On the Road - Day 12

Very chilly in the night, in the 40s. Got out small down throw and "Doggie love wrap" - a comfort-er my church gave to me when Penny died last Fall. In the morning we played catch to exercise before we headed out... north 101 to the Tillamook Naval Air Museum in a huge blimp hangar. Bought a book for Dad showing the planes in the collection. WWII music and fun period "canteen".

The Tillamook Cheese Factory is celebrating their Centennial this year, and is a big tourist attraction. License plates from all over. Separate parking lot for RVs. Factory has been renovated since Vance was there 15 years ago. He remembers the milk and rennet being worked. Everything today is in huge sterile stainless steel vats. The curds are pressed into 40 pound blocks, then moved by conveyor belt to the cutting/slicing/packaging process. I watched as a woman on the line took her broken wire cutter to a repair area and restrung it, tightening with a crescent wrench. Lickety-split!

We also did a self-guided tour taking in the history of Tillamook - a cooperative of many dairy farmers. It takes 10 pounds of milk to make a pound of cheese! Tasted a few varieties - I liked the vintage medium cheddar that we can't get at home. They also had 38 varieties of FANTASTIC ice cream, which uses the left over butter fat from the cheese making process. I saw the white licorice that Val liked, and chose peaches and cream. Vance had a chocolate malt. Excellent!

Took Rt. 6 over to the Portland area. Along the way we saw Blue Star Espresso, Oil Can Henry's - oil change chain, and Fred Meyer - the Oregon version of Wal-Mart. Hills looked like a patchwork quilt of random textures due to the clear-cutting over the years. Vance pulled off Rt. 6 to take a nap, and discovered a roadside waterfall! I read through information on Portland, Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge and listened to the falling water while he snoozed. Very soothing.

Approaching Portland on Rt. 26, we got into commuter traffic, metered entry onto the freeway. Took Rt. 217 south of town to our RV Park for the night - Pheasant Ridge. I sat in the 103 degree spa until I parboiled. Loved it! Made spaghetti and meatballs for supper, along with green salad. Delicious!

Ended at Pheasant Ridge RV Park, Wilsonville, OR (Portland area)
Odometer 59,360.8 (95.4) Total: 1218.0