It might seem odd to call an entire state an undiscovered secret, but Oregon still feels like one every time I visit.
Sandwiched between well-visited Seattle and holiday-destination California, the middle of the Cascadian states is one of the best places to hit up for a road trip. Oh, and it has the capacity for being weird.
Likely, you knew that already, especially if you've ever visited Portland, or had a gander at the current militia standoff going on right now (to be fair, those guys are mostly imports from far afield). However, Oregon's oddness extends beyond the kilt-wearing, fiery-bagpipe Darth Vader unicyclist of Portland - that's a real thing, feel free to look it up - and deep into the many winding roads that snake throughout the state.
It's one of my favourite places to explore, to get lost, to get off the beaten track. Sure, the weak Canadian dollar means accommodations and road snacks will be a bit on the expensive side, but cheap U.S. gasoline will make up for it the farther you dive. If you've got a road trip, any road trip, planned for 2016, you ought to make Oregon one of your mustdrive destinations this year. Here are a few of my favourite nooks and crannies in the place: check the O.R., you like it so far?
The Goonies and Cannon Beach
Travel down the Oregon coast, a scenic drive to put California's occasionally R.V.-clogged Pacific Highway to shame, and you'll soon arrive at Cannon Beach. The whole coast is a mass of shipwrecks and ghost stories, and Haystack Rock features prominently in several Hollywood films. Probably the best of these is The Goonies, everybody's favourite buried treasure flick. Stop quick to do the Truffle Shuffle and continue south.
The dunes
An unexpected sight as you wend your way towards the California border are huge sand dunes, some of them engulfing entire pine trees. These are the shifting sands of Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, and you can stop to get in a little off-roading.
McMenamins
Scattered throughout the state are McMenamins breweries, little pubs and restaurants often built inside heritage buildings. The company has a tendency to hire folk artists to decorate the inside with lots of hidden artworks, and the crown jewel is found East of Portland at McMenamins Edgefield. Booking a place here takes some advance planning, but with lots of little snugs, croquet, Frisbee golf, and even a weird tribute statue to Jerry Garcia, it's a must visit. It also sets you up for one of the best drives next morning.
The Gorge
Heading east from Troutdale, you'll soon find yourself with the option to jump off the highway at Exit 22 towards Corbett. Take the leap and you'll find yourself in a green and woody wonderland, the road leading past waterfall after waterfall. Some, like Multnomah Falls, are worth stopping off for a quick hike.
Maryhill Stonehenge
Further east, you'll come across a full-size model of Stonehenge, cast in concrete on the banks of the Hood River. Technically, this monument is in the state of Washington, but as it's just a stone's throw from the Oregon side, it should be claimed as part of any road trip.
The lost city of Rajneeshpuram
Southwards along the 97, you'll have the option of making your way towards the tiny town of Antelope. Site of one of the oddest tales in Oregon's past, it was near here that a huge commune of more than 5,000 people gathered to create a utopian paradise. It lasted just a few years, thanks to paranoia, conflict with the locals, and the eventual poisoning of hundreds of people with salmonella sprayed in restaurant foods. The story is a crazy one - the guru at the head of the cult amassed nearly a hundred Rolls-Royces and would drive them around the local highways.
The Painted Hills
Head south then east, and you'll find yourself in Mitchell. Chock full of fossils, this spot in the high desert of Oregon's interior features hills banded with mineral deposits, the remnants of an ancient floodplain.
The largest living thing in the world
Even further east, centralized around Mount Vernon, is the world's largest organism, an underground fungus that covers some 2,200 acres and dates back to 200 BC. On the surface, the only evidence of the fungus are clumps of golden mushrooms. You can see them best at Malheur National Forest, and they even glow in the dark!
The reverse gravity hill
Backtrack through Bend and head as far south as you can, and you'll soon enter the lakeside town of Klamath Falls. Here, a little searching will find you Old Fort Road, which has a slope where your car will seem to roll upwards. It's an optical trick that fools the brain - put your machine in neutral and check it out.
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and automotive enthusiast. If you have a suggestion for a column, or would be interested in having your car club featured, please contact him at [email protected].
