Photo TR: Martin & Cheryl Visit Portland, OR!

Cheryl and I did not slow the pace after the TPR Weird Japan trip. After coming back from Japan (which was my Spring Break), we jumped on yet another "long" flight, and headed to the crazy world that I had only previously seen on Netflix, Portlandia!

This is how we roll.

Oregon is green. Is it possible that we left in the dark and arrived at dusk? Maybe that's the wrong plane photo.

SNAFU at Hertz PDX.

Morning breakfast at Big Bear Diner!

Apparently breakfast and brunch are regional pastimes in Oregon. There are a million breakfast places, all with long lines on weekend mornings.

I want my breakfast to have a philosophy. Of course I forgot to photograph the food, but it was good!

First stop!

Entrance. You can see that my camera window is not opening properly. Time for a replacement.

It looks like I'm peering through a crack in the wall to see Cheryl get her wristband. Better yet, I'm hiding inside one of the many trees.

Of course Cheryl had to go back to the car to change out of her heels. Such a girly-girl.

Awwwww.

It's a smaller, wetter, hillier, low-budget Efteling Sprookjesbos with some Disney ripping-off.

Now you know what they really looked like.

Welcomed by a bunny.

Unfortunately, the pics don't do it justice. It's very cute.

My only decent shot of the actual dwarves.

I think this is the money shot for this park.

Cheryl slides! Taken from my tree hiding place.

Start at Castle.

This staffer let me take a picture of the great coats they wear.

The castle.

Humpty.

LMM.

Everything grows here.

Alice.

Awesome animatronics.

I think this is Goldilocks.

Crooked man.

The history of the hoodie.

I would not live in a pumpkin if my name were Peter Peter.

Time for credits.

Yes, we counted it because we are whores. And there is a little coaster part. This is one of the only parks where having a flume constitutes local theming.

Nice clean midway, but small.

This is the part that's worth the trip.

The forecast said rain all weekend, but when we called they said this was meant to be experienced in the rain.

This reminded me a little bit of Lost Coaster at Indiana Beach, but there are actually few similarities, all the coasters are blending together, plus I'm an idiot.

Here I'm hiding inside a tree inside the car going up the lift hill.

Yah!

This ride is violent, fun, and deathproof.

Shooting dark ride.

Haunted House.

Fun haunted walk-through.

Just changing a light bulb.

Big scenes.

Sorry the camera doesn't do justice. It's huge.

Cheryl is very fond of animatronic rats.

They have a film about the park that is continuously running. We had to leave and they missed a merchandising opportunity by not having a DVD for sale. I would have paid $24.99, sight unseen, but not a penny more.

Heading for the exit.

Nice cuppa joe first. It was rainy chilly.

I will say that the park is not cheap with the wristband, which is $24.95 over and above the $10.75 admission. You can save by going with the tickets and hit the four big rides once each for $13.30 instead. We would have done some re-rides had the weather been a little better and had we not had a date with another park. Enchanted Forest is worth a visit. It's clean, pleasant, friendly, and has some unique charm.

On to Oaks Amusement Park!

It's a very different kind of park; it's more of an open midway.

First credit

Wonderful OTSRs.

There's a Scrambler.

And a Rock O Plane

Choo Choo. We missed the Rock O Plane and the train because it really started to rain after we got the credits. I think the rides stayed open, but we were done.

99.5FM The Wolf, playing your favorite country hits.

Carousel pavilion.

Ahh, credit!

That expression is what you call smug self-satisfaction mixed with self-hatred and disgust.

I used to love these things. But I haven't been on one since one of those arms broke off and someone got killed.

The rest of our short journey was spent catching up with some friends of Cheryl and enjoying the crunchy-granola-ness of Portland.

This was our breakfast waitress' modified recumbent bike. She was a character right out of Portlandia.

And no trip to Portland would be complete without a visit to Voodoo Doughnut. Yes, you can get donuts with bacon on them.

Cheryl's friends' kids demonstrate how to kill a gingerbread man doughnut. Yes, he has red jelly inside. Thanks for joining us on our Pacific Northwest sojourn!!!!!!

Thanks for the TR Martin. Enchanted Forest really is a cute little park and they do a lot with what they have. Congrats on 1100!

Great report! I feel like it's more likely for me to go up to Oregon to check these parks out than actually visit some real parks on the East Coast. lol

I grew up on the West Coast, but my family never visited the Oregon parks--must rectify that someday.

Congrats on #1100, Martin!

And Enchanted Forest is a great little park. Did they still have the

Dancing Waters running there? Continuous and fun, in it's own way.

And I always thought the Haunted House walk-thru was one of the

best in any park.

Thanks for the love, everyone! We did really like Enchanted Forest. I'd like to go back on a summer's day, but it was still a good experience. Oaks was a little disappointing. We didn't see a dark ride there actually. But we'd go back for a new credit, of course. I'm also sorry that we didn't take pictures of all of the great food.

Thanks for the love, everyone! We did really like Enchanted Forest. I'd like to go back on a summer's day, but it was still a good experience. Oaks was a little disappointing. We didn't see a dark ride there actually. But we'd go back for a new credit, of course. I'm also sorry that we didn't take pictures of all of the great food.

The dark ride at Oaks closed last year (maybe the year before), but you didn't miss much. Especially if you rode The Challenge of Mondor at Enchanted Forest. One of my favorite shooting dark rides. I had to ride it twice just to see everything I missed while concentrating on the shooting aspect.

You were just down the road from me at Black Bear Diner! I think the Oregon parks are well worth visiting if you know what to expect; I don't think there's anything left quite like our Enchanted Forest. Glad you guys had a good visit!

Thank you for the TR, particularly the part on Enchanted Forest. I really love this little park. I need to get back there sooner, rather than later. My twin grandsons will be just about big enough to enjoy the park soon. Maybe not this summer, but certainly next.

They have a film about the park that is continuously running. We had to leave and they missed a merchandising opportunity by not having a DVD for sale. I would have paid $24.99, sight unseen, but not a penny more,

I have no idea if it's the same story as shown in park, but here's a great video that tells the story of the park and the family that owns and runs it:

Oaks park was always my home park growing up and I've always been frustrated by their lack of ambition given the great location. It helps to realize the park has been run as a non=profit since 1985. They're primary interest seems to be in having a picnic grove and wedding venue (and skating rink) at the neglect of the rides area which has potential.

I can't help but imagine a Grona Lund style compact city park

Awesome update! I like parks like Enchanted Forest.

Might have to make a few side trips next time I visit my cousins in the Portland area.

I love this little park. Reminds me of the Land of Oz a bit.

The beginning portion of the Enchanted Forest TR reminded me of Storybook Gardens that was at the Wisconsin Dells back in the day...

Still have yet to go to Enchanted Forest or Wild Waves Theme Park. I suppose I aught to. The Black Bear Diners are nice. I think the original was built in Mt. Shasta, but they've since expanded quite a bit. The one in Long Beach, CA isn't to bad.

Thanks for the TR! I did not think Enchanted Forest was still open, and so have not sought it out in the 5 years I've lived in Seattle! D'oh! I'm sad to hear that Lewis & Clark's Big Adventure is gone from Oaks Park, because while it was crappy, it was SO AMAZINGLY crappy that it fantastic (to me, anyhow). Did you go, or at least peek in at the roller rink? It is a really, really nice wooden floored rink, and they still have an organ that they play occasionally.

Thanks for the TR! I did not think Enchanted Forest was still open, and so have not sought it out in the 5 years I've lived in Seattle! D'oh! I'm sad to hear that Lewis & Clark's Big Adventure is gone from Oaks Park, because while it was crappy, it was SO AMAZINGLY crappy that it fantastic (to me, anyhow). Did you go, or at least peek in at the roller rink? It is a really, really nice wooden floored rink, and they still have an organ that they play occasionally.

Apparently the roller rink is still quite popular, and the hours for the roller rink are extended beyond the outdoor rides, but we really didn't do more than glance over in that direction, sorry! But thanks for checking out the report.

^^^Next month might be a good time to go to Wild Waves. Base prices for two of the weekends are only $9.99--in fact, it looks like all tickets are at least half off through June! I've heard opening day is quiet (not sure how smoothly it usually goes), and I guess the water park is a massive draw since the tickets are cheapest when it's closed.

I'm sad to hear that Lewis & Clark's Big Adventure is gone from Oaks Park, because while it was crappy, it was SO AMAZINGLY crappy that it fantastic (to me, anyhow).

I forgot how craptactular is was.

^^^Next month might be a good time to go to Wild Waves. Base prices for two of the weekends are only $9.99--in fact, it looks like all tickets are at least half off through June! I've heard opening day is quiet (not sure how smoothly it usually goes), and I guess the water park is a massive draw since the tickets are cheapest when it's closed.

Just remember that if you go alone, many the Wild Waves' flats do not allow single riders.

"That expression is what you call smug self-satisfaction mixed with self-hatred and disgust."

Great report! I love Enchanted Forest, but the only time I was there – decades ago – I was on my own and I was too much of a wuss to go through the scary walk-through alone. The whole park was pretty much empty. Must get back some day.

Never been to Oaks; looks well worth a stop. Isn't that the park that had a Harry Traver coaster in it, way, way back in the day?