What happens in Oregon... involves chowder from Mo's

Mo's chain of Oregon coast restaurants is one of Oregon's traditions. If you go to the Oregon Coast, a visit to Mo's is highly recommended.

With six locations covering the Oregon Coast, there is every opportunity to enjoy some of their world famous clam chowder and beautiful locales. If you are allergic to shellfish, don't worry, they also have a wide assortment of standard American dining -- and fresh fish from the Pacific Ocean.

For Oregon families, the establishments have become a destination point, a place to go where you know you are going to have a good seafood meal in between whale watching and beach walking.

What happens in Oregon... can be done at an Oregon State Park

A perfect time to enjoy Oregon's many state parks is during State Parks Day, June 2. During this event Oregon State Parks have no day-use fee and also offer one night of free camping. While many of the reservations for this year's campsites are taken, booking now for next year isn't a bad idea.

If you are in Oregon, you can find a state park in the area you are going to be visiting here. If nothing else the free day pass is worth the trip to many of the local parks.

In addition, the day offers everything from the Governor dedicating a new trail at Willamette Park in Portland, to hay rides and hot dog barbeques in the Logging Museum at the Valley of the Rogue State Park.

Be careful though, once you get a taste of Oregon State Parks, you may not want to leave!

What happens in Oregon... is great at the end of April

For the last several years my wife and I have found that visiting the Oregon coast at the end of April is a great way to see the coast, at a fraction of the cost.

For most vacation rental properties -- we have rented beach houses -- the increased summer rates don't start until May 1. So we always make sure we rent the last week in April. For the past three years the weather has been perfect, with only three rainy days that we can remember.

The whales are still migrating, although not as heavy as earlier in the month, and fishing is starting to ramp up, so if you want to take a charter, it's a great time.

The thing to remember is that more and more people are using this option, so book your stay early, to make sure you get the house you want. There is an extensive list of vacation rental companies at Oregon.com, and the menu will even get you the house with the features you are looking for.

What happens in Oregon ... is very colorful

The older I get the more I understand just how much I don't know about the world around me. What happened to my 20s when I figured that I knew just about everything - and what I didn't know I could find out with ease.

I was sitting at my desk writing a story the other day when I noticed the tulips I planted last year are now in bloom. In the morning they were closed and by late afternoon they were fully open, taking in the sun. By evening, they are closed again, like eyes shutting for the night.

Yes, I was having a hard time writing the story and spending entirely too much time watching the tulips.

The sun is out in much of Oregon this week and it has created the perfect conditions for visiting the Woodburn Tulip Festival. Many of the fields are in full bloom and each weekend special events will be going on at the Wooden Shoe Bulb Company where the event is held through the end of April.

I hear going and seeing the tulips is even better when you are procrastinating. I will have to try that out this week.

Pat

What happends in Oregon... breaches!

Last year I had the opportunity to go to the Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay along the sea wall. Basically the little building is all about whales - from how the native Americans used and hunted the whales to the whale trade and subsequent ban on hunting.

It's a very rewarding, educational and fun spot to stop at the Oregon Coast - and it's very easy to get to, right in downtown along Highway 101.

The best part of the visit is using the binoculars to try and spot whales making their migration. I forget whether it's north or south, but they are migrating somewhere. They will be on their trips from March through the month of April - so if you are visiting Oregon, make a trip out to the coast!

Park rangers will be on hand to help you spot the big mammals.

Pat

What happens in Oregon ... can be very artistic

OK, I admit it -- I am not an art guy.

In college, I took the required art class, which consisted of art history and application.

My 2-year-old daughter draws better than I do - and she doesn't have fine motor skills yet. So the drawing and painting part of the class was an exercise in making a mess and being laughed at.

The art history part of the class involved our very monotone professor turning off the lights and showing us slides twice a week. Needless to say, when you are up all night playing video games in the computer lab or hanging out until 4 a.m. writing that research paper that is due the next day, having a warm room, monotone professor and no lights is not the best learning environment.

I feel very proud of the 'C' I got out of that class. Yes, it brought my GPA down, but isn't college about the experience? My computer-science/math major wife graduated college with honors and what did that do for her?

Only made her earn about 250 times what I make as a free-lance writer and stay-at-home dad.

OK, bad example.

Anyway, when I got the assignment to write an article about the Portland Art Museum I was a little apprehensive. My apprehension turned to excitement when I got there and looked around. I spent an entire afternoon looking at the different styles and types of art they have. It was a wonderful afternoon.

Now, if you will excuse me, after seeing Elliot Erwitt's photos at the museum, I am researching more about his work. The Portland Art Museum made me wish I paid more attention in art class - and isn't that what a museum is supposed to do?

Pat

What happens in Oregon... 9 times out of 10 hasan adipose fin

Having lived in Oregon almost my entire life, fishing has been a constant activity that has brought my father and I together.

When I was little, he would take me out into the bay at Garabaldi and we would bounce around in a little 12-foot boat, waiting for a salmon to strike.

Once I entered high school, I no longer wanted to spend time with my dad - girls were more important - but as I entered my 30s I found myself wanting to hang out with my father more.

So when he called one evening and asked if I wanted to go fishing, I took him up on his offer. We had so much fun that day, in a friend's boat, that I decided to purchase a boat.

After talking my wife into the expense, we purchased a fairly large boat that would be stable for my dad and his bad knees. This boat had to have a slip (a place where you dock the boat), gas, maintence and, of course, new trinkets.

For two years my dad and I hit the Columbia River, fishing at least one dayevery weekend. Vacations were spent staring at the end of our fishing poles, waiting for that elusive salmon.

When my wife and I found out we were having Violet, the boat was a casuality of economics.

All totaled up, I figure I spent about $35,000 on that two-year fishing expedition and caught a grand total of ... one fish. In fact, that $35,000 fish is still in my freezer, I can't bring myself to eat it. I didn't say we were good fisherman.

Right now in Oregon, steelhead and salmon are starting their runs up the Columbia and other rivers. If you visit any of the dams, such as the Winchester Dam fish ladder in Roseburg or the Bonneville Dam fish ladder in the Columbia Gorge, you will catch a glimpse of the ones that got away.

Trust me, there's a lot of them.

What happens in Oregon... creates more light than heat.

"Water, please."

The little voice announced from the back seat of our minivan as we drove down Highway 26 to the Oregon Coast. We were going to the coast to check out some of the many lighthouses.

Since becoming a father I have worked tirelessly to have my daughter say the word "please." So when she does it without prompting, everything must come to a stop to meet her request.

OK, so that one time she asked for a puppy, I didn't do it -- hey, give me a break, we are cat people.

Anyway, following the Please Directive, my wife looked down at the center console at a kid's sports bottle filled with water -- from 1973. She took off the top, rolled down her window and tossed the water out, spraying herself, the van and to my horror, the freshly washed car directly behind us.

"Oh, it probably didn't even hit them," my wife said in her patented dismissive voice.

Suddenly the car behind us turned on his windshield wipers -- it was 80 degrees and sunny.

"Great, now I am going to get the stink-eye when he passes us," I responded. "I need a sticker like they have on fire engines -- stay back 500 feet."

As it turns out I wasn't the victim of road rage, in fact the person didn't even turn to look at me as they passed. I guess they just expected that type of blowback from a minivan on the way to coast. At least Violet was properly hydrated.

We had a wonderful day, and every time I see an article on a lighthouse, like this one, I am reminded of our impromptu car wash and that day.

If you want to find out more about the different lighthouses in Oregon, Oregon.com has a great section on them here.. I know we are going to be using that list this spring and summer to continue our exploration of the coast.

Hopefully next time there won't be a chance of showers for the drivers behind us.

Pat

What happens in Oregon... involves an amazing dog!

I have had the opportunity to spend some time in Silverton, Oregon lately and I made a remarkable discovery.

This little town southeast of Portland has a half-block long mural, a statue and even a parade for one of the most important figures in its history -- Bobbi the wonder dog.

Yes, a dog.

Now, to be fair, Silverton has numerous murals around their downtown with different figures from their history -- Homer Davenport, the old oak that was in the center of town and the Gallon House Covered Bridge.

But Bobbi has a special place in Silverton.

Off North Water Street you can see a life-sized painted statue of the collie, and a replica of the doghouse he stayed in.

Now you might be asking yourself, what is so special about this perky pooch? In 1923, the family who owned Bobbi, packed him up for a family trip to Wolcott, Indiana. On August 15, 1923, the dog got separated from the family and they couldn't find him after driving around the streets of Wolcott.

Heartbroken they drove back to Silverton. On Feb. 15, 1924, Bobbi showed up in Silverton -- crossing seven states and more than 2,500 miles. You can find out more information about his trip here.

Today you can see the trip he made in the mural along Water Street, where I assume the team from CSI: Miami pieced together his route.

Anyway, if you are in Silverton on the second Sunday in February, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., make sure you attend Bobbi Day -- and see historic pictures, the mural, statue and doghouse. You also will get to meet the people of Silverton.

Just imagine, if their pets are this amazing, the people must be too.

For more information, contact Vince Till, 503-873-6572.

What happens in Oregon... is worth blogging about!

This is the new Oregon.com blog called "What happens in Oregon..." and will include information about different attractions, locations and reasons to visit in Oregon.

I will be updating this blog as often as possible (most likely weekly) and sharing different places I have visited, want to visit or think you should visit.

I have lived in Oregon since 1973 and love this state like my favorite shirt.

Let me share it with you -- wait, that sounded wrong.

Pat