Goonies never say die...

Today is Wednesday, Sept. 18.

We have returned home to Edgerton just after midnight on the 17th. The trip has been great and God brought us home safely. It's good to be home.

Before I begin, I have some corrections to post about the last full blog concerning Mt. St. Helens. We were at Bambi's uncle and aunt Dennis and Linda in CO and she got out her copy of the newspaper article about Bambi's grandpa. The real story is that her grandpa was not in fact there on the morning of May 18th. Actually, he was there on July 21st. Turns out, they were in Portland and all the sensation was about the volcano but that it had quit erupting and had gone more dormant again. They rented the plane to get a good look and by chance, it erupted again just as they were nearing the site. Turns out, all the media had gone home and they were the only ones in the air at the time of the eruption so their pictures were the only ones taken of this later eruption from the air. Pretty cool. An Oregon newspaper interviewed him and even offered to buy his photos of the event.

Sunday, Sept. 7th.

We woke up today in Portland Oregon in a very nice RV park. The only trouble we had here was that I parked my truck and trailer next to the office to pay for the night and check out. Now, the park was nowhere near full and there was nobody else driving around the park at the time. However, we were in a no parking area next to the entrance of the park. While I was away from the truck, the parks assistant manager told Bambi that we were NOT to be parked there. He actually used a string of colorful language in the process. We thought it was a little excessive and unnecessary but he was pretty wound up about it. I thought about finding another sea shell to show him how to listen for the ocean but opted to just leave instead. He said that someone could have very easily come around the corner and $%&#* Smashed right into us!! Literally, there was nothing behind us for 200 yards and not another single car came or went in that time. Oh well, some people get wound up about the smallest things!! I have to say... prior to this trip, I would have gotten pretty wound up about this but having 3 weeks with zero stress kind of renews your buffer again I guess because we both just laughed about it. I did tell the other park employee that if he wanted to talk to my wife with that kind of language again, he'd need to be a man and come and talk to me about it but he never did come back out of the office. Probably saw the wicked mustache and sideburns and thought better of it!! lol

Other than that, we had a nice night and Portland was gearing up another beautiful day for us.

We headed for downtown where we got to go to the Saturday market. Saturday market is a Portland tradition which actually occurs every Saturday and Sunday from May until Christmas. It is mislabeled Saturday market because it is actually held on Sat and Sun. We drove down there and it is just like a big farmers market except they have food and all kinds of other stuff too. Portland is an extrememly liberal city filled with artists and the like. So, there was pretty much every form of artform known there from paintings to pottery to t-shirts to jewelry etc. After about 5 minutes of walking around down there though, I noticed an unusual sensation. I just couldn't stop thinking of cheeto's. That's right cheeto's. I'm talkig to Bambi and I'm all like... "Dude, I got the munchies something fierce!!" Turns out, I think were getting a contact high from all the hooch they were smooking there. Seriously, there was practically a haze and everything just smelled of it. It was funny because we walked around we noticed that we really didn't fit it. Here we are probably the two most conservative people in a 500 mile radius. That may actually be true in most places we go but it was pretty darn obvious here. We had to laugh because they were all getting people to register to vote and to get involved but it was pretty one-sided. We're not particularly politically active but i'm pretty sure if I'd have had on a John McCain shirt, I'd have been burned at the stake. It was fun to be there though and we really enjoyed just being in a totally different environment.

From there, we drove to the Rose gardens. Now we didn't know this until we read the foreword in the book "Through painted desert" that Portland is known for their roses. they have a huge hill on the north side of town overlooking the Pearl district where they have a huge city park area. In it they have the biggest rose garden I'd ever seen with every type imaginable and they were just in their glory. It smelled great - stark contrast to the smell at Saturday market that's for sure.

We decided it was time for lunch. Our AAA book told of an old pizza place we had to try. (Anyone starting to notice that we really like pizza and taco bell???) Anyway, the name of the place is Old Town pizza. The book said that celebrities like Jay Leno and Rachel Rae have been know to frequent the place while in town. Ok, we've got to try it. But wait, the story goes deeper and much farther back than just some famous clientel. The story on the back of the menu says:

"Don't be surprised if you are visited by an unexpected guest today. A constant presence at Old Town Pizza is Nina (prounounced Nigh-na). Our resident ghost. If you feel a spirit or smell a faint waft of perfume, you may have just been visited by Nina. She is often seen in a black dress observing diners and wandering in the basement below."

It goes on... "Nina's been her for over 100 years." Turns out, this restaurant is in an old hotel lobby - you can tell it too. The building was built in 1880 by lumber barons. However, the history is a little seethy. They go on to say that while the hotel catered to the wealthy, underneath the floors was a system of "Shanghai tunnels" connecting Portland via underground pathways, then used to nab unsuspecting sailors and transport them to ships docked on the river. As time went on, the area became known as "the Old North End", a section of city with an "rather questionable reputation." Turns out that the old hotel was a hotbed (sorry about the pun here) for prostitution. I'm like... pizza and prostitution... sounds great. Of course, I may have still just had the munchies!

Anyway, the story goes that Nina was a young girl sold into prostitution at the hotel. One day, some missionaries offered her freedom in exchange for coming forward with information on the hotel owners. Unfortunately, before she could do this... the owners found out and threw her down the shaft of the elevator where she remains to this day.

I'm like "whatever". I'm hungry, so we ordered a pie. We took a seat in the main lobby area and waited for our food. Bambi had to go to the restroom so she got up and said, "I'm going to take a look around" I said ok and she was gone. Afer about 10-15 minutes went by, I started to think - "wonder what's taking her so long?" Now, if it had been me in there for 15 minutes... that's normal. Anyway (TMI right?) I thought I'd see where she went and to see what she had been up to . I knocked on the womens bathroom door and nobody answered. Normally, I wouldn't do this but I opened the door. I'm like "Bambi?" No answer. I thought, that's strange. So I stepped inside. I opened the door to the stall and saw nothing. I went back out and as I was leaving, I leaned back in to shut off the light. When I did, I could see just the faintest crack of light back behind the stall. Curious, I crept back in and walked to were the light was coming from. Nothing but a stone wall but there was definitely light and when I put my hand up to the wall, I could feel cool air coming through the wall. I pushed on the wall but nothing. I searched the wall for a knob or lever but again nothing. This is strange I thought. I was about to leave but noticed that my shoe was untied. I put my foot up on the stool tank to tie it but my foot slipped and hit the flush lever. With that, there was an eerie groan and the crack in the wall opened a bit further. I pushed with all my might and sure enough, the wall slid back on tracks were there was a fading light down a long, damp tunnel. Wow, I thought. I decided to check it out so I tied my shoe and started down the tunnel. It wound down into the earth in a spiral staircase but I kept going, following the faint glow ahead of me.

At one point, I thought I could hear a muffled voice so I said "Bambi", like that, the light was gone. Dead silence. I didn't think to bring a light of my own and now it was pitch dark. I moved forward slowly and down the staircase and I could feel the air getting more and more damp. I kept moving forward and could feel the walls getting slimy and wet and could feel drops of water on my head. I pressed forward. I kept walking until suddenly I stopped, suddenly and frozen in my tracks. I could hear something... sounded like a tapping sound. I listened and it sounded like it was below me. I got down on my knees and felt the ground until I felt a small crack in the ground and next to it, a wooden plank. I lifted the plank and a faint light returned and I peered inside. As I did, I could see her, It was Bambi -bound and gagged and sitting along the wall. I ran to her and as I did, the light again disappeared down another tunnel. I got to her and took the gag out of her mouth and she said... Oh thank you!! I untied her and she told me that she had been in the bathroom when she suddenly felt someone reach around her and tie her up and pull her through that hole in the wall. "It was Nina" she said. I said, but that's just a tale used to drum up business. No, she said, it's real and she's evil. I said "what should we do now?" I don't know Bambi said but before she could get away, I got this from her. Bambi held up an old gold coin looking thing with holes in it. "She was wearing it like a necklace" she said but when she heard you coming, she set me down and I reached up and pulled it off her neck."

I was astonished. We checked it out and there were markings on it. "What do you think?" I said. I don't know... lets follow it and see where it gets us. Ok I said, but I can barely see. Bambi held up my ipod and said "I have an idea." She turned on the ipod and the screen jumped to life, illuminating the tunnel before us. "Great idea" "I said!! Lets go. We followed the tunnel for what seemed like a mile and a half until we could see a faint light again. We looked down and could see a gaping chasm in front of us. The only way across was a slight wooden plank and the gap was 20 feet wide... too far to jump. Will it hold? Bambi asked. I don't know I replied, but only one way to find out!! We began across when we heard the board creak and begin to crack. We lept forward just in time as the board broke and fell into the chasm. We were literally hanging by our fingertips. I said to Bambi, I have a good hold, just climb up using my shirt like a rope. Ok she said and she climbed up my back up to the top. I'll find something to help you she said, I'll be right back. Hurry I cried, I can't hold much longer. Suddenly, she returned with a rope. "hold on she said, this rope is connected to the wall over there." I pulled on the rope and was able to get up, but as I pulled one last time to clear the edge of the wall, the rope gave... didn't breat, just gave a bit. I was up but next came an eiry sound. It was a sound like chains going over a mechanical device... clank, clank, clank. We looked up and saw them... 5 huge boulders hanging in the tunnel above us. The first one was swinging. Hurry, Bambi shouted. We began running when the first one landed just behind us. Keep running!! she exclaimed. We moved faster down the tunnel as stones 2, 3, 4 and finally 5 fell, just behind us. "Whoa, that was close." Bambi said. Yeah, I said... Good thing Eric and Keith always make me run so far or I'd never have been in shape for that!!

We looked down and saw a bag... "what's this?" Bambi said. We picked it up and it contained some old candles and matches along with a map. We lit the candle and as we did, we could see that this bag didn't just get there on it's own. Next to one of the boulders was a skeleton. We crouched closer and could see the remnants of clothing beside it. "Look" I said. "A wallet!" We opened the walled and found an old id tag that read "Chester Copperpot." "Chester Copperpot!!" we exclaimed. Portland lore has it that Chester Copperpot was a skilled bounty hunter who disappeared back in the early 1900's while exploring the legend of Nina. Some say that Chester and Nina were actually engaged to be married before she disappeared into the hotel. "So" I said. Now what. We have boulders and an uncrossable chasm on one side, and solid rock on the other!!" I don't know, Bambi said. But I can barely see anything. "I'll light another candle I said" I lit the top and instead of a slow, steady light, it was like a sparkler. That's not a candle!!! Bambi Said. "That's dynamite!!!!" Quickly, I threw the dynamite and we got behing the boulder. There was a huge explosion and dust filled the cave, snuffing our candle. We waited a minute and the dust cleared. Suddenly we could see a light from a hole in the rock. We did it I exclaimed. We may have found our way out. We crept forward and pulled on some rock which gave way to a larger, well lit cavern behind it. We're free I said. We crawled through the hole and jumped into a crystal clear lake hidden in the cave. We kept going forward when it came into sight. There it was... Nina's pirate ship filled with gold and jewels. As we stood there to take it all in when we saw her... it was Nina. But someone else was with her. It was the pizza chef. We swam to the boat where we climbed the ladder. Once on board, we were suddenly shocked to see Nina and the Chef holding guns pointed at us. Wait a minute... we said. What is this?? Nina said, we've been plundering the Portland area for years and now we're leaving. This is my ship and me and Chef are going to the islands with all of our money and jewels and you can't stop us. They tied us up and made us walk toward the edge of the boat. Wait we exclaimed!! No, you are the only ones who know the truth about me and Chef and now you must die!! No we exclaimed.

Suddenly, from nowhere we heard a shout.... "HEY YOU GUYYYYYYYYYS!" It was our friend Chunk... and someone / something else. Chunk was an old elementary school friend of ours who lived in Portland. He was standing next to this HUGE guy who looked like an old wrestler and really, really, really resembled my buddy Chris Oien!! This guy was all misshapen and wierd looking but huge. CHUNK... we yelled. No, "Captain Chunk" he yelled. With that, they swung down on ropes. Chunk swang to us and untied us while Sloth Oien landed on Nina and the chef. Suddenly, the cave around us began to crumble and the ship started to move. A huge section of the cave crumbled. Apparently, Nina had lit a fuse of dynamite in the wall and hoisted the anchor before climbing aboard. We jumped for it; Me, Bambi, Chunk, Sloth Oien, and Nina and Chef followed. The ship drifted out to sea... gone forever with all of it's treasures and jewels. It's all gone... Bambi said... all the rich stuff. I know, I said, as I pulled Bambi, Chunk, and Sloth Oien close to me.... but this is the rich stuff, right here. With that, the police and the media swarmed around us and we watched the ship drift out of sight. The police arrested Nina and Chef but when they did, I said wait!! I walked up to them and grabbed them by the hair, gave a tug and sure enought, the Nina and Chef masks came off and wouldn't you know it!! It was Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee!!!

"What the" the police chief said. Yeah, Pam said, it's us. We've been trying to find this treasure for years and after Ross and Bambi saved those people in Vancouver last week, we knew they could find it for us... You see, our careers are nearly over and we needed this treasure to buy more tatoos and augmentations!! "We're addicted." said Tommy... "and we'd have gotten away with it too if it wasn't for you meddling kids!!" We grabbed Bambi in the bathroom knowing that she'd be smart enough to decipher the clues to the treasure. We've been looking for years but all those years of hanging out down at Saturday market have dulled our senses and clouded our brains.

Officer, I said. Take him away. I pointed at Pamela and said "that one can just go with us..."

Bambi slapped me in the mouth and I said... "ok, take her away too."

From now on... I said to Chunk and Sloth Oien... you guys are coming to live with us. I looked at Sloth Oien and he said... "Rocky - Road?" "Yeah" I said "We'll get you some ice cream you big animal!!" And so it came to pass, the day that Bambi and I saved the city of Portland and got two new friends to live with us...

Ok, so I am the biggest Goonie geek in the world, which is exactly why I made her go with me over 100 miles out of the way to see Astoria Oregon.

You see, Astoria OR is the shooting location of the movie "The Goonies". For any of you who have been living in a cave... GO GET IT!! Top 5 movies ever!!

It turns out that other movies like Kindergarden Cop (we saw the school), Short Circuit and Free Willey were also shot here. But for me there was only movie that mattered.

We were able to find the home of Mikey, the main character in the movie, and see exactly where the movie began. Of course the house is slightly different than in the movie, but it is remarkably the same. Data's house is still right next door too!! These are actually regular homes with families in them but a website said that if you are respectful, they don't mind if you come up for a picture.... yeah, you know I did it... Truffle Shuffle baby!! I'm willing to embarrass myself further by actually posting a pic of me DOING the truffle shuffle. Bambi was laughing so hard, she could barely take the photo!

Of all the things we saw on this trip, seeing the Goonie house was right up there for me. I had so much fun and even made Bambi watch part of the movie with me just outside the house on the laptop. It was really cool. while we were there, 3-4 other groups of people came by with their cameras too. I saw one couple drive by and they asked "Is that it?" The guy was doing the asking and the wife just looked embarrassed but I could share his excitement... Yeah, and Pam Anderson is locked away in my trailer!!

We left Astoria and headed to Cannon Beach. Actually, the footage in the Goonies of the beach and ocean near the restaurant and again at the end when One-Eyed Willie's ship sails away was taken at Cannon Beach. Fans of the movie will recognize the rocks (or monoliths) in the ocean just off the beach. Cannon Beach is really nice and would be a great place for a summer vacation for sure. Beautiful beach, clear water and nice little cabins and hotels and restaurants line the city streets. Anyone up for it next summer???? We could go on the ultimate Goonie Geek Quest!!

We drove on, south down the Oregon coast to Wheeler Oregon where we ate on the deck overlooking the ocean and setting sun at "The Sea Shack". Great fish for me. Bambi says the fries tasted like fish - "makes 'em even better!!" I said.

We continued south to Tillamook, OR where we stayed the night at the Bay City RV park. Nice park and was just across the road from the Ocean.

Oregon is gorgeous. If you've ever longed to see the Pacific ocean, see it along the Oregon coast. Follow highway 101 all the way from North to South and you will see some of the most beautiful and variable coastal shoreline ever. From warm sandy beaches, to tall foggy cliffs. Oregon is beautiful.

We had a great day today and best of all, I got to be a Goonie with my best friend. Who could ask for anything more?

Lunch with "Nina"

Check out the sign. You don't see that in Pella!!

"Kindergarden Cop" School