Well I took a couple days off, thursday we flew to portland, Or. Drove out to the coast and rented a house and stayed with my wife's parents and her brothers and sisters and their spouses. Flew back late monday.
First class each way- which was a first for me. The last time I flew we took a booster seat with us, and our youngest is a junior in college, so its been a while since I've been on a plane. The extra width and leg room (booked 1st row on both flights) made a big difference for me.
So I haven't been in oregon since I was just out of high school. Of course I'm a little older, and I notice a lot different things than I did back then. I should have known what I was in for, before boarding the portland flight. There was a skinny girl with pink hair in a combat coat and a stocking hat (but no shoes?) , that sat on the floor in front of the united boarding gate desk, during the whole time before the flight. Never got up, just stared at every person that walked up to the desk and everyone just stepped around her. Right in front of the counter.
But airports are goofy places anyways, so I didn't think that much of it. Get the rental car, and head for the coast, about a three hour drive.
First off- I don't know what kind of revenue stream they are generating, but there's a weigh scale/ inspection station about every 10 miles all through the state, and on thursday, they were all open. Even the little side of the road ones that barely hold two trucks were open, with trucks lined up to get in. I didn't see as many open ones later through the week, but the scales are
everywhere.
So we drive for a couple hours and decide to get lunch. Halfway to the coast, see a little town cafe, advertising BBQ. We park and I notice something odd on the door. Gluten free? What the? How do you have a bbq sandwich for lunch with no gluten. Wife stands in line for a table, I go out to use the phone, and she comes out about 10 minutes later. Still doesn't have a table, no one really in the diner. Says the only person working only brought out one meal the whole time she stood there, and it got sent back to the kitchen, because it was raw. Not undercooked, raw.
So back in the car we go. Next place is a McDonalds. Which I generally don't eat at, but with the luck we're having, I'm looking for safe, how can they screw up a mcdonalds?
It was like a episode of the twilight zone. The one person working there, was right off the carnival circuit. It was a lady, (I think) about 4' 4" tall, with a darker, fuller mustache than anything I've ever grown between my mouth and my nose. I get our food, and sit down, and on the other side are two guys, kind of look like regular people, except the young guy in carpenter pants, has a purse over his shoulder. A honest to goodness purse.
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It was just weird.
We got our lunch and took off for the coast.
Had a great time with the wife's siblings. Ran up and down the coast, had some seafood, walked the beach, rented some 4 wheelers and rode the dunes. Last day was just the wife and I and we toured the falls on the columbia east of portland, and had a great time with just the two of us. But I was beginning to wonder at the start of things.
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