road trip from SF Bay Area to Vancouver Island BC. Even though they were divorced. They had a friend up there. I remember they were fun trips; sometimes staying in motels and sometimes in a heavy old canvas tent; I can only imagine it was from some war surplus. I can still recall the smell of old mildewey canvas. And trying to make the “white gas” stove and lantern work. So let’s just say we ate at Dennys and places like that a lot. (50 years later cardiologist says shouldn’t have done that). We didn’t have A/C in the old Buicks — it was an expensive option, so left early in the morning through the hot valleys, or went along 101 on the coast. There are several ferries you can take to get to Vancouver Island. Victoria BC is great and a mini-England, but their friend was in Nanaimo about an hour north. There are also ferries direct to there.
@Cerridwyn@macromeh Ahh, don’t believe all the press. I am near Portland Area we had the same effect (may have it again if the troops move in). Both PDX and SEA pretty resilient. Seattle is a large area with many neighborhoods and cultures and restaurants. And places like Microsoft and even Costco. A lot of the mainstream TV is overblown, as it was in Portland a few years ago. Some of it was made-for-TV mayhem for political reasons but usually constrained to a small area.
Nobody believes me that in 2020 the then-president (now-president) deployed unidentified agents (some say they were border patrol, private prison guards, mercenaries). I saw it cause I lived here. Scenes of unmarked troops in full camo sweeping people off the street into Avis rental mini-vans. There is video of the “disappearing” In the morning they would be released and ask for papers for their arrest, and the implication was there are no papers, no record of this, ,better leave now.
Sorry didn’t mean this to take such a dark turn. PDX and SEA should be fine this Summer. But monitor for mayhem.
EDIT he used Portland as a test case because it had less nationwide media coverage. See what he could do. Turns out, quite a lot. Now targeting LA and SEA the game is on, I guess.
@Cerridwyn@macromeh@pmarin yes! I remember being downtown near the crystal Ballroom and seeing a white van pull up, masked but uniformed men grabbed two or three people, threw them in the van and sped off. It was extremely surreal.
@Cerridwyn@macromeh@sillyheathen Thanks; nobody else believes me that this was happening.
In any case, tourists, please come back to Portland and Seattle. Some of the best restaurants and bars. And bookstores. Oregon/Washington coasts are spectacular and cooler (usually) even in hot times. Fantastic seafood. Generally no tear gas if that’s not your thing.
@Cerridwyn@macromeh@pmarin
There’s also the national Daylily Convention happening July7-9 in Seattle. And the waterfront blues festival in Portland is always amazing!
I was in downtown PDX for my birthday a few months ago and it was pretty great. It’s still not what it was pre covid but it was far better than a few years ago. It’s such a great city. Seattle recovered far faster overall I would say. Both really great cities and you’re right, people should come back. It’s so strange that it’s portrayed elsewhere as some super scary place.
In any case, tourists, please come back to Portland and Seattle. Some of the best restaurants and bars.
Yeah, Portland is great. It’s a must-stop on all my cross-country Amtrak trips and Powell’s Books is a must-visit while I’m there. (I usually have books shipped home.) You’re right about the food… and the beer–dinner at a brewpub!–and the coffee too!
My “fall” travel might include a trip down to California (from OR/WA). Then to NC. To deal with some real estate issues. But it’s a lot of driving and I hate staying in hotels. A new “van” of my choice is about $200K. For complicated reasons my “camper” was left in NC, but after 20 years it’s probably not the right thing for me anymore. So I tried one of those airplane things again. It worked but was a long, Hot, Uncomfortable, stressful day. F-in Bush/Cheney TSA wasn’t that bad this time, but it was a small departure airport. No cattle lines. Fear the “Terrists”. Moooo!. Plus used to have a cat but don’t anymore. (I am requesting a black and white one as I mentioned last week) so yeah I have travel issues I guess. Happiest when I am on my own.
My friend who checks my mail in my house in North Carolina reports there was a guy living on my front porch (screened but not locked). Not sure if homeless guy just stopped for the night or more permanent resident. Not sure if got inside house yet, nothing much worth taking unless you want old computers and old furniture and a 65”:TV that needs 2 people and a truck to move it.
It’s night there now will check on cameras if they still work and make plan in the AM. Friend said call Police non emergency number but it’s night there now; more likely for needless violence on either side.
But might have to take horrible crowded smelly unplanned oppressive flight of misery and TSA intimidation.
EDIT look up YouTube ads for TWA and it was a beautiful world of flying… misery and intimidation were not part of it. Except maybe cattle if we got USDA choice steaks cooked to order.
@pmarin seems the mystery guy went away again. So no need for emergency travel yet. Found I had some net cameras still working and things look intact. It’s a pretty good neighborhood but there are rare visits from homeless and/or addicted.
I used to take day trips to the Hamptons in the summer but I no longer have patience for the traffic. I usually end up going to Greenport these days. Or maybe just hang out not to far from me in Port Jefferson. I love harbor towns in the summer
@heartny harbor towns if you ever venture West (mid-CA to North)
Half-moon bay, CA
Bodega Bay, CA. Made famous in “The Birds” movie
Mendocino, CA
Brookings OR (oddly warm winds even in Winter sometimes)
Newport OR large hub for local fishing/crabbing also breweries and food
Depoe Bay OR looks like out of a movie. Small harbor with a narrow rocky entrance. Coastguard (understandably) has a base there with 2 ships and a helicopter.
As you go North more beaches and lighthouses.
Finally the perfectly-named Cape Disappointment, WA, near Ilwaco. There is a Coast Guard training base there. I’ve watched them do helicopter training rescues on the windiest rainy Winter day. If you need help, you want these guys!
@heartny sept/October can be very nice; not guaranteed. Most tourists ebb away like the tides. Prices often lower and availability better. Pack a light waterproof jacket/windbreaker or go shopping at one of the outlet malls like in Lincoln City. Last I knew there was an Eddie Bauer, north Face, Columbia, plus some others in outdoor gear.
We only go to the single Outer Bank. You save money that way.
@jouest get out
Since no kids or job anymore (retired) I don’t feel a need to travel at the peak of Summer. Plus expensive and TDH (Too Damn Hot). Fall and even Winter are nice, though.
@pmarin winter and fall ARE nice. superior, even.
I’m with you on this, @pmarin. I take my vacations in the fall and spring.
Same places I travel the rest of the year.
When I was a kid, my parents used to do a road trip from SF Bay Area to Vancouver Island BC. Even though they were divorced. They had a friend up there. I remember they were fun trips; sometimes staying in motels and sometimes in a heavy old canvas tent; I can only imagine it was from some war surplus. I can still recall the smell of old mildewey canvas. And trying to make the “white gas” stove and lantern work. So let’s just say we ate at Dennys and places like that a lot. (50 years later cardiologist says shouldn’t have done that). We didn’t have A/C in the old Buicks — it was an expensive option, so left early in the morning through the hot valleys, or went along 101 on the coast. There are several ferries you can take to get to Vancouver Island. Victoria BC is great and a mini-England, but their friend was in Nanaimo about an hour north. There are also ferries direct to there.
@pmarin “Divorce is never easy, but we’re relieved that we worked out shared custody of the friend with the place on Vancouver Island…”
i go where i go, usually in the early fall if it is pure vaca. But I’m retired so . mew.
This year it is Seattle in August - WorldCon baby
@Cerridwyn Seattle? Pack your riot gear.
@Cerridwyn @macromeh Ahh, don’t believe all the press. I am near Portland Area we had the same effect (may have it again if the troops move in). Both PDX and SEA pretty resilient. Seattle is a large area with many neighborhoods and cultures and restaurants. And places like Microsoft and even Costco. A lot of the mainstream TV is overblown, as it was in Portland a few years ago. Some of it was made-for-TV mayhem for political reasons but usually constrained to a small area.
Nobody believes me that in 2020 the then-president (now-president) deployed unidentified agents (some say they were border patrol, private prison guards, mercenaries). I saw it cause I lived here. Scenes of unmarked troops in full camo sweeping people off the street into Avis rental mini-vans. There is video of the “disappearing” In the morning they would be released and ask for papers for their arrest, and the implication was there are no papers, no record of this, ,better leave now.
Sorry didn’t mean this to take such a dark turn. PDX and SEA should be fine this Summer. But monitor for mayhem.
EDIT he used Portland as a test case because it had less nationwide media coverage. See what he could do. Turns out, quite a lot. Now targeting LA and SEA the game is on, I guess.
@macromeh @pmarin
I live in Southern California
Riot gear, schmiot gear.
Sad thing is there will likely be a lot less international fans there.
@Cerridwyn @macromeh @pmarin yes! I remember being downtown near the crystal Ballroom and seeing a white van pull up, masked but uniformed men grabbed two or three people, threw them in the van and sped off. It was extremely surreal.
@Cerridwyn @macromeh @pmarin @sillyheathen Terrifying!
@Cerridwyn @macromeh @sillyheathen Thanks; nobody else believes me that this was happening.
In any case, tourists, please come back to Portland and Seattle. Some of the best restaurants and bars. And bookstores. Oregon/Washington coasts are spectacular and cooler (usually) even in hot times. Fantastic seafood. Generally no tear gas if that’s not your thing.
@macromeh @pmarin @sillyheathen
https://seattlein2025.org/
@Cerridwyn @macromeh @pmarin
There’s also the national Daylily Convention happening July7-9 in Seattle. And the waterfront blues festival in Portland is always amazing!
I was in downtown PDX for my birthday a few months ago and it was pretty great. It’s still not what it was pre covid but it was far better than a few years ago. It’s such a great city. Seattle recovered far faster overall I would say. Both really great cities and you’re right, people should come back. It’s so strange that it’s portrayed elsewhere as some super scary place.
@Cerridwyn @macromeh @pmarin @sillyheathen
Yeah, Portland is great. It’s a must-stop on all my cross-country Amtrak trips and Powell’s Books is a must-visit while I’m there. (I usually have books shipped home.) You’re right about the food… and the beer–dinner at a brewpub!–and the coffee too!
@Cerridwyn @macromeh @pmarin
Gotta love that RBG quote!
I’d add, “or distort, mislabel, or minimize it.”
@ItalianScallion @macromeh @pmarin @sillyheathen
https://www.oregonlive.com/retail/2025/06/this-witchy-frozen-custard-shop-in-downtown-portland-has-a-secret-coffee-lounge-if-you-know-the-password.html#webview=1
My “fall” travel might include a trip down to California (from OR/WA). Then to NC. To deal with some real estate issues. But it’s a lot of driving and I hate staying in hotels. A new “van” of my choice is about $200K. For complicated reasons my “camper” was left in NC, but after 20 years it’s probably not the right thing for me anymore. So I tried one of those airplane things again. It worked but was a long, Hot, Uncomfortable, stressful day. F-in Bush/Cheney TSA wasn’t that bad this time, but it was a small departure airport. No cattle lines. Fear the “Terrists”. Moooo!. Plus used to have a cat but don’t anymore. (I am requesting a black and white one as I mentioned last week) so yeah I have travel issues I guess. Happiest when I am on my own.
@pmarin The Amtrak Coast Starlight overnight train makes for a lovely trip between Oregon/Washington and California. I’ve done it a bunch of times.
@pmarin Same re: travel issues.
[Except for the cat.]
My friend who checks my mail in my house in North Carolina reports there was a guy living on my front porch (screened but not locked). Not sure if homeless guy just stopped for the night or more permanent resident. Not sure if got inside house yet, nothing much worth taking unless you want old computers and old furniture and a 65”:TV that needs 2 people and a truck to move it.
It’s night there now will check on cameras if they still work and make plan in the AM. Friend said call Police non emergency number but it’s night there now; more likely for needless violence on either side.
But might have to take horrible crowded smelly unplanned oppressive flight of misery and TSA intimidation.
EDIT look up YouTube ads for TWA and it was a beautiful world of flying… misery and intimidation were not part of it. Except maybe cattle if we got USDA choice steaks cooked to order.
@pmarin seems the mystery guy went away again. So no need for emergency travel yet. Found I had some net cameras still working and things look intact. It’s a pretty good neighborhood but there are rare visits from homeless and/or addicted.
I used to take day trips to the Hamptons in the summer but I no longer have patience for the traffic. I usually end up going to Greenport these days. Or maybe just hang out not to far from me in Port Jefferson. I love harbor towns in the summer
@heartny harbor towns if you ever venture West (mid-CA to North)
Half-moon bay, CA
Bodega Bay, CA. Made famous in “The Birds” movie
Mendocino, CA
Brookings OR (oddly warm winds even in Winter sometimes)
Newport OR large hub for local fishing/crabbing also breweries and food
Depoe Bay OR looks like out of a movie. Small harbor with a narrow rocky entrance. Coastguard (understandably) has a base there with 2 ships and a helicopter.
As you go North more beaches and lighthouses.
Finally the perfectly-named Cape Disappointment, WA, near Ilwaco. There is a Coast Guard training base there. I’ve watched them do helicopter training rescues on the windiest rainy Winter day. If you need help, you want these guys!
@pmarin Thank you for the recommendations. I will look into these.
@heartny sept/October can be very nice; not guaranteed. Most tourists ebb away like the tides. Prices often lower and availability better. Pack a light waterproof jacket/windbreaker or go shopping at one of the outlet malls like in Lincoln City. Last I knew there was an Eddie Bauer, north Face, Columbia, plus some others in outdoor gear.