We spent a couple of nights in Tillamook which is best known for its cheese industry. Apparently thousands stop here annually to visit the famous Tillamook Visitor Centre and indeed on the day we visited the place was heaving. People were queueing to try the cheeses and the hundreds of flavours of ice cream and the shop was doing a roaring trade selling their produce. Peter cycled the three capes drive, three of the coast's most stunning headlands. At Tillamook...

After the Gorge we headed for Portland, Oregon a city we had wanted to visit but we were unable to find any camping within a reasonable distance. We drove into the city centre, visited the visitor information office who were unable to come up with anything either so we headed out again and set off for the west coast. We had to have an overnight stop on the way in a State Park which as ever was very peaceful and well maintained. Cannon Beach is one of the most ...

Hood River is apparently one of the best windsurfing and kiting districts in the world. Strong currents, westerly winds and a vast expanse of water attracts hundreds to the area. On the afternoon we drove into town across the bridge that separates the state of Washington from Oregan there were many on the water both kiting and wind surfing which made for a very colourful spectacle. This small town is packed at the weekends and is a popular weekend retreat from...

We took the 5325 ft McKenzie Pass to Sisters over the Cascade Mountains where the pine trees changed from Douglas Pine on the McKenzie River side to large straight Spruce Pine. At the top of the pass it is a totally barren volcanic landscape it was absolutely awesome as we didn't expect it, we were just drivingalong through forest and then suddenly we were at the foot of the volcano and you could easily see where the lava had stopped flowing thousands of years ...