Fort Stevens State Park Overnight

Outing from Portland to Fort Stevens State Park – near Lewis and Clark’s winter camping grounds. Along the Columbia – thru Astor, site of early trading post….5 tankers cruising toward the mouth of the river. A coffee stop.

To campground – in tall pines, next to beach… with an intermittent drizzle .

But we viewed the moods of the Pacific before spending an indoor evening listening to the pitter patter of rain ….not very entertained by an ancient Robert Redford movie.

stormy cromer hat from UP

Down the coast to grand beaches at Seaside and Cannon Beach – coffee stop – clam chowder for lunch. They make their chowder with razor clams, so it is very sweet – finely diced carrots and onion, and often thyme - very thick and creamy.

Took fish back to Portland – the first of the spring Chinook salmon is coming down the river - $28 a pound. Dungeness crabs - picked meat $24 - and tiny delicious wild shrimp.