Part 4, our last fun day together, Sunday, August 28, 2011

Elk Cove Winery, Gaston, Oregon turned out to be a very nice vineyard to visit. Once we found it.

We followed the Garmin on what turned out to be a wild goose chase to a dead end. Then we used my iPhone and made it there before they closed! About the wild goose chase, let me say that I've never had so much fun driving forward, then backing up, turning around, all on a hard-packed gray gravel road out in the Oregon countryside, well after we'd left the paved highway.


We'd genuinely enjoyed being together on the entire ride--dust and all--'cause the dust stayed outside the SUV!


Once we were inside the tasting room at Elk Cove, still talking and chuckling about how we finally found the place, one of their employees piped up, "Oh, that happens to people all the time when they use Garmin. The road stops on one side of the ridge and starts again on the other side." We looked at each other and laughed some more. And it was not the wines being tasted that led to the laughter. By the way, Milton's holding Kay's glass--he didn't drink out of two all by himself. Really. And I had sips of two different wine--one doesn't drink and drive, especially with a Zipcar full of family and friends.


Weddings take place at Elk Cove. In fact, one would happen not too long after we left for Portland. Several people worked hither and yon, getting ready. And then two vehicles filled with the wedding party (no bride or groom yet) and folks who looked like wedding guests parked near the SUV.




I enjoyed walking around, taking a few more photos.

Flat Stanley visits the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, Oct. 28

Our second visit to the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum started out as a serendipitous stop to take a photo of the vineyard out front because all of the vines had turned golden after the grapes had been picked. As we turned down the entrance road, something caught my eye, over near the front wall of the building.



"I think I see Stormtroopers!" I hollered. As we got closer to the building, I knew I saw stormtroopers walking towards the museum entrance. Quickly I parked. A speechless Flat Stanley and I barrelled out of the car, camera in hand, the trio of movie icons in our sights. You see the mark of our success in the photo! After thanking them profusely, Flat Stanley looked at me with stars in his eyes and said, "I'll never, ever, ever forget this!"





We walked over to where I had first noticed the trio and saw this display and banner. Flat Stanley just about couldn't believe it when he got to stand among the masks. I asked about the sheets and found out that they belong to a 30-year-old man. My sons used to have sheets just like those and probably wish that they still had them today. You can read about the 501st Legion, Cloud City Garrison here.





After calming down a bit, Flat Stanley and I decided that he could stand on this wing for a quick photo and a close-up of a Navy Blue Angels plane from yesteryear.



All of a sudden, this Hudson automobile, also from yesteryear, distracted us from the flying machines all around us. Flat Stanley and I agreed that the car is just as impressive as the aircraft.





Both of us like the looks of the camo-colored U. S. Airforce fighter jet. At least we think it is a fighter jet. We'll have to make another visit to the museum to get the facts on it, looks like.

Flat Stanley only rested on the wing of this plane and of the Blue Angels' plane for seconds, mere seconds, and therefore did not leave a mark on either one. He's proud of that fact.



As we walked back towards the Buick, I took this photo of a portion of the Spruce Goose. I hope that on our next visit we will finally make it inside the museum--I'll check ahead of time to make sure there are not private parties on that date, and Miss Edna, Flat Stanley and I will see this plane--and all of the others--up close and personal. In the meantime, you can read all about the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum here.



The beauty of this young gingko tree caught our eye. Beyond it you can see one of the planes that soldiers called Gooney Birds or Goonies during WWII. Even farther back, you see that orange circle? It's on the tip of the nose of a MIG. For more about them and other sights Flat Stanley enjoyed on his first visit to Evergreen, go to Mama and Me from PDX.



As we left the museum, Flat Stanley asked, "Could you get me a picture of the sign, please? I want to remember everything about this place that I've seen so far!"



By the way, here's the golden vineyard that caused us to pull off the highway at the museum for our unplanned but swell second visit.