This past week I returned to the North Coast and Washington’s Long Beach Peninsula. I made stops from Tillamook, Oregon, to Ocean Beach, Washington. When I had been there in February placing my book, Crossings: McCullough’s Coastal Bridges, in new venues, several businesses said, “Not now, but come back in May.” But before I took off this time, I called everyone I wanted to see and e-mailed PR info for those who wanted it. So at every stop, I was expected.
I took off on Saturday, May 19., and didn’t leave as early as planned. Since I had delayed writing last week’s blog until Saturday morning, it was noon before I took off. With sunny weather, mild temps, and light traffic, it was easy going. I stopped in Waldport for a fully leaded latte, when I found myself starting to get sleepy. Then I stopped at the only rest stop on the Oregon Coast Highway just south of Tillamook. There I ate my lunch.
The Tillamook County Pioneer Museum is in downtown Tillamook.
First book stop was at the Tillamook County Pioneer Museum to drop off a book for them to look at and decide if they want to carry. Then I dropped off six with an invoice at Tillamook Cheese, one of my best customers.
The Tillamook Cheese processing plant in Tillamook is a big operation. There is a free self-guided tour to see the cheese-making process.
Next stop was the Cannon Beach Book Company, one of my favorite bookstores. I’m really glad to have the book there. Then I continued on to Astoria where I arrived at 5:45 p.m. just two minutes before my host, Diane, arrived home. Perfect timing! Jim, whom I used to work with at Oregon Coast magazine, would be home later.
On Sunday, we woke up to rain, but that didn’t stop Diane and me from heading to the Long Beach Peninsula. We dropped off some PR material and a book at Marsh’s Free Museum. It’s sort of an institution in Long Beach; I think it was there when I visited with my family as a kid. Then we had breakfast at the 42nd Street Café, a delightful place with great artwork, friendly service, and good food.
This rain bedraggled bald eagle at the beach at Ocean Park on the Long Beach Peninsula caused us to change our plans.
Then we headed up to the town of Ocean Beach where I placed three books at Adelaide’s Coffee and Books—another delightful place. We had two little dachshunds with us and were going to walk them on the beach until we saw a bald eagle perched nearby. We didn’t want either to be his lunch. He was a bit bedraggled because of the rain, but we still took his picture before moving on. We headed up the peninsula on the Willapa Bay side to Oysterville. This village is an historic treasure dating back to the mid-1800s. I always enjoy stopping at each house/church/business and reading the historical markers.
Banana Books is in Long Beach on the Long Beach Peninsula.
We headed back through Long Beach and stopped at Banana Books and placed a book there and then picked up the book we’d left at Marsh’s. They prefer to stick with Washington books, so didn’t buy any.
We headed home for lunch and to walk the dogs. Then headed east to the Twilight Eagle Sanctuary, where we saw at least three eagles hanging out and several other waterbirds moving through the channels. Even though it continued to rain, we had our binocs and could spot birds until fog settled on the water. Time to leave.
Since we used Diane’s car Sunday, Jim and I were going to use my car on Monday, but when I turned the key, it just had a whirring clicking sound instead of the usual engine starting noise. Hmmm, time for Plan B. We moved everything in the rain and down the hill to Jim’s car. We’d worry about my car later.
We delivered three books to Godfather’s Books, one venue that had said to come back in May. Godfather’s offers new and used books as well as espresso, soups, and salads. And because of WiFi, seems to be a great place to hang with your laptop.
The Columbia River Maritime Museum is one of the most impressive museums in the state–and now it carries my book in its bookstore.
Then we dropped off six books at the Columbia River Maritime Museum, one of the premier places on the coast and one in which I’m very excited to have my book. Jim works for Friends of Old Fort Stevens and is usually found in his office at the museum in the historic area at Fort Stevens State Park. Consequently, he knows many folks who work in other museums in the area. So he and Ann, the person on duty at the Maritime Museum’s gift shop, knew each other and we all talked books.
Then we went out to Fort Clatsop and picked up a book I had left last February. They won’t be handling my book, but we had a nice visit. Jim knew her too. I might add that Jim bought 12 books for the museum at Fort Stevens last February and didn’t need any more this time.
After getting back, I called AAA and the tow truck came and was able to give my battery a jump-start. Thank goodness, that was the problem. As it turned out, my battery was six years old and that’s about the life of a battery on the coast. Jim and Diane live at the top of a very steep street, with a very steep driveway that I drove up to get to a level pad right in front of their house. The tow truck parked at a steep angle in the driveway, but had long jumper cables to reach the front of my car. After letting the battery charge about 20 minutes, I followed Jim to Les Schwab and bought a new battery. We arrived home just as Diane arrived home from work. Once again, perfect timing.
Right in downtown Astoria on the same block as the Liberty Theatre.
Tuesday morning, I would be heading home. Before leaving Astoria, I had six stops. I delivered a book to the Astor Library where it will be placed with books by coastal writers and three books to Lucy’s Books, a terrific bookstore downtown. Patti, the owner, immediately put my book right in the middle of the front window. Love that lady!
Then I went around taking photos of some of my favorite places in Astoria for next week’s blog posting before heading down the coast to Florence and home.
This is the other cheese factory in Tillamook. Expect to find French cheeses and wine tasting inside and farm animals to pet outside.
The weather was positively stormy between Astoria and just north of Tillamook. With a bit of sun peaking through in Tillamook, I stopped at Blue Heron French Cheese Company to browse and bought two types of Brie and a latte. I also watched the farm animals for a bit. Got a kick out of the emu.
Farm animals at Blue Heron French Cheese Company in Tillamook. The emu finds the grass greener on the other side of the fence.
This 52nd posting completes my year of adventures with Crossings. Next week will be the first of my newly expanded blog that will still cover adventures with Crossings, but also the putting together and publishing of two books I plan to have published during the course of this coming year, as well as what to see and do in towns I visit while promoting my book(s).
Next week will be about what not to miss when visiting Astoria.
Note: As of last Sunday, I’m on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/42kes?feature=results.main
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Crossings: McCullough’s Coastal Bridges can be yours for $24.95 plus $4.99 shipping. Order from Pacific Publishing at http://www.connectflorence.com or pacpub@oregonfast.net. It is also available on the coast in bookstores, museums, and gift shops; in Eugene at the airport, the historical museum, and several bookstores; in Portland at Powell’s and the Oregon Historical Society; in Made in Oregon stores throughout the state; and more and more bookstores, libraries, and museums in western Oregon.
Upcoming
June 1–14, various times, Portland Metro area––TV half-hour interview with Dr. Veronica Esagui on the “Author’s Forum” on Channel 23 (Comcast/Xfinity cable service) in Oregon City and West Linn. For the rest of the Metro area it can be seen on Channel 11 (Comcast/Xfinity) and Channel 22 (Frontier FiOS). All three are Community Access Network channels. It is also accessible online at http://veronicaesagui.net/authorsforum-index.html. And on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/42kes?feature=results.main
September or October, Oregon City––When the historic Arch Bridge designed by McCullough reopens in Oregon City (date not set yet), I have been asked to be part of the festivities and give my PowerPoint presentation at the Museum of the Oregon Territory.
Crossings Author 