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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 19, 2011)
fjjj] 2 8 voices AUGUST 19,2011 WWW.JUSTOUT.COM When Life’s Not A Beach, Find One Standing on the shore of the mighty Colum bia River, I pitched an orange ball with all my not-a-softball-player strength. My sleek red- haired pitbull, Kelley, launched herself into the water with gusto. Fresh air, solitude, a dog, waves lapping at my feet, this was the kind of soul-soothing beach excursion I craved. The call had come— unexpected—the day before in the middle of a bright summer after noon. My 10-year-old son, our brindle pitbull Izzy (we have three, in assorted colors) and I were doing a little firsthand research on beach walking with dogs for this column. At Cannon Beach the air was warm, water was cool, and sand was hot. W ith Izzy straining at her leash, we navigated the throngs packing the stretch of coastline— swimmers, sand castle builders, sun- bathers, toddlers dashing to and fro without so much as a glance in our direction. I longed to let Izzy run free, but the crowds dictated a more conservative approach. Nor mally, this irks the hell out of me. But the heav ens had deigned to grant us a clear blue sky scented with fresh salt breezes, and the sudden recovery from a long, dreary winter and spring made me feel magnanimous. I had no idea that clouds would soon darken the horizon. “It’s bad news.” W hen I answered the cell phone, my little sister’s voice was hushed and hard to hear, and my heart rate picked up. O ur B Y M A R Y M A N D E V IL L E , edge— alone as far as I could see in any direc tion. An easygoing breeze ruffled my hair. The cry of a fishing osprey sliced the silence. A wide sand beach spread out from Kelley and me in either direction, belonging only to us for the moment. Kelley hadn’t had to trudge along cap tive to her leash, hobbled by my lumbering two- legged gait. We shared less time in the car and more time romping together as wild things. Jogging up and down the shoreline with my pooch, I realized the most fabulous beaches for jaunts with canine pals are right under neath our feet— beaches that will ease the sting from life’s sharpest arrows. The most brilliant dog park I’ve found in three states ex ists on the edge o f our own to\vn. Thousand Acres (at Exit 18 off Highway 84) is a desig nated off-leash dog park. It covers 1,400 acres, provides access to both the Sandy and Colum bia rivers and offers chances for social interac tion or complete solitude. At the best o f times, I hate to limit a dog to what she can experience from the end o f a leash. A t the worst o f times, I need the com pany o f a free dog whose joy is contagious. Beach outings to soothe a troubled soul and crack a wide canine grin await— right out our back door. JjB] of dog capers. If that’s your thing— maybe you have a sweet little Shih Tzu whose needs can be w ith m y p o och , I realized th e m ost mostly met at the end o f a leash, or a Yellow lab fabulous beaches for jaunts with canine everybody thinks is Marley— then pack up your stuff and your dog and head off for a glorious pals are right u n derneath our feet. time. Enjoy Ecola, or any other state park, other sister had been diagnosed with breast where Oregon statutes require that dogs must cancer 16 months earlier and though she’d be kept on a 6-foot lead at all times. O r hit the had good reports so far, my stomach dropped. sand and surf at Cannon Beach, Seaside, Lin coln City, Tillamook or Newport, where leash “She has a brain tumor.” We spoke for several minutes and I vaguely laws are a tad less rigorous. recall it involving shouted “no”s, kicked sand, a If, like me, you yearn for wide open spaces, wide-eyed 10-year-old and a flat-eared pitbull long stretches o f empty beach where you can pulling at her leash. Upon updating my son, dash into the edge o f the receding tide, and a he and I decided our afternoon was done, that place where your well-mannered (or maybe we should get a bite to eat and head on home. not so much) dog can frolic as a free being, By the time we pulled into Seaside for dinner, you’ll need to search out a quieter spot. M an- fog had rolled in out of nowhere and the sky zanita is less crowded, so is Arch Cape or had turned gray and ominous. Suddenly the Rockaway. Here you can likely unclip your 90-plus minute drive, complete with delays dog’s leash and revel in the unbridled glee an for roadwork, felt too heavy a price to pay for emancipated canine will so easily share with a less-than-hearty romp on the beach. you. Don’t forget drinking water for your No denying, the Oregon coastline is magnif pooch, as the ingestion o f too much salt water icent, sea air and crashing waves replenish body will result in a sort o f purging from both ends and soul. But fine weather turns most ocean that is more pleasant for everyone if. avoided. beaches close to Portland into leash-only kinds The morning after the call, I stood at river’s F in d M a r y J o g g in g up a n d d o w n th e shoreline M a n d e v i l l e a t antimotionchiro.com. YOU ALREADY KNOW YOU’RE GONNA LOVE H I Join the Rose Court along with Mr. Gay Portland 35 Ayden, Miss Gay Portland 39 Ambrosia, & Ms. Gay Portland 18 Amara iSL BENNY ANDERSSON & BJÖRN UIVAEUS' MAMMAMIA! 40 Years of Glee THE SMASH HIT MUSICAL u V mjn T. soi ABBA you m i MammaMiaNorthAmerica.com AUGUST 23-28 auditorium tk k e tm a ste r 800-982-ARTS • BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com • 503-241-1802 m F/9a-5p Croups of 15* SAVE S0J-295-J5O 9 • Tickets subject to agency convenience charges Km 4S- ITDtank ( I / in I / I n justout Saturday, August 27, 2011 $10, Doors at 5pm, Pageant 6pm A benefit for the Trevor Project Embers Avenue, 110 NW Broadway, Portland, Oregon
