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OT: West Coast Road Trip

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JohnInCarolina
JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,954
in EggHead Forum
Second half of sabbatical will be spent in Albuquerque, NM, starting around the beginning of January.  We're spending the holidays with relatives in Seattle, then my brother is going to fly out to Seattle after Christmas to help me drive a new car out to ABQ while my wife and daughters fly out.

We're planning a four day trip - lots of long days, but we have constraints and can't be too leisurely about the whole thing.  The tentative plan is to drive to Portland on day 1, then either Tahoe or Yosemite on day 2, Vegas on day 3, then into ABQ on the last day.  

The link for the Google map showing the tentative route is painful to share, but here it is.  

Anyway, if any of you folks happen to know some good restaurants we should check out along the way - barbecue or otherwise, fire away.  We're also planning to hit some key breweries, like Deschutes in Portland.   So other recommendations for breweries are welcome too.  

Thanks in advance!  
"I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
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  • evie1370
    evie1370 Posts: 506
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    Standing by also, we are headed to Portland/Seattle for vacation in May. Any suggestions for this girl is appreciated also!

     

    Medium BGE in Cincinnati OH.

    "

    "I don't know what effect these men will have upon the enemy, but, by God, they frighten me. " Duke of Wellington, Battle of Waterloo.
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  • BizGreenEgg
    BizGreenEgg Posts: 301
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    Deschutes is in Bend; they only have a tasting room in Portland.  If you're looking for larger craft breweries in PDX, then there's Widmer and Bridgeport, which are some of the older guys in Oregon.  I prefer some of the smaller guys on the East side - Migration, Breakside, Commons, Gigantic, Ecliptic.  Ecliptic also is also located on the south end of Mississippi St., which is a great place for local eateries and watering holes.  Another area I highly recommend is NE Williams St.  Go to Tasty 'N Sons for a meal you will not forget.  It's conveniently located across the street from both HUB Brewing and Old Lompoc Brewing (location is called 5th Quadrant).  Both these guys make excellent beers.  If you only have a short time, this is where I would go.  

    For some of the best BBQ outside Texas, there's Podnah's.  Other great eateries would be Ox, Toro Bravo (tapas), Beast, Lardo (for an epic sandwich), and Stammtisch (German pub - try the Schweinhaxen).  And if you're still hungry, get some ice cream at Salt and Straw, but it tends to be pretty packed and somewhat touristy.

    Damn, all this talk is making me thirsty/hungry.  I might have to join you for this gastro-crawl.
    Large BGE & mini stepchild & a KJ Jr.
    The damp PNW 
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  • UncleFred
    UncleFred Posts: 458
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    If you are on a schedule you may want to at least map out an alternate southern route of 5 south to Bakersfield then east to I-40 or 5 to L.A. then 10 east through Phoenix.

    Going over the pass on I-80 to Reno can be tricky in he winter and is subject to closure (think Donner party). Here are a few links to state DOT highway conditions websites for you

    Calif
    http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi
    AZ
    http://www.az511.com/adot/files/
    NM
    http://splash.nmroads.com/
    San Diego, CA - Where I've mastered Curmudgeon..working on Recluse.
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  • Zmokin
    Zmokin Posts: 1,938
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    UncleFred said:
    If you are on a schedule you may want to at least map out an alternate southern route of 5 south to Bakersfield then east to I-40 or 5 to L.A. then 10 east through Phoenix.

    Going over the pass on I-80 to Reno can be tricky in he winter and is subject to closure (think Donner party). Here are a few links to state DOT highway conditions websites for you

    Calif
    http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi
    AZ
    http://www.az511.com/adot/files/
    NM
    http://splash.nmroads.com/
    Well, his route isn't taking I-80 over Donner Pass.  And they keep I-80 open as much as possible.

    However, his route from Klamath to Reno is worse than Donner Pass.  But long term forecast has it we will be experiencing another dry winter, so it may be open.

    I strongly suggest JIC contact the different State Highway patrols to verify his route is open prior to his departure.  The online links are a good source of info as well.
    Large BGE in a Sole' Gourmet Table
    Using the Black Cast Iron grill, Plate Setter,
     and a BBQ Guru temp controller.

    Medium BGE in custom modified off-road nest.
    Black Cast Iron grill, Plate Setter, and a Party-Q temp controller.

    Location: somewhere West of the Mason-Dixon Line
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    You aren't going through Phoenix, but if plans change and you have some time there, Chris Bianco's Pizzeria Bianco is supposed to be one of the best in the country. I have never been in Phoenix, but if I ever am, I WILL go there. 

    Unfortunately, the wait apparently rivals that of Aaron Franklin's place so you may not have time if your schedule is tight. There aren't many places I would stand in line at (including Franklin's - I don't even LIKE brisket), but this is PIZZA!!

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • badinfluence
    badinfluence Posts: 1,774
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    Um...what's a sabbatical?
    1 XXL BGE,  1 LG BGE, 2 MED. BGE, 1 MINI BGE, 1 Peoria custom cooker Meat Monster.


    Clinton, Iowa
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  • fletcherfam
    fletcherfam Posts: 935
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    I grew up in Portland and live outside of Seattle. For Portland, an awesome dessert place is Papa Hyden's. If you have the time hit up Highway 101 on the way South it is a beautiful drive thought it does add time.
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  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
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    Most importantly, don't miss that left turn at Albuquerque.  


    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 10,761
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    You may want to consider coming down the Pacific Coast Highway....bypass the snow and enjoy the ocean.....it's a great drive with to many towns to list
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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  • tksmoke
    tksmoke Posts: 776
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    In Oregon, just south of Portland is McMinnville.  It's home to the Evergreen Air Museum.  I recommend it highly - home of the Spruce Goose.  An excellent private museum.  Just down the road is the Golden Valley Brewery and Pub - they have some good grub and brews. 

    Sorry, I'm sorta wired for aviation - at Boeing field in Seattle is the Seattle Museum of Flight.  It is also most excellent - of course Boeing started there.  A few years back I was on a Bush Pilots of Alaska panel there - big fun.  I've heard some people don't enjoy aviation museums, but I don't really believe it.

    Santa Paula, CA
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  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,954
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    Thanks for the comments folks! That route is just what Google produces when you link up the spots we want to hit. I'm pretty sure we will deviate from it significantly, based on weather and traffic/construction.
    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
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  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,954
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    badinfluence said:
    Um...what's a sabbatical?

    It's a paid leave.
    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
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  • UncleFred
    UncleFred Posts: 458
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    When in Portland, don't miss....

    http://www.goindie.com/assets/images/user_images/2011/9/13/20110913112937967.jpg
    San Diego, CA - Where I've mastered Curmudgeon..working on Recluse.
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  • dldawes1
    dldawes1 Posts: 2,208
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    Well JIC, if you get lost and end up in Kentucky, let me know, I'll fire up the egg for ya !!

    Donnie Dawes - RNNL8 BBQ - Carrollton, KY  

    TWIN XLBGEs, 1-Beautiful wife, 1 XS Yorkie

    I'm keeping serious from now on...no more joking around from me...Meatheads !! 


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  • ksmyrl
    ksmyrl Posts: 1,050
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    JIC has said several times he doesn't have. A real job. A sabbatical is a chance for a professor to study and work on his or her "scholarship". I'm not hating. Just wishing us staff members at the universities had the same opportunity. JIC what were you working on during this sabbatical?
    Fish, Hunt, Cook....anything else?

    1LBGE, 1MMBGE, somewhere near Athens GA
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  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,954
    edited November 2014
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    ksmyrl said:
    JIC has said several times he doesn't have. A real job. A sabbatical is a chance for a professor to study and work on his or her "scholarship". I'm not hating. Just wishing us staff members at the universities had the same opportunity. JIC what were you working on during this sabbatical?

    I wish the sabbatical idea was more widely adopted. It's a real luxury and I don't take it for granted, trust me.

    Most of my sabbatical is going to be focused on the development of numerical methods for large-scale simulations of fragmentation. I'll be at Sandia in the spring, working on a DoD supported production code.

    Here at OIST I am also working on a completely different problem, called the Euler Plateau.
    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
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  • ksmyrl
    ksmyrl Posts: 1,050
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    I know you don't take it for granted. The profs I know well greatly appreciate the opportunity. I run an area of the college some faculty members consider the "necessary evil"... Fundraising. But I tell you. The best fundraisers are those faculty members passionate about their areas of expertise. Anyway, enjoy, and travel safe. Okinawa is a place I intend to visit. My dad was stationed there in the 60's building radio towers.
    Fish, Hunt, Cook....anything else?

    1LBGE, 1MMBGE, somewhere near Athens GA
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  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,954
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    lkapigian said:
    You may want to consider coming down the Pacific Coast Highway....bypass the snow and enjoy the ocean.....it's a great drive with to many towns to list

    I've driven some of the PCH before. Would love to do it again, especially considering the car we'll have. I'm not sure we'd be able to fit much of it in though.
    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
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    Can mention a bit about Portland. Visited my son and DIL and grandson there for about a wek.

    Portland is a major foodie town, almost mas much as it is  beervana. Was there for 7 days, and had some of the best food ever each day.

    My DIL is a pretty strict vegetarian, so we didn't get any 'Q. My son said a place called Russel's was OK (He's had my Egg'd stuff.)

    As above, Lardo is great for sandwiches. Like most PDX places, they have about a dozen craft beers on tap. Lot's of good Asian food in the area. We had Thai from a place called Pok Pok. Remarkable. Both places were quite inexpensive for the quality they offered. This was true of most places we ate. Much better than average food, and good prices, $10 - $15/person, for enough to be stuffed.

    Most of the top places need reservations, like any where. We were able to get into a place called Andina, which is "NovoPeruvian." Really good, and not outrageously expensive.

    Frankly, my son was a little surprised at the amount of beer I was drinking. Well, geez, when the nearby supermarket has about 200 craft brews on hand, and maybe a 100 imported, hard not to.

    Visited Belmont Station. About 20 taps, and around 1400 brews in the package store. Also stopped at Hair of the Dog brewery. The Fred brew is great. Massively complex, but don't expect to drive much after 1 or 2.
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