Dave’s Detours: Garibaldi
By Dave Powell
For the TODAY
Here I am at “Kil-Har-Hurst” which means “place of the Shaman.” It is Thursday, June 24, and I am in northern Tillamook County scouting out several detours (including a new one in Rockaway Beach).
It was a rough day. Let’s just say that, with two blisters on the back on my heels, I need a break. And my stomach needs dinner.
Entering a restaurant, I pick up a copy of “Venture Coastward” the visitor guide produced by Visit Tillamook Coast. So here I am on a Thursday night, waiting outside because of the beautiful weather for a pulled pork sandwich, and reading an article on page 10. “It’s a calm Thursday night near the Port of Garibaldi. Still seas. Red sky. Boats bobbing softly in the water. But the kitchen is buzzing at the Garibaldi Portside Bistro. Customers pack the dining room salivating at the smells wafting from the kitchen.”
Wait a minute; I am at the Bistro. Oh no! I’m a tourist!
The new Oregon Coast Trail map has hikers exit at Barview Jetty park and walking to Cape Meares via Tillamook and Bayocean Road (the long way!) or walking only to Garibaldi and taking the ferry over to Bayocean Spit.
Taking the short way gives you plenty of time to appreciate Garibaldi. And to remember that Peter Jurasik as Londo Mollari only needed to say “Mr. Garibaldi” to get into character.
I had a list of five things to do — however vandals reduced the list by one (also school was out).
1) Just before Garibaldi is a historical marker noting that trade with the Native Americans was not always peaceful. In August 1788 Captain Gray (who, four years later, “discovered” the Columbia River) was trading in Tillamook Bay. A dispute about a cutlass resulted in the death of Markus Loepus, who was also the first African American in Oregon.
2) The Historic Coast Guard House is at the end of the longest pier (760 feet) on the Oregon Coast. It wasn’t open either Thursday or Friday. It is open on weekends from noon to 4 pm. The directions are: take a right/south at 12th Street, then a left at Bay Lane (next to the Jetty) until you reach the pier.
3) The Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad at 4th Street has rides to and from Rockaway Beach several times a day. The ride takes about half an hour, with passengers having half an hour to explore before the return trip. That is, unless you want to shorten your walk by only riding from Rockaway Beach to Garibaldi.
4) The Garibaldi Museum is at 2nd Street. It is open only Thursday through Monday from 10 am to 4 pm. A major part is about Captain Robert Gray, the “discoverer” of the Columbia River (note: the Native Americans knew where it was). The “discovery” strengthened the United States’ claim to this land. Otherwise, we might be speaking Russian or Spanish. One other good point, they have a book section — and I picked up a book on early European and Native interactions. It seemed appropriate after the historical marker noting the death of Markus Leopus.
5) The Big “G” is visible above Garibaldi, it was proposed after a trip in 1930 past Amity, which boasts a similarly massive “A.” The original “G” was destroyed by a tree fall after a fire, the second “G” lasted nearly 40 years, and a major renovation resulted in the current letter in 1999. It was vandalized, and repaired on June 20, 2018. Its maintenance is the responsibility of the Freshman class — since school was out, I couldn’t ask permission.