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winehistorytours1 · 7 months
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10 Issues You Need To Know Before Going Whale Watching Oregon Coast
Minke whales, Blue whales, Sperm whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins, Dall’s porpoise, and Harbor porpoise can all be found alongside the Oregon coast. Unfortunately, the enormous blue whales had been once heavily hunted, and their populations have been severely depleted. Today, they're a protected species, but they still face threats from local weather change, ocean air pollution, and ship strikes. People come from everywhere in the world to learn in regards to the Gray whales that journey along the Oregon coast annually. Whales are seen from Oregon's shores all yr lengthy though some months are higher than others check this site out.
Both charter boats and air services are available (and listed below). And, of course, calmer days are best, whether or not by land, sea, or air. The finest time of 12 months to see whales from this location is mid-December by way of mid-January as they're migrating South toward warmer waters. Alternatively, in late March by way of June, you presumably can see grey whales as they migrate north toward Alaska. In addition, it’s common to see as a lot as 15 whales a day right here throughout summer and fall as properly, as resident whales feed close to shore. The prime vacation spot for whale watching oregon coast is Depoe Bay, successfully whale watching oregon coast capital.
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Daily whale watching oregon coast excursions range from 1-2 hours, with frequent sightings of gray and humpback whales, in addition to orcas. There are many various whale-watching tours available in Oregon, so it's essential to do your research before booking one. In truth, there's an estimated 200 resident gray whales that decision this area home all year round.
These are the approximately 200 whales that stay in Oregon's coastal waters in the course of the summer migration. The central coast specifically is a hot-spot for whales from June to mid-November. Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint presents sweeping panoramic views simply off Highway 101. Ocean-going birds like albatrosses, oystercatchers and loons may be seen year-round too.
Don’t go in for a closer look, even should you see other people doing it. DePoe was initially allotted the land in 1894 and the city was purchased from the family within the Twenties. Eventually, actual estate investors purchased the land with plans to develop it right into a vacationer city. Depoe Bay is situated on the central Oregon Coast in Lincoln County, about 2.5 hours driving from Portland (102 miles). Take highway 18 west via Willamette Valley wine country to the highway 101 south junction at Otis.
The north cove path offers access for fishing and beachcombing. Here you can also see Shell Island rising just off shore the place protected seals and sea lions congregate in noisy colonies. Nestled between the rugged sea shore and plush temperate rainforest (green is everywhere), this state park offers guests one of the best of both worlds. Explore the overgrown trails of Siuslaw National Forest and think about signing up for a ranger-led tour of the paths to be taught extra about this numerous ecosystem. Cape Lookout is the perfect place to…well, “look out” for whales as they ramble along the coastline. From a vantage point on a sand spit slicing into the ocean, Cape Lookout State Park is a popular place to go to for recreation opportunities of all sorts.
During the week, volunteers are stationed at as a lot as 20 of the most effective spots to see whales on the Oregon coast. From late March to early June somewhere around 20,000 Pacific grey whales pass by way of Oregon’s coastal waters heading northward. There are so many wonderful places to spend some time scanning the horizon for the characteristic spouts of the whales as they cross the shore. We’ll take you through the most effective spots to go whale watching oregon coast. I’m a lifelong local who spent most of my childhood summers exploring the breathtaking coast. I’ve misplaced rely of the variety of instances my mom would take us to the Oregon coast for whale watching oregon coast.
Home to the historic Yaquina Head Lighthouse, the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area presents distinctive opportunities to spot whales from its rugged cliffs and coastal trails. This protected space can additionally be residence to a wide range of seabirds, seals, and sea lions, offering a diverse wildlife experience. In the winter we watch 1000's of gray whales from mid-December through mid-January as they journey south to the good and cozy lagoons of Baja Mexico. Near Garibaldi, some of the greatest places to see whales embrace the North Jetty close to Barview, Bayocean Spit, Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint, and Cape Lookout State Park.
We also recommend visiting the small Whale, Sea Life, and Shark museum proper on the highway for more information about marine mammals, birds, and more. The helpful volunteers share data about the whales, offering schooling sources, help spot them, and reply any questions folks might have. We did one a few years ago, and our youngsters beloved the experience on the boat. They had far more persistence than they would have had standing on the shore.
These elusive whales are known for his or her quick, sleek actions and may occasionally be seen in Oregon's coastal waters. Although not as frequent as grey or blue whales, orcas are often seen along Oregon's shorelines. These very smart and social marine mammals are recognized for his or her striking black-and-white appearance and their highly effective searching abilities. However, gray whales are extra frequent than the opposite two varieties. Some of the whales you might see embrace gray whales, humpback whales, and orcas.
The middle has knowledgeable staff and volunteers to fill you in on fun details and supply binoculars to use during your go to. You might select a new whale-related activity every day and not run out for weeks! The whale watching oregon coast Center, talked about above, is a great place to start your journey and study concerning the whales and tips on how to spot them in the water.
The best time to see whales on the Oregon Coast is decided by the type of whale however migration associated sightings peak from December to January and from March to June. Gray whales (also spelled Grey Whales) are the most frequently seen species alongside the Oregon Coast, particularly during their annual migration. These majestic giants can grow up to 50 feet in size and weigh up to 40 tons. With their characteristic mottled grey appearance and heart-shaped blows, the gray whale is a sight to behold. There are four issues to be looking out for when whale watching oregon coast, based on Oregon Parks Department. Gray whales are essentially the most commonly sighted whales on the Oregon coast.
It is an extended boat with a heated cabin, seats for everybody, and complimentary coffee and tea. Visitors can typically see whales from the cliffs or boats, and there are several whale-watching tour operators in the space. It is positioned on the north finish of Newport and presents incredible views of the Pacific Ocean. In early summer season the Oregon Coast's resident grey whale watching oregon coast population starts to come back and may be seen all summer lengthy.
Look for the green “mobile-only price” tag beneath the lodge ranking within the app on your telephone. You can sometimes see the ship’s massive boiler nonetheless sitting the place it landed one hundred years ago and during extreme low tides, some have even ventured out to it. The web site, formerly known as Briggs Landing, was renamed Boiler Bay after the shipwreck. At Rocky Creek Falls/Ben Jones Bridge, there is a small pullout the place you'll find a way to look back on the bridge (designed by Conde B. McCullough) and benefit from the view. The highway then climbs up 500-foot Cape Foulweather, the first Oregon land formation seen by Captain James Cook in 1778. For more about Oregon native history on this space, see the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians.
On the northern coast of Oregon, there are multiple excessive factors that make good viewing places for migrating whales. Ecola State Park provides mountaineering trails with nice views over the ocean and of Terrible Tilly, the iconic lighthouse directly off the coast. If the whales aren’t spouting, nearby Indian Beach offers tide pools for a enjoyable afternoon with the household. We would be remiss if we failed to mention Depoe Bay as a prime whale watching oregon coast spot. Multiple companies provide whale watching oregon coast excursions from Depoe Bay when the climate and waves are optimum.
Boiler Bay additionally occurs to be an unbelievable place to spot sea birds like jaegers, oystercatchers, and loons, every with a funkier name than the last. Offering a large parking area and loads of flush toilets, this wayside is a convenient place to relaxation even when whale watching oregon coast coast is nothing more than an afterthought. Take an occasional break from whale watching oregon coast to admire the spruce-lined cliffs to the north as they gently sweep down into the ocean. Ready to see some whales but feeling cautious about heading out in your own?
Families with kids, then again, will benefit from the three-mile sand beach is well accessible as properly. The seaside acts as a great vantage point to scour the ocean floor for spouts. Learn about our resident grey whales and experience transiting the world’s smallest navigable harbor in considered one of their Zodiac RHIB boats. The boats are low to the water and solely take 2-6 passengers at a time for a extra intimate whale watching oregon coast expertise. One of the best things to see at this state park is the Umpqua River Lighthouse, which was inbuilt 1894 and is still in operation at present.
From north to south, these are the 26 whale watching oregon coast Spoken Here websites. With or and not using a volunteer to assist, these are the best places alongside the coast to spot whales. While the northern and central coast has more well-liked destinations for whale watching oregon coast, the southern coast also supplies ample alternative to catch a glimpse of these magnificent creatures. If you’re up for a hike, the best location to see whales at Cape Lookout is at the tip of the Cape Lookout Trail. It can be busy and gets muddy after it rains, so we advise bringing waterproof mountaineering footwear for the kids – and you.
Watch whales from 200 toes above the ocean on the historic Cape Meares Lighthouse, in-built 1889. Blue whales are the most important animals on Earth, reaching as a lot as one hundred ft in size and weighing as much as 200 tons. While they don't seem to be as common as gray whales, these light giants can generally be spotted off the Oregon Coast, particularly during the summer months. Head thirteen miles (20.9 km) south of Cannon Beach on Highway one hundred and one to seek out the turnoff for this coastal peak between mile markers 41 and 42 (just north of Manzanita). Besides being known as a great place to identify whales, Neahkahnie Mountain can additionally be known for its remarkable views and legends of long-buried Spanish treasures. Several tour corporations supply whale watching oregon coast journeys, and there are additionally several spots alongside the coast where you can view whales from land.
We have put our thoughts and ideas collectively, forming the premise that whale watching oregon coast must be a more private experience. Being honest and caring, making safety and luxury of our customers the priority. Clothing If you’re in any respect conversant in the Oregon coast–or Oregon in general–you probably realize it rains so much. Don’t get caught with soggy flippers whereas scoping the tides for whales. Bring alongside a rainjacket, comfortable sneakers (waterproof when you plan on going to the beach), and a heavy coat for those windy days.
The aquarium stated scientists imagine the grey whale they spotted is the same one sighted in Florida late last 12 months. The aquarium’s aerial survey team circled the whale’s area for about forty five minutes and took photos, and it later confirmed it was indeed a uncommon grey whale. A gray whale watching oregon coast extinct from the Atlantic for greater than 200 years was spotted off New England last week in an “incredibly rare occasion,” the New England Aquarium said. You could not see this all of the time; nevertheless, if you look intently, you will note some stunning waves and, if you're lucky, some spouting water which could be a whale. Gray whales are the most typical sort of whale seen within the space, and they can typically be spotted from the shore during their annual migration.
They must also let you know which facet of the boat you'll have the ability to spot the Whale. First, dress in layers and bring a jacket, as the temperature can vary significantly depending on the time of day and whether you're within the sun or shade. When getting ready for a whale-watching tour, you must maintain a few things in thoughts.
If you see a whale breaching the surface, you should use binoculars to get a closer look. If you are going whale watching oregon coast with a tour company, arrive early. Newport Tradewinds provides a selection of whale watching oregon coast packages, so there is certain to be an option excellent for you. Newport Tradewinds, Deep Sea Fishing, offers an exciting opportunity to go whale watching oregon coast. Whale watching is a well-liked exercise here, as whales can often migrate close to the shore. Without them, we might by no means be ready to see these superb creatures up shut and personal.
From Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint whales could be seen all year spherical and also you get magnificent panoramic views. If you want to see humpback whales, go between September and January. These are the second commonest kind of whales to see off the Oregon Coast.
One of the coast’s most scenic state parks, Harris Beach State Park is a incredible basecamp for whale watching oregon coast. Home to Bird Island—Oregon’s largest island and a National Wildlife Sanctuary—as well as several imposing sea stacks, it presents abundant wildlife viewing alternatives. Gray whales are the celebrities of the show, but harbor seals, California sea lions and a plethora of sea birds never fail to entertain visitors both. Those two weeks constantly take place through the very peak of both grey whale migration seasons. If you want to go whale watching oregon coast, this is the time to do it.
For the informal household day journey to the coast (and even for seasoned explorers!) A sighting of a whale gliding via the rolling waves is sure to be a memorable expertise for all. Playful bottlenose dolphins generally frolicking in the waves in search of fish. These waters additionally tend to draw the occasional Humpback and Blue whale, although they are much extra rare and like to feed in deeper water. Depoe Bay is arguably the most effective location to identify whales in Oregon. While you proceed to have nice probabilities on the different locations on our record, Depoe Bay stands out as one of the popular places. A large perk is the whale watching oregon coast Center, where you can study extra concerning the whales and ask questions.
The climate in Depoe Bay, OR, is usually cool (50s-60s F) and damp with frequent rain throughout the year, aside from July and August. Temperatures rarely get too sizzling in summer with highs in the 60s-70s. The waves may be viewed from many points alongside the rocky shoreline around Depoe Bay, but please use caution, hold your distance and heed warning indicators and security barriers.
They are truly a sight to behold, and it's an honor to have the flexibility to expertise their natural magnificence. This knowledge motivated Don to create the whale watching oregon coast Spoken Here® program. Since 1978, it has grown to turn into some of the organized onshore whale watching oregon coast programs in the United States. Beverly Beach State Park day-use area AND campground might be closed to improve the ability and water traces until July 1, 2024.
During the busiest weeks, 1000's of gray whales migrate previous on their method to and from the waters of Alaska and Mexico. We additionally see humpback whales, orcas, dolphins, porpoise and even blue whales. You’ll principally be seeing Pacific gray whales, however other species have been spotted close to shore.
Low tide is the time for beachcombing, clamming, tide pools and cave exploration. Tidal Raves Seafood Grill offers outstanding views of the ocean, contemporary seafood, steaks, pasta and fish dishes. 🚐 There are several privately owned RV parks and campgrounds along the Oregon Coast off Highway one hundred and one. The finest method to spot a whale is to scan the horizon (no binoculars needed) to see when you can catch the distinctive spot of water whales spew from their blowholes. The Devil’s Churn is a cool rock close to shore that the waves flood into, making a “churning” impact you can see from a pullout alongside the freeway. The dramatic capes of Oregon’s shoreline present the right overlooks to perch on as you pick out whale spouts among the many waves.
On this route you’ll be capable of see Cape Meares, Cape Kiwanda, and Cape Lookout, each simply as awe-inspiring as the opposite. Stroll along the sand accumulating shells and different trinkets, fly kites, or chill out with a great book whereas the children construct sand castles close to the sparkling waves. This State Scenic Viewpoint north of Depoe Bay is the perfect spot to tug over along your drive down Highway one hundred and one. Gray whales could be seen right here often, flashing their fabulous flukes as they dive to scoop up food. She has been adventuring outdoors along with her household since her oldest child was born 13 years in the past, and has loved traveling each near and far since she caught the travel bug as a teen. She moved to the Pacific Northwest together with her family in 2012 where they first lived in Washington for five years before settling in Oregon in 2017.
The monument space is value strolling into and presents shelter from the rain if you don't want to sit in your car and watch the waves. Here yow will discover a simple park with a fantastic parking space the place you probably can sit proper in your automotive and watch the ocean for as long as you want to. There is something particular about dining while watching the ocean waves. In these restaurants, you possibly can look out the windows and find some fairly impressive waves, birds, and, if you are fortunate, whales. The space contains a selection of habitats, corresponding to tide pools, sandy seashores, rocky shores, and grassy meadows. Watch for whales from cozy oceanfront eating places and resorts or at many roadside turnouts.
From the Center, you have the potential to spot a selection of whales, together with orcas, humpback whales, grey whales, and infrequently even blue whales. Gray whales are the most common ones you’ll view throughout your time in Lincoln City. There are also lots of whale-watching excursions that you can easily book as properly that can take you out on the water to help spot whales. Whale watching in Depoe Bay, Oregon, provides impressive views that may deliver you again for more. With a massive sea wall working by way of city, you’ll feel like you’re on the water on a daily basis. These magnificent animals often migrate 5 to fifteen miles off the coast and are best seen on boat trips.
It’s a popular spot to look at the waves as they swish and swirl into the bowl, especially during king tides and winter storms. There are additionally tide pools along the north facet of Devil’s Punchbowl, in addition to Otter Crest Beach and Otter Rock Beach. Oftentimes this display is adopted by a glimpse of their tail (also called “flukes”) as the whales dive again down. Once you see a spout or a fluke, seize a pair of any ol’ binoculars if you have them and attempt to zero in on the area. It’s probably you’ll be ready to observe the whales spout and dive a couple of extra times as they swim around the shoreline. Whale watching additionally takes zero special knowledge or gear, which is an comprehensible barrier to entry for a lot of different nature experiences.
These binoculars are great as a outcome of they are lightweight, include a tripod, and work together with your cellular phone so you possibly can take footage with them. If you can’t make it to the Oregon coast this yr you'll have the ability to watch recorded reside streams from previous whale watching oregon coast Weeks on Oregon State Parks’ YouTube channel. A deep dive, also referred to as sounding or fluking, occurs when a whale watching oregon coast lifts its tail flukes out of the water.
Enjoy entry to dunes, waterfalls, mountaineering and different recreational activities. She helps over 20,000 vacationers and locals plan their out of doors adventures and household travel every month by sharing things to do and outdoor adventures within the Northwest and beyond. The greatest method to discover a whale is to look for spouts, which can be up to 12 ft long, on the horizon (3.7 m). Once you’ve discovered one, use binoculars to give attention to an active area.
They have glossy our bodies with distinctive ridges on their backs, which gives them their nickname. Fin whales are found in all the world's oceans and are known for their long migrations, as they travel from polar feeding grounds to temperate breeding grounds. They are baleen whales, feeding on small fish, krill, and squid by filtering water via comb-like plates in their mouths. After Gray whales, Humpback whales are the second most typical whale watching oregon coast.
However, there are a couple of gadgets that are typically really helpful that you bring. Oregon Coast Weekend is an internet journey resource dedicated to exploring the towns, seashores, parks, campgrounds, trails and hidden corners of the Oregon Coast. For your safety, be conscious of the tide schedule before boating or heading out to beaches and all the time keep an eye on the water level. Use extreme warning in rocky areas close to the water, the place sneaker waves can (and do) strike. There are two low tides and two excessive tides every single day on Oregon’s coast.
December to early February is the time to find Gray Whales migrating south along the Oregon coastline. Beverly Beach State Park is an attractive oceanfront park situated in Newport, Oregon. Situated on a scenic stretch of shoreline, the park provides gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean. Visitors can take pleasure in varied actions at the park, together with swimming, fishing, tenting, picnicking, and climbing.
And this brings us to by far the most typical of the Oregon whales—the gray whales. Growing up to 50 toes in length, this species of baleen whale is essentially the most “coastal” whale watching oregon coast. When they migrate alongside the Oregon Coast, they’re often no further than a couple of miles from the mainland.
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terrantravels · 4 months
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Best Things to Expect from Willamette Valley Wine Tours
It is quite interesting to unwind at a new place where you can thoroughly enjoy the nature while spending some quality time with your friends or family members. The Willamette valley wine tours is one of such tours that can perfectly match all your travel plans.
The Willamette Valley, which is tucked away in the center of Oregon, is a monument to the skill of Pacific Northwest winemaking. With its lush vineyards, gorgeous scenery, and climate perfect for growing premium grapes, the Willamette Valley has become a wine lover's paradise. Taking a wine tour in the Willamette Valley is an experience that will take you deep into Oregon's wine country.
Taking one of the many popular Willamette Valley wine tours is a popular way for both wine enthusiasts and newcomers to see the area. Discovering the mysteries of the production of some of the best wines in the US is possible with these informative and comprehensive guided tours.
Imagine walking in the breath-taking views of rolling hills, wandering along rows of grapevines, and enjoying the cool Oregon air. Wine tours in the Willamette Valley offer an intimate and close-up look at the entire winemaking process, from the vineyard to the cellar. Expert guides impart information on the distinctive terrain of the area, the grape varietals that grow well there, and the painstaking craftsmanship that goes into each bottle.
Willamette Valley is known for producing outstanding Pinot Noir, which is what makes it unique. Wine lovers travel to this area to experience the complex tastes and subtle nuances that this grape variety reveals in the chilly climate of the valley. Every sip conveys a different tale about the land and the people who cared for the vines, ranging from earthy tones to hints of cherry and spice. Apart from the wine, these trips frequently involve stops to boutique estates and family-run vineyards where you may get to know the fervent vintners who create the labels. Talking with the craftspeople who put their all into each vintage gives the tasting experience a more intimate feel and leaves lasting memories that stay long beyond the last sip. You can also opt for Mount St. Helens guided tours that assist you spend some quality time at the lap of nature.
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futelco · 3 years
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2020 Operator Log Excerpts
Eleven operators logged over 42 operator calls in 2020, providing information, assisting users, and sharing conversations, many quite boring but also many not boring at all. Here is a sample of logged calls, with some sensitive and many less interesting examples removed.
2020-01-07 Caller asked, "which operator is this?" I replied that it didn't matter and disconnected.
2020-01-21 Caller asked if I could place a call and gave me a number, I told them how to get a dialtone. Caller asked a long confusing question, something about whether this was a government benefit and which organizations were involved. I told them I didn't understand the question but I hoped they benefited from it. Caller talked about what they were doing, again something confusing about telecommunication abilities or maybe telepathy, I told them I was glad to hear it and said goodbye.
2020-01-31 Caller asked for the number of a retirement community.
2020-02-04 Talked with caller, who appreciated the chair. Isn't it cold there right now? You f-in know it's cold.
2020-02-05 Caller asked for a residential number. I advised that I was just googling and probably couldn't help. Caller provide a name and street in Albuquerque. I was able to recite three numbers off one of those stupid name lookup sites and advised caller about their source. Caller repeated numbers to verify, I corrected two mistakes, caller apologized and said they were writing them down in the rain in Portland.
2020-03-25 Dude called to report “hello operator? I’m calling to let you know that the phone on the corner of Killingsworth and (??) has been wiped down and sanitized with bleach” I told him thank you and to stay safe out there.
2020-03-30 Caller requested the number for Henry Ford Hospital, which I provided.
2020-04-09 Caller asked how to celebrate their best friend's birthday, I told them to give them a hug.
2020-05-26 Caller wanted to know how to make a call. Operator explained dialing 1. Caller blessed operator and everyone involved in providing this heavenly service.
2020-05-31 Caller wanted to place a call, I told them how to.
2020-06-01 Caller asked for information on manufacturing PCP. I found instructions on Google, but was unable to summarize them over the phone. Caller nevertheless appreciates the service.
2020-06-18 Caller was confused about what they they should say after I answered their hello, I hung up.
2020-06-23 Caller wanted the number for OHSU, asked if I could forward them because they didn't have a pen. I could not but repeated the number with them.
2020-06-26 Caller wanted to know “what the fuck is a Futel?” Caller was trying to make a collect call. I suggested they try a free call instead. Caller hung up.
2020-07-01 Caller asked what time it was, I told them. I forgot to tell them that there was a utility menu entry for that.
2020-07-01 Caller asked me to call 911, I told them to hang up and call 911.
2020-07-04 Caller and friend asked why I/Futel exist. Attempted to explain. Caller hung up mid-attempt.
2020-07-13 Caller asked for the number of a Happy Valley hospital, which I provided.
2020-07-20 Caller wants to make a call, Asks if the phone is working. Explained dialing 1. Caller hung up mid-explanation.
2020-07-21 Caller reported static on the Clinton St. phone. Then she/they/it asked all sorts of weird, intriguing questions re: the meaning of September 5th 2020, the Willamette Valley Dream Survey, the manifesto printed on the Futel payphones, etc. We had a long-ranging and interesting discussion about the nature of reality and the meaning of the various texts on the Futel telephone.
2020-07-25 Caller asked how to report a dream, I told them to use the directory. Caller asked what happens to the dream recordings, I replied that it was an external number and I didn't know. Caller started telling me an obviously fake dream, I suggested that they report it and hung up.
2020-08-07 What is this, is the dream survey available here, what other interesting choices are there, blah blah blah, just try it already.
2020-08-23 Caller wanted the number to report their dreams. I told her the WVDS is in the menu system, tho i could not recall where. I offered to record the callers dream in the Futel log instead. Caller dreamed they had just killed two people — they didn't recall who — and was running from the law. They found their child, confessed the crime, and they absconded together. I wished them a better dream tonight.
2020-09-06 Caller asked how to call the Druid, I told them to use the directory.
2020-09-09 Caller's grandparents are visiting in the house upstairs. Caller also has a spider living in their window. Caller attempted to conference in the spider, but could not operate the speakerphone. Caller explained that spiders have their own telephones built into their webs. Discussed literature, comic books, etc. Then caller had to go.
2020-10-07 Caller asked for the police non-emergency number, which I provided.
2020-10-12 Heard a series of tones, after I announced myself sounded like the caller was using the phone keypad. Tried announcing myself again but when the tones stopped there was what sounded like hold music. Girl from Ipanema. Ended the call.
2020-10-22 Caller asked the Operator if they could help them reach a named individual. Operator asked for more information about them. Caller told her Nevermind, and ended the call.
2020-11-22 Caller needed to get in touch with a friend or family member but had no phone numbers. i searched for a few names for them and expect they will call back for some additional number hunting.
2020-12-08 Caller wanted the number of a motel in SW Portland, which I provided.
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deadpanwalking · 4 years
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hi deadpan! i just wanted to let you know that i am so grateful to you and your blog. i live in literal mordor (aka the willamette valley, which is a flaming cauldron atm) and have been forced to evacuate. your blog, from your hilarious tags to your incredibly intelligent and incisive political thoughts, are really helping me get through this. also pyotr. please tell pyotr that i love him and give him a little treat or a kiss. he is Perfect and he has a terrific parent to take care of him.
Pyotr read this over my shoulder and told me to tell you to stay safe and that you are in both of our thoughts! We have friends in that neck of the woods who left their place for an evacuation center a few days ago and everybody is doing their level best to adapt—but what a fucking nightmare.
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wineanddinosaur · 3 years
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Next Round: Knead Wine’s Pricing Structure Is Creating Loyal Customers
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Airing between regular episodes of the VinePair Podcast, “Next Round” explores the ideas and innovations that are helping drinks businesses adapt in a time of unprecedented change. As the coronavirus crisis continues and new challenges arise, VP Pro is in your corner, supporting the drinks community for all the rounds to come. If you have a story or perspective to share, email us at [email protected].
In this episode of Next Round, Zach sits down with Allie Nault and Jarad Slipp, accomplished sommeliers and new business owners. Their venture, Knead Wine, doubles as a retail wine shop and a takeout artisanal pizzeria.
Knead Wine is based in the quaint getaway town of Middleburg, Va., just an hour outside Washington D.C. The wine store is a microcosm of escape in its own way, offering a wall of unique wines from all over the world curated by Nault and Slipp, as well as a wall of $20 wines, and a wall of $45 wines. Despite their extensive knowledge and accolades, the duo strives to make buying wine an anxiety- and judgment-free process.
Throughout the episode, Nault and Slipp explain how the Knead Wine was conceptualized at the start of Covid, and how they’ve make their business model work in trying times. As it turns out, pizza and alcohol aren’t the worst things to invest in during a pandemic.
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Zach: From Seattle, Washington I’m Zach Geballe, this is a VinePair podcast Next Round conversation. We’re bringing you these conversations in between our regular podcast episodes so that we can focus on a range of issues and stories in the drinks world.
Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Allie Nault and Jarad Slipp of Knead Wine. Thank you both for being here.
Allie: Thank you for having us.
Jarad: Super happy to be here.
Z: Excellent. So let’s start with the basics: What is knead wine? For those of you who are just listening to this and somehow didn’t read the headline on your podcast app, that’s k-n-e-a-d. So there’s a little bit more of a story here than just the obvious, which is that, yes, we all need wine.
J: Knead Wine was birthed in the middle of the Covid pandemic. We actually opened on August 1st. My background has been in restaurants for most of my life, and then I ran RdV Vineyards in Delaplane in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains for six years. When I left, I could have gone all over the place, in lots of different directions. But I really, really love where I live […] on the top of a mountain in the middle of nowhere. I can’t see my neighbors in any direction. We have a pet bear that comes around on occasion, and it’s fantastic. I wanted to carve something out right here in my own backyard — easier said than done in the middle of Covid. So unwittingly, we found a space, and we did gourmet takeout pizza and retail wine. And again, unwittingly, looking back, the only thing in the restaurant world that is actually ahead of the game right now is takeout pizza. I think the worse the world gets, the more people drink. So it was kind of the one-two punch. It wasn’t planned, but it was certainly welcome.
Z: Gotcha. Allie, maybe a little bit about your background as well?
A: Of course. So I am kind of a restaurant orphan. I’ve worked in Providence, Rhode Island, New York City, at the top of the One World Trade Center, down to Commander’s Palace in New Orleans, and most recently at The Inn at Little Washington as their sommelier. In March 2020 restaurants closed, and Jarad and I were just sitting at home saying: “What’s next? Is the inn going to reopen? Will I even have a job?” Jarad just departed from RdV, and it was perfect timing at the perfect place. A spot opened up right in downtown Middleburg on the main street in this beautiful old building that needed a lot of TLC. But we were just so excited. A little bit more about the concept: when we say restaurant, we serve food and we can do intimate private events for up to 10 people by state law right now. But when you walk in, it actually looks like you’re at a retail wine shop, and then all of a sudden you start smelling pizza and these famous cookies we started making. Then you’re like, “Wait, what else is going on here?” Then that’s when the pizza comes in as well — it’s a whole entire sensual experience. Even with your mask on, you’re able to still smell Jarad’s incredible pizza as you walk in. They don’t let me back there in the kitchen.
Z: Fair enough. So let’s start with just a little bit more about Middleburg, because those people who are not in Virginia or nearby, like me, [might be asking] “Well, OK, it’s on the map, but what kind of community is it?” What has the reception been?”
J: It is a very interesting little microcosm. Middleburg is probably the wealthiest town in the wealthiest county in America — Loudoun County — which is to say it’s on the same par as Palo Alto and Jupiter, Florida, and so on and so forth. We have our fair share of multimillionaires and billionaires that stroll in on the daily. But that said, the median income is something like $56,000 a year. For every person that has a 1,000 acre horse farm, there’s probably 20 or 30 or 40, 50 people that they employ there. So we get all walks of life. It is this super cute, quaint hamlet in the middle of horse country. We’re exactly an hour outside of Washington, D.C., so it’s a nice little getaway. Jackie Onassis used to come quite a bit when she was younger. But particularly with the current state of the pandemic, it’s been a nice getaway for people in the city to sneak away to, even if it’s just for an afternoon.
Z: I would love for you to explain a little bit more about what you’re doing: when it comes to wine, you have a very straightforward, very simple pricing structure; can you explain what that is, and why you went that route?
J: I honestly can’t remember what the genesis of it was, but part of what we’re supposed to do as sommeliers is demystify wine, and I wanted to keep it real streamlined and simple for anyone that came into the shop. Basically, you walk in the door and everything on the left-hand side is $20 and everything on the right-hand side is $45. It’s really that simple. We have some bubbles and some stickers that are priced as marked, and we have a small wall that rotates. It was originally intended to be our favorite wines from our wine travels, but there’s not a whole lot of traveling going on right now. It started out with Willamette Valley, which is the last trip that we took. Currently it’s our favorite dozen Pinots from around the world. Come spring, that will probably turn into our favorite local Virginia wines, so it’s always moving. So the large preponderance of the wines is either $20 or $45, but you can get wines up to 300 bucks.
Z: Do people vibe with that pricing? Does that make sense to people right away? I will say, I’ve seen a few restaurants do something similar, where everything is either one price or in one bucket, [but] I don’t think I’ve seen retail shops do that. I’m obviously not familiar with every last retail shop, but it seems like it’s the kind of thing that if done well, as I imagine it is, that people really appreciate. They don’t have to think about price tags on wines next to each other to decide which one to buy. They know they’re on the left or the right wall, so they know what the price is going to be.
J: Allie can probably speak to it better than I can, because I’m often in the kitchen. But the reception has been amazing — people adore the idea. And again, it keeps things easy for them: they have their two price points, and they can gravitate from one side to the other. Oftentimes people will get mixed cases with both price points. It makes things interesting and challenging for us in a good way in that it’s very, very curated. We very much have to stay in our lanes price-wise, and be able to find wines that fit those two price points. So you can’t deviate too far, one way or another. You have to give great value. But you also can’t bring in a wine that costs $19.95 and sell it for 20 bucks.
A: When talking about wine with guests, I feel like one of the hardest things to always break down is asking the tough question of: “How much do you want to spend tonight?” This makes it very easy. We have two price ranges: $20 or $45. Some people (very, very few) will be like, “Uh, I guess 20?” It’s perfect — there’s a time and a place for the $20 wall, and for the $45, even for Jared and myself, who love wine, and have tasted a lot of incredible things. Twenty dollars is such a great price range to find new and exciting things, but also at such a high qualitative standpoint. So it makes it exciting. We will blind taste to find the best Cabernet Sauvignon for the $20 price range. So when someone comes in, [they know] it’s the best thing that we could find right now on the market for a $20 Cabernet Sauvignon. People will come in and they’ll see it will rotate in like a month depending on stocks and inventory, and with what distributors are bringing in. They get super excited to see what the next Cabernet Sauvignon is on the wall a month later. Seeing that excitement over a $20 bottle of wine is something that I find so fulfilling. Having spent so much time with Wine Spectator’s grand award-winning wine list, I get more pleasure out of providing something that is affordable, a daily driver that makes people thrilled when they go home with their pizzas. It’s really rewarding.
Z: I’ve sometimes thought that with wine programs and things like that, constraints sometimes do more to breed creativity than having an unlimited budget and going for a Wine Spectator grand award, and being able to buy whatever you want. Does that ring true?
J: Oh, absolutely. If you give me a big enough check, I can give you a grand award. It’s just a matter of going out and finding all those blue chip wines, whereas here it’s small, it’s curated, and nothing goes on the wall that isn’t vetted by us. If we don’t like it, it doesn’t make the cut. So when people come in, it’s pretty funny. They’re like, “Oh, what are your two favorite wines?” I’m like: “All of them. They’re all here for a different reason.”
Z: You mentioned at the beginning that you opened in August. When the beginning parts of the planning for this started, was the intention to be [like this], was it done in the knowledge of Covid, or did you have a somewhat different idea that had to evolve because the world changed pretty dramatically?
J: I think with the restaurant world, there is no going back to normal. There will be a new normal for us. This is all we know, because we got the keys to the building last April 1st (which is scary, it’s almost coming up on a year.) We opened on August 1st, and I did 90 percent of all the build-out in construction. We knew what we were opening into, or we thought we knew what we were opening into. So this strange paradigm is our normal, and it’s worked and it’s been great. We do have the ability to have some tables in there if we wanted to. Right now, we choose not to. It’s takeout only. We have done a couple of private events, like on New Year’s Eve and so on and so forth, which are super fun. But as far as navigating the current landscape, we kind of planned and built for it for that, in fact. So that makes sense.
A: Yeah, I love the way it’s set up. It’s a really great creative outlet for the two of us to figure out a way to do takeout hospitality. People come in for a split second to grab their pizza and grab a bottle of wine, or maybe they come in for 45 minutes. Will they grab a case of wine? They want to hear all about everything. But being able to give a very special experience through takeout has been a really intriguing challenge for us to come up with. I think for all restaurants especially. I’ve personally enjoyed it. I don’t know if Jarad’s enjoyed it as much as I have. We haven’t really talked about it.
Z: This whole time? That seems like, you know, maybe a conversation you should have.
A: I guess he likes it. We’re still doing it.
Z: Yeah. There you go. That’s some proof for sure. So I would think just in the abstract, that a wine shop/restaurant opened by two incredibly accomplished sommeliers would be potentially intimidating for a lot of people. We experience this issue as wine professionals where people want our expertise but are also afraid of it. Some of the things you’ve talked about — the focusing on pizza, which is, for most people, a pretty damn approachable food; having very clear prices (I think some of the fear is about getting talked into a more expensive wine than they’re comfortable with) — do those structural elements help people get over that fear factor? Or do you just not think that people are intimidated?
A: Well, I think when people walk in and they see me in the front of the shop, they think I’m probably like a college student just answering the phone. I look very young. I sound very young. They probably never in a million years thought that I knew anything about wine. That’s something that I’ve always had to break down the barrier with, at any place I work. If anyone’s ever intimidated by me, then there’s a real problem, because I’m not at all intimidating. I know you can’t see me — I’m a tiny 5’3, 100 lb girl. I don’t think that they’re intimidated when they come into the shop. I think that they become at ease when they hear about the price ranges. I mean, Jarad can be a little intimidating, I’ll say that.
Z: That’s why you keep him in the kitchen, right?
A: But I think once you’ve once you start talking to him, you’re like, “Oh.” It’s just like your friend next door, or someone that’s going to become your best friend because he’s just so warm and welcoming.
J: I’m the guy that’s in the kitchen that yells: “What you want is the second one on the left, the Pinot Grigio.”
A: We have fun.
Z: As Jarad mentioned at the beginning, pizza is one of the things, more than anything else, that people have been consistently going with during the pandemic (not that they didn’t eat a lot of pizza before) What are three or so of your favorite current pairings of wine with your pizzas? Feel free to explain the pizzas too, because I am sure they’re not all just Hawaiian.
J: I have two hard and fast rules: No pineapples and no green peppers, ever. Barring that, if you buy it at the grocery store across the street and bring it over, I’ll slap it on your pizza. But I refuse [those] two things. The pizzas are kind of rooted in Neapolitan style, but Neapolitan pizzas are really meant to be eaten immediately out of the oven with a fork and a knife. They’re kind of floppy. Being takeout, we need a little more stability, and being in America, we use American flour. I think it actually tastes better. We sneak a little Italian flour in there for some silky texture, but American flour tastes better. We’ll do a pepperoni pizza, no problem. But we have more exciting things as well. Tomorrow we’re putting on a pizza with Bosc pear, crispy speck, gorgonzola dolce, and Korean chili flake, and we’ll pair that with pear cider. I hate when people — when I say people, I mean guys because it’s always guys — try to match up every little nuance of the dish to every little nuance of the wine. At some point, you just get analysis paralysis, and it’s just not fun anymore. So if you get a red pizza and you get a bottle of red Italian wine, you’re in the ballpark. Whether it’s Chianti, or it’s Dolcetto, or it’s Barbera, it’s really a stylistic preference. But it’s not like I say, “No, you have to get this wine with this pizza.” That’s just silly. Rule number one is eat what you want, and drink what you want.
Z: That’s very reassuring. That was always my rule as a sommelier. But one that, as you said, is not always shared by colleagues. Allie: I know asking what your favorite wines are is really hard, but do you have a couple of things that you’ve put in that you’ve been excited to see the clientele really vibe with, wines that might have been a little more out there?
A: Yeah. I think when we started the shop, our regulars who joined us in the area (because we obviously have a lot of transient foot traffic as well) were huge on Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay— more of the classic options as a wine buyer, which is fantastic. I love people who know what they want. But as we’ve been open longer, they’ve wanted to venture out and try new things, which has been really exciting. So we actually brought in Guardians Saperavi from the country of Georgia. It’s a woman-made wine. Saperavi is the grape variety, and it has this crunchy and dried red fruit character, a touch of florality to it. It’s a very intriguing red wine that has pretty nice acidity, so it also goes well with pizza, but it’s delicious to just chug on its own. I had this whole entire shift of, “I like Pinot Noir. I’ll try Saperavi. Oh, I love Saperavi. That’s now my new favorite wine.” Then when we were able to order more, because it was out of stock, I had a list of phone numbers to call when it came back in stock. So that’s something that’s been really exciting, and for $20.
I feel like people are really excited to take a chance, and maybe $20 was the peak of what they’ve spent on a bottle of wine before. But once they see how incredible the world of wine is, for Thanksgiving, they ventured over to the $45 wall, which is really also exciting — to show the entire world of wine at both price ranges to them.
So that’s probably been the most exciting part for me, with all of this, is just watching the transition of the community and their wine preferences. But when it comes to pairings, I always just say: “What grows together goes together.” So sticking with the Italian wine that Jarad was talking about. But whenever someone comes into the shop, it’s not like in a restaurant where you commit to like three ounces, and if it wasn’t your favorite wine, you just chug it and move on. It’s a whole bottle. So I always ask first: “What do you typically enjoy?” Then I find something along the lines of what they enjoy that will also go with the pizza, because I’d hate to send someone home with a Zinfandel if they like Old World Bordeaux. It’s not going to go well for them at the end of the night.
J: I think when we opened, we wanted to make sure that we had all of our bases covered, and all of the classics represented. Now as we’re seeing the clientele’[s] bandwidth is, we’re beginning to push the boundaries a little bit and say, “OK, let’s try some Greek wine, OK, Greek Chardonnay. OK, that worked. Let’s do Assyrtiko. OK, that worked. Let’s do a retsina. Retsina’s a tough sell, but you push up until the line, and then you draw back a little bit.
Z: Yeah. Then you drink retsina for a few weeks if that’s where you end up.
J: Oh it’s lights out, by far-and-away the best retsina out there. But it’s still an acquired taste.
Z: Well I want to thank you both so much for your time, I really appreciate it. It sounds like a really cool project. It makes me sad that at the moment, I am very far away and can’t come visit. But one of these days I will make it out there. I’m sure we’ve got some listeners in the Virginia area who, if they haven’t been in already, are looking forward to it. I can almost taste the pizza, and I’m very glad to know I won’t have to ever get pineapple. Thanks again, and best of luck going forward.
J: That’s very kind. Thank you so much.
A: Thank you, Zach. We look forward to welcoming you at some point.
Adam Teeter: Thanks so much for listening to the VinePair podcast. If you love this show as much as we love making it, please give us a rating or review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or whatever it is you get. It really helps everyone else discover the show. Now for the credits: VinePair is produced and recorded in New York City in Seattle, Washington, by myself and Zach Geballe, who does all the editing, and loves to get the credit.
Also, I would love to give a special shout out to my VinePair co-founder, Josh Malin, for helping make all this possible, and also to keep Keith Beavers, VinePair’s tastings director, who is additionally a producer on the show. I also want to, of course, thank every other member of the VinePair team who are instrumental in all of the ideas that go into making the show every week. Thanks so much for listening, and we’ll see you again.
Ed. note: This episode has been edited for length and clarity.
The article Next Round: Knead Wine’s Pricing Structure Is Creating Loyal Customers appeared first on VinePair.
source https://vinepair.com/articles/next-round-knead-wine/
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Airing between regular episodes of the VinePair Podcast, “Next Round” explores the ideas and innovations that are helping drinks businesses adapt in a time of unprecedented change. As the coronavirus crisis continues and new challenges arise, VP Pro is in your corner, supporting the drinks community for all the rounds to come. If you have a story or perspective to share, email us at [email protected].
In this episode of Next Round, Zach sits down with Allie Nault and Jarad Slipp, accomplished sommeliers and new business owners. Their venture, Knead Wine, doubles as a retail wine shop and a takeout artisanal pizzeria.
Knead Wine is based in the quaint getaway town of Middleburg, Va., just an hour outside Washington D.C. The wine store is a microcosm of escape in its own way, offering a wall of unique wines from all over the world curated by Nault and Slipp, as well as a wall of $20 wines, and a wall of $45 wines. Despite their extensive knowledge and accolades, the duo strives to make buying wine an anxiety- and judgment-free process.
Throughout the episode, Nault and Slipp explain how the Knead Wine was conceptualized at the start of Covid, and how they’ve make their business model work in trying times. As it turns out, pizza and alcohol aren’t the worst things to invest in during a pandemic.
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Zach: From Seattle, Washington I’m Zach Geballe, this is a VinePair podcast Next Round conversation. We’re bringing you these conversations in between our regular podcast episodes so that we can focus on a range of issues and stories in the drinks world.
Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Allie Nault and Jarad Slipp of Knead Wine. Thank you both for being here.
Allie: Thank you for having us.
Jarad: Super happy to be here.
Z: Excellent. So let’s start with the basics: What is knead wine? For those of you who are just listening to this and somehow didn’t read the headline on your podcast app, that’s k-n-e-a-d. So there’s a little bit more of a story here than just the obvious, which is that, yes, we all need wine.
J: Knead Wine was birthed in the middle of the Covid pandemic. We actually opened on August 1st. My background has been in restaurants for most of my life, and then I ran RdV Vineyards in Delaplane in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains for six years. When I left, I could have gone all over the place, in lots of different directions. But I really, really love where I live […] on the top of a mountain in the middle of nowhere. I can’t see my neighbors in any direction. We have a pet bear that comes around on occasion, and it’s fantastic. I wanted to carve something out right here in my own backyard — easier said than done in the middle of Covid. So unwittingly, we found a space, and we did gourmet takeout pizza and retail wine. And again, unwittingly, looking back, the only thing in the restaurant world that is actually ahead of the game right now is takeout pizza. I think the worse the world gets, the more people drink. So it was kind of the one-two punch. It wasn’t planned, but it was certainly welcome.
Z: Gotcha. Allie, maybe a little bit about your background as well?
A: Of course. So I am kind of a restaurant orphan. I’ve worked in Providence, Rhode Island, New York City, at the top of the One World Trade Center, down to Commander’s Palace in New Orleans, and most recently at The Inn at Little Washington as their sommelier. In March 2020 restaurants closed, and Jarad and I were just sitting at home saying: “What’s next? Is the inn going to reopen? Will I even have a job?” Jarad just departed from RdV, and it was perfect timing at the perfect place. A spot opened up right in downtown Middleburg on the main street in this beautiful old building that needed a lot of TLC. But we were just so excited. A little bit more about the concept: when we say restaurant, we serve food and we can do intimate private events for up to 10 people by state law right now. But when you walk in, it actually looks like you’re at a retail wine shop, and then all of a sudden you start smelling pizza and these famous cookies we started making. Then you’re like, “Wait, what else is going on here?” Then that’s when the pizza comes in as well — it’s a whole entire sensual experience. Even with your mask on, you’re able to still smell Jarad’s incredible pizza as you walk in. They don’t let me back there in the kitchen.
Z: Fair enough. So let’s start with just a little bit more about Middleburg, because those people who are not in Virginia or nearby, like me, [might be asking] “Well, OK, it’s on the map, but what kind of community is it?” What has the reception been?”
J: It is a very interesting little microcosm. Middleburg is probably the wealthiest town in the wealthiest county in America — Loudoun County — which is to say it’s on the same par as Palo Alto and Jupiter, Florida, and so on and so forth. We have our fair share of multimillionaires and billionaires that stroll in on the daily. But that said, the median income is something like $56,000 a year. For every person that has a 1,000 acre horse farm, there’s probably 20 or 30 or 40, 50 people that they employ there. So we get all walks of life. It is this super cute, quaint hamlet in the middle of horse country. We’re exactly an hour outside of Washington, D.C., so it’s a nice little getaway. Jackie Onassis used to come quite a bit when she was younger. But particularly with the current state of the pandemic, it’s been a nice getaway for people in the city to sneak away to, even if it’s just for an afternoon.
Z: I would love for you to explain a little bit more about what you’re doing: when it comes to wine, you have a very straightforward, very simple pricing structure; can you explain what that is, and why you went that route?
J: I honestly can’t remember what the genesis of it was, but part of what we’re supposed to do as sommeliers is demystify wine, and I wanted to keep it real streamlined and simple for anyone that came into the shop. Basically, you walk in the door and everything on the left-hand side is $20 and everything on the right-hand side is $45. It’s really that simple. We have some bubbles and some stickers that are priced as marked, and we have a small wall that rotates. It was originally intended to be our favorite wines from our wine travels, but there’s not a whole lot of traveling going on right now. It started out with Willamette Valley, which is the last trip that we took. Currently it’s our favorite dozen Pinots from around the world. Come spring, that will probably turn into our favorite local Virginia wines, so it’s always moving. So the large preponderance of the wines is either $20 or $45, but you can get wines up to 300 bucks.
Z: Do people vibe with that pricing? Does that make sense to people right away? I will say, I’ve seen a few restaurants do something similar, where everything is either one price or in one bucket, [but] I don’t think I’ve seen retail shops do that. I’m obviously not familiar with every last retail shop, but it seems like it’s the kind of thing that if done well, as I imagine it is, that people really appreciate. They don’t have to think about price tags on wines next to each other to decide which one to buy. They know they’re on the left or the right wall, so they know what the price is going to be.
J: Allie can probably speak to it better than I can, because I’m often in the kitchen. But the reception has been amazing — people adore the idea. And again, it keeps things easy for them: they have their two price points, and they can gravitate from one side to the other. Oftentimes people will get mixed cases with both price points. It makes things interesting and challenging for us in a good way in that it’s very, very curated. We very much have to stay in our lanes price-wise, and be able to find wines that fit those two price points. So you can’t deviate too far, one way or another. You have to give great value. But you also can’t bring in a wine that costs $19.95 and sell it for 20 bucks.
A: When talking about wine with guests, I feel like one of the hardest things to always break down is asking the tough question of: “How much do you want to spend tonight?” This makes it very easy. We have two price ranges: $20 or $45. Some people (very, very few) will be like, “Uh, I guess 20?” It’s perfect — there’s a time and a place for the $20 wall, and for the $45, even for Jared and myself, who love wine, and have tasted a lot of incredible things. Twenty dollars is such a great price range to find new and exciting things, but also at such a high qualitative standpoint. So it makes it exciting. We will blind taste to find the best Cabernet Sauvignon for the $20 price range. So when someone comes in, [they know] it’s the best thing that we could find right now on the market for a $20 Cabernet Sauvignon. People will come in and they’ll see it will rotate in like a month depending on stocks and inventory, and with what distributors are bringing in. They get super excited to see what the next Cabernet Sauvignon is on the wall a month later. Seeing that excitement over a $20 bottle of wine is something that I find so fulfilling. Having spent so much time with Wine Spectator’s grand award-winning wine list, I get more pleasure out of providing something that is affordable, a daily driver that makes people thrilled when they go home with their pizzas. It’s really rewarding.
Z: I’ve sometimes thought that with wine programs and things like that, constraints sometimes do more to breed creativity than having an unlimited budget and going for a Wine Spectator grand award, and being able to buy whatever you want. Does that ring true?
J: Oh, absolutely. If you give me a big enough check, I can give you a grand award. It’s just a matter of going out and finding all those blue chip wines, whereas here it’s small, it’s curated, and nothing goes on the wall that isn’t vetted by us. If we don’t like it, it doesn’t make the cut. So when people come in, it’s pretty funny. They’re like, “Oh, what are your two favorite wines?” I’m like: “All of them. They’re all here for a different reason.”
Z: You mentioned at the beginning that you opened in August. When the beginning parts of the planning for this started, was the intention to be [like this], was it done in the knowledge of Covid, or did you have a somewhat different idea that had to evolve because the world changed pretty dramatically?
J: I think with the restaurant world, there is no going back to normal. There will be a new normal for us. This is all we know, because we got the keys to the building last April 1st (which is scary, it’s almost coming up on a year.) We opened on August 1st, and I did 90 percent of all the build-out in construction. We knew what we were opening into, or we thought we knew what we were opening into. So this strange paradigm is our normal, and it’s worked and it’s been great. We do have the ability to have some tables in there if we wanted to. Right now, we choose not to. It’s takeout only. We have done a couple of private events, like on New Year’s Eve and so on and so forth, which are super fun. But as far as navigating the current landscape, we kind of planned and built for it for that, in fact. So that makes sense.
A: Yeah, I love the way it’s set up. It’s a really great creative outlet for the two of us to figure out a way to do takeout hospitality. People come in for a split second to grab their pizza and grab a bottle of wine, or maybe they come in for 45 minutes. Will they grab a case of wine? They want to hear all about everything. But being able to give a very special experience through takeout has been a really intriguing challenge for us to come up with. I think for all restaurants especially. I’ve personally enjoyed it. I don’t know if Jarad’s enjoyed it as much as I have. We haven’t really talked about it.
Z: This whole time? That seems like, you know, maybe a conversation you should have.
A: I guess he likes it. We’re still doing it.
Z: Yeah. There you go. That’s some proof for sure. So I would think just in the abstract, that a wine shop/restaurant opened by two incredibly accomplished sommeliers would be potentially intimidating for a lot of people. We experience this issue as wine professionals where people want our expertise but are also afraid of it. Some of the things you’ve talked about — the focusing on pizza, which is, for most people, a pretty damn approachable food; having very clear prices (I think some of the fear is about getting talked into a more expensive wine than they’re comfortable with) — do those structural elements help people get over that fear factor? Or do you just not think that people are intimidated?
A: Well, I think when people walk in and they see me in the front of the shop, they think I’m probably like a college student just answering the phone. I look very young. I sound very young. They probably never in a million years thought that I knew anything about wine. That’s something that I’ve always had to break down the barrier with, at any place I work. If anyone’s ever intimidated by me, then there’s a real problem, because I’m not at all intimidating. I know you can’t see me — I’m a tiny 5’3, 100 lb girl. I don’t think that they’re intimidated when they come into the shop. I think that they become at ease when they hear about the price ranges. I mean, Jarad can be a little intimidating, I’ll say that.
Z: That’s why you keep him in the kitchen, right?
A: But I think once you’ve once you start talking to him, you’re like, “Oh.” It’s just like your friend next door, or someone that’s going to become your best friend because he’s just so warm and welcoming.
J: I’m the guy that’s in the kitchen that yells: “What you want is the second one on the left, the Pinot Grigio.”
A: We have fun.
Z: As Jarad mentioned at the beginning, pizza is one of the things, more than anything else, that people have been consistently going with during the pandemic (not that they didn’t eat a lot of pizza before) What are three or so of your favorite current pairings of wine with your pizzas? Feel free to explain the pizzas too, because I am sure they’re not all just Hawaiian.
J: I have two hard and fast rules: No pineapples and no green peppers, ever. Barring that, if you buy it at the grocery store across the street and bring it over, I’ll slap it on your pizza. But I refuse [those] two things. The pizzas are kind of rooted in Neapolitan style, but Neapolitan pizzas are really meant to be eaten immediately out of the oven with a fork and a knife. They’re kind of floppy. Being takeout, we need a little more stability, and being in America, we use American flour. I think it actually tastes better. We sneak a little Italian flour in there for some silky texture, but American flour tastes better. We’ll do a pepperoni pizza, no problem. But we have more exciting things as well. Tomorrow we’re putting on a pizza with Bosc pear, crispy speck, gorgonzola dolce, and Korean chili flake, and we’ll pair that with pear cider. I hate when people — when I say people, I mean guys because it’s always guys — try to match up every little nuance of the dish to every little nuance of the wine. At some point, you just get analysis paralysis, and it’s just not fun anymore. So if you get a red pizza and you get a bottle of red Italian wine, you’re in the ballpark. Whether it’s Chianti, or it’s Dolcetto, or it’s Barbera, it’s really a stylistic preference. But it’s not like I say, “No, you have to get this wine with this pizza.” That’s just silly. Rule number one is eat what you want, and drink what you want.
Z: That’s very reassuring. That was always my rule as a sommelier. But one that, as you said, is not always shared by colleagues. Allie: I know asking what your favorite wines are is really hard, but do you have a couple of things that you’ve put in that you’ve been excited to see the clientele really vibe with, wines that might have been a little more out there?
A: Yeah. I think when we started the shop, our regulars who joined us in the area (because we obviously have a lot of transient foot traffic as well) were huge on Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay— more of the classic options as a wine buyer, which is fantastic. I love people who know what they want. But as we’ve been open longer, they’ve wanted to venture out and try new things, which has been really exciting. So we actually brought in Guardians Saperavi from the country of Georgia. It’s a woman-made wine. Saperavi is the grape variety, and it has this crunchy and dried red fruit character, a touch of florality to it. It’s a very intriguing red wine that has pretty nice acidity, so it also goes well with pizza, but it’s delicious to just chug on its own. I had this whole entire shift of, “I like Pinot Noir. I’ll try Saperavi. Oh, I love Saperavi. That’s now my new favorite wine.” Then when we were able to order more, because it was out of stock, I had a list of phone numbers to call when it came back in stock. So that’s something that’s been really exciting, and for $20.
I feel like people are really excited to take a chance, and maybe $20 was the peak of what they’ve spent on a bottle of wine before. But once they see how incredible the world of wine is, for Thanksgiving, they ventured over to the $45 wall, which is really also exciting — to show the entire world of wine at both price ranges to them.
So that’s probably been the most exciting part for me, with all of this, is just watching the transition of the community and their wine preferences. But when it comes to pairings, I always just say: “What grows together goes together.” So sticking with the Italian wine that Jarad was talking about. But whenever someone comes into the shop, it’s not like in a restaurant where you commit to like three ounces, and if it wasn’t your favorite wine, you just chug it and move on. It’s a whole bottle. So I always ask first: “What do you typically enjoy?” Then I find something along the lines of what they enjoy that will also go with the pizza, because I’d hate to send someone home with a Zinfandel if they like Old World Bordeaux. It’s not going to go well for them at the end of the night.
J: I think when we opened, we wanted to make sure that we had all of our bases covered, and all of the classics represented. Now as we’re seeing the clientele’[s] bandwidth is, we’re beginning to push the boundaries a little bit and say, “OK, let’s try some Greek wine, OK, Greek Chardonnay. OK, that worked. Let’s do Assyrtiko. OK, that worked. Let’s do a retsina. Retsina’s a tough sell, but you push up until the line, and then you draw back a little bit.
Z: Yeah. Then you drink retsina for a few weeks if that’s where you end up.
J: Oh it’s lights out, by far-and-away the best retsina out there. But it’s still an acquired taste.
Z: Well I want to thank you both so much for your time, I really appreciate it. It sounds like a really cool project. It makes me sad that at the moment, I am very far away and can’t come visit. But one of these days I will make it out there. I’m sure we’ve got some listeners in the Virginia area who, if they haven’t been in already, are looking forward to it. I can almost taste the pizza, and I’m very glad to know I won’t have to ever get pineapple. Thanks again, and best of luck going forward.
J: That’s very kind. Thank you so much.
A: Thank you, Zach. We look forward to welcoming you at some point.
Adam Teeter: Thanks so much for listening to the VinePair podcast. If you love this show as much as we love making it, please give us a rating or review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or whatever it is you get. It really helps everyone else discover the show. Now for the credits: VinePair is produced and recorded in New York City in Seattle, Washington, by myself and Zach Geballe, who does all the editing, and loves to get the credit.
Also, I would love to give a special shout out to my VinePair co-founder, Josh Malin, for helping make all this possible, and also to keep Keith Beavers, VinePair’s tastings director, who is additionally a producer on the show. I also want to, of course, thank every other member of the VinePair team who are instrumental in all of the ideas that go into making the show every week. Thanks so much for listening, and we’ll see you again.
Ed. note: This episode has been edited for length and clarity.
The article Next Round: Knead Wine’s Pricing Structure Is Creating Loyal Customers appeared first on VinePair.
Via https://vinepair.com/articles/next-round-knead-wine/
source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/next-round-knead-wines-pricing-structure-is-creating-loyal-customers
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holidaykeepers · 3 years
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Find Vacation Homes for Rent
For those on a budget, it can be difficult to find vacation homes for rent in Pennsylvania. Although the State of Pennsylvania is considered one of the most welcoming states in the country to tourists and visitors, it does come with its share of public housing problems, luxury real estate offerings that may not be within the affordability of most families, and high cost of living. However, there are plenty of wonderful private indoor pool houses and rentals in Pennsylvania for those families that are willing to take the time to look.
One of the best places to find vacation homes for rent in the beautiful state of Pennsylvania is in the quiet town of Port Royal, located on the banks of the Potomac River. This area is home to over twenty-five hundred thousand residents that are spread out along the many miles of pristine beaches that border the Potomac. Most of the homes that are for rent in Port Royal are older, but some have newer additions on the outside that have been updated with modern fixtures and furniture. It is easy to find rental condos and town homes that are a short distance from the beaches, offering tourists and vacationers a chance to explore all that this amazing area has to offer. If one is lucky enough to have a private indoor pool, then finding a vacation home in the heart of the city is even easier.
The town of Summerland, in the state of Maryland, offers tourists and residents a number of different rentals and condos to choose from. A residential vacation home in the Hot City of Summerland offers year-round entertainment and attractions, including the awe-inspiring Natural World Heritage Site and the Scripps Park, both of which can easily make the cost of a hotel in the area unbearable. Those looking for a more unique place to stay may want to consider a condo in the popular town of Summerland. Unlike a more traditional vacation home or resort, a condo is a private residential property that can be rented out for vacation use. In addition to the many activities that the town offers year-round, some of the condo's features include:
Finding a vacation home in Summerland is made easier when researching the availability of condos. Most of the condos that are available for rent come with private pools, making them ideal for tourists and resident families. Some of the private pools have Jacuzzi tubs, saunas, fireplaces, and views of the beach. Poolside properties also offer additional private decks and spaces for outdoor entertainment.
Oceanfront homes and suites are another great way to find a private rental property in Summerland. These rentals are located right on the beach or in a scenic local park, so there are plenty of ways to enjoy both the beach and the natural beauty of the area. Oceanfront houses and condos in Summerland are usually less expensive than the other types of housing, but they are still priced to suit any budget. A person looking for a private residence in Summerland can choose from many different floor plans, from one or two bedrooms to multiple bedrooms and even single bathrooms. For those who want more space, there are also private deck spaces and backyards available in these homes, along with swimming pools and extra amenities such as fireplaces and fire pits.
For those who prefer to stay in an area that offers both beautiful scenery and attractions, but do not wish to travel to Summerland, there are several towns that are near The Willamette Valley. These areas feature a wide range of activities, from fishing and hiking to fine dining and biking. Summerland, OR real estate offers rentals both for stays on the beach and for monthly rentals that can be rented year-round. In addition to helping you find the perfect vacation home, these last minute homes and apartments for rent in Summerland will help you save money on your annual Portland Oregon vacations, because they will most likely cost less than the prices of hotels and resort condos.
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arcadeidea · 4 years
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The Oregon Trail [1971]
(Content Warning: Cannibalism, Genocide.)
In these early days of gaming, it's hard to walk in a straight line without tripping over "firsts." Looking for the first this or the first that is a hook, it's exciting to uncover, you feel like something recognizable of our present-day condition is emerging from the strange, foreign world of the past. It's almost a lie, though. Most firsts are mere trivia that can stand in the way of actually seeing the work. Most firsts are not self-consciously experimental ideas that caught on, but humble clear outgrowths of a prior tendency almost anachronistic to think of as a first, or are purpose-built innovations to serve a specific need (and sometimes you can point at The First and say that it understood what it was doing better than its successors because it knew best why it existed and then was mindlessly copied... but only sometimes.) If you're looking for some kind of great rupture to hang your hat on, the closer you look the less you see.
The Oregon Trail isn't actually first at much, besides. It's predated in most respects by The Sumerian Game [1964], lost to time, in which You are immersed in a narrative role within an existing historical gameworld and asked to manage resources, for purposes of educating children. It's plausible that our 1971 developers were totally ignorant of it, and thus the "first" as far as they're concerned, and instead drawing on, say, Milton-Bradley's The Game Of Life [1960], seeing as the original design was as a board game. The Sumerian Game is probably even more influential and important than The Oregon Trail, as it inspired Hamurabi [1968] [sic], which was then widely distributed in "learn to code BASIC games" books from 1973 on and from there inspired the whole strategy game genre. We, in the 21st century, recognize The Oregon Trail more though, because of the American Gen X ubiquity of The Oregon Trail [1985], which is as Doom [2016] is to Doom [1993], bringing us 2-for-2 on Id references for the geeks and gamers in the crowd.
It tops Wikipedia's list of the longest-running game franchises, and it's gonna stay there. Hamurabi isn't recognized as The Sumerian Game 2, but a bootleg with its own identity, and similarly you taking the reins of a hypothetical Spacewar 2 or a do-over with spiffy graphics would be a fangame or port or its own thing, not a sequel or remake. They wouldn't carry the imprint of legitimacy that comes from the all-important ownership of the intellectual property. It's the way Oregon Trail's original designer, Don Rawitsch, could take his source code offline in 1971, and then port it from paper as the 1975 version I played with only minor tweaks (one of which we'll address later.) It's the way one of its programmers, Bill Heinemann, can deny even his own son from taking stewardship of the code. It's in the way the Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium can make the 1985 Oregon Trail with none of the original three creators, become a private entity with the money the property made them, then sell their legitimizing rights to The Learning Company, who can sell it to Mattel, who can sell it to Ubisoft, who can then bestow the power to make legitimate Oregon Trail successors to third parties. It's copyright, or even more broadly the conceptual scaffolding of ownership, that franchises can not live without, and it's not ridiculous at all.
The franchise all started with only the noblest of intentions, though, characteristic of that 20th Century digital optimism that necessarily colors early video games. They were going to use computers to educate children. A game is a spicy way to approach this, but not unprecedented; one could say most games are already educational, even if in a given instance all you learn is about the game. So what's its pedagogical approach to history, and how does it fare?
Well, it's unusually gamey for an "edutainment" title. There's no room for those "read some facts" sections divorced from the gameplay we're familiar with from later titles like the Carmen Sandiego series. Instead, like reportedly The Sumerian Game before it, it relies heavily on now-lost paratext (which ultimately functions much the same as the Carmen Sandiego model) for the delivery of historical fact: the 1971 Western Expansion unit curriculum The Oregon Trail game was originally only a small part of. It could have reasonably been implemented within the tight space constraints of a 1970s BASIC mainframe program as, say, a fact- and text-heavy quiz, but instead we got something very gameplay-heavy that was shortly thereafter shorn of that original contextualizing information. As-is, you can hardly poke at the game's factual inaccuracies, because what little is there is accurate. (For instance, the 1985 edition would make the prevalence of dysentery infamous, but on the real Trail, the #1 killer was cholera.) The game we have is a supplement... but if not hard facts, then what does it teach you? Reading, typing?
The game is turn-based, and at the top of every turn it displays your five resources: Food, Ammunition, Clothing, Cash, and Miscelaneous [sic] Supplies, which are things like axles and medicine. Your cash reserves (which always start at the same place) can be used at the nondescript forts you have the chance to stop at on some turns. Food, clothing, and supplies correspond not to any real values like pounds of food but one-to-one with the cash you spent on them. You just have "30 Clothes," which somehow depletes rapidly. It might be meant as the abstract monetary value, but since there's no selling, it's unclear. Run out of clothes or supplies, and you could die at any moment. Run out of food, and you die instantly. Like in The Sumerian Game, you're managing resources through the proxy of numerical abstraction, but unlike it, this is not a game meant to educate you on economics, this is the First Survival Game. In all this, we see the inverse of the priority motivation of Spacewar: managing finite, dwindling resource scarcity instead of pushing hard on the limits of the infinite.
Ammunition, on the other hand, is not directly vital but ridiculously cheap. Pun intended, it's the best bang for your buck. You're thus incentivized to play into the rugged outdoorsy individualist role (unlike later games, there's no indication that you are anything but alone) by hunting for your food, without the fiddly business of coding something like food that goes bad if you just let it sit. When you go to shoot something, be it animals on the hunt or hunting yourself, or hostile "riders," you are dropped from the methodical turn-based world into a real-time action-reflex one, which delivers a jolt of energy to the whole experience. In a stroke of ingenuity within the text-only limitations, you are tasked with typing the word "BANG" quickly and accurately. In the 1978 version, it also changes the word up on you (like it could be "POW") which makes the mechanic even more reminiscent of The Typing Of The Dead [1999]. The metaphor stands clear: your typing skill, quick and accurate, enacts corresponding quick and accurate violence on the computer. The computer will have its revenge, though.
No matter how skilled you are at hunting for your food and managing your resources, you are at the complete mercy of the gameworld. The random events at the end of every turn are perhaps the real star of the show here — definitely an evolution of Spacewar's star, anyway. The wrong random events can bring you from fine to dead in just one turn. It's not fair!
That's the point. The Oregon Trail is not about getting to Oregon. Sure, that's the goal that keeps you going both in and out of character, but really The Oregon Trail is about the losing. The death message is rendered with great ceremony, three separate command prompts on your funeral, just for flavor. Even when you make it to the promised land, you're haunted by the ghosts of your own failure, and the entire time you're on the journey is low-level tension and dread at the imagined fatality lurking under every rock. That's the pedagogical utility of the game that a book or a lecture just doesn't give you: by placing you in the middle of a world model and an unimportant role, it communicates an impression, a feeling of what it was like to live as an ordinary person in the time and place depicted, and that impression is one of a dangerous world, arbitrary enough that you can do everything right and still eat curb. There's a straight line from here to Cart Life [2011]. Why, Oregon Trail is the First Empathy Game! The terminology of the "Empathy Game," if you're unfamiliar or have forgotten, was a bit of a fad genre in mid-2010s among a handful of thinkpiece writers and social scientists, and notably not many actual game designers. It was a genre that post-hoc lumped together titles like the aforementioned Cart Life, Depression Quest [2013], That Dragon, Cancer [2016], and even Spec Ops: The Line [2012]! With the exception of the latter, the sales pitch of the genre was basically that in snubbing traditional concepts like "fun" and "violence" in favor of depicting a minimal-gameplay sad world drawn from the author's deeply personal (and often enough, marginalized) experience, these games would make you a better person; they were good for you, like eating your vegetables. Game designer Anna Anthropy was particularly enraged by cis allies patting themselves on the back in this way for playing her short title Dys4ia [2012], and in response to all this she exhibited The Road To Empathy [2015], which was a pair of her size 13 high heel boots with a pedometer attached, so that people could literally walk a mile in her shoes and try to get the high score. (A scathing Cinderella story.)
I myself am a cis white male living in Oregon's Willamette Valley, cause to worry that when I telnetted in to play the game it would instantly award me victory. I grew up here. I was born too late for Apple IIs preloaded with Oregon Trail in the classrom, but one year in elementary school the teacher put together her own longform, paper-based, team-play Oregon Trail game. My team died trapped by snow in the mountains, and then once I was checked-out and scorched about the loss, the whole class got to learn about the Donner Party, a group of settlers who went into the mountains, got snowed in, and ate each other. That's a harrowing, tragic situation about people at the furthest extremities of humanity, and we didn't get too deep into it, but it wasn't sanitized. Years later, don't know how many, I wondered: why? Not why did it happen, but why was I taught about that as history? Not even that it was gruesome, but it didn't square with my understanding of capital-h History at that time, that it was just such a small story that had immediate effect on nobody outside of the Donner Party themselves. It was just some fucked-up shit that happened once. Trivia. What was I meant to learn? Not to go through the mountains in a covered wagon during winter? No, no, it had to be one of those abstract moral Life Lessons... Was it solemn respect for the dead? The terror of nature, and the weakness of man and our society in the face of it? I've seen it used to make exactly the opposite point, that adversity builds morality and character, which is incredibly stupid but that doesn't mean that wasn't meant as the takeaway.
Writing this now, I think I have figured out that I was being taught about my heritage. It's odd to think of it that way, but it's not out of the ordinary in many cultures to pass down illustrative tales of suffering to the young so they and their example are not forgotten, though. I believe I was meant to associate myself in some continuity with The Donner Party, their inheritors as an Oregonian, as an American, as — to put it sharply — a white person, and truly, I am. The subtext is that the past of hardscrabble living and suffering we underwent to get here (in this case, a literal location, Oregon,) legitimizes our comfortable place now. Likewise, the intention of The Oregon Trail is to get us to identify and empathize with the settler. Both are virtual memory, simulated aggrievement.
Our second game has taken as its subject and theme perhaps one of the few darker and more harrowing subject matters than war: colonialism. Identifying colonialism in games is in vogue right now, but it's currently most commonly leveled as a criticism at let's-call-them-post-Minecraft games in which you are actively engaged in both extracting resources from and changing the environment to suit you, even where there is no colonization on the narrative end. The Oregon Trail is just the opposite, using its resource management purely to emphasize that we are at the whims of our environment, while its narrative framing is colonization. It flinches from the larger truth of what it is depicting in favor of an attempt at systematized monetary verisimilitude that absorbs us.
The Oregon Trail [c. 1847-1869] can be considered a mirror for its rough contemporary, The Trail Of Tears [c. 1830-1850]. Nobody wanted to be on The Trail Of Tears. People were being forcibly relocated from what prosperity they had managed to carve out for themselves into conditions of deliberate impovershment. The mass suffering and death they experienced on the way was, when not maliciously engineered, fully intended, and it did nothing to legitimize their claims to the land they now had. Conversely, the settlers moving far west were doing so entirely voluntarily.(The game starts you in St. Louis, 1847, coincidentally the exact time and place a legally-enforced Mormon exodus began, but this game isn't The Utah Trail.) There's a phrase for that hopeful dream that fundamentally motivated every last Oregonian settler to embark on their painful journey: Manifest Destiny. The land out west is already metaphysically yours, you just have to go out and take it in fact. In period records, what is done to the indigenous people across the continent is described in jarringly passive voice (such as "dying off",) as what are clearly active campaigns of hostility are waged with full intent to exterminate. The suffocating, violent racism of the 1800s United States can not be understated, and yet it is full-on swept under the rug, not just here, but almost everywhere you turn that's not the niche of a serious history for adults. This was an era when even some white slavery abolitionists were only that way because the thought of sharing a nation with any black people, even slaves, so offended their sensibilities.
The Oregon Trail game is, point blank and very straightforwardly, white nationalist propaganda. Now, it's not hate speech! It doesn't come out of the damp basement printing press of a Neo-Nazi, but the cleanliness of the omissions and assumptions and unwarranted romanticism of a standard grade school American History curriculum, and from the noblest of intentions. It's not Custer's Revenge [1982] or The Birth Of A Nation [1915]. In fact, the most major & germane difference (possibly) between the 1971 teletype version and the 1975 one I played is a modulation towards greater racial sensitivity: The random event of hostile "Indians" is scrubbed to "riders." This leaves only friendly Native Americans, which is actually, so I read, broadly historically accurate for what a trail-goer would encounter. The Cayuse War, for example, did start with an attack on a white civilian, but most of the engagement was between military forces. Not to form a bad habit of relying too heavily on author quotes, but here's what programmer Bill Heinemann had to say about it:
I heard from Paul [Dillenberger, fellow Oregon Trail coder] that we needed to eliminate any negative references to Native Americans. Since my generation had grown up on TV cowboy shows, my first reaction was that we were denying a piece of our own history.
Get a load of this honky. He instinctively thought the heritage he needed to pass on to Minnesota schoolchildren was the pulpy good-guy-bad-guy myth of the unrevised Western, masquerading as fact. The Oregon Trail is, in the end, just as much the flippant pop culture fantasia as Spacewar, despite the pretense of fact and education. Thankfully, Mr. Heinemann thoughtfully backtracked on that count, thinking of potential Native American children playing the game. In 2017, lead designer Don Rawitsch even said that he'd like to see a version of The Oregon Trail from the Native American perspective. In 2019, we got exactly that.
When Rivers Were Trails [2019] is the product of almost 50 more years in development in ludic story delivery and edutainment. It's marketed as the Native American response to The Oregon Trail, though it too takes place about 50 years later, in the 1890s. This places it after the end of most direct warfare, save with the Apaches, although Geronimo had already surrendered and you do not visit the American Southwest. Instead, when you are given the choice to resist, it takes the form not of, say, mass armed rebellion, but in community spiritualism and helping negotiate the crooked legal system.
In the story, you wander aimlessly west, away from the traditional lands in Minnesota you can now never return to. Along the way, you meet many Native Americans, who aren't typically so much characters as they are the medium by which facts about the land and history are summarized, ala the Carmen Sandiego model of edutainment referred to earlier. When Rivers Were Trails hews closer to something like a visual novel with minigames, and is nowhere near as interested in systematizing misery as The Oregon Trail. The worst things that directly happen to the player are rare harassment by the Indian Patrol, and there are resources as a nod to The Oregon Trail, here Willpower, Food, and Medicine, and, fittingly enough considering the direct equation of resource-to-cash in the 1970s game, they're used mostly as forms of currency for trading. Other than that, they don't "matter," in that they're super easy to come by living off the land and running out of food or medicine won't kill you. Only running out of spiritual Willpower will, which suggests to me that you're on some metaphoric level a ghost animated by your journey, bearing witness to vignettes of not so much the suffering itself, but the almost-post-apocalyptic aftershocks of great misfortunes and displacements and how various people are holding on or moving on. Don't mistake it for an Empathy Game — it's strictly educational.
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dcnativegal · 5 years
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In which Jane turns 60 in the desert
Thursday, July 25th, 2019 was the first day that we were all together, everyone present. On Wednesday, my cousin Targ (a nickname created from “Margaret”) and her mother, my aunt, my father’s only sibling, Mary Lee Lincoln McIntyre, had arrived in a rental car from Eugene airport and checked into a cabin at Summer Lake Hot Springs. My sister, Elizabeth Lincoln, drove my kids, Jonah and Clara, and two of her kids, Yuuki and Makoto, and her husband Jim, up from Reno, arriving just after noon. My cousin, Julie McIntyre, drove with her son, Shayden, all the way from Tucson, AZ.  Valerie’s youngest, Arden, and his partner Maggie drove in from the Willamette Valley, and Valerie’s sister Karen arrived on Thursday from Chiloquin. Karen left on Friday, having to prepare a sermon for Sunday, so by Saturday morning, this was the assembled crew:
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We had a more serious portrait shot but I tend to prefer the ‘act goofy’ photos. I look like a zombie, well fed after the apocalypse, Valerie is simply laughing. Mary Lee, age 86, is clearly game for anything. Yuuki is doing a pose. Maggie is blowing bubbles. Everyone was a good sport.
Months ago, realizing I was headed to the end of my 60th year on earth, I decided to invite the descendants of Ruth and Henry Lincoln to the Oregon Outback, Great Basin, High Desert land of Paisley to celebrate the fact of my existence. Not all could come, but a surprising number did. And the two relations of Valerie who were easily able to join us, got to meet more of my peeps.
That Thursday, we enjoyed a Mexican themed dinner, accommodating the vegan and the beef-eating, the gluten free and the ‘organic-only.’  Since July 25th was the day I decided would be my designated birthday with everyone as my captive audience, we played “Vertellis.”  It’s a Dutch card game that’s pretty simple: four rounds are organized into individual and group questions. I picked two categories of individual questions: Looking back on the year, what was good, crazy, interesting… and, looking forward to next year, what do you plan, hope for, find challenging? Everyone picks a card with a question, and you answer as honestly as you wish when it’s your turn.
I highly recommend https://vertellis.com/ for gatherings of people you don’t regularly see, especially around holidays. The answers can be hilarious, revelatory, and touching. When Valerie drew a card about picking something from the past year that she regretted, she told us: “I should have bought that primer bulb for the weed whacker way sooner!” Ever the practical gal, that Valerie! Clara hopes that the immigration hearing goes well for her husband, Jose. The answers spanned quite a range, and helped us to know each other a little bit better.
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Why do we gather relatives only for funerals and weddings?  Or for old people’s 90th birthdays? Why not age 60?
I did feel selfish about the whole thing, off and on. My family had to spend money on the flights, the rental cars, and then the cabins at Summer Lake Hot Springs. My friend and coworker, JD, and his husband Joey lent me their RV camper, so 4 of the young’uns could sleep in that for nothing’. There were 4 Lincoln/McIntyre/Matteuccis and 4 Lincoln/Frey/Saitohs in each cabin. There was a lovely symmetry to the housing. The inside of the cabins has a southwest, rustic feel:
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They are not air conditioned, and it was quite hot during the day, although as we say out west, at least ‘it’s a dry heat.’  Here in the desert, it is also very dusty. Thank goodness the temperatures cool off at night to around 50 degrees F, and there’s almost always a breeze.
There are the fabulous hot springs pools, too: here is the pool house at dusk, run through a filter:
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We managed to escape the heat by going to the swimming hole in the Chewaucan River, which I’d never been to. The water is cool but not freezing, and clear, so that I could sit in a shallow spot and pick out flat rocks for Clara to skip. Even my aunt went, situated in a camp chair, safe from the water, and an elderly chihuahua named Uddha came, too. He stayed well away from the watery fracas.
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Valerie and Uddha
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Mary Lee and Uddha
 Someone stacked rocks in a lovely sculptural way:
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We spent Friday schlepping to Picture Rock Pass to look at the petroglyphs, and then to Crack in the Ground, where I’d been wanting to go. That place is magical. Aunt Mary Lee sat comfortably in the shade on the picnic bench while the rest of us went one way or another, deep into the crevasses. My cousin’s son Shayden is a confident free climber and scaled all the way to the surface. We breathed in the moist, cool air and reveled in curious rock formations.
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Shayden at Crack in the Ground
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Where did this fern blow in from? Way to the west? I salute you, brave, flying little fern.
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Looks like a path in the Holy Land, or a Roman ruin….
 “Crack in the Ground is a volcanic fissure that formed at the western boundary of a small graben underlying the Four Craters Lava Field. The Crack and lava field were recently dated at about 14,000 years old. The fissure is about 2 miles long and 70 feet deep, and disappears into lake sediments at its southern end. Therefore, this supports an interpretation that Lake Fort Rock rose no higher than this level in the last 14,000 years.”  http://www.fortrockoregon.com/Crack.html
Although impressing my family with the gorgeousness of high desert Eastern Oregon was deeply satisfying, the best part of the visit was the conversations. Family lore was reviewed by Mary Lee, who lived it, and Elizabeth, who brought a copy of a bound books she had made of her genealogy research on the Lincolns and the Smiths (my mother’s side.) Jonah was asked about The Future of Film, and Makoto shared that he’s looking forward to his semester in Japan where he can improve his Japanese and get a bit more feeling about the land of his father’s ancestors. I didn’t actually have any deep conversations. I felt a little bit like a bride: everyone’s gathered here to see me (and my beloved), and my job is to play my role and make sure everyone has enough seltzer to drink, and a comfy clean pillow. It was enough to create the event of gathering: I hope to continue conversations with my sister, cousins, and children by phone with more depth now that we’ve seen each other in the flesh.
 The family came in from Brooklyn, DC, Philadelphia, Virginia, Delaware, Albuquerque and Tucson, all very urban places. The empty expanses, and the star lit night sky, will surely stay with our visitors. Arden, Valerie’s youngest, was a firefighter in Lake County and knows a lot of cool locations, like the dry Loco Lake. He took the youngest generation to check it out on at least two nights. I was too tired. But from the photos, it looks like yet another spooky, otherworldly piece of the Oregon Outback.
Yuuki is the most photogenic creature that ever was, and was beautifully lit at Loco Lake by Jonah.
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 Beautiful Clara, and Jonah making Alkali Angels??
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 Apparently Loco Lake was a highlight for the youngest generation.
For the oldest traveler, Mary Lee, I think the best part of the trip was just seeing everyone. She’s lived and visited most of the planet, and reared her three children in New Dehli and Lebanon. She knows world history and writes plays about strong women, including Eleanor Roosevelt. She survived being widowed in her early 40s, and again in her 70s. She loves Italy, travel in general, gems, and her children and grandchildren. She loves me enough to deal with flight delays and dusty heat. She is amazing.
I was born in the evening of August 15th when Perry Mason was apparently just starting on TV. My father had just turned 30 two weeks before my arrival, and my mother was just 23. My mother passed away when she was 55, and my father after 7 years in a nursing home following a devastating stroke at age 69. Neither lived long enough to know my life as a divorced lesbian, and would have wondered at my choice to live in Paisley. Hopefully they’d have come around to my being gay, and as long as I have a job and am self sufficient, my father would have relaxed about the move. He’d also loved all the gun-toting, horse-riding republicans and he’d have adored Trump. Mom would have romanticized the First Nation people, and asked me about all the churches we’ve tried in our futile search for another St. Stephen’s. In any case, their daughters, myself and Elizabeth, are doing fine, and so are our five children. Mary Lee has 5 grandchildren, too. The 10 great grands of Ruth and Henry.
Ruth Turner, the descendant of slave owners. Henry Lincoln, cousin to the Great Emancipator. In that tension lies most of American History.
One thing that I reflect on as I think about the descendants of Ruth and Henry, is that we are committed to the social good, and to the arts. My sister is learning Healing Touch for working with animals and humans. Cousin Julie is an expert on pollinators, working against all hope for the healing of the environment with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Her sister, Targ, is a middle school guidance counselor. Brother Andrew McIntyre, who couldn’t come to Paisley, is a professor of acupuncture. Yuuki is an artist, exploring gender and the biracial life as a Japanese-American hyphenated human, with courage and sass. I’ve been a social worker for 33 years, now psychotherapist to the bruised and broken-hearted of Lake County. My daughter Clara is in charge of a tutoring site in Prince Georges County for at risk Latinx youth, using her bilingual skills to bring children and grandchildren of immigrants more opportunity through education. My son Jonah makes music videos in Brooklyn, living in what Beverly Tatum Daniel calls the borderlands where cultures complement, challenge, connect and stimulate each other. I asked him recently why he only dates women of color, particularly women of the African Diaspora. He says, they can relate to being of two cultures. Since he grew up white in a non-white world, he feels like a code switcher, too.
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We are all in our own way, justice-seeking.
 The other part of the birthday extravaganza was letting people give to me. Receiving. Valerie had been reading a book called, It’s Not Your Money, by Tosha Sliver, who’s an amazing writer using humor and an ecumenical lens. I started reading it, and found this prayer, which I inhaled into my heart for the awkwardness of receiving all the love of my family for my birthday.
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Here I go, headlong into my 61st year, giving with complete ease and abundance, wildly open to receiving.
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superstarglow-blog · 5 years
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Oregon
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What Can I Expect From Oregon?
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Beautiful Garden, Oregon Best Time to Visit Oregon
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International Rose Test Garden, Oregon Oregon is located on the west coast of the United States. The state is made of 7 diverse regions which are Central Oregon, Eastern Oregon, Mt. Hood & Columbia River Gorge, Oregon Coast, Portland Region, Southern Oregon, and Willamette Valley. Oregon is known for the rose garden free sales tax, Cater Lake being the deepest lake in the US.       Recommended Clothing to Bring (depending on the seasons) Spring/Summer t-shirts shorts sandals walking shoes Autumn/Winter Long sleeved shirts wool sweaters waterproof quality boots (preferably for winter) fleece vests down/insulated jackets parka or anorak jackets (preferably for winter) gloves warm hats long underwear wool socks snow pants Other Accessories sunscreen sunglasses charging devices camping gears Climate
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International Rose Test Garden, Oregon
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Appreciating a Rose in the International Rose Test Garden, Oregon Oregon has different regions and climate temperatures. The Oregon coast is 350 miles long and received more rain than Central Oregon and Eastern Oregon. Western Oregon has a temperate oceanic climate which features cool summers and wet winters. While Eastern Oregon has dry summers and wetter winters. Western Oregon has the ideal temperatures and soil types for growing roses. The Portland's International Rose Test Garden has over 10,000 roses and is located in the Washington Park. The garden is free and open daily. The best time to visit is between May to September. History According to World Atlas, Spanish explorer Bartolome Ferrello travelled along Washington and Oregon coastlines. Oregon was mapped by the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1804 to 1806. In 1818, U.S. and Great Britain agreed to a Joint-Occupancy Treaty. In 1819, a treaty with Spain set the southern boundary of Oregon. Starting in 1830s, many pioneers travelled to the state on the Oregon Trail. Several wars between the U.S. government and the local native groups (Cayuse Indian War, Modoc Indian War, and Nez Perce Indian War). The city of Salem, Oregon was founded in 1842. In the mid-1840s, William Overton along with Asa Loverjoy purchased the land claim for the site that would become Portland. Portland got it name after a Asa Lovejoy and Francis Pettygrove flipped a coin. Francis was from Maine and named the city Portland (Asa Lovejoy was from Massachusetts and wanted to name the town Boston). Oregon was officially admitted to the union as a state on February 14th, 1859. According to PDX History, there were about 800 residents who called Portland home. By the end of the 19th century, Portland has 90,000 residents. Currently, Oregon has a population of 4.20 million people in 2018. According to Population of Portland in 2018 article, Portland has about 649,210 residents in 2017. Oregon economic drivers are advanced manufacturing, business services, food & beverages, forestry & wood products, high technology, and outdoor gear & apparel according to Business Oregon's Target Industry Groups article. 10 Interesting Facts about Oregon Things to See and Do in Oregon Typical Costs When Traveling Accommodation - Oregon is beautiful and filled with things to do, to see, and to eat. Food truck permit costs are inexpensive when comparing to other states. This has cause a boom of more than 300 food trucks in Oregon. I bought a gyro for $6 and a crab Phai Thai for about $8. It was the best crab Phai Thai I have ever had. There are many places to stay such at hostels, hotels, motels, and Airbnb. Your stay can cost $50 - $200 per night.Food - With about 300 food trucks (also known as food carts) in Oregon, you can try new food from each of the food truck for the major of the year. There are also very popular and local restaurants all major cities. Portland has amazing fresh seafood, Thai food, Chinese food, Vietnamese, and many other types to meet your palate.
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Enjoying Food, Oregon
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Festival Food Samples, Oregon Transportation - Since I live in the Greater Seattle area, driving my car is the fast and easiest way to get to Oregon. The trains, buses, Lyft, Uber, and bikes are other options of transportation. Rent an RV and explore some beautiful campsites. Drive along the Oregon coast and see all the fun things to do or beaches to see. Money Saving Tips What Can I Expect from Oregon?
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Portland Waterfront, Oregon
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Downtown Portland, Oregon You can expect delicious food, interesting tours, and beautiful parks. Oregon has beautiful parks and a beautiful coast. You can also expect sales tax free on your purchases. Oregon bans self-service gas station(the only other state that also ban self-service gas stations is New Jersey). A new law in 2018 allows self service but only in cities with a population less than 40,000 people. If you ever run out of gas during the night like me, drive back to Washington and get your gas. All the gas stations, I visited in Oregon already closed at midnight. Read the full article
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cairnme · 7 years
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Solar Eclipse: 21 Spectacular Last-Minute Places to Camp
Haven’t reserved a spot for August’s total solar eclipse yet? Many hotels and reservable campsites in the eclipse path are completely booked. But all hope is not lost. We’ve scouted out 21 first-come, first-serve camping destinations across the U.S. that are directly in the eclipse path of totality. You just need to be willing to arrive early or be able to rough it a bit. 
Car Camping
If car camping is for you, you’ll need to snag a spot early. Having access to restrooms, picnic tables and fire pits can certainly make your stay more comfortable. Many sites are situated in the trees so you’ll need to hike or drive to a suitable eclipse-viewing spot. We’ve have suggestions for such places; you can find their exact locations by downloading the Cairn app. Be aware that most campsites allow a maximum 14-day stay, so you might be looking at getting to these as much as two weeks in advance to ensure you find one that’s available.
Note that every one of Oregon’s state park campsites have already been reserved, even those usually designated as first-come first-serve.   
Backpacking and Dispersed Camping
With the right gear and a little flexibility you can take your eclipse experience to the backcountry. We’ve listed some backpacking destinations that should make for some fine eclipse viewing. But also consider dispersed camping: In the U.S. you can camp in national forests and in Bureau of Land Management (BLM) areas for free as long as you’re away from designated campgrounds. So that means millions of acres available for you to conceivably enjoy the eclipse without any crowds. You won’t have any services (like water and restrooms) so you’ll need to do a little extra planning. Bring water and be prepared to walk a little way from your vehicle. You’ll also have to get there early enough in the day to find a suitable spot.     
A Word to the Wise
Check whether you’ll have cell coverage before you go (the Cairn app is the best place for this, of course). If you have spotty coverage it can be especially challenging to get a signal when there are crowds. Follow The Leave No Trace principals. Be respectful of others. And be especially careful of fire regulations. An unplanned wildfire would be most unwelcome in August. And finally, enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!     
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Don’t forget to download the Cairn app!
1. Hunt’s Cove, Willamette National Forest, Oregon
Crowd prediction: Medium Historical avg cloud cover: 30% Eclipse totality duration: 1:58 at 10:18 am
Up-close views of Mt. Jefferson make this a fantastic setting for backcountry eclipse watching. Hike 7.3 miles one way.
2. Triangulation Peak, Willamette National Forest, Oregon
Crowd prediction: Low Historical avg cloud cover: 30% Eclipse totality duration: 2:01 at 10:18 am
Set up camp at the trailhead and then hoof the 2.6 miles to the summit in the morning to experience the eclipse.
3. Three Fingered Jack, Mount Jefferson Wilderness, Oregon
Crowd prediction: Low Historical avg cloud cover: 30% Eclipse totality duration: 1:39 at 10:18 am
Camp at the trailhead and then get up early for the 6.6 mile climb where you’ll find a phenomenal summit view of the eclipse and the Cascades.
4. Priest Hole, John Day River, Oregon
Crowd Prediction: Medium Historic avg cloud cover: 20% Eclipse totality duration: 2:04 at 10:20 am
Snag a riverside site at Priest Hole on Bureau of Land Management land. Drive 25 minutes to the stunning Painted Hills Overlook to experience the eclipse.
5. Walton Lake, Ochoco National Forest, Oregon
Crowd prediction: Medium Historical avg cloud cover: 40% Eclipse totality duration: 1:41 at 10:20 am
Arrive early to snag one of the walk-up sites at this lovely lakeside campground. Find a lakeshore spot facing southeast to witness the eclipse.
6. Strawberry Campground, Malheur National Forest, Oregon
Crowd prediction: Medium Historical avg cloud cover: 30% Eclipse totality duration: 1:49 at 10:22 am
Grab one of this campground’s ten first-come first-serve sites or simply find yourself a dispersed spot almost anywhere in the forest. 
7. Indian Rock, Umatilla National Forest, Oregon
Crowd prediction: Medium Historical avg cloud cover: 30% Eclipse totality duration: 1:34 at 10:23 am
1.7 million acres of forest available for dispersed camping means little competition for spots. Make your way to Indian Rock for the eclipse.
8. Sheepeater Hot Springs, Boise National Forest, Idaho
Crowd Prediction: Low Historical avg cloud cover: 30% Eclipse totality duration: 0:56 at 11:28 am
Raft or hike (13.5 miles) along the Middle Fork Salmon River to the Sheepeater Hot Springs Campground. Hop in the springs for one-of a-kind eclipse viewing.
9. Norton Lakes, Sawtooth National Forest, Idaho
Crowd Prediction: Low Historical avg cloud cover: 50% Eclipse totality duration: 1:19 at 11:29 am
Bring your tent and fishing gear to these lovely emerald green lakes (2.4 miles). Hike an hour to Norton Pass in the morning for big sky views of the eclipse.
10. Borah Peak, Salmon-Challis National Forest, Idaho
Crowd Prediction: Low Historical avg cloud cover: 40% Eclipse totality duration: 2:11 at 11:30 am
Experience moon-like scenery on your climb to the highest point in Idaho. Camp at the trailhead and time your summit arrival for the eclipse totality at 11:30 am. 
11. Lava Flow Campground, Craters Of The Moon National Monument, Idaho
Crowd Prediction: Medium Historical avg cloud cover: 40% Eclipse totality duration: 1:15 at 11:31 am
Camp directly on an old lava flow at this 51-site campground (all walk-up). Scout out a spot along Highway 26 for the eclipse experience.
12. Snowdrift Lake, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Crowd Prediction: Medium Historical avg cloud cover: 50% Eclipse totality duration: 2:17 at 11:34 am
Trek 8.2 miles to camp at this spectacular high-altitude lake. Head to Avalanche Divide (1.2 miles) for dramatic eclipse viewing. Hope for clear skies.
13. Curtis Canyon Campground, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming
Crowd Prediction: High Historical avg cloud cover: 50% Eclipse totality duration: 2:19 at 11:34 am
Arrive early to grab a walk-up site at this campground. In the morning take the tram to the top of Rendezvous Mountain ($42) or tackle the 4,000+ foot elevation hike.
14. Esterbrook Campground, Medicine Bow National Forest, Wyoming
Crowd Prediction: Medium Historical avg cloud cover: 30% Eclipse totality duration: 2:15 at 11:44 am
Try for one of the 12 walk-up sites at this campground nestled among ponderosa pines. View the eclipse right from your camp.  
15. Berryman Campground, Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri
Crowd Prediction: Medium Historical avg cloud cover: 30% Eclipse totality duration: 1:45 at 1:16 pm
Grab one of eight sites or find a nearby dispersed spot to camp. You’ll find a high area for eclipse viewing 1.2 miles northwest along the Ozark Trail. 
16. Inspiration Point, Shawnee National Forest, Illinois
Crowd Prediction: High Historical avg cloud cover: 30% Eclipse totality duration: 2:37 at 1:21 pm
Hike .8 miles to this summit for big views of the river valley and bottomlands, perfect for eclipse-watching. Find your own dispersed campsite.
17. Double Spring Gap Shelter, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina
Crowd Prediction: High Historical avg cloud cover: 45% Eclipse totality duration: 1:25 at 2:25 pm
Hike 3.6 miles to this Appalachian Trail shelter. In the morning head to the the Clingmans Dome Observation Tower (the highest point in Tennessee) for 360-degree panoramic views.
18. Deep Hole Campground, Chattahoochee National Forest, Georgia
Crowd Prediction: Medium Historical avg cloud cover: 45% Eclipse totality duration: 1:06 at 2:35 pm
Camp, canoe & fish along the Toccoa River at this 8-site first-come first-serve campground. Head to Wilscot Mountain for open eclipse views. Dispersed camping also allowed. 
19. Appalachian Trail (near Wayah Bald), Nantahala National Forest, Georgia
Crowd Prediction: Medium Historical avg cloud cover: 45% Eclipse totality duration: 2:35 at 2:35 pm
Find a campsite along the Appalachian Trail about a mile southwest of Wayah Bald Fire Tower. Climb the tower for a panoramic view of the eclipse.
20. East Fork Trail, Sumpter National Forest, South Carolina
Crowd Prediction: High Historical avg cloud cover: 45% Eclipse totality duration:  2:33 at 2:36 pm
Snag a campsite near the bridge along this trail. You’ll get a nice view of the eclipse from the north side of the Chattooga River. 
21. Bluff Campground, Congaree National Park, South Carolina
Crowd Prediction: Medium Historical avg cloud cover: 45% Eclipse totality duration: 2:42 at 2:42 pm
Hike just one mile to this six-site campground and relish the beauty of the bottomland old-growth forest. See the eclipse right from the campground.
You can access offline maps, stats, and cell coverage on the each of these locations via the Cairn app.
Press — Download the infographics from our press page.
NOTE: Mt. Jefferson Park is currently closed due to a large wildlife fire and will stay closed through the eclipse. Check the forest service website for the latest conditions.
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ladystylestores · 4 years
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The Ultimate One-Week Pacific Northwest Road Trip Itinerary • The Blonde Abroad
Jenna of Tales of the Vineyards recently traveled to Napa Valley, California for a 5-month wine harvest job. After wrapping up long hours working in the cellar and scrubbing her wine-stained hands, another epic adventure was all she had on her mind.
Jumping in a campervan with her harvest best friend Sarah, she journeyed out on the ultimate one-week Pacific Northwest road trip. Here’s Jenna with all the info!
As a first-timer on the West Coast, my list of places to visit and things to do was infinite. Coming from South Africa, a country that’s only a tenth of the size of the United States, it’s easy to forget the sheer size of one US state.
All I knew was that I was ready for a USA road trip of a lifetime (another first) and wanted to tick off at least one national park from my list.
After chatting to a couple of my friends in Napa and doing my own research, I came to the conclusion that venturing out to the usual suspects of California like Yosemite and Big Sur just wasn’t going to cut it.
Sitting on the couch one night with my housemate, she mentioned Glacier National Park in Montana and that was it—Sarah and I were going to drive over 1,400 miles from San Francisco to Glacier National Park with a few stops along the way…in winter!
Here’s the ultimate one-week Pacific Northwest road trip itinerary!
The Best  Time to Visit
Truth be told, winter isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. While the Pacific Northwest never reaches extreme summer temperatures, if rain, snow, and -17 degrees Celsius don’t sound like a fun time, then be sure to schedule this road trip for summer.
No matter the season, the Pacific Northwest has beauty around every corner.
Whether it’s sunny days wandering through the lush vineyards of the Willamette Valley in Oregon, frequenting the summer markets of Portland, or trekking through the snow-covered mountains of Glacier National Park, every season offers something special.
Top Spots to Visit on a Pacific Northwest Road Trip
Whether you’re starting your road trip in California and seeing some of the top sites on Pacific Coast Highway, or you’re wanting to explore all of the West Coast—I’ve got a number of places for you to check out!
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Traveling in a Campervan in Winter
Going on a road trip in a campervan in winter seems daunting (and foolish) to most, but really, it’s doable as long as you go prepared. An extra duvet, a warm jacket, fairy lights, and plenty of coffee go a long way!
The main reason we chose to get a campervan was the freedom it would give us in staying wherever we wanted, especially when it came to National Parks. We rented our campervan from Lost Campers based in San Francisco as their options were extremely affordable and included unlimited miles.
We went with their Sierra Class van which included:
A bed for 2 with linen
Kitchen kit (pots, coffee mugs, cups, cutlery)
A double burner stove (hello, coffee!)
A sink with water
Storage space
Battery-operated cooler box
After a few friends saying we were crazy to even think about sleeping in a campervan in winter, we decided to bring along an extra duvet and blanket just in case. When you hit those negative temperatures, these definitely come in handy.
Traveling and sleeping in a campervan has its highs and lows. I have no doubt that getting one during summertime would definitely be a little easier – sleeping, changing, and socializing in a small van can be tricky to navigate when you’re trying to avoid stepping foot out into snowy or rainy weather.
With that said, it really just adds to the adventure and we wouldn’t have changed a thing. It allowed us to be flexible, to always have our things close by, and made us realize how little you need to go on an unbelievable trip.
Simple things like standing to change your clothes or rummaging through a cupboard start to feel like luxuries.
  Helpful Tip:
Road tripping in winter, your chances of coming across snowy roads are pretty high. Make sure to include snow chains in any sort of car or campervan rental and know how to put them on – you don’t want to be caught off guard and left in the middle of nowhere making friends with the local moose.
Day 1 – San Francisco to McMinnville
Via I-5 – Approximately 9.5-Hour Drive
Eager to get the show on the road, start your day early and knock a big distance out of the way. Take in the beautiful scenery on the drive with snowy mountains in the distance, lush forests lining the highway, and an even chillier bite in the air.
On arrival in McMinnville, a historic little town in the heart of Oregon’s wine country, throw on a jacket and wander its streets adorned with twinkling lights. Explore one of the many bars before settling in at a cozy restaurant.
After a well-deserved meal and with hopefully a second wind kicking in, pop into the Conservatory Bar. Serving up incredible cocktails and local beers, they’re known for their winter warmers that are perfect for combatting the outside chill.
If you see their hot buttered rum on the menu, do yourself a favor and order one right away.
Suggestions:
One of the many Willamette Valley wineries
Day 2 – McMinnville to Portland
Via Pacific Highway W – Approximately 1-Hour Drive
Before hitting the road, grab a coffee and breakfast on NE 3rd Street at Community Plate (pictured above). A cute, upbeat cafe that’s great for a quick bite to eat or something a little slower paced if you’re not in any rush.
Oregon is known for producing incredible Pinot Noir wine (and plenty others), so a trip to a couple of wineries on your way to Portland is a must for any wine lover. Make sure to make an appointment beforehand and be prepared for unreal photo opportunities.
After a day of vino and vineyards, arrive in the beautiful city of Portland. Known for its hipsters and coffee culture, grab a cuppa joe on your way to the Pearl District for dinner. Wander down NW 13th to admire the refurbished deep-red buildings before settling down for a tasty meal.
Willamette Valley Wineries to Visit:
Bergström – Incredible Pinot Noir and Chardonnay using fruit from four of the Willamette Valley’s best appellations
Lingua Franca – Producing wines that reflect the true expression of their fruit, Lingua Franca is known for their premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
Chateau Deluxe – For those looking for something special, Chateau Deluxe is a small producer creating seriously good Pet-Nat (natural sparkling wine)
Day 3 – Portland
Winter in Portland is guaranteed to be a wet one so make sure you’ve got a great waterproof jacket for wandering the streets.
Start your day at one of the many cute coffee shops scattered throughout the city or head straight to Mississippi Avenue for a bit of morning shopping. Browse the boutique stores or stop at The Meadow to stock up on delicious snacks for the road.
If you’re as big a fan of cheese as I am, take a drive to the Cheese Bar on SE Belmont Street for one of the best cheese boards of your life paired with a glass (or bottle) of local wine. Next up, head to Powell’s Books – the world’s largest independent bookstore – to grab an interesting read for the road ahead.
A culinary highlight and dinner-must when visiting Portland is Pok Pok in SE Division. Serving unbelievable dishes inspired by Thai street food since 2005, Ike’s Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings and the Papaya Pok Pok salad are what foodie dreams are made of.
Day 4 – Portland to Seattle
Via I-5 N – Approximately 3-Hour Drive
Start your morning early for the 3-hour drive to Seattle. You’ll want to get there before the crazy afternoon traffic hits – something we definitely didn’t think about.
Although pretty rainy and gloomy during winter, don’t be fooled, Seattle never sleeps. Park your car for the night and hit the streets. Head to the George Washington Memorial Bridge to snap a picture with the famous Fremont Troll – a gigantic troll sculpture living under the bridge with roots in Norwegian folk culture.
Next up, visit the iconic Space Needle for unbelievable views. And if twinkly lights tickle your fancy, head there later at night to see the city light up – it’s open until 8 pm on weekdays and 9 pm on weekends.
  Helpful Tip:
Seattle, especially in the city center, isn’t ideal when it comes to traveling in a campervan. Parking is a nightmare and driving up hills in rain and traffic can be super stressful. I’d suggest finding a hostel or hotel for the time that you’re there and to park your car in overnight parking. We found a great garage on 3rd Street for just over $50 for 2 nights.
Day 5 – Seattle
Like Portland, Seattle has become known as the “mecca of coffee” offering perfectly brewed coffee on almost every street.
Start your morning off on Cherry Street with a freshly baked pastry and a cup of coffee from Cherry Street Coffee House before strolling down to the waterfront. Take in views across Elliott Bay to the Olympic Mountains as you head towards iconic Pike Place Market.
Undoubtedly one of Seattle’s most-visited attractions, Pike Place Market is home to delicious seafood, fresh produce, and crafty stores. But watch out – don’t get in the way of the guys behind the seafood counters and their killer fish-throwing skills.
Every couple of minutes you’ll see fish casually flying through the air as they pass it jokingly between each other.
A quick 15-minute walk away, visit the must-see Olympic Sculpture Park. See impressive works from top contemporary artists with the Space Needle and the Olympic Mountains as your backdrop. And the best part – the park is free!
Would you take a look at all that snow?!
Day 6 – Seattle to Spokane
Via I-90 E – Approximately 6-Hour Drive
Rise and shine – today’s the day you head towards the Montana mountains!
While Google Maps may make the route from Seattle to Glacier National Park look doable in a single day, the snowy conditions of winter definitely throw a curveball. Start your day early with a pit stop at a grocery store on the outskirts of Seattle to stock up on essentials before heading towards Spokane for the night.
Take it slow on the roads and watch as your surroundings change. The snow gets thicker and the temperatures quickly start to drop as you get closer to Montana – Big Sky Country.
Once you reach Spokane, choose from a few campgrounds for the night and cozy up for a night’s rest before the final adventure to Glacier.
Day 7 – Spokane to Glacier National Park
Via I-90 E – Approximately 7-Hour Drive
Put on those woolly socks and light up the gas stove, a cup of coffee will be essential to knock off the chill and kickstart your day.
Get on the road early as the drive towards Glacier isn’t incredibly far but expect the icy roads of the pass and potentially snowy conditions to delay your trip by at least 2 hours.
Enjoy a leisurely drive through dramatic landscapes with towering mountains and frozen lakes passing by. The roads start to quieten down quite a lot, so make sure you’ve filled up with gas, have something packed for lunch, and are stocked up on food for your time in the park.
After a good couple of hours on the road you’ll finally reach Glacier National Park and boy, is every mile worth it!
Only a few roads are maintained over winter and the only area to stay in is at the Apgar Campground, so be prepared for maximum peace and quiet. Pick your spot amongst the snow overlooking the McDonald Lake and take in scenes that few people ever get to witness in their lifetime:
Deer wandering past, snow gently falling to the ground, and views for miles.
  Helpful Tip:
Staying at the campground during winter is free and the Apgar Visitor Center is still operational and can help with any questions. There’s also a little souvenir shop that has a couple of snacks and serves hot drinks in case you run out.
Day 8 – Glacier National Park
Wake up cuddled under your duvet surrounded by complete beauty and tons of animal tracks! Start the day as slow as you like but coffee and warm breakfast comes highly recommended.
Glacier National Park over winter really is a place of serenity. With only a few hiking paths open and not much else to do, throw on your (waterproof) hiking boots and hit a path to enjoy the views and wildlife. This is truly the ultimate adventure if you’re wanting to immerse yourself in nature and avoid any crowds.
The rest of your time? Drink plenty of tea, catch up on some reading, do a little journaling, and enjoy the wonderland around you.
A Local’s Guide to Glacier National Park
If you’re thinking about heading to Glacier, you’re in for a treat. There’s a reason there were more than three million visitors there last year!
Read More
Shopping List
Pretty much your preparation shopping can be done at any sporting good store. Here are some of the key things to bring along!
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Final Thoughts
Don’t be scared of seasons, you may just end up on the best adventure of your life.
Leading up to our trip, there were many occasions where I thought we were downright crazy to want to road trip in a campervan during winter. Yes, it can get a little crowded and yes, it was tough braving the cold especially when we hit Glacier and wanted to make a cup of tea.
But would we do it all over again? A thousand times, yes.
Our trip extended all the way down to Yellowstone, Zion, Vegas, and back up the coast to San Francisco – an epic journey that I’d recommend to anyone and everyone.
What are you waiting for? Pack those bags, rent that campervan, and get exploring.
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lovelyfantasticfart · 4 years
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templified · 5 years
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Best WordPress Personal Blog Themes for Writers, Bloggers and Online Publishers | Templified
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Best WordPress Personal Blog Themes for Writers, Bloggers and Online Publishers
We’ve got an amazing collection of personal blog themes for all kinds of writers.  If you’re a blogger, you know the value of creating a user experience that’s positive.  You want to make sure that your site is well organized, so folks can find anything they want on your website.  You need the text to be very legible, the navigation has to be clear.  It’s got to get the message across clearly and without distractions.  That’s what this collection of personal blog WordPress themes is all about.  I think WordPress is the absolute best content management system around for building a blog.  After all, that’s why they created WordPress in the first place, as a pure blogging platform.  While it’s come a long way in recent years, adding features like support for beautiful image galleries and portfolios, eCommerce, social networking and more, it’s still the best blogging platform around.
but finding the right theme for your website is still a challenge.  There are thousands of options out there and not all of them are created equally.  Some themes don’t have the features, the flexibility or the high code quality that’s going to help make your website a smashing success.  That’s why we created this collection.
We’ve gathered up all of the very best WordPress personal blog themes to help you make an educated decision.  The themes in this collection represent the absolute best themes on the market.  They’re fast loading, full of features, they’re well supported and easy to customize.  If it’s here on Templified, you know you’re getting a fantastic theme that’s going to help you build a successful online business.  So, here we go, the very best personal blog WordPress themes on the web.
Oregon, Free, Personal Blogging Theme by Templified
This is Oregon a free WordPress theme that helps you present your content the right way.  Oregon offers a simple presentation for any sort of personal or professional blog.  It even supports WooCommerce, that makes it ideal for adding an eCommerce component to your blog.  For more WooCommerce themes, I’d like to introduce you to our collection of WooCommerce themes.  There’s a large range of themes out there and we’ve tried to pick quite a range to show you what the possibilities are.
This is Oregon, the first theme ever created and developed by Templified.  I think it does a really nice job of presenting your content in a simple, modern and straightforward way.  There are a lot of other personal blog themes out there that look a lot like this one, but they charge you $30 or more for a download.  If you choose Oregon, you can get all that same cool, modern design for absolutely nothing.  Hopefully, many of you personal bloggers out there can take advantage of this theme and I hope it works great for you.  You’ll have a fast loading, perfectly responsive and smooth scrolling home for any sort of blog.  Check it out below.
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Divi, Powerful WordPress Blog Builder Theme
Divi is a premium quality WordPress theme and popular in the world for very good reason. This theme allows you to use the Divi page builder to construct pages visually. It’s a revolutionary thing, dragging and dropping content chunks anywhere you want them. It’s visual editing at its finest.  Divi is among the most popular themes ever created and it’s got quite a community built up to help you out with pre-made designs, help with customization and little bits of code that could come in very handy.
Divi is one of those themes that works for just about any kind of website.  It’s a true premium quality theme that has a massive amount of premade designs to choose from.  And using the Divi pagebuilder is one of the very best ways to keep things fresh, there are so many different features to add and customize.  Thd Divi page builder makes crafting an awesome website easy and very visual, even for a beginner.
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Tulip, Lifestyle and Personal Blog WordPress Theme
Tulip is one of the most innovative, stylish, customizable, simple, dynamic and responsive, user friendly and fresh WordPress themes that offer your readers an unforgettable experience. Developers of Tulip put in all necessary effort in coming up with a product that is of great quality. The theme was designed in such a way that even e newbie can easily create websites that captivates the attention in just minutes.
Tulip is easy to implement thanks to its awesome layouts which can be used for any niche. It also comes with lots of customization options, unlimited color options, concise typography, and well-designed slider that sticks that post which consider as being a master piece ensuring the whole world reads it. Tulip is the best theme for your blog if you will be dealing with lots of pictures in your blog post. It is designed in such a way that if seamlessly shares videos and picture gallery. If you believe that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, Tulip will definitely prove you wrong.
What kind of website would you create with Tulip?  I think it could be an ideal WordPress lifestyle blog theme, though it could also be a perfectly solid personal blog theme or even a recipe blog theme.  The possibilities are as numerous as the tulips in the Willamette Valley in springtime.
The Tulip WordPress theme may be as beautiful as its namesake suggests, but there is nothing delicate and transient about its structure. It offers an innovative, dynamic, fresh, and stylish option for website owners who want to give their site visitors an experience that will not soon be forgotten. The professional developers of this WP theme focused on quality for not only the site owner but also the end user’s experience when they read the blog or view other pages content.  I think the results speak for themselves, this feminine style WordPress theme is amazing.
The whole process of creating a high-quality, highly attractive blog or website with the Tulip WordPress theme is intuitive and simple even if you have no coding or design experience at all. Pre-built layouts give you one-click creation of a wide variety of page styles that suit any industry, niche, or topic. Customization possibilities include choosing typography styles, favorite color schemes, and graphic options for the eye-catching slider mechanism that makes a blog post sticky so it can be viewed with ease. The Tulip WP theme delivers an astounding solution for picture blog posts. You can even build a well-organized photo gallery or video sharing page. Just like the flower captures attention in the garden, your Tulip WordPress theme designed website will convince more site visitors to stay a while and enjoy the view.
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Papr, Modern WordPress Theme for Personal Blogs
Papr is the name of this clean, flat and completely modern WordPress theme. This one is built for personal blogs, lifestyle blogs and with a variety of post layouts, there’s a lot that you can achieve with it. It’s even got several pre-made specialty pages, handcrafted contact form page, custom 404 page, audio, video and gallery post formats, just to name a few. This fully responsive theme was built using the elementor Page builder and the redux of framework, a combination that leads to fast living, great looking websites on all devices. it’s even got an ads manager, that’s a really great way to help monetize your personal blog, though that is completely optional and up to you whether you want to take advantage of it.
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Tumli, Personal Blog WordPress Theme
If you’re looking for a personal blog theme, Tumli here is worth a look.  Tumli has a powerful live customizer that lets you see changes to your website before the psychos live, a nice little feature that can keep you from posting mistakes to your site for you already. When you’re getting started, but there is one click dental in Port and this team, unlike many others, is compatible with Google Berg. there are several different custom widgets included, an advertisement which kind of recent posts, social icons and most used tags among others. You get a responsive and translation ready theme that can really help you make money with your blog. If you’re a personal or lifestyle blogger this theme is a really excellent choice.
Tumli is a personal blog theme that has a clean, professional design.  When you’re looking for a personal blog theme, finding the right blend of style and substance is key.  I think Tumli is a really solid balance.  It’s easy to navigate, the content is presented very clearly and it’s easy to manage your content, even if you’ve got a lot of it.
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H-Code, Premium Multipurpose Personal Blog Theme
H-Code is a high quality blog theme with great looking typography, fantastic pre-made styles, tons of features and a lot of fleixibility. This is a powerful and creative multipurpose blog theme that creates a really awesome user experience. Within the pre-made demos, choosing a blog design that folks are going to react positively to, that’s basically a given. This theme is ready for anything with over 57 different unique concepts but you can install and have up and running quickly.
H Code is powerful, it’s responsive and it’s multi purpose.  With H Cade, you can give yourself a creative platform to display any sort of blog content.  It even works well as an eCommerce site, so you can sell your products.
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Extra, Personal Blog and Magazine Theme
Extra is built on the Divi page builder and the end result is a super powerful, flexible theme that makes your content look amazing.  Extra is a premium quality personal blog and magazine theme that gives your site a really nice look and an impressive array of features.  Extra is powered by Divi, one of the most powerful and popular page builder plugins anywhere.  Extra is a theme by Elegant Themes and they’re among the biggest and best theme developers around, so premium support is a given, the documentation is on point.  With this much flexibility, there’s nothing you can’t accomplish.
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Marni, Clean, Minimal Personal Blogging Theme
If you favor clean, simple, minimal designs, Marni is a theme to consider.  If you need to check out some more minimalist themes, try the collection we’ve created.  Premium quality, flexible, beautiful and ready for your content, this is an elegant, clean and simple personal Blog theme that has a perfect 5-star rating on theme forest. The life customizer gives you access to any type of customization changes that you want and there are four different layout styles to choose from. This is a really flexible and attractive theme and one that I think is highly underrated.
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Brixton, Fashionable Blog Theme for Personal Websites
This is Brixton, a delightful personal blogging theme for WordPress.  The WordPress content management system is such a powerful platform for blogging, all you need is a great looking theme to really set your content off.  That could be Brixton, a fabulous looking theme that’s got a ton of features and a nice looking style to go with it.  This theme is responsive, it’s beloved by about 3k users and it’s recently been updated to keep the features and the code as fresh as can be.
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Bucket, Clean, Professional Personal Blogging Theme
Bucket is a personal blog and magazine theme that aims to help showcase any sort of written content in a professional way.  This theme has strong layouts, lots of social networking connections and it’s really simple to use.  This isn’t Charlie Bucket we’re talking about, this is Bucket, a clean and classy personal blogging theme.
Bucket is basically a magazine-style WordPress theme, though I believe that its visual impact could make it great for personal blogs as well. This is an indispensable tool and a giving you a user-friendly way to share your discoveries and showcase the things that you have found on the web. If you’re looking to share information and stories about products, you can certainly review them using this theme. Book it helps keep your visitors engaged with viral videos, breaking news, special events and classic blog posts. The admin panel and custom page builder is designed for ease of use. Bucket as all the right tools in the right place. This is certainly a theme that is worth consideration.
You get an integrated reviews system, I guess I’m reviewing system that includes score breakdowns, list of pros and cons and more. There is nothing you can’t review with this template. You also get a custom page builder to help create new home page layouts that show content where you want it. Bucket is perfectly mobile friendly, adds drop-down Mega menu support and offers three different header layouts. This theme fully integrated social media and it is incredibly SEO friendly, thanks to the clean code and schema markup. With access to every single Google phone out there, this translation ready WordPress theme is powerful blog option and one that is proven to be quite popular.
I think that Bucket could also work great for an agency blog site, so perhaps you would be interested in having a look at some more agency themes. We have gathered up solid selection of the absolute best and make sure that each and every one of them works perfectly for your needs. We have reduced thousands of themes to just a handful, making sure that each one is high-quality and user-friendly.
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Rinjani, Clean, Typography Driven Blog Theme
Rinjani is a great looking, responsive WordPress theme that uses a masonry grid layout to perfectly present your blog posts with images and eye-catching headlines to generate more clicks.  Rinjani is a perfect choice for any sort of personal blog with its classic masonry grid layout, timeless style it’s wide range of features. This theme is optimized for mobile and desktop performance, it helps to give your content the attention that it’s so richly deserves. If you’re blogging, why not do it in style with a theme like Rinjani.
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Adventure, WordPress Adventure Blogging Theme
Take the path to Adventure with the Adventure WordPress theme.  Adventure is one of those themes that makes a bold impression, which can be a big advantage for a personal blog.  I should also mention, I think Adventure works very well as a travel or lifestyle blog too.  Maybe I should add a collection to highlight some of the best in an upcoming blog post?  Adventure is an organic WordPress theme that was designed for travelers, Adventure bloggers and explorers. If you want a personal Blog theme that is incredibly simple to set up, offers a responsive and modern design and has featured content slideshows, not to mention WooCommerce capability, this theme is a fantastic option. Highly customizable and easy-to-use, Adventure really delivers.
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Foodica, Personal Food Blog WordPress Theme
Pulling double duty as a food blog and a personal blog comes pretty easy for this theme, which is called Foodica.  Foodica is a very clean, attractive theme that looks great on all devices, thanks to it’s responsive layout.  Foodica is a beautiful, clean and stylish food blog and personal Blog theme that is ideal for creating personal blogs based around your love of food. It’s also really solid for recipe websites and magazines. There are 10 different color schemes, WooCommerce integration, future filled theme options panel and a whole lot more. This theme offers fantastic support and it’s a really solid value for the money.
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Montblanc, Powerful, User Friendly Blog Theme
This is MontBlanc, a well designed and user friendly blogging theme that works well on all devices.  This theme is easy to install and then, it’s just as easy to customize after the fact.  Montblanc is a powerful and user-friendly WordPress blogging theme that’s great for personal websites where readability is particularly valued. This theme has a really interesting typography set up, it allows for eCommerce and beautiful portfolios as well.
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Bridget, Personal Blog and Fashion Theme
Bridget is a lifestyle and personal blog theme with all the features that any modern blogger is going to need.  You get absolute control over the layout, colors, fonts.  Everything to build a brand that’s consistent and engaging.  Bridget is a next-level WordPress theme, it gives you a sleek and minimalist style that perfectly frames all of your personal blog content. If you have an image heavy blog, always a very good idea, this theme does a particularly great job of presenting your content. Bridget is perfectly responsive and looks great on all devices.
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Sleek, Clean, Modern Personal Blog Theme
This is Sleek, an attractive and creative theme that helps bring style and functionality to your blog.  With Sleek, you get a smart layout that adapts to basically any screen size.  Sleek has multiple blog layouts, there are minimal lists and masonry grid layouts.  Sleek also integrates strong support for all the most popular social networks, making it pretty easy to get noticed on sites like Twitter and Facebook.  Sleek is a creative and responsive WordPress theme that was carefully crafted, it gives you full screen layouts, offers sidebar comments, a particularly interesting look and it has several different simple blog layouts. For personal bloggers who want a unique way to display their content, this is a fine choice. There are 8 different post formats, covering all your bases and making sure that you always have all of the features that you need for any given blog post.
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Authentic, Minimalist eCommerce and Blog Theme
Light and bright, fast loading and simple to use, Authentic is a WordPress theme that’s great for lifestyle blogs and personal blogs.  Authentic has one of the highest rated lifestyle and personal blog out there. With the most recent update, it’s bigger and better than ever. They’ve added four new brand new demo styles, the theme is not compatible with WordPress 5.0 Plus and there are several new features that are worth taking a look at it. This is still an incredibly highly rated theme, is support WooCommerce, blends perfectly with your social media and it can help take any personal blog to the next level.
For more outstanding themes for WooCommerce shops, check out our full collection.
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Mallow, Modern Fashion and Personal Blog Theme
Mallow is a polished WordPress theme that was made for lifestyle bloggers who want to have a modern, magazine style look for their website.  Nearly any sort of personal blog is going to look great using the Mallow theme.  Mallow is a stylish, polished and professional personal blog and magazine theme. This template offers you tons of features and an amazing style that will help make your audience crave more of your blogs. Giving your readers a great user experience can’t really help to drive long-term traffic to your site and that is a very good thing.
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Edition, Food and Lifestyle Blog Theme
Unique, responsive, perfect for all kinds of publishers, Edition is a great theme for reviews and it’s also a really nice personal blogging theme option.  Edition is great for audio, video, reviews, news and more.  There are stunning featured images, unique drag and drop layouts and a lot more.  Try this on for size if you want to see some more WordPress video themes.  Edition is a unique and responsive news and personal blog site for all types of publishers and bloggers. Great for reviews, personal stories, anecdotes, audio, video, recipes, travel blogs and more. This theme even offers a built-in reviews at system to share your opinions about products and services all over the web.
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Aesthetic, Modern, Sleek Personal Blog Template
Aesthetic is a wonderful, responsive blogging WordPress theme.  Aesthetic has everything you’ll need to be a great option for bloggers that want a bold, fresh and stylish look for their blog.  Aesthetic is the name of this responsive personal blog theme and it has all of the options and features necessary to make a really stunning website. You will have complete control over the look and feel of your sight through the powerful and easy-to-use admin interface.
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Cooperative, Multi Author Personal Blog Theme
Here’s something a little different.  It’s a very simple blog theme.  Cooperative is a modern, minimalist WordPress theme for teams.  This Cooperative theme is all about working together.  Cooperative makes it easy to showcase your work, to stay in touch with potential customers and to reach a very wide audience with your written material.  Cooperative is a clean and minimalist personal blog theme that lets you showcase your stories and connect with your readers in new and fun ways. This is a very reasonably priced theme, one of the cheapest in this collection. While the design is simple, some would say too simple, it still packs in enough features to make it worthwhile.
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Yosemite, Beginner Friendly Personal Blog Theme
Inspired by Apple’s Yosemite OSX design, Yosemite is a clean WordPress theme. You get a lot included to help market your posts.  There’s a newsletter plugin, MegaMenu compatibility as well as WP Review Pro.  Yosemite is optimized for AdSense, pageviews and readability too.  With this Yosemite theme, you’ll see elevated levels of user engagement.  Yosemite is a clean, simple personal blogging theme that was inspired by mcintosh’s Yosemite. The fluid and responsive design looks great on all devices, this theme gives you a well-thought-out design that truly helps to increase engagement. with the newsletter plugin, compatibility with WP review pro and mega menu, this theme has a lot of bells and whistles that I think make it a fantastic option for any personal blogger.
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Emporia, Minimalist Personal Blogger Theme
This theme is called Emporia, it’s a minimalist WordPress blog theme that is easy to customize, gives you a great-looking responsive design, offers all of the most common post formats and it’s all around ease of use and SEO optimized design make it a great for personal and professional bloggers who want a simple-to-use but highly flexible WordPress theme.
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Milo, Clean, Minimal eCommerce and Blog Theme
Milo is a clean, simple and modern theme for personal blogs that features a left-aligned header design, cascading submenu, thumbnail gallery view, project descriptions, eCommerce compatibility and basic style settings.  This theme has a lot of features you’ll need to make your blog a huge success.  Milo is I minimalist blog theme for personal bloggers who know that design and layout are of critical importance. This theme if you are really distinctive look to your side, clean, simple and elegant at the same time. This theme supports ecommerce and it is very simple to use.
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Collective, Multi-Author and Personal Blog Theme
Created for showcasing people, particularly blogs with multiple authors, this is Collective. Collective a great looking personal blog, no matter what the subject is.  Collective is one of those themes that is perfect for multiauthor blogs, non-profits, education, partnerships, associations and more.  Collective is a theme that helps to bring people together. Plugin is all about connecting with your reader and with a theme like collective, a multi-author template, you will be able to connect with everyone that comes to your side. The user experience is very slick, well-organized and I think readers really react to that.
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Soledad, WordPress Personal Blog and Magazine Theme
Soledad is a true multipurpose theme, it’s handsome to look at, well designed and with hundreds of page designs, pre-made demo sites and options, you’ll never run into issues with customization.  Anything you want to do is possible with Soledad.  Soledad is one of the most popular personal blog and magazine themes on the web. There are thousands of different real, fully built out demo pages available. Soledad does a wonderful job of blending a lot of features with a user-friendly style this themes fast loading, compatible with all of the most common plugins that you might want to employ, it gives you the ultimate inflexibility and it’s very simple to customize.
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Doberman, Viral Content Personal Blog Theme
This is Doberman, a great looking viral magazine theme that works well for personal blogs too.  With Doberman, you can let your content reach its true potential.  This is one of the first viral magazine themes for WordPress and it’s still one of the very best.  Doberman is a content blockers dream. If you want a very modern, flat and clean style blog, this template is specifically built for you. This theme can help your content go viral, it offers infinite style variations and a drag-and-drop home page that you can build exactly the way you want using custom widgets. No coding is ever required with the Doberman theme.
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Epilog, Premium Personal WordPress Blog Theme
These days, more than ever, it’s important for your blog to be enjoyable for all kinds of readers, not to mention readable by search engines like Google. Visitors to your website will need to be able to easily navigate through the website, just like the search engine spiders.  Tesla Themes created the Epilog to help you stand out of the crowd.  Epilog gives you a web site with neat design, well made code and fast loading times, which both humans and robots love.  Epilog is a WordPress blogging theme that has a very classic style. I think the typography is particularly nice and it’s going to do a fantastic job of making your content readable and enjoyable. speaking of readable, the search engines love this theme, something that is all important these days. I blog was built with bloggers in mind, it’s design is precise and it is incredibly cleanly coated. Keeping in touch with your readers is going to be a breeze with this template.
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Atert, Clean, Simple Personal Blogging Theme
Atert is a personal blog theme that’s been designed in a clean and minimalist style. Atert is incredibly flexible, easy for customizing and well documented.  You can use this theme for travel, fashion blogs, recipe or food blogs and more.  Want to build a photography portfolio?  Why not!  But where Atert really excels is in the personal, publishing or tutorial blog sites.  This is a WordPress Theme with almost too many features to list in one place. Arert comes with multiple flexible layouts, options that allow you to change colors rapidly and it’s particularly SEO friendly.  Atert is a minimal blog theme with a really interesting style.   Let’s dive in.
For a simple and creative WordPress blog template, you could do a whole lot worse than this one. The style is clean, modern and minimalist. It’s a very flexible theme that is incredibly simple to customize. This theme is well-documented and gives you a dynamic and solid approach for travel blogs, fashion and food blogs, personal publishing sites or tutorial blog sites. The choice is up to you and there are endless possibilities. This theme operates with the live customizer, it is optimized for fast page load times and it even includes WooCommerce to allow you to set up an online shop.
You get free lifetime updates and fast, friendly support. This thing is Gutenberg ready and built on bootstrap 4 plus code, making it load up incredibly fast and look great on all devices. Any of the demo designs that you see can be installed with just a single click and this theme doesn’t forget about social media, perfectly integrating all of your favorite social networks in one place.
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Eames, Minimalist WP Personal Blog Theme
Eames is a minimalist WordPress theme that has plenty of white space, support for eCommerce, social media integration and it’s going to be an amazing choice for personal bloggers who need a fast loading, outstanding looking web template.  Eames is another incredibly simple, clean and minimalist WordPress theme. List template support eCommerce, allowing you to sell products. You can set up an attractive portfolio and, of course, the blog design is really engaging and eye-catching. If you’re looking for a simple WordPress theme that is easy to use, yet it offers you a significant amount of customization options, Eames could be for you.
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Blogojoy, Modern Personal Blog WP Theme
WordPress, it’s all about sharing your content.  Letting the world know what you and your site are all about.  It’s also about building a community.  If you’ve got the need to build a personal blog, if you want to raise brand awareness for your company or you just want the best option for building a website that’s simple and effective, WordPress and the Blogojoy theme are a wonderful fit.  This theme is called Blogjoy, it is a minimalist WordPress theme that has a highly visual homepage layout. This really catches the reader’s attention with boldly placed images in a really interesting grid format. This theme is responsive, it offers slider revolution and it was built on the Tesla framework, making it highly adaptable and first one. You got strong social media integration, built-in short codes and extensive documentation.
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Bold, Stylish, Powerful Personal Blog Theme
This is Bold. Bold is a little bit alternative.  It’s a sexy theme too.  It’s a little different than the other themes in this collection.  It’s the theme with a sleeve tattoo and a nose ring. This Bold personal blog theme is built to grab your attention and never let go.  I really love the front page layout and this theme remains among my favorites to this day.  Bold is a theme that helps make a great first impression, personal bloggers all over the web love this theme. It’s modern, different and a little bit edgy. This theme features are responsive grid, a variety of page templates, featured videos, WooCommerce support and tons more. This really is a bold entry into the WordPress theme market.
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Rima, Clean Personal Blog and Lifestyle Magazine
Want a them that’s minimalist and can deliver an immersive browsing experience for your readers?  Check out Rima.  This theme has polished and beautifully balanced pages, that makes Rima an ideal WordPress template for almost all type of personal blog. You can build your posts with real “What You See Is What You Get” functionality, thanks to the Elementor page builder or Visual Composer Builder.  Those are both included and the fact that they’re easy to use is one reason I recommend this theme.  No coding required!  Rima is a modern and stylish personal blogging WordPress theme that gives your readers an immersive experience well they browse your site. Rima is a polished and beautifully crafted, well-balanced and feature field theme. For any type of blog, this theme allows you to build what-you-see-is-what-you-get web pages using any of the most popular page builders. It’s very simple to use and no coding is required.  The delivery packs a real punch.
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Marcell, Minimalist Personal Blog Theme for Writers
Marcell is a modern, attractive and responsive Minimal Personal Blogging WordPress Theme. If you are a blogger, a writer, a novelist or a journalist, Marcell is worth taking a look at.  This theme is also ideal for lifestyle or travel blogs.  Sharing stories with the world will be a whole lot easier if you make sure you’ve got a very user friendly, well designed theme like Marcell on hand to bring the tools you need to succees.  Marcell is WordPress theme that has 20 different multi-concept layouts, stylish design, great features and it’s perfect for writers and bloggers and want to tell a story to the world and have that story it home and clear, concise way. This is a personal blog theme that offers lots of different handy functions that many personal bloggers like. There are pop-up menus and a diverse amount of blog layouts, the page load times are incredibly fast and Marcel offers several different handmade home pages, content modules and short codes that can be used in any project.
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The Essentialist, Minimalist Style WordPress Personal Blogging Theme
This is the Essentialist.  It’s a theme that works wonders for all kinds of narrative content.  If you’re into visual storytelling, photoblogging, video blogging or you like to stick with the traditional written blog posts, the Essentialist has the style to work.  It’s a minimalist theme with an uncluttered design, the narrative spirit and it’s quite simple to use as well.  The Essentialist is a clean and straightforward personal blog theme that does everything that I possibly can to prevent your content The right way, distraction-free so that everyone who visits your site is going to find precisely what they want every time out. The Essentialist has all of the features that you expect from any premium theme, it’s simple to use and simple to customize. Focusing the attention on your content is what this theme is all about. The typography is outstanding, this is theme it is very simple to use but extremely customizable at the same time. This theme is all about letting you tell a story in a distraction-free, user-friendly and engaging way.
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Nouveau, Crystal Clear WordPress Personal Blog Theme
Nouveau is a really awesome theme that’s great for photography portfolios, creative agencies, online shops and more.  But, I really think it’s at it’s best as a personal blog.  This theme has tons of flexible features to make it an ideal choice for any sort of blog site.  Personal, travel, fashion, food.  You get the idea.  Nouveau is a perfectly well crafted, minimalist WordPress theme that has style and features making it a solid choice for personal blogs, no matter what topic.  If you want to add things like a portfolio, you have several options for making that work.  There are several design elements included, perfectly blending modern features with classic, time tested techniques to help you build more traffic to your blog, sharing your personal story with the world.
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Suarez, Interesting, Bold Personal Blogging Theme
Built for bloggers and writers, Suarez delivers a clean,unique design and loads of features.  This theme was made to be as engaging as possible and I think that it’s really hit the mark.  Suarez is a personal blog theme from Tesla Themes and it’s still going strong a couple years after it’s original release.  Suarez has a clean, classic style with a little bit of a twist.  I think the front page has a nice looking style and that’s going to make your content look fantastic on all devices, no matter what the subject matter.
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wikitopx · 5 years
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The city of Eugene lies in the Oregon State of the United States.
Home to the University of Oregon, Eugene is thus bustling with young talent and crowd and frequent visitors. The city of Waldport enjoys a summertime Mediterranean climate and it is home to various nature parks and attractions, offering a wide range of outdoor activities to indulge in. The city is full of life and thus a great place for family and friends to hang out. It’s a major tourist spot in the USA, full of places to try great seafood and enjoy the lively nightlife. Such is the vibrant life that you can enjoy so many things on your trip here. For your ease, we have highlighted some of the best things to do in Eugene, Oregon, for a fun-filled trip.
1. Explore the Eugene Distillery trail
The best way to start your journey in Eugene is by probably sampling some wines. The city of Oregon is known for various distilleries like Deep Woods, Heritage, Thinking tree, and Wolf Spirits, which are a part of the Eugene Distillery trail. These places are where you can indulge in artisan spirits, freshly made and available in a variety. There are four unique tasting rooms each with a speciality which you sample and still not get enough of it. Such is the flavours of the wines. At some places, exquisite whisky, vodka, gin and liqueurs are also available. Most of these are sustainable distilleries so also thumbs up to the environment.
2. Dive into the adventure world of Puzzling Adventures
This is for smart, adventure seekers. Each adventure consists of a series of locations that you are guided to, from where you are required to answer questions or solve puzzles to receive your next instruction. All you need is your own mobile device and an Internet connection. Sounds like a treasure hunt and fun, right? Don’t miss this on your next visit to Eugene, whether you are with family or friends, as it is suitable for all ages. You can also go at your own pace!
3. Enjoy a complete tour of Eugene City
This tour takes you on a three- to four-hour ride to visit various important and interesting landmarks and attractions of the city. The tour will take you to Valley River Inn, Hyatt Place Hotel and 5th Street Public Market. You will see attractions like Skinners Butte Park and Summit, Whitaker Neighbourhood, Rose Garden, Shelton McMurphey Johnson house, Museum of Natural and Cultural History, University of Oregon and more. Don’t wait for a good time, get it by booking the tour online.
4. Enjoy an urban street art tour
Oregon is a hub of artists and that also reflects in the street art in Eugene. The art tour operates every Monday from 9 am to 12 pm and takes you to different streets with jaw-dropping mural works by artists like Ila Rose, Hua Tunan, Blek Le Rat and Steven Lopez. These contemporary artists have converted the plain walls into works of art and really deserve applause. The artists have used themes like earth, western graffiti, space invasion using stencil art and even hip hop culture. Book a tour to admire and capture the essence of art in Eugene.
5. A mix of Eugene highlights combined with wine tasting
As much fun as it sounds, this perfect combo tour is possible and can easily be booked online. Explore the city of Eugene and go wine tasting in the Willamette Valley on this guided, small-group tour. You can visit Eugene’s most-popular attractions like Skinner’s Butte, the University of Oregon, Owen Rose Garden, and more. After sightseeing, you can go wine tasting at three local vineyards in the south valley. What more can you ask for with fun and wine combined? Your transportation from the central meeting point is also free, and you can choose between the full tour of 9 hours or small individual tours of 30 minutes to 1 hour.
6. Ashland
Lying in the southern part of the state near the California border, Ashland is a picturesque place that acts as a cultural capital for the region. Running for an incredible nine months of the year, the festival is largely responsible for the upmarket restaurants and hotels that are found around town. Away from the festival, the lively streets buzz with life and there are some trendy boutiques and bars that are worth checking out. With Mount Ashland not far away, you can go skiing in the winter. The area’s fine wineries will make you want to stay even longer!
7. Florence
Explore a little further, however, and you’ll find the quiet and secluded Old Town neighborhood, which paints Florence in a completely different light. Lying another to the Siuslaw River, its beautiful harbor may be a enchant, and the waterfront portion of town is especially captivating to investigate. With the Oregon Dunes National Recreational Area adjacent, there's more than sufficient in Florence to warrant a visit.
8. Newport
With a huge fishing fleet calling Newport home and a delightful, historic bay front, it is fair to say that maritime life pervades every aspect of life in the city. There’s a world-class aquarium in town, and sea lions frolic in the bay area. Kitschy souvenir shops can be found amidst the small art galleries and delicious seafood restaurants. A popular tourist destination, Newport has a laidback, welcoming feel to it, and looking out over the ocean or lounging on its fantastic beaches is an idyllic affair.
9. Hood River
With lots of shops, cafes, bars and restaurants dominating the center of town, Hood River has numerous sides to it. Its perfect location on the Columbia River means that it is one of the best places in the world to windsurf or kitesurf. The strong winds and currents converge to create the perfect environment in which to take to the waters – watersports lovers descend en-masse upon the city to enjoy all that it has to offer. With some fantastic wineries in the surrounding regions and an orchard-filled valley nearby, Hood River is a surprisingly great place to stop by.
10. Lincoln City
Lying on the coast, this sprawling city is more affordable than most places that overlook the ocean. That is in large part because the expansive beaches are not particularly attractive to gaze upon. While it is certainly not the fanciest place in the world, Lincoln City has lots of nice hikes in the surrounding coastal regions and is a pleasant, unpretentious city to kick back in.
Here are a few more ideas for what to do in the area: things to do in Door County
  From : https://wikitopx.com/travel/top-10-things-to-do-in-eugene-701927.html
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