Cloverdale to Hebo

I tend to think that Oregon has one of the nicest shorelines in America.   Generally when I drive up the coast, I try to stay as close to the water as possible. That usually means turning off 101 north of Lincoln City and driving up through Pacific City, Cape Kiwanda, Netarts and Oceanside, then sneeking into Tillamook the back way. This time I decided to change my usual route and stayed on 101N as it twists inland through Cloverdale and Hebo.

Fishing is what we do.

Downtown Cloverdale

Downtown Cloverdale

The monument on this much neglected corner in Cloverdale should be anything but. It's there to commemorate hometown hero, Kenneth L. Reusser (1920 – 2009). Kenneth, a United States Marine Corps aviator, is considered the most decorated Marine Aviator in history, having flown 253 combat missions, earning 59 medals, including two Navy Crosses while flying in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. He is the only aviator to survive being shot down in all three wars. An American hero for sure.

Approaching Garibaldi

Grapes and Gravel

Bits and Pieces.                                                                                               A little of this and that with some of these and those.                                              Whenever we’re finishing up one of these roadtrips there are always a few images that don’t really fit into any group. So these are just a few loose ends.

A Happy House

They're Watching!

 

The Provocateur

 

The Inspector

Nap Time

The Beach at Cardiff By The Sea

 

The Sign Doesn't Fill Me With Confidence.

Bryar Is Ready To Go.

The Butcher Boy - SD Maritime Museum

Johnson Sea-Horse

So Simple But So Scary.

This is where the torpedo goes.

Stylin'

See you all soon.

 

Kindness Bus Tour 2012

The Hippies Are Back! And Not A Minute Too Soon!

I bumped into this “smile on wheels” today while in Encinitas.

The Kindness Bus Tour

Apparently Bob Votruba and his dog, Bogart, are dedicated to spreading one million random acts of kindness all over the nation. Ya gotta love it!

The Kindness Bus Tour

Check them out at http://www.onemillionactsofkindness.com/.

Song Of Sand

“If sand waves were sound waves. What song would be in the air now?”

Suzanne Vega

Cardiff Beach 3

Cardiff Beach 4

Cardiff Beach 5

Cardiff Beach 7

Cardiff Beach 8

Cardiff Beach 9

Money For Nothing – Part 2

Oh Goody Another Tip Jar

Tip Jar

What the hell’s with the tip jars, those ever present containers that are constantly soliciting for funds on counter tops from coast to coast. In the last few years these little beggars have sprung up everywhere. I blame coffee vendors. They clearly need to pay their employees more money and stop asking us to subsidize their wages.

The price of a cup of coffee has risen faster then a helium balloon. We obviously like and want our designer coffee, and are willing to pay for it. That’s fine, but tips are not gratuities for simply doing your job. They are extra remuneration to show appreciation for providing exemplary service. In a coffee shop I have to wait in line, decide and order with no guidance or suggestions from the staff. I have to pay and tip when I order, before I even know if the product is any good or my order is correct or how long I will have to wait to get it. Then I generally have to stand around until it’s done, get my own lid, straw, napkin, sugar and cheap wooden stirrer, bring it all to the table myself and bus the table when I’m finished. Damn, I almost feel like I should come back after hours to empty the trash and mop the floor. What’s the tip for? Smiling at me. Making the coffee. I know what you’re thinking, What’s with the bitch? Just don’t tip. I’m sure your right, but there is clearly pressure to tip. The placement of the evil little tip jar. The cute little “My College Loan Thanks You” sign with the little stars and smily faces. The slightly pleading look in the cashier’s eyes. The blank tip line on the credit card slip. The cashier’s awareness of who tips and who doesn’t. Why not just put a forlorn looking panhandler next to the cash register. “Thanks A Latte”.

What really set me off was when I saw a tip jar in the dry cleaners the other day. The dry cleaners! Really?? I even saw one at a flea market yesterday. What’s next, Home Depot? The DMV?

No Tipping Please

Money For Nothing

Panhandling…Begging or Working?

I pulled into La Jolla Village yesterday. For those of you who have not been here, La Jolla is one of the wealthiest communities in America. A place where the recession/ depression seems to be more a rumor or slight inconvenience then an every day reality.

At the 5 way intersection by the entrance to the Mall were 6 panhandlers. The closest to me was a twenty something with a sign proclaiming that he was a “down on his luck” Vietnam Veteran in desperate need of money. Given his age, this was clearly untrue. I made the comment to my friend that someone that young could  find some job that pays as much as standing on a corner. Is there no shame? My friend told me not to be so quick to judge and explained why I was wrong. “The young man in question does have a job. He makes his own hours and pays no taxes. Begging is it”.

In the new America begging represents the height of entrepreneurial spirit. The act of making something from nothing with minimal resources. Standing on the corner with nothing more then a sad look and a piece of cardboard is boring and tedious work. But, given the right person with the right facial expression, the right amount of dirt and the right sign, on the right corner, someone can make as much as $50 or $60 an hour during peak traffic times.

The truthfulness of the sign is irrelevant. It is advertising, plain and simple. It is designed to illicit sympathy and spur the “customer” into giving. My friend also pointed out that it really isn’t “Money For Nothing”. The panhandler is providing a service. Everyone that hands over a dollar feels better and is saying to themselves, “There, but for the grace of God, am I”.

Still, if all of this is true and begging is just a new type of business, we quickly noticed that the “advertising” signs being used are poorly crafted and hugely antiquated for such an affluent community. After all, advertising has rules. Your message should be three to five words, maximum, finish by asking for the sale and, most importantly,  know your demographic.

Wendi & I have decided they need our help.

Am desperate for an IPhone4..... God Bless

OMG the price of Jimmy Choo... Be Kind

Premium Cable Went Up... Again! Please Help $

Pilate bill is past due...Please Help Now

The Spring Line is in...Please Give

Torrey Pines State Reserve

Spent a great day hiking Torrey Pines State Reserve. This is a terrific park. Crowded in the summer but pretty much perfect this time of year. Lots of trails. Easy hikes. Great for the kids. It’s sad to think that there is very little undeveloped Southern California’s coastline left, but there is this. So check it out.