BOX CAR BURGERS

The wife, the child, and I took a little road trip to Eastern Washington. En route to our final destination, we stopped by Box Car Burgers of Ellensburg for dinner.

This trip, I made sure that I ordered the 1/3 pound of beef Train Master instead of the 2/3 pound of beef Locomotive.

A little bit of burger heaven—bun, 1/3 pound beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, Box Car Burger Sauce. The only thing missing, and it was my omission, was added bacon.

DESCHUTES BREWERY, PDX

During our recent trip to Portland, The Child and I ended up at Deschutes Brewery & Public House for dinner. I ordered a sampler tray of six beers of my choosing. I know that they will bring the samples to you in the order that you write them down. With that in mind, I made an effort to move from least to most bitter, as well as from lightest to darkest beer. It worked, for the most part.

I also favored beers that (a) I can't get in a store; (b) would be greater on tap than in a bottle; and/or (c) I haven't had before. All in all, it was a great sampler tray.

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Summer's Gone Saison
4 ounce taster, on tap.
IBUs: 18 Alcohol content: 6.5%

"This traditional farmhouse ale has been brewed with 5 different malts and a plethora of spices. The peppery, herbal and fruity aromas and flavors are the dominant character of this ale, highlighted by a clean, crisp refreshing finish."

Hazy, golden yellow body. White head.

Yeast. Spices. Herb presence, stronger than I expected, but in a good way.

This feels a bit weak and watery on the palate, but that is a minor complaint. Good.

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Amber Dawn
4 ounce taster, on tap.
IBUs: 45 Alcohol content: 4.9%

"A malty offering for the late summer cool nights, brewed with all organic malts and Sterling hops, this amber has a mellow finish, with a slight hoppy aroma. A perfect beer for kicking back and enjoying the late summer fun."

Crystal clear copper-orange body is capped with a brilliant white head.

The nose is primarily lemon zest with an undertone of butterscotch candies.

The flavor is lemon and lemongrass on the front, a phantom nuttiness in the middle, and a light and peppery finish. There is also a hint of orange on the finish.I like this more than I think I probably should, but I cannot quite explain what makes this "sing" for me. Great.

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Yam-a-Lam-a
4 ounce taster, on tap.
IBUs: 50 Alcohol content: 5.0%

"The Bend Pub's first fresh hop beer of the season utilizes the same hop that is in the Hop Trip, but also a whole heck of a lot of sweet potatoes for a mild twist on our NorthWest pale ale style."

Clear orange with a ring of white. This is slightly lighter in color than Amber Dawn.

On the nose I catch orange, alcohol, and candied yams. Perhaps, I am imagining the yams, but I don't think so.

The palate is light orange in flavor, sweet, and a bit watery to begin. Then, it transforms on the finish into a strange, plastic, light orange mouthwash. It's okay, but I'll pass if I have another chance to try it.

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Jubelale 2010
4 ounce taster, on tap.
IBUs: 60 Alcohol content: 6.7%

"Perfect for a cozy winter gathering, Jubelale is a festive ale characterized by a large malt body balanced with hop bitterness derived from a variety of American and European hops."

Clear, deep red-orange in color with an off-white head.

The nose is difficult to grasp. Apple? Wooden table?

The flavor, however, is not. Alcohol. Dark chocolate. Spring leaves with young buds and blossoms. The faintest hint of smoky wood bark.

This Jubelale is subtler, yet bolder than I remember in years past. This is a stellar offering. If you find it, buy it and try it.

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Nitro Obsidian Stout
4 ounce taster, on tap.
IBUs: 55 Alcohol content: 6.4%

"As black as the nearby volcanic flow from which it gets its name, Obsidian Stout provides a deep and satisfying experience, with distinct notes of chocolate, espresso, roasted malt and black barley. It is robust and full, with a big roasted finish."

It looks like a Guinness with a tan head rather than grey-beige.

Dark chocolate and wood bark nose!

Chocolate, wood bark, smokiness, espresso, more wood bark. Maybe even a hint of raisin lurking about. Wood bark finish.

This nitrous tap version is much better than the bottled version, which is good in its own right. I like this a lot. Excellent.

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Black Butte Porter XXII
4 ounce taster, on tap.
IBUs: 65 Alcohol content: 11%

"This year's imperial Black Butte is full of subtle flavors from cocoa nibs and dark chocolate from Theo's Chocolates in Seattle; to intensify your experience, we added fresh Seville orange zest and pasilla negra chili peppers for a flavor sensation."

It looks like Obsidian Stout, but with a less foamy head.

Alcohol-soaked dark fruits and alcohol-soaked wood bark are the primary aromas.

Dark chocolate leads the flavors, with alcohol-soaked dark fruits and alcohol-soaked wood bark in hot pursuit. The middle and finish are nutty and buttery, with an additional chocolate cream that lingers.

It's a wee bit watery, but otherwise highly recommended. Excellent.

BEER SHIRTS ACROSS AMERICA

SHIRT:
Firehouse Brewing Company.

LOCATION:
Schrag Safety Rest Area.

CITY:
Schrag, Washington.

BEER SHIRTS ACROSS AMERICA

SHIRT:
Powerhouse Restaurant & Brewery.

LOCATION:
Silex Spring, Lower Geyser Basin.

CITY:
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

BEER SHIRTS ACROSS AMERICA

SHIRT:
Hopworks Urban Brewery.

LOCATION:
Near Mud Volcano.

CITY:
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

BEER SHIRTS ACROSS AMERICA

SHIRT:
99 Bottles.

LOCATION:
Absaroka Mountain Lodge.

CITY:
Cody, Wyoming.

BEER SHIRTS ACROSS AMERICA

SHIRT:
"Drink beer. Play disc golf. Drink more beer. Life is good."

LOCATION:
Presidents Park.

CITY:
Lead, South Dakota.

BEER SHIRTS ACROSS AMERICA

SHIRT:
Redhook.

LOCATION:
Crazy Horse Memorial.

CITY:
Crazy Horse, South Dakota.

BEER SHIRTS ACROSS AMERICA

SHIRT:
Old Lutheran Sin Boldly Lager.

LOCATION:
Badlands National Park.

CITY:
Interior, South Dakota.

ROAD TRIP 2010: DAY FOUR

DAY FOUR: Friday 20 August 2010.

This was the day that stirred the ten-year-old boy trapped within my being. All was dinosaurs again—Dinosaur Park and then the terrain that prehistoric creatures trodded upon and slithered across, The Badlands.

I ran to Tyrannosaurus Rex when we arrived at Dinosaur Park. I clambered onto the bony plate of Triceratops to ride him like the caveman that never could perform that actual feat. I was somewhere I had been decades prior, reverting to the person that had been in the same place then.

Then, it was off to Wall Drug and its blatant consumerism and its disappointment.

Then, it was off to The Badlands. In the middle of Buffalo Gap National Grassland are huge scars of sedimentary rock, the remnants of ancient seafloor that have been weathered and sculpted over the subsequent millennia. I imagined the strange beasts that swam in the warm seas that once ebbed and flowed here as I stared at the colored soils.

We drove through this desolate land, stopping at overlooks and viewpoints to marvel at creation imagined and experienced.

BEER SHIRTS ACROSS AMERICA

SHIRT:
Silver City Ridgetop Red Ale.

LOCATION:
Devil's Tower National Monument.

CITY:
Devil's Tower, Wyoming.

ROAD TRIP 2010: DAY THREE

DAY THREE: Thursday 19 August 2010.

We drive from Billings, Montana to Rapid City, South Dakota. It is an all-day journey. We detour from I-90 to visit Devil's Tower National Monument, which is my favorite place we visit.

We are able to walk around the base of the basalt columns. We scramble over some of the lowest rocks of the boulder field. The trees are filled with prayer bundles and prayer cloths left behind by Native Americans as acts of worship and ritual. The day is hot, but not oppressively so.

It was hard not to reference scenes from Close Encounters of the Third Kind, although the magnitude and scale of Devil's Tower create a sense of awe that cannot be captured on film. It needs to be experienced.

The day ended as many of them will: with dinner and a swim in the hotel's pool. This is The Child's favorite part of the vacation. The Child could live in the chlorine-blue waters.

BEER SHIRTS ACROSS AMERICA

SHIRT:
Beck's.

LOCATION:
Custer National Cemetery.

CITY:
Crow Agency, Big Horn County, Montana.

ROAD TRIP 2010: DAY TWO

DAY TWO: Wednesday 18 August 2010.

Today finds us in Billings, Montana and nearby places.

We visit Custer National Cemetery and the site of Custer's Last Stand at the Battle of Little Bighorn (the Battle of Greasy Grass to the Native Americans). Dan Old Elk, the great-grandson of Curly, an Indian scout of Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer, speaks to those of us gathered to listen to the tales he heard from his great-grandfather and his other relatives regarding the battle.

We visit the Pictograph Caves.

We visit The Uncle and The Aunt and The Cousins and their families.

Today is a day of Cowboys and Indians. Today is a day of Big Sky.

BEER SHIRTS ACROSS AMERICA

SHIRT:
Blue Moon Honey Moon Summer Ale.

LOCATION:
Muralt's Cafe. Big Sky Country mural/map.

CITY:
Missoula, Montana.

ROAD TRIP 2010 : DAY ONE

DAY ONE: Tuesday 17 August 2010.

The wife, the child, the brother, the sister, the niece, and I decide to take a road trip together. We are following a loose path that my siblings and I traversed with the parents 32 years prior. The brother vaguely remembers the previous trip; the sister has no recollection, being too young; I remember large pieces of it vividly.

The six of us leave at midnight, rather than 6:00 a.m., to fend off anticipation and excitement, as well as drive in the dark. Three states (Washington, Idaho, and Montana), many rest stops, and about fourteen hours later, we arrive in Billings, Montana.

We eat, we swim in the hotel pool, we retire early.

Road Trip 2010 has begun.

OREGON ROAD TRIP, DAY THREE

We awake and take our time today. We eat a continental breakfast offered in room #118. We take our bananas and cereal and muffins and tea into the library.

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We wander back to Powell's to pick through the aisles again. The wife and the child buy a few books.

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We drive to North Plains, searching for Horning's Hideout, which we find. We are here to play disc golf on a private course. We pay our daily entrance fee of $3 per adult and head off into the woods.

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The wife and I play the "pitch and putt" Highlands Course. Then we play the longer, and more challenging, Canyon Course. We play over freshly mown fields and through well-maintained forested fairways. We play over water hazards of a pond and a swamp, a first for both of us.

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We stop by the Rogue Pub in North Plains for dinner. We discover that they are not associated with Rogue Brewing, although they try to make it appear that they do. They carry most of Rogue's beers on tap, and the remainder in bottles. The wife asks if they are related to Rogue Brewing. The waitress tells us that "we were here first before they even existed. We serve they ales, since it works out for all of us."

But the waitress is somewhat cold to us throughout our meal, most likely because the facade has been peeled back and the truth is made known. The food was okay, and I got to have a Rogue Dead Guy Ale on tap, but I could have had the same atmosphere and attitude (and probably food) at a dive bar in Puyallup.

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After dinner, we head north for home and for our own beds. We arrive home, thankful for our time away and thankful for our return.

OREGON ROAD TRIP, DAY TWO

We begin the day by revisiting the Tillamook Cheese Factory, which is now operational on the packaging side. Different types and sizes of cheddar cheese are being packaged. We get to see the industrial side of food production, even for a beloved and local product.

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We sample more types of cheese.

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We eat ice cream at 10:00 in the morning. We indulge in Banana Split, Tilla-Mint, and Sweet Centennial (in honor of Tillamook County Creamery Association's 100 years of operation).

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We drive to the Oregon Zoo to look at meerkats and sea otters and giraffes, elephants and insects and domestic farm animals. The child takes great joy in grooming goats and pretending to be a penguin.

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A train ride around the zoo grounds, as well as in Washington Park, is a disappointment. The route passes some exhibits, but rather quickly, and on the backside of the "displays" where the "junk" is stored. This is getting to peer behind the scenes, to see the foibles of the zoo and its operations. Not only that, but the trains cars are too small to be comfortable. By the end of the half-hour ride, my back is starting to really hurt and I am fearing that I am doing damage to my recently ruptured disc. Fortunately, it seems that I depart the train just in time.

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Dinner is at Hopworks Urban Brewery in East Portland, which is actually marvelous on so many levels. The pub food is excellent. The organic lagers and ales, brewed on site, are likewise. The restaurant is broken into sections for different types of clientele. We are seated in the family friendly section, which allows the child and other kids to play with toys, to scribble on a chalkboard, and to pretend while waiting for food to arrive.

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We wander over to Powell's City of Books after we check into our residence for the evening, the wonderful Mark Spencer Hotel. We wander the stacks of the Orange, Rose, Green, Blue, Purple, Gold, and Pearl Rooms. I pick up a couple of books and issue #52 of Cometbus.

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The wife and the child retire "early" and I head back to spend more time in the aisles of Powell's while they sleep.

OREGON ROAD TRIP, DAY ONE

Today is the beginning of a three-day road trip to and through Oregon. Today is the Oregon Coast.

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We eat hamburgers at Pirate's Cove Restaurant in Warrenton. I order a BBQ Bacon Cheese Burger. I order it without mayonnaise, but it arrives with mayo. The waitress realizes the mistake at the same time that both the cook and I do. The cook becomes extremely worried and wants to fix the mistake. I insist that I will scrape the mayo off, which I do. He insists on making a new burger, which I will not allow.

The wife orders a Fish Sandwich and instead gets fish and chips. We realize the waitress has given us another table's food, which explains the two "mistakes" on our order. The cook takes back the fish and chips and makes a fish sandwich, all the while continuing to apologize. I assure him that all is well.

The child enjoys mini corndogs and french fries.

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As we eat, we all enjoy pirate themed music. It is Pirate's Cove, after all.

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We make our way to Cannon Beach and the child plays in the sand. The child makes a sand castle. A group of Japanese teenagers next to us are creating a sushi roll sand sculpture, complete with a set of large chopsticks.

The sea begins to flow toward us, the tide coming in. Soon the castle is vanquished and the sushi effigy is returned to the ocean from whence it came (in it literal and imaginative forms).

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We walk near Haystack Rock and the soft sand is warm under and around my toes. The sea is cold. After standing in shallow waves for a few moments, my feet are wet and numb. The warm sand sticks to them like fine grit.

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We drive south, marveling at the wonders of creation—sand, sea, sky, gulls, pelicans, basalt cliffs, rugged manzanita trees.

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We arrive in Tillamook to learn about the process of making cheese. The Tillamook Cheese Factory is full of other tourists. The plant is mostly non-operational this day, with only large forty pound bricks of white cheddar being vacuum sealed and sent to the warehouse for aging. We sample cheese curds and various types of cheddar. We buy a mini-brick of Habañero Hot Jack Cheese to enjoy in our hotel room.

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Tillamook smells like cow manure, sickly and sweet, like slightly decomposed clover and grass. A cheese factory that processes approximately 70 tons of cheese per day would need a lot of milk supplied to it. That milk is all from local dairy farms, hence the aroma.

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Dinner is pizza and beer. The restaurant claims its pizza to be the best on the Oregon Coast. If this is so, then I feel sorry for the other pizza joints because this pizza is mediocre and too greasy. The beer is a Kona Longboard Lager, which matches the pizza. It isn't bad, but it isn't good either. It is, to put a positive spin on it, inoffensive.

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We swim in our hotel pool. We splash. This is mostly the child. The child cannot really swim, but the child can splash.

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The wife and I play three rounds of Bananagrams, two of which I lose. Then it is time for bed, to sleep and ready ourselves for another day.

SANTA TRAIN

The wife, the child, and I traveled up to North Bend with friends to ride the Santa Train from the North Bend train depot to the Snoqualmie train depot.

There wasn't any snow on the ground in North Bend, but it was only 29 degrees Fahrenheit, which felt like 18 degrees with the wind.


A "vintage" railroad officer keeps the peace at the station.


Santa Claus makes the rounds on the passenger cars, handing out peppermint candy canes to children.


We rode the train from North Bend to Snoqualmie, we waited in line in the frigid temperatures to see Santa, we huddled close to outdoor patio heaters, we met Santa, we ate cookies and drank hot chocolate, we once more huddled close to outdoor patio heaters in one of the passenger cars, we waited outside to board the train again, and we rode the train back to North Bend.

The evening ended with hot pizza and cold beer at Jay Berry's.