Mazama Brewing at Orenco Station is a year-old gastropub. However, there is a lot more to the taproom and New American restaurant. It is part of Mazama Brewing, a family-owned brewery in Corvallis, Oregon, that opened in 2013. The current location opened in April 2019 with an emphasis on contemporary food and craft beer. Despite the name there is no beer brewed at Mazama Brewing at Orenco Station, although it serves an extensive list of Mazama beers. Brewery’s history Jeff and Kathy Tobin began homebrewing in the 1980s, but did not initially plan to open a brewery. After a trip to Belgium in 2011, the couple decided to pursue opening…
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A pint at Vertigo Brewing in Hillsboro, Oregon
It is difficult starting, building, and maintaining a small business, let alone a craft brewery for over a decade. However, that is precisely the story of Vertigo Brewing in Hillsboro, Oregon. Brewery’s history The tale of homebrewers turned commercial brewers is nearly as old as the beer industry itself, but that does not make the story any less interesting. Mike Kinion and Mike Hanes worked together in the tech industry for nearly 30 years and brewed beer together for several years before entering competitions for feedback on their brews. The pair honed their brewing skills through trial and error with feedback from these competitions over ten years before opening Vertigo…
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A pint at Ridgewalker Brewing in Forest Grove, Oregon
It takes a team effort for any business to succeed. That is especially true in craft beer, which is why the partnership behind Ridgewalker Brewing in Forest Grove, Oregon, has done so well. Brewery’s history The team behind Ridgewalker Brewing includes Chris and Jason Cirlincione, Jeff Farrar, and Justin Marble. Chris and Jason Cirlincione bring a background in real estate and flipping properties to the team, which was critical in overhauling the brewery’s main property, the 1921 Public House. Their experience also allowed the team to find and renovate the city’s former post office and convert it into an event space known as The Mail Room. Farrar’s experience in food…
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An ochoko at SakéOne in Forest Grove, Oregon
In 1992, SakéOne (note not SakeOne) began as a saké importer. Eventually in 1997, the company expanded its operation and began brewing saké. Today the brewery produces four lines of saké ranging from the innovative Moonstone to the traditional Momokawa. Note that both sake and saké are appropriate spellings of the Japanese liquor made from fermented rice. Visiting the brewery On the southern edge of Forest Grove, SakéOne is about 25 miles from downtown Portland. It is a 30-minute drive in ideal traffic conditions. The brewery is in an industrial area of this Portland suburb with ample parking. The tasting room has plenty of space for small or large gatherings. …
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Finding ways to run while social distancing
Since mid-January, road races big and small have been canceled across the globe. The Tokyo Marathon limited its field to elite runners. The London Marathon postponed its race from April to October. Recently races across the United States have been canceled or postponed as COVID-19 continues to spread. So how do people find ways to compete while social distancing? With the advent of virtual races, running while social distancing is easier than people expect. What is social distancing? Recent health suggestions during the COVID-19 pandemic have encouraged people to maintain social distancing. There are multiple aspects to social distancing that governments around the world have encouraged, such as working from…
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My experience at McMenamins Grand Lodge Hotel
For a trip to Portland, my wife and I wanted to spend a few days outside of the city to relax and recharge our batteries. About 30 miles from downtown Portland, we found Tualatin Valley. In working with the local visitors association, we settled on McMenamins Grand Lodge Hotel in Forest Grove. The hotel is a 45-minute drive from Portland International Airport or a two-hour transit using TriMet. From downtown Portland, the lodge is a 30-minute drive or about 90 minutes on TriMet. Original king with private bath My wife and I opted for a king room with a private bath. There is plenty of space for two suitcases and…
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My running goals for 2020 and beyond
The end of the year usually brings about reflection and goal setting for the new year. After taking time the past few weeks to reflect on 2019 and thinking about the future I’ve set some long-term running goals for myself. I may accomplish some of these goals in 2020, but these are long-term goals, so I do not have a specific deadline. Setting my goals A few months ago, I participated in a 10-mile race. It wasn’t officially timed, but I clocked in at 1:24 (about an 8:30 pace). I shared this accomplishment on my personal Facebook page because I am proud of how far I have come with my…
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Revealing my 2020 ballpark resolutions
The new year means time to make resolutions to better yourself. For a lot of people that means a vow to lose weight, quit smoking, or some other self-improvement objective. Those are all admirable goals, but I prefer to focus on traveling in the new year. Specifically, I like to set goals to visit new ballparks. Without further ado, here are my 2020 ballpark resolutions. Resolution #1: In 2020, I resolve to see all five @NPB teams in Greater Tokyo (@Chiba_Lotte, @lions_official, @swallowspr, @TokyoGiants, and @ydb_yokohama) play at home. #PlayBall #NewYearsResolutions #GoTokyo #StevenExploresTokyo — Steven Ericson (@StevenOnTheMove) January 1, 2020 I made this resolution last year as well (read last…
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Reviewing my 2019 ballpark resolutions
For several years now I have made New Year’s resolutions to visit ballparks in the coming year. Most of my goals are to visit new Minor League Baseball stadiums, but my resolutions are not exclusive to MiLB parks. Each year I review my resolutions and assess how successful I was in fulfilling them. So, here’s how I did with my 2019 ballpark travel resolutions. Resolution #1: In 2019, I resolve to see all three @TravelOregon #MiLB teams (@EugeneEmeralds, @HillsboroHops, & @SKVolcanoes) play at home. #PlayBall #NewYearsResolutions — Steven Ericson (@StevenOnTheMove) January 1, 2019 Last year my wife Katie started a program for an additional certification related to her job. Part…
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Rutherford B. Hayes Birthplace in Delaware, Ohio
In 1817, Rutherford Hayes Jr. and his wife Sophia moved from Dummerston, Vermont, to Delaware, Ohio. On October 4, 1822, Sophia gave birth to the couple’s fifth child, Rutherford Birchard Hayes. The elder Rutherford died about two months before his son’s birth, so Sophia raised her son and his sister Fanny Arabella by herself. The future president later graduated from Kenyon College, earned a law degree from Harvard, and moved to Cincinnati. In 1926, the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution erected a marker near the Rutherford B. Hayes birthplace. Unfortunately, the house was torn down the same year. Currently, a gas station stands at the location…
