Visiting the Northwest

This is a delayed blog because things have been a little busy since our trip.  But better late than never!  These are some photos of our trip to the Northwest.  We flew into Portland, OR and spent one day before heading to Willamette wine country where we enjoyed some delicious pinots!  After a few days of wine tasting, followed by  two concerts at the Gorge Amphitheater, we ended our trip with a day in Coeur d'Alene, ID and a night in Spokane, WA.  Three states in 6 days!  Enjoy the photos!

Pioneer District of Portland, OR

Bar owned by the brother of a friend - unfortunately they were not yet open!

So we went here which turned out to be one of the oldest bars in the state! Virginia Cafe

Of course we had to stop at Deschutes Brewery!

I'm not a big beer fan but 10 Barrel Brewing Co was my favorite.

Portland bikes

Cool old building

Portland Oregon Old Town sign

Park along the Willamette River

Willamette River

HAD to stop at VooDoo Doughnut!  They didn't suck!

Portland bike rack

Where to go from Portland!

The grounds of Elk Cove Vineyard - beautiful, and the wine was great!

Moss growing on the vines

Beaux Freres winery was amazing and we got to meet the owner and winemaker

They were in the middle of harvest

Next stop was Bergstrom Wines

Their vineyard is in the Dundee Hills

Our VRBO was in the small, quaint town of Carlton, OR

Old mill turned tasting room

Ken Wright is one of the bigger names in Oregon wine and his tasting room was next door to our VRBO!

Pike Road is a small production offshoot of Elk Cove Vineyard located in the heart of Carlton

They are located in an old bank and house their wine in the bank's vault

Our next stop was the cute tasting room of DePonte Cellars, whose vineyard is in the Dundee Hills

Trees along the drive - day two of Willamette wine tasting

This first stop of day 2 was my favorite of the entire trip!  J.K. Carriere

So inviting!  I could sit in these chairs all day (with a bottle of J.K. Carriere, of course!)

Old cash register - no one was in yet because they were up late harvesting! Eventually the wine maker/owner greeted us.

We were taken on a tour of the vineyard - this block was called Two Trees

Owner Jim Prosser personally farmed this vineyard located in the Chehalem Mountains

Jack approved!

We took a road with 18 curves to the next vineyard - this was the view!

We didn't see any wine dogs - but we did see a wine bird!

We made a stop at Domaine Roy et Fils where the winemakers are the sons of the Beaux Freres winemakers

We got a tour of the facility, opened in 2012

Winemaking!

Our final stop before heading back to the VRBO was at the Argyle Tasting House

Argyle specializes in bubbles!  Hence the flying champagne cork!

Fog on our drive out of Willamette the next morning

Along the drive to George, WA

This was taken at Cave B Winery - such a beautiful day!

Lake Coeur d'Alene in Idaho

Tranquility

We took a trail to the top of Tubbs Hill

Then to the main strip of Coeur d'Alene with little shops and restaurants

Finally we ended up in Spokane where we walked the city

Who doesn't love Boo Radley?!

Spokane River

DRY, DAY, SAY, SAT, SET, WET

I so enjoy seeing more and more of this beautiful country.  Each state, each city even, has it's own unique quality and it's so fun to explore and find what the locals love.  I look forward to our next adventure...wherever that may be!



"I cried over beautiful things knowing no beautiful thing lasts. The field of cornflower yellow is a scarf at the neck of the copper sunburned woman, the mother of the year, the taker of seeds. The northwest wind comes and the yellow is torn full of holes, new beautiful things come in the first spit of snow on the northwest wind, and the old things go, not one lasts."
Author: Carl Sandburg