Nov 5→7 2019
Use POINT NorthWest Route to enjoy a two night stay in Astoria, and take my bike along!
The route according to POINT NorthWest
My plan for the tour:
Ride Bike to Union Station, the POINT NorthWest Route loading area
Put Bike in cargo hold of tour bus
Ride Bus to Astoria Transit Center
Ride Bike to Atomic Motel
Enjoy Stay! Use Bike to explore full length of River Walk
Return Trip...
Ride Bike to Astoria Transit Center
Put Bike in Cargo hold of NW POINT tour bus
Ride NW POINT from Astoria to Portland's Union Station.
Put bike on Trimet #12 Bus. Ride bus to Barbur & Terwilliger
Ride Bike → Home
Here is how Google Transit Plan shows the trip.
“Great joy in camp we are in View of the Ocian” — Captain Clark, November 7th, 1805
So, we are following in Lewis & Clark footsteps, exactly 214 years later!
Starting the Tour
Woo woo! Departing on my new Transit Touring adventure, Astoria! Taking my bike along. Two nights.
On Tuesday morning, I got up early and rode my bike to Union Station to catch the "Amtrak" bus.
The bike went into the cargo bay. Two other guys were taking their bikes along.. evidently for the first time as well. We were grinning from ear to ear.
I simply rode the BUS west to Canon Beach and up to Astoria.
Bus going north over 101 bridge into Astoria
The bus left at 9:30 AM, arriving in Astoria at 12:30 pm after going through Canon Beach, Seaside, Gearhart, etc on the way.
Once I arrived in Astoria - I was free to do as I pleased! I rode around a while, had
lunch, etc, before checking into the Atomic Motel.
Atomic Shower Curtain!
Scenery
Early photos I took on arrival...
Bridge Blue Sky + Fog
Art? Looks like some sea creature.
River Pier Heron
Ho Ho Ho
River Walk - West End
The River Walk (AKA Civic Greenway Area) runs along the Columbia River, paralleling a railway. In the summer, the Astoria Riverfront Trolley runs on those tracks.
I took all the following photos at various times during my trip, but not in any particular order. On my bike, I could quickly explore the various piers.
Apple Map for orientation
Boat in an industrial yard west of the bridge.
River Walk Industrial Area, out on a pier where cruise ships can tie up.
River Walk running north-south along the West End.
River Walk West - End of the Line
Trolley Barn
Cracking Paint
Use your best judgement if venturing into these west end industrial sites!
River Walk middle section
These vessles are tied up at the Maritime Museum.
COLUMBIA, and a US Coast Guard ship
East of here on the River Walk is Pier 39 and Coffee Girl where I went for mid afternoon espresso.
River Walk - East End
East of Coffee Girl, the Greenway keeps going till you eventually get to a park-like area and then into a neighborhood.
The header photo of a trestle (at top of page) was taken from said neighborhood.
Fun for Walks, fun for Rides — Water on both sides!
It takes less than a half minute to ride the length of all these lovely boards.
This was taken somewhere along the east section of the river walk.
Adjacent to the Downtown Area
The river walk is between the river, and the downtown area.
Cool Event Space right on the board walk
PACIFICK Distillers
On this trip in 2019 I stumbled upon the transformation of a building into a either brewery or distillery. It's on the Riverwalk between 3rd and 4th streets.
Intriguing old building on the riverwalk
I'd passed by this building a number of times, and had to document it.
Just as I was taking my photo, a woman came out the door. She apologized for spoiling my photo.. We chatted. She said come see what's going on inside!
Work going on inside.
John cutting while Mary watches. Sawdust in sunlight!
They explained that the main floor was being converted into a distillery and tasting room. Indeed a distillery was being set up in an adjacent room!
Some time later, I wrote to the Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce to ask if the project had been completed. Regina at OldOregon.com Answered:
"Yes, we are all eagerly awaiting the opening of Pacifick Distillers! The building they are going into has an interesting history - a little background here in this article from 2018. I think it was 2011 when they started getting permits for the distillery." (Find a link to the story in References.)
Update - Much more to the story which shall remain untold on this page! We visited Astoria on a quick trip at the very end of 2023. We dropped in for a tasting. I bought some FLEET gin. I follow these guys on Facebook (Link below). They offer special dinners from time to time.. Crab Cakes, Salmon, Smoked salmon grilled sandwich, ... Makes me wanna live near there! Check it out.
FOOD
BLUE SCORCHER BAKERY CAFÉ (Below Fort George Brewery at 1493 Duane Street)
"We create artisan breads, pastries and handcrafted seasonal foods using local and organic ingredients. We operate as a worker collective."
[COOP]
Columbia River Coffee Roaster, in the Finnish quarter under the bridge On Ramp. This is an easy walk from the Atomic, in case you need more than a muffin for breakfast.
[LINK]
Other Great places!
COFFEE GIRL
BOWPICKER FISH AND CHIPS
BUOY BEER CO.
BRIDGEWATER BISTRO
Consider having a flight, whiskey, rum, gin, at Pilot House Distillery in Astoria.
[LINK]
Lunch: Small order of Bowpicker Fish and Chips
Not shown, but I previously had pan fried oysters at the Bridgewater Bistro. They were not as good as the one I had at Buoy Beer, below.
Dinner: Pan Fried Oysters at Buoy Beer (Yum Yum - last one!)
Reveille Ciderworks
Buoy Beer Pilsner
2024 update: The Buoy Beer building had its roof collapse, shutting them down. They moved their brewing operation elsewhere, and the restaurant portion is now Temporarily in the Astoria Food Hub on Marine Drive. (Google for stories if interested.)
Excursion to Illwaco - Over the Bridge!
On November 7th, I rode over the the Transit Center at 8AM, and locked my bike up at the Astoria Transit Center.
I rode over to ILLWACO on Pacific Transit for 50¢!
Route24.png
That was quite a trip! How often do you see the ocean from your bus?
View from the Bus!
Stopped in Ilwaco. Got out for ~10 minutes. The bus took on lots of riders, including so many bikes, one or more had to go in to the passenger compartment!
The return ride was another 50¢, so bring your quarters. LoL
(re)approaching the bridge from Washington side...
After completing my round trip between Astoria to Ilwaco, I rode directly to Visitor Info. I had chatted with them before doing this trip.. They were uncertain and didn't have a schedule for Pacific Transit. (They asked but couldnt get them delivered!)
So, I returned later in the day with three schedules for them from the TC. Two guys (volunteers, I assume) were there who were all ears about what I had just done, saying that people come in asking how they can go over the bridge (without a car). One of the guys was fascinated by my "Transit Tour" concept, the other guy said that uncertainty and lack of info keeps people from doing this kind of thing (getting on a bus). After all - you could get stranded! The clerk at Atomic Motel said it would be a good trip to take with her grandchild! :^)
The little bus was full of local guys who learn about it from their buddies and ride out of necessity. The bus driver and ticket office couldn’t understand that I wasn’t trying get some where, just having fun.
I posted on Facebook: "It's funny, but I had a little apprehension doing the Jaunt over to Ilwaco, even knowing I /should/ be back in an hour (9am-10am). I told the motel keeper what I was doing in case I didn't make it back to check out at 11am." No Problem! They said.
END - Time to return home
Craazy... I did that trip to Illwaco, then lived out of my backpack and saddle bags all day till getting on the bus home. My last food was this lunch at Thai Coco (Mary had recommended). After lunch, I had the Cider, then later a Pilsner at Buoy Beer, just to kill the time.. (Must have had a snack too?)
at Thai Coco... (2024: Evidently a casuality to the pandemic)
My return trip was the 6pm NW POINT BUS, arriving at Union Station in Portland by 9pm. I biked to the Transit Mall and put my bike on Trimet #12; Got off at Terwilliger Blvd and rode about 2 miles home in dark with lights flashing.
No photos of the end of the trip. Presumably all businesslike and Thankfully uneventful.
My Astoria Transit Tour was a success! I rode various segments of the RiverWalk Trail each of my 3 days, some multiple times, exploring and re-exploring parts of the waterfront, commercial and industrial. I also managed to do a transit jaunt over the Astoria bridge to Ilwaco for 50¢ and return for 50¢! What an adventure.
Bus & Motel
Astoria Transit Center - 900 Marine Drive
Oregon Point - Northwest Point.
For help planning a trip on the POINT call 888-846-4183 or visit Northwest Point
[LINK]
For the curious - cost of bus ticket Portland-Astoria on NW Point: $16.50 for senior. I added $5 "assurance" that there'd be room for my bike, which was good - there were two other bikers going out to Astoria - but not really a problem. There were no other bikes on the return trip, so $16.50. Atomic Motel, off season $60/night! Let's not tally how much I spent on food & drink!
I booked the big bus through Amtrak. Operated by NW-POINT. I think I have links and “theory” on my main Transit Tours web page.
[LINK]
I'd like to try an alternate route along Hwy 30 using CC Rider to St Helens and a connection into Astoria. One could make a giant loop.. going out on CC Rider, and returning via POINT, or even possibly returning via Washington. On some future trip to Astoria, I'll try taking a day trip up to Oysterville, for under $2.
CONNECT OR -
The idea is to put together a tours using a regional bus system (private or public) and neighboring public rural systems. The operators in NW oregon are cooperating with the goal of proving more seamless service among 4 or 5 counties at a time. State wide seamlessness is still on the drawing boards, I assume.
I leave you looking into a glass shop, in the core downtown area. (2024: Not sure this is still in operation.)
