This is a start of a new series, celebrating the most spectacular routes and backroads that you can drive on this planet; today we will feature only a couple from the US, next issues will cover Canada, Europe, etc. Text and images are by Avi Abrams, all rights reserved.
You can drive two of the world's most scenic roads - in two days, in Oregon.
Oregon is a state that has everything California and Washington states have - ocean, rainforests, mountains and flower displays - but feels somehow cozier and more user-friendly, perhaps due to the more laid-back attitude of those who live there.
It takes guts to live under the shadow of the most active volcano in the Pacific Northwest (info) and on top of a dozen wicked earthquake faults (each similar to the one that just terrorized China). But it also takes a certain appreciation and disposition to enjoy the beauty while it lasts - to "smell the roses", so plentiful in Portland and area.
Last week I had the privilege to drive the Oregon state's two most beautiful roads - easily among the most beautiful roads in the world, at the best time to visit them: late spring, when the weather (sometimes) is very good, everything blooms and the crowds are non-existent.
"Bridge to Terabithia" screenshot, Walt Disney Pictures, site
Let's start with: Columbia Gorge Historic Highway 30
If you've seen the movie "Bridge to Terabithia", you might remember how the magic kingdom of Terabithia looks: a wondrous mountain river gorge, framed by the mighty waterfalls, a river leisurely flowing toward the distant ocean. Well, you might be surprised to discover that a part of Columbia Gorge (from Hood River to Troutdale) almost fits the above description.
If you coming to Portland from the east, you can stay overnight in the Dalles (home of the mysterious Google "server farms" - and hit the north side of the gorge in the morning (passing the quaint windy town of Stevenson, WA - and perhaps even hiking to the top of the Beacon Rock. The hike is surprisingly doable, considering how imposing it looks). The transition from high desert to temperate rainforests is nothing short of epic. Every single mile brings a change in eco-systems and vegetation.
The drive through the Columbia Gorge wine country is relaxing, perhaps too much so (make arrangements to visit some wineries). But don't allow yourself to get sidetracked - your adventure is only starting.
The best part of the drive starts at the Bridge of the Gods (interesting enough to be included into our "Hall of Fame" of bridges) - make sure to cross the river to the Oregon side again and continue west on the interstate, until you come to the Historic Highway 30 turnoff.
The Biggest Concentration of Waterfalls
...awaits you on that winding, enchanting piece of road (once considered a pinnacle of road engineering). Every waterfall is unique, imposing and simply serene (no picture can ever give them justice, even though there are plenty of Multnomah Falls postcards going around). Each waterfall sits in the lush forest amphitheater, surrounded by gigantic cliffs and fanciful eroded stone.
Horsetail Waterfall & Shepperd's Dell rocks
Note how the spread of lichen on the right also "emulates" waterfall...
Multnomah Falls is the second-tallest waterfall in the nation (Yosemite Falls in California is the tallest) - with undeniable artistic (almost Old World) charm:
Spring is the best time to visit, to avoid crowds and to catch the brilliant-fresh vegetation. Be prepared to be greeted by the "Tunnel of Trees":
The Historic Columbia River Highway was built in 1913-1922 with multitude of bridges over the dizzying chasms. Over the years it was often called "The King of Roads":
Shepperd's Dell falls
The Mitchell's Point Tunnel and Hercules Pillars, source
A quiet forest walk to the Latourell Falls is the perfect medicine against modern day stress.
Latourell Falls with curious eroded rock formations
Don't miss the classic "Crown Point" where countless tourists take pictures of the same view over and over again. It is definitely an awesome view, though.
Once you've driven the stretch to nice little town of Corbett, you have a choice either to continue on to Portland, or embark on another scenic drive - around Mount Hood (where the famous Timberline Lodge stands - the eternally spooky location of "The Shining" movie fame)
If you come to Portland, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
It seems Portland (the official dwelling place of book, coffee, craft beer & outdoors fanatics) blooms like there is no tomorrow, in these early days of May. Some of the flower-scapes are from the world-class Japanese Gardens, but others are... just because:
Portland's Japanese Gardens:
A great way to explore Portland (which has a very compact and walkable downtown core) is to get on the Max Light Rail... but again, don't let the urban pleasures to swallow you up (it's awfully hard to tear yourself from this friendly and sophisticated city - though I admit, I did not check out San Francisco yet)
Get going to the Oregon Coast (touristy, but still great Cannon Beach). In less than a couple of hours you will be gazing on the enormous Haystack Rock and wonder how many tentacles anemones have. Again, the middle of May is great time to escape the crowds that descend there during summer.
Don't leave without checking out the mind-blowing Ecola State Park - and head along Hwy.101 to Tillamook - and the next "Most Beautiful Road in the World":
Three Capes Scenic Route, Oregon Coast
Here is a comparatively little-known Oregon Coast gem, off the main highway - an area where locals themselves go to unwind and get quality beach time. You can drive the whole loop in a few hours, or you can spend a week there - this is a quintessential Pacific Coast experience.
Ahhh... this is the life: a rare (admit it) sunshine spring day on the Oregon Coast, when after days of mysterious but still pretty annoying fog (or more gracefully "mist") the mountains and various off-shore rocks are coming into view - and the ocean asserts its magnificent presence.
First off, I have to warn you: the road from Cape Meares village (no services) to the Cape Meares Lighthouse is so full of potholes, that even animals might break a leg there. So drive carefully, it gets much better from there. Here is mile-by-mile info about this route.
The Lighthouse is quaint (built in 1890) and a bit on a smallish scale - but worth checking out:
The road will take you to three capes (with three distinct views to enjoy) - Cape Meares, Cape Lookout and Cape Kiwanda:
Ocean is such a huge, non-negotiable presence that any troubles or worries you might have swiftly shrink and run away (I do wonder how any business is done at all at such locations). The forest around the ocean beaches is unbelievably green, lush and soothing:
You will also pass sand dunes (no need to go all the way to Florence, Oregon, for that):
Added Bonus: Drive your car into the ocean
Sometimes called McPhillips beach, this is Cape Kiwanda nirvana+paradise. Happy cars frolic in shallow waters on the sandy beach, happy surfers happily surf - you get the idea. The beach features another "haystack"-kind of huge rock (just for added visual interest)
Continue on along the Oregon Coast - there are endless wonders and fresh vista to delight and astound, literally at every turn. In the next parts of this series we will feature most scenic roads in Canada, Asia, Europe, etc.
Photography and text copyright Avi Abrams, IAN Media. Let us know about the roads and locations you'd like us to feature in the next article of the series.
The pictures are awesome, beautiful, but maybe the title is a little bit deceitful. Two roads in oregon for part one, can I conclude there will be a LOOOOOOOOT of parts with the same title :P ? I will stay connected - Thanks
In addition to the driveable parts of the Columbia River Highway, it's well worth checking out the Mosier Twin Tunnels just East of Hood River. This is a closed section of the road that was recently repaved and opened for walking and biking and it's spectacular.
I drove up to Oregon a few years back, and the roads had so many twists and turns that by the end of the trip I was muttering things like, "They couldn't have just blown a hole through that freaking mountain?!"
Glad you enjoyed the drives and scenery! It's a prime reason DW and I moved back from Texas (aside from family and the extreme dislike of hot/humid weather). Great pics!
I lived for a year in Portland, and often drove through the gorge just to appreciate its great beauty. There is an old road and a new road, and I highly recommend the "old" road for its great beauty and lack of traffic. I always thought it was a shame that Mark Twain wasn't born there instead of Missouri. Another beautiful spot on the Oregon coast is Cape Foulweather near Depoe Bay. Named by Capt James Cook, it is the highest point on the coast and you can watch the whale migration easily from there.
Have you thought about posting roads form maybe the southern hemisphere or even europe. i mean they are beautiful photos but there are more roads than ones in America, Im from New Zealand and we have some stunning roads here, and i know that the UK does to. I suggest a title change.
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The wings are probably real. The National Patriotic Front of Liberia was infamous for child soldiers who wore womens' wigs, dresses, etc. in combat in the belief that it confused their enemies' bullets.
The aliens face hugger isn't a pacifier, it's a plushie (comes with it's cocoon too, that's the grey thing in the background), I saw them for sale somewhere but I can't remember where.
Your "tank accident" isn't an an accident.. It's the only way to change the tracks on a tank.. One of the links gets unbolted, the tank drives off, a new track gets laid in place and the tank drives on it again.
Actually, It looks like it is an accident, as the tank doesn't appear to have a new track on. Normally to change a track, the old track is unpinned at the front, the new track pinned to it, the tank driven forward until it is on the new track, and the old one is removed. This looks like one of the track pins has snapped while the tank was moving, and it's coasted several meters.
I recommand people from other country then U.S. to NOT read "The Essential Man's Library". You could be a little bit insulted to find out that more then 50% of the book come from U.S.
Considering the "Russian Art": I don't know what the guy with the ring on the anvil is doing, but the woman seems to hold a pair of scissors.. the theme is "trades" it seems.
The Library could be seen as insulting, however the author of that list has some bias to T.Roosevelt and Dostoevsky - it is easy to replace many of the books with equivalent ones of other authors/countries and languages. These lists are always quite arbitrary and say much about their authors' taste.
oh my,, such beautiful things.. Now I am convinced that scrap metal is the key to everything.. Not that very nice art objects can be made from it, it also costs some decent money.. http://www.metal-scrap.net
There's a similar (same?) Studebaker on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. The card there indicates this was to be a nuclear-powered vehicle that balanced gyroscopically on one centered wheel, and was also to have a energy force field--hence no need for windows. All courtesy our friend the atom.
The giant snail is definitely NOT a fake. They're not safe to handle though, because they can carry a disease (I forget which) that they can pass on to humans.
Sooo cute...although the one on the leash is a bit much. But then again, saying "a bit much" in the context of a wild animal in a denim jacked isn't exactly relevant.
I, in fact, am a bit fan of sheep. Even think they're the new penguins. (You know the penguin trend...Happy Feet...March of the Penguins...all the toys, etc.). Check out some cool sheep-related art from across the web:
I honestly don't know whether to laugh hysterically or cry - the idea of someone not only buying exotic wild animals that were either snatched from their native forest or worse, bred in captivity... but then dressing them up in dolls clothes and using them as fame fodder?!
This isn't cute at all, it's insane.
People like that should not be allowed to keep any sort of animals, let alone wild animals.
When will people ever learn that animals are not play things to be kept for our twisted amusement?
Oh yes, Rox, because animals are so intelligent, right? Get real - in the wild, they'd almost definitely have a much, much, much shorter life, a harder time and would be more at risk of disease or predators.
Animals are not intelligent enough to comprehend things like "natural habitats" or "freedom". Animals merely want 3 things - food, water and safety. In that home, that is provided for them. They aren't suffering, and its silly to the extreme to believe that they possess the same awareness or emotions as human beings, given that they are a different species than us.
Animals are happy as long as you provide them with basic needs - they don't have philosophies, or ideals or dreams. Their brains aren't complex enough for that. These animals are being well taken care of.
Part of the problem with you is that you assume that animals are like us. They are NOTHING like us. They do have a right to be kept free from pain and such, but they are in no emotion or physical pain in that household. They don't have the brains to even comprehend such things like "captivity" or "freedom".
If you re-read my comment, I didn't say anything about animals being on the same level as humans.
But the logic in thinking that wild animals are better off being put to work on movies, and being used for shows of 300 or more children and being dressed in dolls clothes and kept in cages and allowed to roam a house rather than being in their natural habitat is warped.
As for animals in captivity having longer healthier lives, that actually isn't always the case. Even with these anteaters, the female is sick and may soon be retired from 'show business'. Not getting the proper diet they would have in the wild and having supplements instead isn't always conducive to a long life.
And if it's silly to think that they deserve a natural existence, then fine, maybe I am silly. But the exotic pet trade still plays a big part in poaching and illegal animal trade, and when you stop to wonder how these animals are caught, it doesn't seem so silly.
Just because they don't have the same superior intelligence and reasoning we have, it doesn't give us the right to exploit them.
Brainpicker claims breeding them in captivity is worse than taking them from the wild. Well how are they going to miss something they never knew? How is it worse?
Captive private breeding has saved many species on the brink of extinction. American bison, springbok, both of which were reintroduced from captive private bred stock. And there are many others such as lemurs, fennec fox, some chameleons, and some breeds of cockatoos and numerous species I can't think of that are threatened or even extinct in the wild that are in large numbers in the pet trade. This is GOOD. The species survival is assured as long as people want them.
The clothes are so it stays warm and not really any different from the harness it wears to go out. If it doesn't mind, and it doesn't seem to, then there's no harm in the clothing also being cute.
Animals are almost always longer lived in captivity when well treated, there are rare exceptions. The female having got sick is old news and was some bacterial infection. She was said to be considering retirement because Pua didn't like doing it as much as the male. All the full info is in the blogs.
The legal pet trade plays no part in poaching. The vast majority of exotic pets are bred in captivity for many generations this only helps the wild populations through better awareness and no reason to take any from the wild with a captive supply, which could be relied on when reintroduction becomes needed. There are not enough zoos to handle all the animals that are threatened.
For the few taken from the wild trade is highly regulated and limited under C.I.T.E.S.
The illegal animal trade you speak of is over 90% animal parts for medicines, food, or trophies. The few pets produced from it are a by product of the other(killed mom for meat, hey lets try to sell the baby).
And again the captive animals especially the well loved pets help foster a love for the wild animals. Just look at the love for these cute animals many have never even heard of before.
I can see your logic, and what you are trying to say - but at the end of the day, buying exotic wild animals creates a demand. This in turn gives poachers and animal traders more incentive to capture wild animals as well as breed them and the more demand there is, the more likelihood of poorer breeding conditions and bigger 'farms'.
The irony is that it is people and their need to use animals for profit who are the biggest factor in the threat of species endangerment - capturing or breeding the species only perpetuates this problem, and is far from 'conservation' as circus animals are.
Breeding and selling wild animals to people who want a novelty pet is about profit and not about preservation of species.
No matter how I look at it, I just don't see the exotic pet trade as a good thing.
Anteater Coolness? Oh yeah. Just about as cool as wearing real fur and eating shark fin soup. Now, anteaters with a fancy price tag in doll's clothes, how insane can it get? No, it's not cool, it's just totally lame. And the justification for doing so is equally lame. Here again we have people with too much money and too much time on their hands. It's always like that.
I could SO sic these cute guys on the fire ant mounds here. Even if they couldn't wipe out the ants, it would be a delight to get them to off the little critters.
If you read the info page @ the tamandua owner's site, at least one of them was found in the wild VERY ILL and the owner rescued him and nursed him back to health. I don't see anything wrong with that.
How do you know these animals weren't saved or even just found and kept as a pet, they seem happy and cute, I didn't see any pictures of the ant eaters getting tortured so its all good. These animals look like there well taken care of.
First of all "Occams Razor" - If you've ever owned a pet in your life you would know that animals do have souls and can think for themselves.
I'm not saying they have human intelligence or all our emotions, but they do feel, animals can suffer from emotions like depression, just like people do.
Yes, animals in the wild have shorter life spans and are predated upon, but that is natural, taking an animal out of their natural habitat is NOT!
And second, I understand people’s desire to help endangered species, but how are you helping them by keeping them in your home and turning them into pets? Preserving species is a job for the zoos, who can keep these animals in a close to natural habitat, as appose to your house. I am currently a senior at Delaware Valley College majoring in Conservation and Wildlife Management, so exotic and endangered animals are my study.
People, these are NOT PETS, nor should they ever be pets, and they are NOT domesticated! Putting an animal in your house and training it does not make it a domestic animal. If you're that adamant on helping to save an endangered species then donate money to a cause. Keeping a wild animal as a pet does nothing to help preserve the species. And by purchasing one you are only helping to aid the exotic animal trade, which means your money is going toward taking even more critically endangered animals - like tigers - out of their natural habitats to live out a horrible life as someone’s pet.
The exotic animal trade/market is ranked just below the illegal drug trade and just above the illegal gun trade. Most of these animals are ripped from their mothers as babies and shipped all over the world to be kept as pets, how on earth can that possibly help that animal.
Yes they are adorable and would be awesome to own, but if you really want to touch wild animals then get a job at a zoo and do something practical to help a species.
the only way to truly preserve an animal is by making sure you can release them back into the wild. these so called "pets" can never be released back into the wild because people like this have taken their natural survival skills away by raising them in households. Its the same for people who breed them for pets. Yes Captive private breeding has saved many species on the brink of extinction, but they weren't bred by normal people, they were bred and supervised by trained wildlife professionals, and had minimal contact with people.
The tracked vehicle with the motorcycle front is just a WW2 german 'Kleinen ketten kraftrad' or small tracked tractor, used for towing ammunition carts, small anti-aircraft guns and cable drums for the engineers. The motorcycle steering is not very effective, so it also features track brakes like a tank.
The thing in the second picture is a Land-wasser-schlepper, an amphibious APC designed by the Wehrmacht in 1936, briefly considered for Operation Sealion, then abandoned with the invasion of Russia. It could carry 20 troops and could tow a floating trailer that could accomodate a half-track. The only examples built (about seven) were sent to the Ostfront to be used as transport vehicles, and some of these wound up in Britain where they were tested.
The one after the Fiat 600 Multipla is not a Fiat 500, but a Fiat 600. Fiat 500 had a twin inline engine of 499cm3, 18 bhp. 600 had a more modern 633 cm3 straight 4 cyl, 21 bhp. The same engine has been produced by Fiat and put in the Fiat Cinquecento (1991-1998) produced by FSM in Poland. It had a different displacement (899 cm3) and EFI for a wow power of 39 bhp. The same engine has been used by Autobianchi in the car pictured in the first image of the post, the model A/112. It had a 903 cm3 engine with 45 bhp. The same engine in Abarth models used to reach over 110 bhp, for very small and fast machines (Please see models OTR1000 and OTR1000 Radiale)
Some of these cars are wonderful! I particularly like the Goggomobil Dart. If they only made 700 of them 40-50 years ago, they must go for a mint, now.
I swear I saw someone driving an Avion the other day, or something very much like it (and how many types of three-wheel mini-sportscar can there be?). There are enough old people with more money than sense, around here, for it to be possible.
why? I don't think they drive pretty fast in rush hours in those places.. And in U.S. of A. the speed limit is 55 mph anyway (correct me if I'm wrong) and e.g. the Fiat 500 could run at 65 mph (I had one that could touch easily 140 Km/h - 87mph, please check it here --> http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2221353/4)
Hi, just skimmed through, my toddlers love this site.. Anyway, you might have missed the Thundersly Invacar, it was a three-wheeler vehicle which was quite common on the UK's road at one time.
How could you miss the Peel P50 the smallest car in the world? 49ccs one door one light (not headlight light period), and no reverse gear.
Instead of a reverse gear it featured a handle for the driver to drag the car backwards.
Also in regard to the "Mutt". Mutt was a nickname for the M151. Featuring a short narrow wheelbase and fully independent suspension it was one of the most dangerous vehicles ever built. It would flip over going around a 35mph corner.
FYI, Fiat 600 and Zaporozhets are not the same design at all. Only common thing between them is the design principle, but the ZAZ has no common parts with the Fiat. Fiat 600 has a water-cooled inline 4-cylinder engine whereas ZAZ has air-cooled V4 arrangement. There are basically no interchangeable parts between them.
Oh, and the three-weeled Goliath thing stayed in production in India until 2000 as the Bajaj Hanseat.
55mph speed limit in the US? Not since the 70's. It's 70mph on most interstate highways and in Texas we have a few that are 80mph. Up north in Montana there are highways with no speed limit.
@lamberto - anonymous is correct that many rural areas have higher speed limits on the interstates, but most urban interstates and highways have a 55 or lower MPH limit.
And yeah - in rush hour, there's not too many days when we could even *dream* of hitting that speed :)
If you want to do a piece of small tanks/military vehicles, then you should look at the German Wiesel vehicle: http://www.military-today.com/apc/wiesel_1.htm
Also the KRAKA (replaced by the Wiesel): http://www.panzerbaer.de/helper/bw_lkw_00-75t_gl_kraka-a.htm
Vehicles for airborne forces are a rich source of wierdness: http://www.portierramaryaire.com/foro/viewtopic.php?p=55490&sid=dfd0f02fe0442cdc0e4895cd59560a96 (scroll down past all the bikes to the Belgian AS24)
And the Hotchkiss: http://www.jedsite.info/fulltrack-hotel/hotel/hotchkiss-tt_series/hotchkisstt-series.html
What about the Morgan 3 wheeler! An actually useful and well produced car with three wheels and a small motorcycle engine. A man up the street from me has one powered by a Matchless 1000 motorcycle engine.. WONDERFUL car...not much real use due to the lack of spares these days!
A subcontractor on the farm I lived came with his big slow combine harvester on the farm - and his Isetta in the front of the harvester (into the header?). In the evening he drove home with his Isetta, came next morning, and works on with the harvester. He did that till ~ 1985
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21 Comments:
Absolutely freaking beautiful photos! Thank you!
I grew up outside of Newport, OR and your pictures are somehow even better than my memories.
I drive the gorge all the time, and I have never gotten tired of the scenery. Great write up here.
correct me if im wrong but this is PRODUCT PLCEMENT. pictures asr simply spoiled by JEEP
shame
Mar - nope. This is simply the car I drive. I happen to like how it looks :)
The pictures are awesome, beautiful, but maybe the title is a little bit deceitful.
Two roads in oregon for part one, can I conclude there will be a LOOOOOOOOT of parts with the same title :P ?
I will stay connected - Thanks
Ruben - this title is to kick off the series. Hopefully a long one.
Just a small edit: it's "The Dalles," not just "Dalles." I think it's silly too, but that's how it is.
In addition to the driveable parts of the Columbia River Highway, it's well worth checking out the Mosier Twin Tunnels just East of Hood River. This is a closed section of the road that was recently repaved and opened for walking and biking and it's spectacular.
I drove up to Oregon a few years back, and the roads had so many twists and turns that by the end of the trip I was muttering things like, "They couldn't have just blown a hole through that freaking mountain?!"
Very pretty, though.
Glad you enjoyed the drives and scenery! It's a prime reason DW and I moved back from Texas (aside from family and the extreme dislike of hot/humid weather). Great pics!
I lived for a year in Portland, and often drove through the gorge just to appreciate its great beauty. There is an old road and a new road, and I highly recommend the "old" road for its great beauty and lack of traffic. I always thought it was a shame that Mark Twain wasn't born there instead of Missouri. Another beautiful spot on the Oregon coast is Cape Foulweather near Depoe Bay. Named by Capt James Cook, it is the highest point on the coast and you can watch the whale migration easily from there.
In 2006 I got to visit a lovely little place called Langlois along 101. From there I climbed Cape Blanco light.
I wish I could live in OR. Enough of TX heat!
Have you thought about posting roads form maybe the southern hemisphere or even europe. i mean they are beautiful photos but there are more roads than ones in America, Im from New Zealand and we have some stunning roads here, and i know that the UK does to. I suggest a title change.
All other countries and locations will come in the next part of the series. This is only the first part. Stay tuned.
Nada que envidiar a mi tierra.. Chile tiene parajes bastante similares a los mostrados en las fotos... salu2
Have Jeep and ready to go!
most beautiful roads in America maybe?
There are way more beautiful roads in the rest of the world
I've actually walked under the cliff overhang of Latourell Falls. The falls are even cooler when you're between them and the cliff.
These are like images taken in paradise. Very very interesting and fun to travel through... I'd love to have a visit there:)
I just imagine if it was possible to ride a limo on these roads (I'm sure that's not that easy, but...) what the excitement level would be:)
you know, this series would make an awesome series of books: www.blurb.com
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