The End

The Last Call:
"It's quarter to three, there's no one in the place except you and me
So set em up Joe, I got a little story I think you should know"

Song by Sinatra: One for the Road

The Most Important Shout Out!

This is for "The Daughters", Sarah, Bronwyn, Martha whose love, support and appreciation has kept us traveling together. In spite of all the jokes, digs, I respect and honor all YOU do!

Bill's Unfinished Stones Project

Dot took me on a stroll in the community and showed me Bill's unfinished Stones Project. Walking through a wooded area above a creek gave me further appreciation of the community Bill designed. After following a short path, we came into a clearing where an unfinished stone grouping gathered in a semicircle. They stood like soldiers at attention awaiting further instructions. A blue tarp covered the ground so the field would not get too muddy. Dot and I stopped awhile, chatted a bit and took some photos.

Shout out

Those people who may never read this but I wanted a record to show somewhere that you are appreciated.

Jotty
Ashley
Josephine who did our laundry at Arch Cape
Lady who did laundry at Shelter Cove
women artist in Shelter Cove so said I stepped out of Godfather 2
Dudley and Phyllis

James and Sarah

The greatest shout out of all to Dot Dixon!!

Act of Kindness NYC KEYCHAIN AWARDS:

The award goes to the following people. It is you who in preforming some small act of kindness made our travels wonderful, memorable experiences.  The world is filled with many good people.


Jotty: the wonderful owner of Jot's resort on Gold Beach
Ashley: the front desk woman to handle our Astoria reservation, took care of our laundry and mailed Bill watch back

Dudley: Bill's brother, husband of Phyllis a well read, traveled man who shared many wonderful memories with us over dinner
Phyllis: Dudley's better half, an intelligent, kind warm woman of great courage who listened and shared tales of their times living in the log home they built.
They welcomed us graciously into their home.

A Day of Reflection and Sadness

We went down the corner for some breakfast. We said our goodbyes to Dot. Bill letting her know he did not know when he would be back. A sad day. I find myself sadden in breaking up this trip more so than in any other of my trips. Maybe, it is because most trips end at my house so the surrounding familiarity breeds comfort. Or it could be that trip by trip I see a different, lesser Bill. Perhaps I see in Bill 's eyes, a reflection of my own mortality, future and wonder who will be my Handleizer. I love what we do and share together. He is an irreplaceable travel companion. The two of us got to experience our life long dream trips together, Bill to his stones and me driving through that redwood and going up the coast. I could think of no better travel partner to be with on my dream trip. I shall greatly miss him when he is off to Canada.

In the followings days, I will take some time alone in order to process these feelings. Well, time to get out and do as Kipling said " fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds run"

The last mile...

I took Bill to the airport waited with him as his plane boarded. He is going back into the Matrix known as the "The Rotation".

No longer will he be roaming wild and free living the Ring-a-Ding lifestyle of Malbec days and Lagavulin nights and Hanging with the Handleizer one of the great experiences in any century,

As I watch him preparing to board the plane, gone was the cocky, I'll have another, Lagavulin kid instead shoulders hunched, carrying a broken briefcase with a confused resignation on his face. I caught my last glimpse of Bill walking the last mile down the corridor that leads to the plane. I could look no more so I walked away. As i walked, I heard the voices of the airline personnel following Bill yelling: Dead Man Walking! as Bill disappeared into bowels of the plane.

Bill's Barbara

Bill's House II

Two paths leading to other houses

A stairway to another house

Bill's sunlit work area and outside deck.

Bill's House

This post is my way of honoring Bill's extraordinary work in designing and building a community. An amazing feat and achievement. There are a series of 15 house that blend so perfectly into the surrounding natural habitat that you feel like you are in the middle of a National Forest Park. Yet, you are a quarter of a mile from the main road. I do not know if these photos could possibly do justice to this man's work but this post is as much for me because I always want to remember this house and community that m travel buddy built with a dream of living in harmony with nature and neighbors.

I will one day personally make sure that a plaque is somewhere in this community honoring its creator.

Our short walk to Dot's house

Bill's Stones....

The entrance

A path between those tress leads to the back deck.

Dinner with Dudley

I spent my morning driving around trying to find a laundromat where I dropped off our clothes the last time. I did not go into the town center so was looking close by Bill's house. Either they closed, or I am brain dead and could not find it again. So instead, I asked Dot to help me use her washer and dryer this way Bill and I would have clean cloths to pack. Yes, I know Bill has a washer and dryer but I could not figure out home to use the washer. So Dot came to the rescue, again.....

The evening came and after map questing directions to Dudley's (Bill's brother) house we went back to Bill's to relax. We were meeting Dudley and Phyllis ( Dudley's wife) at 5:30 for dinner. We left at 4:30 to give us extra time. Good thing it was rush hour and a normal 25 minute drive took about 70 minutes.

We arrived at their house a lovely, duplex in a tree-lined community with green laws and two-car garages. Dudley and his wonderfully, charming wife Phyllis warmly welcomed us to their home. We sat in the living room sharing a drink eating some nuts. Bill and his brother share memories of their father. A man who loved to plan trips, travel and someone I wish met. After about an hour, we got into our cars for a short drive and a nice leisurely meal at a quiet restaurant. We talked for what seem like hours. Phyllis and Dudley shared memories of their many travels and a wonderful log cabin they built in Bend, Oregon. The conversation was easy and free flowing. Dudley a reader of the blogs is ninety years old and sharp as a tack. He is tall and physically well kept! He recalled incidents about different trips we took and question me about certain portions of our travels. I have a new serenity prayer:
Grant me the health and mindset
To be like Dudley when I am older.

We could not have had a better last evening to our trip.

Dinner at Dot's....

We finally did get a couple of bottles of wine for Dot's dinner. Like a returning champion Bill walked  over to Dot's abode to say hello. Dot always the charming, warm-hearted, gracious lady greeted us with big hugs and kiss to welcome our return.

We opened up a bottle of the Pinot as we each shared tales of our summer. Dot had her eightieth Birthday party. She looks wonderful and presides over her kitchen like a grande dame of chefs. We chatted a bit and then retuned to the house to freshen up for dinner.

Over dinner, we had the wonderful chance to meet Dot's daughter Sarah and her good guy husband. The conversation flowed freely as I regaled them with tales of our trip. Along with agreeable talk, we spent the next 3 hours feasting on tomato and mozzarella salad to start, then a salmon cooked to perfection, with wonderful potatoes and zucchini on the side. We ended it all, with a meringue and ice cream covered with raspberry sauce. My god, it was the first meal on the whole trip where I ate everything with no problems. What a feast for the senses. Simply put, Dot is amazing!

Bill Returns & waste no time running Amuck.....

Bill wanted to stop at Powell's to get a book for his brother Dudley. He said he knew the way from the 30 east road that led us into Portland. After a few wrong turns on Burnside, I decided to call the store and ask for the location. We were fortunate that we found a spot right away picked up some books then headed to the house.

I mentioned to Bill we should get some wine for Dot's table since she was feeding us. Never a man to be asked to pickup wine twice, Bill wholeheartedly agree. We stopped at the liquor down the road from his house and looked for the wine and Bill laid his hands on a bottle of Lagavulin. I said Bill, you are leaving in two days no way you will drink the bottle. He wanted to put it in his luggage. I said Bill, I do not think that is the best of ideas. He said, I want it, I am a Lagavulin Man and will leave it at the house for our future return. With a cocky laugh, he paid $85 ( comes out of combine travel budget because we are still on the trip) and tucked the bottle under his arm cradling it with tender caution.

The Bill's back and he's COCKY!

The Road to Portland

The drive to Portland was uneventful except for Bill leaving his watch in the hotel. When he told me this we were already a ways away from Astoria so I called the Hotel. The front desk woman said housekeeping found the watch and they would put it in the mail to my house. Good thing I made it a point to tip the housekeeper! She more than likely would have returned it anyway but nothing like what the Japanese call "The Fragrant Grease" to help a man's cause along.

It was a pretty drive along a two lane highway. We made it in about 2 hours.

Bill confronts his anxieties....

There are those times where out of the blue Bill will bring up a issue on hiss mind. He wanted to go over again this rotation that he wanted (and needs) to stay with his three different daughters in three completely places to live. A nice deal. But at this moment, Bill began expressing his concerns about aging and not wanting to become dependent on others. He talked about his concern over money, the wish to sell or rent the house and what would happen to him when he got older.

I listen intently to his anxieties. When it was time to say something, I thought about the philosophical books Bill enjoys, one in particular by this women whose name escapes me at the moment. I read her and basically it a kind of eastern attitude toward living in the present of life. I mentioned to Bill about none of us knowing the future of how it will all turn out. All we had is right now, this trip, this dinner we were sharing. Being dependent on love ones is not a bad thing, as fortunate is the man/woman who has those that love and wish to take care of him. I did bring up to him is that that the things he could control and take care of remaining independent are taking his medications and not having to have someone always remind him. I am somewhat of the belief that he is not so much forgetful to take his medications as he does not believe they work. In addition, I mentioned within his control was taking care of his health, staying clean, grooming himself and not sleeping 20 hrs a day.

I said, Bill you are a fortunate man. How many people at your stage of life have such a loving family and a Handleizer for travel trips. There are things within your control and those that you or anybody have no control over. We all need to do the things we can and let go and allow life to reveal itself. Neither of us could have ever envision 10 years ago being here on this trip or our other trips with each other. So why waste time trying to figure out the future of it all. Just keep doing meaningful things in our lives, like spending time with family and travel. like family and travel. The important thing to remember that no matter what it is, you will have help dealing with what comes your way.

Grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference

Portway Tavern

Bill and I stopped by this place a few times. We like the "vibe" and decided to have dinner there our last night in Astoria. When we sat down the woman said" we were wondering why you guys kept coming by and not staying, we thought you were casing the place." Well, we are here now, I said with a big smile and ready to eat.

So we took in the Astoria's marinetime history at the nearly 100-year-old Portway, the oldest watering hole in the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies. Like hogs and heifers in NYC a ruff and ready down place where women dance on the bar, leave a souvenir behind and they don't tell tourists to go visit.

The souvenirs....

Our last day in Astoria

Crappy day, actually our first day where it rained most of the day. We have been lucky. We decided to hit the Columbia Maritime Museum and then see The Bourne Legacy in the movie theater across the street from the museum. The movie is non stop action. Bill could not here the talking very well but I told him not much of a plot anyway just follow the action.

The below photos are some places and events we saw on our long walk into town.

To top it off---a Rainbow

Bill feeling too much of his oats...

Bill's is starting to get cocky. His back has been feeling better because of the shots. I think he has forgotten how much pain he was in before those shots. He is saying things like " I don't believe in pills, they don't work anyway." HE's COCKY!

We hit the Bridgewater Bistro for dinner. We get handed the drink menu where Bill orders a vodka on the rocks. He then notices on the last page his favorite scotch Lagavulin! He calls to the waiter and says he like a drink change, Lagavulin, neat he bellows, looks a me and says, "What the heck, I might as well live a little."
HE's COCKY!

Bill's Creation

Astoria's waterfront is in a stage of renewal. It was more than likely hit hard
in the recession. However, through it all a jewel of a architectural creation shines through and Bill designed it.

Our First Drink

On our return walk back to the hotel, we drop by a restaurant lounge recommended by the hotel : The Bridgewater Bistro and have our first drink.

Our first drink

Yes, it was windy

Our view

Riverwalk II

Like I said, some Waterfront blight

A long Walk

We decide it is time for a walk. The Riverwalk is a strange mix of waterfront blight, urban renewal and a commercial port. Coming out of our hotel a walking through parkings lots is not a pretty site. Th walk into town is a little over a mile. We follow a path along the trolly tracks. The further east you go and closer to the town center the nicer it begins to look. Along the way there are inn, motels and eating establishments.

Astoria: A little history

The town of Astoria is a hard scrabble, blue collar town. It seems it had the largest population of Finnish people west side of the Mississippi that it is known as the Helsinki of the west. Astoria was the cannery capital. A place where before the modern advent of refrigeration for transporting fish canned salmon and other fish.

We're Here

The drive from Seaside was quick. I had the directions to the next hotel on my iPad. We were looking for the Lincoln Inn Best Western n Astoria. We crossed the columbia river bridge into Astoria and I immediately notice on my left the hotel. We drive through a roundabout, take the let hand turn on Hamburg Street go through a parking lot until we reach the hotel. The front desk woman, Ashley greeted us as she remembered me from my call. We were fortunate that she said the room was read and we could check in. She gives me a few dinner and drinking recommendations along with the key to our room. Our large, two queen bed room is on the fourth floor overlooking the bridge and water. We settle in and relax.....

Astoria Drive

Astoria is only about 30 miles away. We ate breakfast and head on our way. We topped at Seaside to walk around a bit but it was so crowded due to the Hood to Coast Marathon Run. Bill would talk about his growing visiting his grandmother's house in Seaside. So I said, Bill if you remember where let's go. So we did and here is our Bill.

A little snooze before we hit the road.

Bill's grandparents' house, where he spent some happy moments.

Inn at Arch Cape: Review

Pros:
Location
Quiet
Nice 1 bedroom, 3 bed room with kitchen apartment
Fireplace
Deck
1block from beach
Wi-Fi

Cons:

Price: now this might be what places go for during the summer about $260 a night
No town so have to drive to drink and eat.

A Bad Morning......

I woke up to the news that there is water damage in the basement from the workmen next door. Depressing news, but I am glad Sarah was handling everything and standing up to the contractor and laying the law down. I am proud of her and know I could not have done better.

My Amazing Wife handling everything so I can travel.

Arch Cape: Evening

Our last evening at Arch Cape. We stopped at Wayfarer for dinner and had an amazing hand made ravioli, stuffed with mushroom, over dungeness crab, with crumbled bread and cream sauce--WoW amazing---We both had it. Including some nice bucket booze.

After dinner, we went down the street, through a small lane to reach the Arch Cape Beach.

The lane to the beach

My drink called the Tidal Wave