Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum

McMinnville, Oregon may not be a “must visit” destination for many people, but for us it was one of the most important stops on our Coastal or Postal Tour. That’s because McMinnville is home to the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum and the museum, in turn, is home to the Spruce Goose.

Officially known as the Hughes H-4 Hercules, the Spruce Goose held the record for having the largest wingspan of any aircraft for an incredible seventy-five years. Originally designed as a trans-Atlantic transport for World War II, it didn’t become operational until the war has ended.

Let’s check out the museum, the plane, and a little history of one of the most famous aircraft ever built.

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The Wild West Town of Garnet, Montana

It’s the next instalment of our “Coastal or Postal” vacation. This time we’re heading up into the mountains near Missoula, Montana to visit the preserved ghost town of Garnet, Montana.

Once a thriving mining town dating from the late 19th century, today it is under the control of the Bureau of Land Management who protect the remaining buildings and sites from vandals and souvenir hunters.

It’s a great place to visit so come check it out with us…

Garnet is open year-round, from 09:30 – 16:30, however in the winter months the site is only accessible by snowmobile or cross-country ski trip. As of the time of our visit there is an admission of $3 per person which is used to maintain and preserve the town.

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Back on the Road – Polson, Montana

In September we hit the road for our vacation. I dubbed it the “Coastal or Postal Tour 2019” because last year when we started throwing out vacation ideas I said “It has been ten years since I’ve been the Oregon coast — I swear if we don’t go coastal I’ll end up going postal.”

Now, admittedly, that isn’t an original saying. I stole it from a Geocache page I read many years ago while caching in Oregon. A couple had placed a whole series of hides using the name “Coastal or Postal” so I borrowed the idea.

We also made a number of comments relating to the old Oregon Trail video game, including comments about coming down with dysentery and Tucker the Dog needing to serve the role of oxen. One of our friends (Shoutout to Kelly!) even joined in, reminding us to bring an extra axle.

But, before we could reach Oregon we headed straight south into Montana. Our first destination was Missoula because Emily had bought concert tickets to see Ben Folds and Cake at the KettleHouse Ampitheater.

It was on our way to Missoula when we saw some billboards for the Miracle of America Museum. Well, we had enough time to stop in and we were blown away by the quality of this collection. But, don’t take our word for it, some see for yourself!

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Alderson – The Star of the Prairie

From humble beginnings as a railway siding known as Langevin to the “Star of the Prairies”, Alderson was set to be one of the most important population centres on the Canadian prairies. How did it all end up as an “Empire of Dust”? Come with us as we visit the remains of the ghost town of Alderson and explore a story of broken promises and shattered dreams.

Part documentary, part vlog, all Alderson.
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A Visit to Medalta Potteries in Medicine Hat

The Medalta Potteries site was a fixture of the Medicine Hat community for more than fifty years before shutting down for the final time in the latter half of the 1960s. After sitting abandoned and neglected for several decades, today it is home to a great museum that houses an amazing collection of stoneware, pottery, and displays. Let’s check it out…

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