Oregon Coast

Main Campaign: Oregon Coast

5/7-11/2023

Oregon wanted to woo us. At least, that is what I am telling myself. Bend, rainforests (?!), and then the coast. Oregon, are you even real?! That coast though. Maibock comes to mind and it makes me smile. Rich, malty, a hint of sweetness, some earthy undertones.

Mileage that could easily be completed in a day, my brother has done it traveling back to the Twin Cities on numerous occasions. It took us almost a week. We skipped no more than 50 miles each day. We stopped to walk along small town main streets, look at lighthouses, hike trails solely based on the name. The bike packers we passed could’ve easily lapped us had it been an oval.

The coast sang to us like a true Maibock. The locals were rich with stories, friendly to a fault. The food and drink, flavorful and savory. We tried so many chowders. The uncrowded beaches, every one of them Leinie-friendly were oh-so-sweet after the crowded, no-dogs-allowed SoCal beaches. Hikes through dense forests with names like Hobbit Trail had us searching for the Shire.

A coast that hits all my personal faves: beer, ice cream, classics. I gleefully drank at a long-term goal brewery. Ate my weight in cheese and ice cream at Tillamook. Shouted “Heeey you guys!” on Canon Beach and in Astoria. Again, I ask. Oregon, are you even real?!