Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and the video at the end of the post and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution # at the end of the post. #1)
Those who follow Thebeerchaser blog know that I have an affinity for all watering holes, but a special fondness for dive bars. And of the 400+ establishments I’ve visited during my now twelve years pursuing this hobby, I’ve gravitated to the less refined rather than the more polished brewery or pub.
That said, I enjoy the atmosphere and camaraderie encountered in both although they are distinctly different.
There’s a distinct difference, but both are good!
Resources
Since I worked in a large Northwest regional law firm (Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt) for twenty-five years, I know both the need and the value of thoroughly researching one’s topic. When commencing my Beerchasing days, I had some outstanding authorities not only to educate me, but direct me to iconic dive bars in Portland, along the Oregon Coast and throughout the US – most notably in Colorado and Montana.
While I’ve not had a chance to do a “deep dive” in these publications, a cursory look indicates that I’ve been to slightly over 50% of those reviewed So I still have a lot to explore! (#2 – #4)
The books shown in the photo above, although published years ago, were still wonderful guides in Colorado, but especially in Montana. I had an elucidating phone conversation with author, Joan Melcher, before commencing my solo road trip in Montana for six days in 2019.
During that span, I hit thirty bars and breweries, including my Beerchasing all-time favorite – The Dirty Shame Saloon in Yaak Montana.
Before moving on, I have to give special credit to my friend and prolific author, Matt Love, owner of the Nestucca Spit Press – a small publishing house on the Oregon Coast. Matt’s former blog Letitpour.net and his publication Oregon Tavern Age were both primary motivations for my Beerchasing hobby. (#5)
Matt Love (left) enjoying a beer with Jim Westwood and me at Falls View Tavern in 2021
Dive Bar Descriptions
One has to be careful in stereotyping what constitutes a dive bar. There may be a few adjectives or characteristics that typically apply, but in my exploits, I’ve found each one had its own ambiance, idiosyncrasies and traditions that made them unique.
” “Some dives have vomit-caked toilet seats in the bathroom; others have cracked vinyl booths in the barroom. Some have nicotine-stained murals dating back to the Depression; others have drink prices that seemingly haven’t wavered since then…
…But really, no collection of characteristics can be melded to truly define what makes a bar a dive…..The term ‘dive’ is bestowed with a spoonful of love….What they have in common aren’t so much attributes, but a state of mind — you just know one when you see one.” (Seattle’s Best Dive Bars by Mike Seely – pages 9-10)
I save what I consider to be the quintessential descriptions of dives for ongoing reference. For example, one of my favorite Portland dive bars is Joe’s Cellar – I reviewed this watering hole in 2012, only one month after I started Thebeerchaser.com.
It helped set the standard. I loved this Yelp review:
“Dive bars can be a wonderful thing–I’m not talking about the type of place where you’re afraid of getting a shiv in the bathroom, but a comfortable, neighborhood establishment where locals go to enjoy each other’s company and a drink or five. Joe’s Cellar, thankfully, belongs in the latter category.” (#6)
A New Depiction
I came across a wonderful new portrayal of both a dive bar and a trendy brewery in a novel by Harlan Coban that I just finished.
I’ll add them to my collection and share them with you in Part II of this post.
However, since I’ve plunged into the topic, I thought I should first regale you with my favorite dive bars – not only in Portland, but throughout Oregon – especially the Coast and then some from other parts of the US.
But first, my choice for the most literal dive bar I’ve visited. This one is in Sacramento, California and we stopped there on a 2016 road trip to Yosemite National Park:
I asked Jason, the bartender how the title of the bar was derived. He immediately responded:
“Take a glance upward. You see that 7,800-gallon aquarium. (To put in perspective, that would be about 1,006 kegs of beer!) A few nights each week, we also have ‘mermaids’ swimming in that tank. Now do you understand how we got our name?”
Portland Favorites
In 2019, I listed my fourmost iconic dives in Portland. I’ll simply list them below in no ranking and you can read a summary of each one at this link or if you want the details, at the link over the title of the bar.
I discovered Yur’s in 2020, which Willamette Week accurately described as a “Perfect Dive for Daytime Drinking”. And Yurs – owned by a former NFL lineman – is!
I would also strongly disagree with one reviewer on the subject opining on Portland dives. If you check out my reviews of those above, you will understand why:
“I’m beginning to understand the formula for what constitutes a popular dive in Portland….Make it dark, create some reason for the service to suck and make PBR cheaper than soda….”
(Photos clockwise: The Ship, Mock Crest, The Standard, Renner’s, Yur’s and Gil’s Speakeasy)
The Oregon Coast
Four of the following gems were visited in a three-day trip with my brother-in-law, Dave Booher and another friend, Steve Larson, in the summer of 2014.
The Desdemona Club, better known by locals as “The Dirty D,” was a 2012 trip – again with Dave – he also feels a kinship with dives.
(Photos clockwise: Desdemona, Sportsman, Tide Pool, Mad Dog and The Old O) (#7)
What About the Rest of Oregon?
Central and Eastern Oregon are two regions which still need Beerchasing exploits based on what we discovered on another three-day road trip in 2013.
And the iconic Lumpy’s Landing was one of the two bars that I visited before I retired which gave me the idea to make a bar tour when I retired. (The other was the Rod and Gun Saloon in Stanley, Idaho. (By the way, you missed the ice-fishing contest this year).
(Photos clockwise: Central Pastime, Horseshoe, Hideout, Lumpy’s, Buffalo Bills)
Stay tuned for Part II on dive bars – this time for my favorites in Montana and Colorado – rich in iconic dives and then a few from our travels around the rest of the US.
In my effort to further educate on the topic, take a look at this interesting Thrillist article about fake dive bars:
“If a place is actually calling itself a dive by name, that’s a surefire sign that some hipster who’s never been in a real hole wanted to open a bar but didn’t want to invest in a vacuum or nice lights. Lots of ferns, though.
There’s always money for ferns. Most light should be provided by slightly broken neon signs, not something weird like an Edison bulb or, ugh, a window.”
Cheers
External Photo Attribution
#1. Wikimedia Commons (ttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Diving-board,_feat,_bathing_suit,_springboard_Fortepan_25241.jpg) Licensed under the Creative CommonsAttribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: FOTO:Fortepan — ID 25241: Adományozó/Donor: Tari Örs. 1937.
Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title at the top to see all of the photos so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.
This post is about two outstanding guys and an excellent dive bar with a friendly and memorable bartender. The topic begs for some editorial digressions so you will see one or two additional posts which allow me to wander.
Before I tell you about the bar, let me tell you why I admire the two friends who Beerchased with me.
Matt Love and David Dickson
David Dickson
I’ve known David since about 1991 – both of our daughters went to grade school together and on Father-Daughter Hikes for years on numerous Oregon wilderness trails. These continued during the girls’ high school years.
They included reaching the summit of the 10,363 foot South Sister in the fall of 1997, when the girls were about 12 and 13 years old.
The moms of this group would argue that the Mom-Daughter Book Club during these same years, will have a more lasting impact on these now fine young women.
The girls will never forget the memory of hiking out from our camp on the slope of the South Sister by flashlight, the sight of a mouse which drowned in our pot of coffee left out overnight or the penetrating nasal-cleansing smell of the latrine at the head of the Jefferson Park Trail.
I submit that these will yield a more substantive legacy than discussion of the passage of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March from childhood to womanhood in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. (External photo attribution at end of post #1 – #2)
David is a Stanford grad where he came close to being a right-handed pitcher on The Cardinal freshman baseball team, but washing dishes for tuition and beer money won out.
His subsequent career as a Development Director in higher-education and long-term civic civic contributions are considerably more notable than his earned-run average would have been in Palo Alto…..
I admire David for his perpetual optimism, his concern for the homeless (to be discussed in the next post) and his spirit of high adventure such as shown while he was demonstrating his skill at Big Buck Hunter while Beerchasing with Adam Davis and me at Portland’s Belmont Inn in 2013.
His venturous enthusiasm led him to solo exploration of far-flung regions after college and before graduate school at the University of Oregon.
He traveled through Central America (Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Costa Rica) and South America (Columbia, Venezuela, Equator and Peru). To my knowledge he was not involved in any insurgencies or surreptitious attempts to tamper with voting machines in Venezuela.
I asked David about his post-Stanford adventures and enjoyed his response:
“After getting my BA at Stanford in 1972, I spent two years as a VISTA volunteer/community organizer in Cherokee County, Oklahoma. When I returned, I took off with a loaded backpack and $800 in travelers checks, purchased with the money I had saved from VISTA.
My transport was 3rd class bus (accompanied by chickens and machetes); hitchhiking on the back of pickups and getting lost in the Andes; hitchhiking on merchant ships, hiking when no-one would pick me up and flying once from Panama City to Colombia.
I probably stayed in hotels about 4 nights total (some flea infested), but generally set up my tent in people’s yards or nearby hills or stretched out my sleeping bag in bus depots.”
He showed this same wanderlust on our Father-Daughter hikes which is why we usually had him walk at the end of our group rather than lead it.
Randy Wenger, David and Charlie Rose debating Forest Service map.
Among other traits, I admire Matt for his meaningful and ongoing efforts to help the homeless and downtrodden, his deep love for canines, his perseverance in the face of hardship, his creativity and dedication as a former high school teacher.
Last, but certainly not least, he’s a fellow-letterman in basketball for the Pioneers at OCHS – a numberof years after me, but it should be noted that his team did not win the TYV Title and go to the State Tournament……
But my feeling of kinship with Matt originated in 2012 when I came across his blog “Let it Pour.net” – right after I started my Beerchasing hobby and was researching dive bars on the Oregon Coast.
“Let it Pour” originated as a popular column inHipfish Monthly, an alternative magazine in Astoria on the north Oregon Coast. He maintained his blog from 1999 to 2011 and unfortunately a number of the watering holes he chronicled are no longer in business.
But Matt’s descriptions will live on as he is a keen observer of both the ambiance of dive bars and the interactions that take place among the patrons – he’s an expert in describing those in entertaining style.
Matt is a prolific and talented author and now owns a small Astoria publishing house he founded in 2003 – The Nestucca Spit Press. You’ll hear more about Matt’s books in the next post The only problem I have with Matt’s prose is that it forces me to highlight many paragraphs so I can come back and quote his stuff (with attribution, of course!)
The descriptions in his books of emotional interactions sometimes bring tears to my eyes. His bar chronicles were a key factor in motivating me to pursue my Beerchasing adventures, which have continued for over twelve years.
This guy is a master of observation – not only human relationships, but the trappings and character(s) of these dives. He coined the term “Oregon Tavern Age”(OTA)
Matt spent hours in bars converting the notes he took “jotting down observations with a pencil on a golf score card”and his conversations with the regulars into a captivating collection of stories and anecdotes with great graphic illustrations – “courtesy of his ex-wife.”
For example this one from a bar – Pitch’s East – a dive in Port Orford:
“One day, many years ago, a woman sat in Pitch’s Tavern in Port Orford. She saw a horse drinking beer from a saucer on the counter. On another visit, she saw a live boxer crab holding an unlit cigarette in one claw and a glass of beer in the other.”
Take this one which made me check out the Old Oregon Saloon in Lincoln City as one of my first Coast dives – “Where Friends and Family Meet.” It was a great bar and I have returned many times:
“(It’s) a damn fine gritty place to drink beer – a lot of beer….The regulars call it The Old O and after spending time there over the years, I feel it is not too outrageous to suggest the nickname stands not only for The Old Oregon Tavern in Lincoln City — which it does — but really some of the patrons’ last long ago orgasm. Maybe in the Johnson Administration.”
Now I know that Matt, who coaches writers, would advise against excess, but indulge me, because these are so good, I love to share them – so just two more brief ones – both from the Sportsman’s Pub and Grub in Pacific City.
It’s justified. After all for a number of years, Matt served as the watering hole’s “Writer in Residence.”
“A man blasted through the door and obliterated the tavern’s somnolent mood. His hair was feathered….and perfect. He appeared anywhere from 40 to 70 years old. Many years later, I coined the phrase ‘Oregon Tavern Age’ or ‘OTA’ to describe the condition….
The man’s name was Larry or Wayne, both solid OTA names. He sat down with us at the bar. He was loud. I struck up a conversation with him and learned he had $10,000 in cash stuffed into his pants pocket…..
He had cashed a check the previous afternoon – a settlement from an injury suffered in an automobile accident and was ready to party down – hard. He bought the house a round, screamed an encouraging profanity, and then bolted out the door.”
Lastly:
“So the story goes, a veteran patron requested that upon his death, he wanted his wake held in the tavern. Well, the old timer dies, he was cremated, and of course the management obliged him.
So his drinking buddies crowded in the men’s bathroom, hoisted their pints for a second…and flushed his ashes down the toilet. Top that drug testing, antiseptic, bottom line, unfunky, God fearing, screaming baby, corporate brewpubs!”
But What About Jake’s Place?
I have more to tell you about both David Dickson and Matt Love and our discussions while Beerchasing which involve some significant Portland issues.
Also why Jake’s Place is a bar you should visit and more importantly, why you should talk to Cassie, the Bartender. (By the way, I’ll relate why I initially thought Matt made a mistake when he named the bar where we should meet).
(Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.)
I guess it is appropriate that my 300th post on Thebeerchaser blog be a celebration, of sorts – ten years of this retirement hobby – started in August 2011. My plans for a more formal gathering in the early fall were delayed by the pandemic and will be held in 2022.
Some Background
After first working in the public sector and then legal management for the the last thirty-years of my career – the final twelve as the Chief Operating Officer at the Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt law firm – a 150 attorney firm with its principal office in Portland, Oregon, I retired in early 2011.
A retirement present from the firm – note the name of the wine which was appropriate….
Since I spent many of my waking hours working, there was some concern about how I would handle retirement. But from the first day, I loved it.
There has never been a boring period whether it was from trying to remaster the oboe – I had abandoned after junior high – with lessons, traveling with my wife of thirty-one (now forty-one) years, playing with the blessings to come – four granddaughters, enjoying the Oregon coast or what became my primary hobby – a blog named Thebeerchaser.com.
Playing at the Pittock MansionBeach Time…And as of October 2021 – four granddaughters
The seed germinated before retirement was sown with visits to two great dive bars – The Stanley Rod and Gun Whitewater Saloon in Stanley, Idaho and Lumpy’s Landing in Dundee, Oregon. It prompted the crazy idea to personally experience and then tell the story of bars and breweries – initially just in Portland – but shortly thereafter, all through Oregon and parts of the US and even a number in Europe.
The books and bar guides shown in the picture at the start of this post, are some of the references I used in framing my posts.
So Thebeerchaser.com was brewed – starting slowly and with the help of two wonderful and talented friends who created the two logos I’ve used (Teresa Maclean and Jud Blakely), I slowly (and often painfully) learned how to use WordPress to convey the impressions on my subject.
It was not a technical commentary on my favorite beverage, but narratives on the history of the bar or brewery, interviews with the regulars and bar staffs, descriptions of the trappings and what distinguished the ambiance from other watering holes.
Courtesy Teresa McClainCourtesy Jud Blakely
Early on, I also decided to relate the stories of individuals or groups (primarily those I knew personally) who may not have had any connection with bars or beers, but had an interesting story and made a notable contribution to society in my humble opinion. These soon came to be “honored” with the moniker of Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter.
This is an eclectic group and past recipients include lawyers (some worked at the Schwabe firm), authors, athletes, clerics, musicians, environmentalists, military heroes, academicians and athletes.
Also three family members – Janet, my wife, in part, for supporting and joining me on many of my Beerchasing travels, my brother, Rick, for his remarkable career in the Navy which culminated as skipper of the nuclear sub USS Spadefish (SSN 668) and most recently, my Dad (F. Duane Williams – FDW), who although he passed away at the age of 54 in 1973, left a notable legacy.
JanetRetired Captain Rick Williams USNFDW
For a composite list of these remarkable individuals and groups and some additional background, check out the following Beerchaser link for the 2020 post entitled, “Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter (Who,What,Why? – thirty-five at that time.
Since I have expanded on my tribute to lawyers with multiple posts and composed several chapters to my Dad’s story in 2021, the count now is thirty-six which I hope to expand more diligently in 2022.
Craig Hanneman on Mt. Everest ClimbFr.Chuck WoodDecorated veterans, Jud Blakely and Doug BomaritoSome of the distinguished BOQs
Some Statistics
Not once have I considered commercializing this blog – it’s strictly a hobby, so I don’t have to worry about deadlines, number of viewers, etc. That said, since I worked in a law firm for twenty-five years where statistics translated into economics i.e. compensation, I do have some interest in the metrics of my blog.
I will also freely admit that my posts are usually too long – they average 1,677 words for the ten years, but for the last five the average has increased to 2,136 and this one is over 3,000 (sorry!), which discourages most viewers from reading the entire post – even with the pictures scattered through the narrative. But this trend, probably won’t change since I’m writing primarily for my own enjoyment after framing numerous legal management memos during my career that bored even me – the author!
And while Thebeerchaser.com is a hobby, I have been delighted with the additional exposure it has gotten every year which leads to more interactions with people from all over the world.
The Slammer – A Portland bar with barbwire….Cornerstone Pub in Door County, WisconsinPortland’s Iconic Old Town BrewingThe Antler Saloon in Wisdom, Montana
My wife says I spend more time these days on the computer than when I worked and since my 299 posts have generated 501,485 words, she’s probably right. Unfortunately, the pandemic has essentially curtailed my visits to new locations since early 2020
Up to that time I had visited (usually twice for each one counted) 366 establishments of which 119 were in the Portland metro area and the other 247 scattered through God’s country and beyond. It’s almost impossible to identify a few favorite watering holes, but the photos above show four of them. In reviewing my galleries for this selection, I note with sadness that a number I could have included are no longer in business.
I also state – with disappointment – albeit with some anticipation, that in the last two years because of lockdowns and our own caution in dealing with COVID, I’ve added only nine premises to that total – seven in Portland and two in Bellingham, Washington – a very nice town we visited on a long weekend with lots of breweries, expansive parks and a nice college. At both the Boundary Bay and Aslan Breweries, we were able to eat on decks with plenty of ventilation and mask protocols. We will return!
Boundary Bay BrewingBoundary BayAslan BrewingAslan – One of the few in 2021
Diverted, but not Diminished…
Instead, my blog posts have been devoted to catching up on the narratives of the forty-nine bars and breweries we visited on an extensive Montana road trip in 2019 – six days with Don flying solo and the remainder after I picked Janet up at the Billings Airport to continue our trip through the Dakotas, Wyoming and Idaho before returning to Oregon.
A wonderful 2019 road trip filled with watering holes and National Parks and Monuments
I also offered reflections on life during a worldwide pandemic, memories from high school and working around lawyers, sarcastic comments about technical reviews on beers, and updates on some of my Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter along with miscellaneous other trivia from my files – those that my wife insisted I clean out during the pandemic.
The blog now has 411 “followers” – individuals who get an e-mail every time there’s a new post. I also realize that my metrics pale compared to some of the blogs I regularly follow and have gotten to know the authors – something I will elaborate on in a future post.
In 2021 Thebeerchaser.com garnered a total of 28,500 views from just over 20,000 “visitors” – up from the comparable figures of 6,800 and 4,800 in 2012 – the first full year of the blog. The majority are people searching the internet and land on “Thebeerchaser.”
An increase in viewership through ten years
Although just over 90% of these views are from the US as one would expect, the exact localities in the 104 other countries where views have emanated in 2021, fill me with curiosity.
This includes three from Iceland – a place I hope to eventually visit and raise a mug of their Kaldi Fresh Breeze beer at the Micro Bar on Second Street in Reykjavik after seeing the Northern Lights.
Kaldi Fresh BreezeA Bucket List Item…..
Related Benefits
Besides the opportunity to quaff hundreds of great craft beers (although I will always opt for a PBR Tallboy), the blog has presented many other ancillary benefits. One I’ve written about numerous times is becoming involved in the planning of the Benedictine Brewery on the grounds of the Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary and which opened in late 2018.
The Brewery and St. Michael Taproom has since expanded and been very successful – even during a pandemic – under the skillful management and superb brewing skills of Fr. Martin Grassel, who has become a good friend. It also led to my service on the Abbey Foundation of Oregon Board of Trustees for which I just started my second three-year term.
The Benedictine Brewery – Taste and Believe!
I’ve also had the pleasure of speaking about my Beerchasing journey to four Rotary Clubs in Oregon – West Linn and Lincoln City in person and Lake Oswego and Bend over ZOOM – a new and challenging experience in public speaking – it was hard to tell if anyone was laughing at my bar and lawyer jokes…..During the in-person presentations, I, at least, knew that they weren’t!
Learning a lot of history and geography while researching the places I’m reviewing has been rewarding; however, the most beneficial and lasting aspect of this retirement pursuit (without question) has been the diverse range of people we’ve met while Beerchasing.
I met people ranging from loggers in Wallace, Idaho at the North Idaho Mountain Brew pub; to an Alaska fisherman – a guy in his fifties named Bill – at Darwin’s Theory in Anchorage, who in the ’70’s used to transport marijuana in the fenders of his big Lincoln across the country. And there was Irish Mike, who journeys twice yearly on his Harley from San Francisco, to Lincoln City, Oregon.
Irish Mike is a burly, bearded guy and designated the “local ambassador” at one of my favorite dives – The Old Oregon Saloon on the Central Oregon Coast. As I was taking pictures, he motioned me to come over to him, reached in his wallet for some dollar bills and told me to plug the juke box adding “Don’t screw it up!”
Irish Mike at the “Old O” in Lincoln City
Then there was the regular at Eilers’ Place in Pueblo, Colorado, who coincidentally happened to be in the bar with three friends after the bartender responded to my question about the history of the bar. She took out the photo below to demonstrate that the bar has always been a family oriented place and asked:
“You see that mama in the photo holding her baby – second from the end? Well that baby is sitting in the booth right over by the door.”
I went over and introduced myself and he shook hands and he said, “I’m James Mohorcich, but you should just call me ‘Horse.’ I live across the street and I’ve been coming here for at least forty years.”
One of the great bars in Pueblo, Colorado“You can call me, “Horse.”
I’ve met some wonderful bartenders and owners from Phoebe Newcombe – who gave me a baseball cap she autographed on my first Beerchase in 2011 at the Brooklyn Park Pub, to Andre’, from Macedonia, who had an infectious smile, a warm personality and joked with us notwithstanding a very busy bar at the Little Missouri Saloon in Medora, North Dakota.
Andre’Phoebe
On one of our East Coast swings we visited the Marshall Wharf Brewery in quaint Belfast. This Maine town of a little less than 7,000 was founded in 1770 and like our Portland, the name (derived from the Northern Ireland city) was determined by a coin toss.
There, Kathryn, our friendly bartender, went through the list of their brews (German beer is their specialty) and talked me into trying a German Rauchbier – a smoked malt beer – Marshall’s Deep Purple Rauchbier (6.0%). Beer Advocate described it as:
“Smoke on the water! This Bamberg (Germany) inspired smoked ale is Bacon in a Glass (emphasis added). Very polarizing beer – you either like the style and taste or you never want to drink it again…..”
I loved it. Of course, what food or drink with bacon infusion wouldn’t I savor…..?
Kathryn at Marshall Wharf Brewery
I love the bars in Montana and won’t forget one of my favorite regulars of Thebeerchaser’s Tour – Fritz – who had his own stool at the Antler Saloon in Wisdom, Montana. About fifty miles away from that great bar, I had a long chat while nursing a Miller High Life with Tom Davis, the “seasoned” owner of the Wise River Club.
He emigrated from Scotland in 1964 and told me, “In those days if you had an accent and could sing, you could make some money.” He formed a band and played lead guitar. Tom and his group fronted and toured with Sonny and Cher, the Mamas and Papas and in the Northwest with Portland’s own Paul Revere and the Raiders.
FritzTom Davis
And, by chance, when I walked in one late Saturday afternoon, after reading about them in the book “Montana Watering Holes,” I had a memorable and extended conversation with Dick and Charlotte Sappa, the legendary owners since 1973 of the Blue Moon Saloon in Columbus Falls, Montana.
It’s purported to have the longest bar in Montana and is known for its legendary taxidermy including a polar bear. I was fortunate to get a tour of the “Upper Room” – filled with exotic trophies – by their son, Bill – “something we don’t usually do for strangers……”
The Sappas and the Blue Moon Inn
Three “Unforgettable Characters“!
I can’t end without naming three of the most unforgettable people I’ve met strictly as a result of this hobby – again hard to narrow the candidates down – but they stand out – John Runkle, the late Brian Doyle and Matt Love.
John Runkle, who up until one month ago, was the owner of my favorite and most iconic bar I visited in the ten years – the Dirty Shame Saloon in Yaak, Montana.
I spent two days in Yaak and stayed in the Wolf Room at the Yaak River Lodge which John still owns. (His goal is to move to Texas.) John has charisma and both a personality and heart as big as the Montana sky. (He also claims to be the only sixty-year old with three kids under five (four, two and three months!)
I met the late author, Brian Doyle, in 2013 after I wrote a letter and asked him to meet me at his favorite bar (the Fulton Pub) so I could interview him for Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter honors. To my surprise, he agreed. He was a wonderful human being who left a legacy at the University of Portland, where he was on the faculty, the basketball courts of the Boston City League and most notably fans of great literature. His award-winning books and essays are mentioned in the post I dedicated to him – Brian Doyle – Beerchaser Eternal
Runkle accepting a peace offering of Benedictine BeerBrain Doyle at the Fulton Pub
Matt Love, is a fellow Oregon City High School grad who lived in Oregon City during his junior high and high school years and graduated from OCHS in 1982. He is a prolific author (nineteen books) who owns the Nestucca Spit Press – a small publishing company. His repertoire, to name a few I’ve read, includes Oregon Tavern Age – an exploration of dive bars on the Oregon Coast – something Thebeerchaser relished.
Matt and I after communicating by e-mail for several years, finally met last fall – joined by another OCHS grad – former Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter Jim Westwood at the Falls View Tavern.
Matt Love, Jim Westwood, Don Williams
Matt’s writing style, his humor and rich descriptions are especially evident in his 102-page tome on dogs entitled Of Dogs and Meaning.- it’s absolutely captivating – and I make that assertion even though Janet and I have never had a dog during our 41 years of marriage.
Besides Matt’s own heart-warming stories from athletics, teaching and most notably, of his own dogs – Sonny, Bonnie and Clyde, and Tex, he relates canine tales ranging from those involving George Washington, James Madison, John Kennedy, Barack Obama, Winston Churchill and WC Fields. And of course, his years in dive bars yield a few good anecdotes:
“I met a dog in an Oregon Tavern who fetched cans of Hamm’s for humans from behind the bar, but only Hamm’s. Budweiser was out.”
A Wonderful Book from the Nestucca Spit Press
Matt also has a big heart and compassion and respect for others. His latest project is a newsletter entitled “The New American Diaspora.” You can (and should) subscribe by clicking on the link:
“I coined the phrase the New American Diaspora to describe the growing phenomenon of those people living in homelessness and those people checking out of the so-called American dream and taking up residence in the margins.
The focus of this newsletter is on Oregon where I live. I float around the state. I don’t necessarily hold my observations and interactions out as representative of what’s happening elsewhere around the country, but perhaps they are.”
Say Goodnight, Geoff!!
For the finale and to further explain why Montana will always be my favorite Beerchasing state, I have to leave you with a tune by an affable old guy named Geoff at the Yaak River Tavern – across the street from the Dirty Shame Saloon (but no comparison on the ambiance). He was playing guitar and singing – on a bar stool at the bar – nursing one of a number of beers he had consumed that day/night and telling stories.
I told the owner that I was buying him a beer when he came in the next day (he didn’t need any more that night…) and to credit his account. So Geoff sang us his favorite song. This is an excerpt although it essentially captures all the lyrics in 19 seconds…. (When the lyrics have “palm trees,” “banana,” “beach” and “Montana” in the same verse, you know there’s creativity!)
(Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. Since this is a long post, if you are seeing it through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.)
Note: The last 25% of this post may be of particular interest to history buffs. Check out this story which goes back to 1850 and continues to the present time.
I’ve published quite a few posts related to my time in Oregon City, Oregon – from seventh grade until after I got married at age thirty-one except for time at Oregon State University and in the Navy. My wife and I then moved across the Willamette River to West Linn – another Portland burb and our high school rival in the old Tualatin Yamhill Valley League.
I was a pretty good kid in high school – motivated by the admonition of Dale Herron, our basketball coach, that if we even thought of frequenting one of Oregon City’s bars (or went skiing at Mt. Hood) we would have to turn in our Chuck Taylor Converse All-stars (black high-tops).
Knowing that attending college also depended on an academic scholarship and a clean record, I never drank alcohol before I turned twenty-one in college. (* photo attribution at end of post.)
*1
TVY Champs for first time since 1945
Motivated to behave…
Oh yeah. When I when I asserted above “pretty good kid,” – in the interest of full disclosure, there was that one incident at the end of our senior year when several of us from the Class of ’66 decided to put an old out-house on the roof of the school.
Fortunately, OCHS PrincipalVern Larson (possibly remembering his own school pranks in North Dakota) went easy on us. His son, Dave, was one of my best friends, so maybe that didn’t hurt either. Understandably, Dave was not in the group of pranksters.
And when I worked on Main Street for Clackamas County after naval service, my haunt was either McNaulty and Barry’s – a wonderful and fabled dive (still going strong) across the street from the Courthouse.
The Dunes Motel Lounge (long gone) was a sleazy alternative – after work attendance and political banter and ample booze consumption were expected during the last two years when I worked for the Clackamas County Commissioners.
Thus, I was surprised when my friend, Matt Love, another Oregon City High School grad, (a lot of years after my diploma) but also an expert on Oregon dive bars, suggested the Falls View Tavern. It’s right across the street from what was one of our favorite high school hangouts – Art’s Cafe.
We spent a lot of time at Art’s on Friday nights after our games eating their great burgers and fries (Art’s is now the Highland Still House which is a great place to go for a shot of fine whiskey):
“With more than 500 bottles of whisky consistently behind the bar and a rotating collection of rare and exciting whiskies from around the globe.” *2
But I never really even bothered noticing the Falls View Tavern. I’m glad that I remedied that in early July with Matt and another Beerchasing regular, Jim Westwood – the dean of our group and another Oregon City High grad.
And we were not disappointed. Since it was a nice summer day, we sat in their expansive patio or beer garden. Falls View on their website describes it as:
“Best Beer Garden within ?,??? miles. Umbrella Covered Tables, Covered Stage, Covered Smoking Area, Fire Pit and a refreshing Misting Station for those two really hot days.”
The patio was a recurring theme in the positive reviews of the bar as best summarized by this 2017 Yelp Review:
“They have created an amazing outdoor area for live music or just kicking back to enjoy some food and drink. Whenever I take pictures of the bands playing in their back patio, friends always think I’m in someone’s backyard, and that’s exactly how it feels. But it’s the best backyard because there are these lovely people who will bring you food and drink in exchange for plastic or cash.”
While it’s nothing fancy, it’s spacious and draws a lot of people who just hang out or listen to the live music on weekends, compete in Wednesday Night Trivia or sing at the open mike on Thursdays.
The owner, Terry Bee Enstad, another Oregon City High School graduate, said that during the restrictions on indoor dining, the patio was always full and people would come from all over the surrounding area.
*3
Spacious Beer Garden
The Yelp review mentions “lovely people” and there are other comments about friendly staff. Cyndee, our server that afternoon, exemplified this sentiment. She’s worked at the bar for 5 1/2 years and since they weren’t extremely busy initially, spent time enlightening us about what makes the bar a “Community.”
*4
Cyndee – a friendly and knowledgeable server
And Terry Bee, the delightful owner for the last twenty-one years as of the Friday before we were there (the bar goes back to the 1920’s) lives nearby. She’s used her charisma and personal touch to turn the Falls View into a community gathering place.
Cyndee introduced us to one of the regulars named Sabrina, who positively gushed about why “The Falls View has become the only bar I’ll ever visit in the future.” She lives in nearby Canby and talked about the great food and people she’s experienced since the first time she came to the Falls View two years ago.
“This is the last bar I ever want to be in!” (Sabrina – a regular)
An old building provides some challenges and Terry had had her hands full with maintenance and updating. For example, a 2018 project involving the flooring gives an apt picture of the challenges:
“With the discovery of hardwood flooring under the carpet, it was an easy decision for Terry to lead the charge to rescue it. But as with all repairs and projects at The Falls View, being a hundred year old building, you have to be prepared for surprises (usually unpleasant & costly ones).
We immediately discovered the first one to be that the floor was covered with a variety of materials including plywood (heavily nailed down), particle board, and something called Fix-All which proved to be a huge obstacle.” (Falls View Website)
*5
*6
A project done with care and skill
The inside of the dive bar validates the label and has a great musty ambiance with historic photos, signs and a great back bar. There’s also an alcove for video machines which is nice as they are away from the main part of the bar.
Dive bar ambiance
The food is one factor that distinguishes Falls View and people rave about the broiled chicken:
“That said, this place is a KEEPER! I came for the chicken and left with the opinion that it was, by far, the best chicken experience I’ve ever had. I say ‘experience’ because everything from the service to the seating was excellent. Then comes the chicken – five pieces totaling a full half of a chicken, perfectly broasted and seasoned with a very light coating, some hand-cut jo-jos, and garlic bread.” (Yelp 7/9/17)
One-half of a chicken, jo-jos and garlic bread is only $11.75, or the cod fish and fries is a stunningly reasonable $9.75. And I will definitely return for the chicken gizzards and fries for $8.25 – the only bar I know in the Portland area besides the Yukon Tavern that serves this “delicacy.”
As their website asserts, “Quirky was probably invented here.” The breakfast menu also looked very good.
Great and economical pub food
To further give you an example of why Terry should probably raise her prices, take a look at the total bill for the three of us. Matt had two micro-brew pints and Jim and I each had two tall-boys (Old German – the first time I’ve had that Pittsburgh beer) for a total of $8 since there is a $2 tall-boy special each day. We topped off with a large order of great French fries
And they have five rotating taps besides the three standards (Coors Light, Bud Light and Boneyard IPA) supplemented by almost twenty different bottled and canned beers, wine in addition to ciders and hard lemonades.
Notwithstanding the fact that she was being pulled in several directions as the regulars started to pour in, I spent a pleasant twenty minutes talking to Terry about the bar’s history and her plans.
My congratulations for her shepherding this establishment into one of the most distinctive and pleasant neighborhood dives I’ve been to in ten years of Beerchasing. I will definitely be back….
*7
Hats off to Terry Bright….
One More Thing…..But It’s Important!
Now to end this post, I have to include some of Oregon City’s fabled history which I have talked about in several prior posts. That’s also easy with Matt Love, an authority on Oregon lore and history (check out his offerings at the Nestucca Spit Press).
Matt told us that we had to check out the historical marker across the street from the bar at the Willamette Falls View Point. Besides the outstanding view of the Falls, the locks and the historic mills on both sides of the Willamette River, he told us that the marker conveyed the story of the last Oregon public execution in 1850.
Historic Willamette Falls
Well there was, in fact, an historic marker, but it was just that of Dr. John McLoughlin, “known as the ‘Father of Oregon’ for his role in assisting the American cause in the Oregon Country.” (Wikipedia)
What happened to the plaque about the Cayuse Five?
However there was nothing regarding the hanging which Matt had referenced. This sent me on an Internet search and the research may have revealed why officials removed the sign about the capital punishment:
“In May 21, 1850, the trial of five Cayuse men accused of murdering Protestant missionary Marcus Whitman begins in Oregon City, capital of the newly organized Oregon Territory. Whitman, his wife Narcissa, and 11 others had been killed during a Cayuse attack on the Whitman Mission near Walla Walla two and a half years earlier…..
The defendants were indicted on several charges associated with the attack but were tried on only a single count, that of ‘feloniously, wilfully and of their malice aforethought’ killing ‘one Marcus Whitman’ (Grand Jury indictment No. 11). The trial lasts four days and ends when all five defendants are convicted and sentenced to death by hanging…….
And, it does not speak well for “frontier” justice at that time:
“How the Cayuse made the decision to turn in those five men is not known. There was some speculation, at the time and afterward, that the Cayuse simply gave up five volunteers in order to appease the whites and end the fighting. For his part, Lane (the Governor of the Oregon Territory) seemed unconcerned about whether any of the prisoners had participated in the killings or whether any of the actual attackers had gone free. ‘The punishment of these Indians,’ he told the Territorial Legislature on May 7, 1850, two weeks before the trial, ‘will remove the barrier to a peace with the Cayuse, and have a good effect upon all the tribes’…….
“Oregon City at that time was a frontier town of about 500. The jail was a one-room structure on Abernethy Island, at the foot of Willamette Falls. There was no courthouse; the trial took place in a tavern, crowded with a couple of hundred onlookers. During the jury selection process, on the morning of May 23, the defense issued so many preemptory challenges that the original panel of 24 prospective jurors had to be augmented with people chosen at random from among the spectators. Eventually, a jury of 12 was empaneled and District Attorney Amory Holbrook (1820-1866) began presenting the prosecution’s case……
“The court heard three hours of summation from the defense and the prosecution and then adjourned. In giving his charge to the jury, at 9 a.m. Friday, May 24, Judge Pratt basically said the defendants’ guilt was proven by the fact that the tribe had turned them over to the authorities. As Lansing points out, ‘Today, Judge Pratt’s actions would have been a clear violation of the hearsay rule and the U.S. Constitution’s Sixth Amendment confrontation clause: ‘the accused shall enjoy the right … to be confronted with the witnesses against him’ “‘(Lansing, 151).
The jury deliberated for one hour and 15 minutes before returning the expected verdict: guilty. The defense immediately filed several motions on appeal; all were denied. At 4 p.m., Judge Pratt reconvened the court and pronounced his sentence. He ordered the prisoners to be confined until 2 p.m. on Monday, June 3, 1850, when they were to be taken by the U.S. marshal — Joe Meek — to a gallows to be erected in Oregon City, ‘and there by him be hung by the neck, until you are dead’ (Oregon Spectator, May 30, 1850).”
(History Link Essay No. 9401 – By Cassandra Tate – Posted 4/16/2010: “Trial of Five Cayuse Accused of Whitman Murder Begins on May 21, 1850.” https://www.historylink.org/File/9401)
The story has a woeful ending according to this account in article from MyNorthwest.com by Feliks Banel on 11/29/2-017:
“The Cayuse Five were [named] Clokomas, Kiamasumkin, Isiaasheluckas, Tomahas and Telokite,’ Karson Engum said. ‘They were hung in Oregon City and they were taken off in a cart and they were put either in an unmarked grave or in a mass grave, and at this point, there’s ideas that they may be under a parking lot somewhere in Oregon City or in some not necessarily unknown cemetery.’
Those interested in this story and related history will hear more in coming months as the area in question and adjacent to the Falls View Tavern is part of the Willamette Falls Legacy Project. While the Whitman massacre was a tragedy, the manner in which the accused were convicted adds to the sad narrative.
Interested parties including the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla, various historians and government agencies involved in the project including the City of Oregon City and Metro are involved in bringing more information to light as set forth in this article by Oregon City historian, James Nicita, in the 6/13/18 Clackamas Reviewentitled “A step towards healing: Repatriating the Cayuse Five; author offers theory on gravesite location.”
The historic New Atlas Bar in Columbus, Montana – notice the albino mule deer
(Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this through an e-mail, please visit the blog to see all of the photos and read the story by clicking on the title above so the post is not clipped or shortened.)
As I’ve mentioned in my last few posts – probably self-evident – visits to new watering holes whether bars or breweries are temporarily on hold for Thebeerchaser. That said, I have a lot of old memories and thoughts about my favorite topic which can still provide grist to loyal followers – at least for awhile.
That was true reminiscing about our road trip through Montana last year in the recent post (see link below) and that narrative was about just five of the 49 new establishments we visited on that 3,700 mile trip — like the historic New Atlas Bar in Columbus, Montana.
Joan Melcher, who wrote two books on Montana bars described the New Atlas – one of her favorites below – and the second paragraph is a little curious. The New Atlas, indeed, was one of the most curious of the forty-nine bars we hit on the trip:
“Hulking throughout the room are bald eagles, an albino mule deer fawn, a coyote howling to the moon, young bobcats fighting an Audak (African mountain sheep), a Canadian lynx, raccoon or two, a fox, a snow owl. moose heads, elk heads – buffalo, antelope, mountain sheep – all kinds of heads…
Amused acceptance?! What’s the other option??
…..There’s a queer sensation that goes with drinking sur-rounded by dead, stuffed animals. The first reaction is one of nonchalance – ah some nice stuffed animals.
After a few drinks, you feel countless pairs of eyes bearing down. You have another beer to relax under their scrutiny, look around again, and you’re among friends, the animals’ glares having softened to amused acceptance.”
The last post with the five other Montana bar descriptions (Trapper’s Saloon in Eureka, the Saw Mill Saloon in Darby – a town with a legendary Town Marshal, the Wise River Club in Wise River, the Antler Saloon in Wisdom and the Dewey Tavern also in Wise River – all Montana classics is at the link below:
Right now, however, I’m coming back to Oregon – some of my favorite spots – dive bars on the Oregon Coast. These institutions are in jeopardy especially since the pandemic and be protected as should any endangered species such as the Washington golden mantel ground squirrel…..
The Sportsman in Pacific City
One of the great resources in the earlier days of this blog (2011-14) was a similar blog I came upon in doing research for my posts. Matt Love, a prolific and talented author and now owner of a small Astoria publishing house he founded in 2003 – The Nestucca Spit Press –
His blog, “Let it Pour”, originated as a popular column in Hipfish Monthly, an alternative magazine in Astoria. He no longer maintains the site and unfortunately a number of the watering holes are no longer in business..
Matt in his younger days sans beard…
Matt is a keen observer of both the ambiance of dive bars and the interactions that take place among the patrons – and is an expert in describing those in entertaining style. Take this one from LetItPour.net that made me check out the Old Oregon as one of my first Coast dives.
“(It’s) a damn fine gritty place to drink beer – a lot of beer….The regulars call it The Old O and after spending time there over the years, I feel it is not too outrageous to suggest the nickname stands not only for The Old Oregon Tavern in Lincoln City — which it does — but really some of the patrons’ last long ago orgasm. Maybe in the Johnson Administration.”
The interior of the Old O reflects the taste of the owners and its rich history as a tavern. According to one patron who smoked cigarettes (Matt wrote this before the 2009 law banning smoking) and drank beer while attached to a portable oxygen tank, the joint dates to World War II, but maybe earlier.”
So with some curiosity, but no expectations, I hunkered into the Old O – right on Highway 101 in the heart of Lincoln City with my brother-in-law, Dave Booher and our friend, Steve Larson for a few beers and to observe.
As per my usual Beerchaser process, I was sitting at the bar drinking draft PBR’s, asking the bartender questions and taking photos around the quaint place. As per Matt’s observation about the family character of Coast dives, we noted there was going to be a wake for a recently deceased regular – “Rod.” We did not take the sign literally and assumed that when it stated, “Have a drink on Rod,” that his casket was not going to be in the Old O for the celebration.
A wake – but no casket….
Then, in walks a very stocky middle-aged guy in a motorcycle jacket and hat and purposefully strides towards a seat at the back of the bar where he could observe everything going on. The bartender said softly, “That’s Irish Mike – our local ambassador.” I took a few more pictures and rejoined my companions at the bar.
At that point Irish Mike pointed and motioned me to come to his chair. With some trepidation, but also curiosity, I headed back to him and as I approached, he reached into his wallet and pulled out two one-dollar bills. He stared at me and said:
“It’s your turn to plug the juke box. Don’t screw it up!”
Irish Mike and Thebeerchaser
Fortunately, he liked my selections of Van Morrison and the Eagles. We had a great chat and I found out that he is a retired exec from San Francisco and rides his Harley up to Oregon a few times a year and the Old O is always one of his stops.
That stop after three years of Beerchasing, affirmed that there were many more yarns in the future. My stories, however, pale to Matt’s Love’s. So take a look at his newspaper-tabloid publication Oregon Tavern Age – a bargain at $10 or three copies for $20 at his Nestucca Spit Press website where you will also find other wonderful books on Oregon he has written.
Before we get to OTA, the picture above gives me reason to momentarily digress. I asked Matt what spurred his fascination with beavers – pervasive and tactically placed throughout the almost eighty different bar tails… (sorry – I couldn’t resist) tales throughout the 58-page OTA publication.
I thought it might be because he, like I, was an OSU grad but he got his degrees at Portland State and Lewis and Clark. His captivation with the flat-tailed, semi-aquatic rodent was a product of observing them in the woods during his walks on the Oregon coast and his collection of beaver wood – an obsession, of sorts, for the last ten years – and an amazing sight adjacent to his RV.
Beaverwood – ten years worth…
The topic of Beavers then provides a convenient segue to my next topic – Oregon State Football and whether the Beavs under Coach Jonathan Smith will exceed expectations this fall.
However, not only will the Beaver quarterbacks, lineman and defensive backs, etc. be occupied otherwise on Saturday afternoons, but so will the midfielders on the soccer team and the setter and outside hitter on the volleyball team.
The Pac 12, as did some of the other NCAA conferences made the wise decision to protect athletes and fans by either suspending or delaying fall and winter sports.
So instead of being on the gridiron, the Beaver football players will have a chance to spend time in the library until at least next spring and help bolster the academic standing of OSU – possibly to a scholastic peak that the football team can be proud of. Thus, any current discussion of football would be strictly academic……
Matt describes how the phrase was coined based on an experience thirty-four years ago when he and some friends were sitting in Seaside’s The Beach Club, drinking 50-cent drafts:
“A man blasted through the door and obliterated the tavern’s somnolent mood. His hair was feathered….and perfect. He appeared anywhere from 40 to 70 years old. Many years later, I coined the phrase ‘Oregon Tavern Age’ or ‘OTA’ to describe the condition….*1
The man’s name was Larry or Wayne, both solid OTA names. He sat down with us at the bar. He was loud. I struck up a conversation with him and learned he had $10,000 in cash stuffed into his pants pocket…..*2
He had cashed a check the previous afternoon – a settlement from an injury suffered in an automobile accident and was ready to party down – hard. He bought the house a round, screamed an encouraging profanity, and then bolted out the door.”
*1 I am appalled now that I’m 72, Matt doesn’t consider me part of OTA. Through my lawyer, I will consider notifying federal and state agencies (such as the Oregon Liquor Control Commission) and WCTU (?) on possible sanctions for age discrimination.
*2 Wayne or Larry probably only had about 70% of that amount of cash on him as his lawyer would have taken the other 30% as his or her contingency fee.
This was clearly not the last or even a tiny slice of the stories and observations Love makes in this treatise that was so interesting and enjoyable to me that I used a yellow highlighter so I could come back and savor parts of it again later.
Matt published OTA in 2019, but these stories go back years to:
“…the halcyon days of Oregon tavern life: no liquor, no craft beers, no meth, no video poker or slots, smoke-filled and the classic cheap Pacific Northwest lagers brewing in the Pacific Northwest by union men reigned supreme.”
Now based on the 375 watering holes I have visited, I have a lot of stories, but Matt is a master of observation not only of the human interaction, but the trappings and character of these dives. He converts the notes he took “jotting down observations with a pencil on a golf score card” and his conversations with the regulars into a captivating collection of stories and anecdotes with great graphic illustrations – courtesy of his ex-wife.
It will make you want to drive down to Pacific City and have a draft Budweiser at the Sportsman Pub and Grub where for years, Matt served as the bar’s Writer in Residence (Thebeerchaser reviewed this great dive in October 2014.)
“I like Old!”
For example, his observation upon getting a recommendation to check out the Crow’s Nest Lounge in Gold Beach – although being warned it’s regulars were an older crowd:
“’Good,’ I thought. I like old.” That’s where the real OTA action unfolds like so much frozen molasses locked inside a glacier. I hate fast bars with loud, dumb kids throwing down jello shots while fiddiling on their fancy phones. They need a little Black Velvet to calm then down…..We all do.”
And I can just visualize Matt, sitting at a dark red booth with cracked vinyl, enveloped in second-hand smoke and nursing a cheap Hamm’s – this as he observed a guy drinking white wine:
“The white wine hailed from a black box. The man sat next to another OTA man drinking Budweiser from a tall can. In the wings, a female bartender fiddled on her phone. The Stanley Cup Final highlights played quietly on a flatscreen.
At a nearby table, an OTA woman drank coffee and ate clam chowder and dunked a peanut butter bar, in both, while reading a firearms magazine. She hacked an ex-smoker’s hack between dunks and turning the pages.”
Now there have been about eight dives on the coast that have either closed permanently or indefinitely suspended operations It’s not possible for someone to open a new dive bar – it’s somewhat of a contradiction of terms. And Matt is the cerebral vault in which many of the stories are maintained and only unlocked on special occasions. For example:
“One day, many years ago, a woman sat in Pitch’s Tavern in Port Orford. She saw a horse drinking beer from a saucer on the counter. On another visit, she saw a live boxer crab holding an unlit cigarette in one claw and a glass of beer in the other.”
The author is sometimes maudlin and philosophical in his musings and I will leave you with his rhetorical question and the recommendation that you order the Oregon Tavern Age and join Thebeerchaser in reveling at the stories of a gifted writer:
“Could all the bartenders in OTA country be replaced by Alexa-like robot devices? Can you imagine Alexa responding to a question like: “Alexa, can I have the bear tacos and Hamm’s special?’
There will never be an algorithm for that. There will never be an algorithm for OTA country. Everything is utterly random, except for the consistency of the regulars and their stories and the utter unpredictability of the bartenders. If I want an algorithm, I’ll go to a brewpub.”
Savor the story of the Deep Fried Miller High Life at the Mad Dog Country Tavern just out of Newport (that and The Triangle Tavern under the Megler Bridge in Astoria are two of his favorites )
Or check out the one on the blue parrot playing video poker (and winning) at the historic Bay Haven Inn in the heart of Newport, by ordering Matt’s OTA. And take a look at some of the other great offerings at the Nestucca Spit Press while you’re at it.
And Finally…
Courtesy of Molly Larson Cook
With two daughters who are both nurses, I’ve stated before, my plea for everyone to wear masks. And here’s a great place to get one plus a bonus from Patty Voldbaeck – a former excellent legal secretary at the Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt firm.
Patty’s masks are made of 100%cotton fabric with ultralight fusible interfacing (if requested) and a pocket insert protector of your personal preference. She also has a piece of N-95 fabric available with instructions for care.
Designer Masks
The bonus is that one of Patty’s Famous Molasses Cookies comes with each mask order or if you would like more (based on my experience, you will….) they are available at $12 a dozen.
Thebeerchaser 
.JPG){kind=link}