4/4/02 - Pacific City, Oregon :  Many thanks to the warm, wonderful and even wacky business owners who were so enthusiastic about the arrival of Seno in Pacific City!  I was, quite honestly, overwhelmed with the welcome.

Learned:  Pelican Pub & Brewery not only wins medals for their brews but their chowder won "Best on the Coast."  Couldn't argue with that--enjoyed a big bowl and all the curious visitors in the parking lot that is edged with pounding surf and spectacular Cape Kiwanda.

Take a trip to Pacific City just to shop!  Galleries, dolls, fresh bread, mermaids, one-of-a-kind treasures.  Cheers to unique and unusual--didn't see a typical souvenier in the whole town!  Check out:  betwixt & between, Swan's, Dolls 4 You 'n' Me and other great wandering spots, then get a BIG cookie over at the Grateful Bread (along with one of their classic store T-shirts).  I'm not sure I have ever visited a friendlier village--ever.  Learned who's getting married, who also has a 4 year old granddaughter, who still loves her first husband, who was also born in Ohio and how to make fake street signs.  If you miss the TV show "Northern Exposure", then immediately get yourself over to Pacific City for a refresher.  Stop by the Library Thrift Store and you can find a lid for any size pot or pan--and help the library fund with your $$$$.  I am SO disappointed that I can't make it to the Village Merchants' Mad Hatter's Tea Party on Saturday--prizes for most unusual and most beautiful hat!  Argh! My deepest regrets! 

Also thanks to the little throng that gathered outside the Headlight-Herald newspaper office in Tillamook.  Howdy to the Second Avenue Coffee folk and send in photos!  There's a special on at the St. Vincent thrift store--a very cool puppet theatre for only $10--they have a few left and I bought one! 

The weather was a PERFECT 10 for this first leg of the journey, traffic was light and courteous, no road construction or rock slides.  Car performed and seems to be over his can't-start-when-I'm-warm problem.  Cheers to the Canadian who thinks I should have a trailer, eh?  Thanks but no thanks.  One of my koans for this trip is to live within the space that I'm given.  Period.