Bob's Red Mill and Multnomah Falls

Before we left our brief introductory visit to Portland, there was something I had to do.

 

See Bob's Red Mill. Aka a baking pilgrimage of sorts. A paradise of organic bulked goods and health food products for bakers and gluten intolerants.

My one bit of advice before going here, because you simply must someday, is to make a plan! I had no shopping or wish list beforehand, so I was a bit overwhelmed when I got there. This usually leads to 1) shopping with zero restraint whatsoever or 2) becoming paralyzed by indefinite options and buying basically nothing.

I spent a little over $6 and got two dog biscuits, 4 pounds of sea salt, a little over a pound of mixed soup beans, some black Hawaiian sea salt and some snackie sesame sticks. When I got to the car I thought 1) is that all I got? and 2) geez, I am boring.

Next time I will do things differently, include go to the production warehouse for the mill tour and not just the flagship store.

Still, seeing the store was thrilling and had some lovely surprises, like antique flour milling stones and an instant nut butter making machine.

If I see the real Bob playing piano next time, I will have died and gone to heaven. And I will want this to be my tombstone.

After my dad calmed me down from my breakfast sandwich on sprouted wheat and side of grits, we regained our focus and headed back on the road. We had a date with a massive year round waterfall less than 20 miles away.

Welcome to Multnomah Falls, the second highest waterfall in the country after Yosemite Falls.

And this is during the dry season. A picturesque lodge waits at the bottom, greeting hundreds of tourists throughout the day looking straight past it up to the mesmerizing falls.

There is nothing like starting a week with sensory overload.

Bridges, Beer and Box Scores

When we woke up near Coos Bay this morning, we needed to get some more miles under our wheels and were quick to get back on the road. Of course, we did make a few stops on the way.

 How can anyone turn down the chance to see the world famous sea lion caves? The sea lions weren't inside, but we could still see America's largest sea cave.

 And some marine anthropology specimens throughout the cave.

 Back on the road, I was surprised by the number of bridges in Oregon. This is one out of about a million.

 My dad isn't much of a city guy, but I've been aching to go to Portland for a while now so he had to yield. We kept it mellow with an obligatory trip to Powells Books, a stroll along the river and a fancy cupcake downtown.

Of course, we couldn't forget the multitude of microbreweries and great food, either. At Hair of the Dog, a flight included an aged beer from bourbon barrels. Over Caesar salad and duck confit, my dad asked me to check the Niners score on my phone. Wow. I was not expecting their win to put us in such a great mood.

Little did I know it would lead to an involved explanation of how to read a box score. I guess anything to make me more well-rounded! What I love about beer is how much smaller it makes the world and all its problems, even if they are just about the intricacies of sports statistics.

Extra thanks to the Niners for making a 45-3 victory help a guy feel comfortable in a new city.

Cleaning Fish- Gird Your Loins!

Okay, we're going to walk through cleaning fish on the deck, but look out! It's a little messy.

After you let the fish bleed out, cut around the gills and pull them out.

 

Cut down the belly to the anus.

Open the belly and pull out the entrails.

If there's an egg sac, try to keep it intact.

Scrape out the excess intestines and rinse well before storing in the fish box or on ice. And make sure to cut open the stomach to see what the fish last ate- it makes nice dinner conversation when your guests want to know everything about the critter they're eating.

 

We had a female and tried some of the eggs. They were ... eggy. And not the greatest texture. I guess it needs a little treatment with brine or chilling down over right out of the ocean. I'll let the sushi chefs keep in charge of that.

 

 

Here's a little video showing some of the internal plumbing mysteries of a fish. And vegetarians out there (the real kind that don't eat fish), I respect that you eat only what you're willing to harvest. It's a great reminder of why I would venture out in search of my own food than go to the fishmonger.

 

Salmon Fishin'

Last weekend gave me the amazing opportunity to go salmon fishing on my buddy's boat. That's been a major one on my list! Here's the lovely vessel, Overtime, fitting because its owner has spent 500 hours on her in the last year.

He can load her into the water in just a couple minutes, and backs up the trailer like it's second nature.

Out at sea with two ladies and a cute dog, we're ready for adventure and fearless to the fog and cold.

Less than an hour out, we get our first bite. My friend, Slim, let me reel the first one in.

A hefty 16 pounder was not too bad for our first catch.

What a thrill!

The fish can flap around on the deck for a while, and sometimes even escape, so it's important to club them and spear the gills so they bleed out.

With salmon you troll the line through the water, and often don't even need bait. Here is one of the lures my friend is hooking up to the line.

Slim brings in another one. He thinks it was all the female pheromones that helped us get 6 salmon and 1 rock fish for the day.

Here's a better look at the club he uses, with the curved blade on the end. If this seems cruel, remember that fish would suffer more if left to suffocate to death.

With a hook on the end, when looped through the gill, this shows the fish weight. Our biggest was over 20 pounds!

Check in tomorrow to learn about cleaning fish at sea. Look out, it's not for the feint of heart!