Rascal's Roadshow: May 2025

Rascal's Roadshow

⚓ Ahoy, Matey! ⚓

When we first arrived in the charming oceanside town of Astoria, we drove right past the Columbia River Maritime Museum—not realizing it would become one of our favorite stops! I’m so glad we made time for this nautical adventure. It was far more fascinating than I expected, and somehow, like magic, it felt much larger inside than it looked from the outside! We kicked off our visit in the theater with “Aircraft Carrier – Guardian of the Sea” in 3D—a thrilling, well-narrated documentary that brought the power and purpose of naval vessels to life. Want to check it out for yourself? Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll4jRxYD-Is 🎬

From there, we wandered through room after room of beautifully maintained displays—full-sized boats, historic photos, and authentic artifacts. I was especially drawn to the Coast Guard exhibit. After chatting with the captain during our boat ride on Lake Chelan (a retired Coastie), I told Todd that maybe I missed my true calling and should’ve joined the Coast Guard instead of law enforcement! 🚤 Well, that feeling didn’t last long—because one look at that display and I knew there’s no way I’m cut out for that life! Those men and women are seriously brave, and my admiration for them skyrocketed! 🙌

The museum is perched right along the Columbia River, just a short distance from where it crashes into the Pacific Ocean—a dramatic meeting of two powerful forces known as the Columbia River Bar. 🌊 This area is bursting with kinetic energy: the swift river flows west while ocean tides and waves push back east. That clash creates constantly shifting sandbars and massive waves, making navigation treacherous. It’s earned the nickname “Graveyard of the Pacific” for good reason—hundreds of ships have been lost here over the years. These days, specially trained Columbia River Bar Pilots guide large vessels through the chaos with incredible precision. It’s a mind-blowing mix of natural power and human skill, and it really opened my eyes to how geography and history shape life at sea! ⚓🌬️

One display that really touched me featured the Yosegaki Hinomaru, or “Good Luck Flags.” These were given to Japanese soldiers during WWII, covered with handwritten well wishes from family and friends.

The exhibit focused on the Obon Society, a nonprofit based right in Astoria, that works to return these flags to the descendants of fallen soldiers. Many were brought back to the U.S. as battlefield souvenirs, and now they’re making their way home to bring closure and peace to families near and far. What a beautiful mission 💞 Learn more at https://www.obonsociety.org/eng

We spent over two hours inside the museum, but wait—there’s more! Just a short walk away, berthed along the river, is the Lightship Columbia, a National Historic Landmark and former floating lighthouse. ⛴️ From 1951 to 1979, she was anchored five miles offshore at the mouth of the Columbia River, held in place by a 7,000-pound mushroom anchor! Lightships had operated there since 1892, guiding ships through one of the most dangerous maritime passages in the world.

Columbia had a crew of 18 who lived, ate, and worked aboard in two shifts, ten men on duty at all times. They stayed out for two to four weeks straight—no quick trip home at the end of the day! I can’t imagine the monotony... or the sheer terror of riding out a storm on a floating steel box! 😱

It’s an incredible glimpse into a way of life few of us could ever handle. We wrapped up our visit with some goodies from the gift shop (stickers, postcards...you know the drill 🛍️), and gave the whole experience a solid 10 out of 10! If you're in Astoria, this place is a must-see! https://www.crmm.org

Out to Lunch 🌮

By the time we finished up, we were dangerously close to being hangry! Todd found a nearby Mexican restaurant, El Jarocho, on Google Maps. Honestly, we should’ve just walked—it was super close to the museum! But after circling the one-way maze of downtown Astoria a couple of times, the parking gods smiled on us and we snagged a curbside spot. 🎉 As we stepped inside, we were greeted by… a pigeon! 🐦 He didn’t take our order, but he hung out for any dropped crumbs.

Pigeon aside, the place was clean, the service was friendly, and the portions were huge—exactly what we needed! After demolishing our burritos, we strolled down the 14th Street Ferry Slip, just outside the restaurant, and enjoyed gorgeous views of river traffic and the spine-tingling Astoria-Megler Bridge 😳 A perfect little post-lunch walk!

Check out El Jarocho’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/eljarocho175

“Hey You Guys!” 🎥

An absolute highlight of our trip almost didn’t happen! I was texting with my son, Derrick, when he asked if we were going to visit the Goonie House. Wait—what?! I had no idea we were even close to it! Some travel planner I am 😂 So of course, we had to go! As you approach the neighborhood, you can’t miss the large sign directing Goonies: cars go right, pedestrians go left.

We parked near a beautiful B&B and hoofed it up the hill (ugh, uphill—my least favorite direction 🥵). Just two blocks and a steep little detour later, we stood in front of the iconic house! Crews were buzzing around and the house looked just like it did in the movie. I assumed it was being remodeled and updated, but nope—turns out it’s being restored to match its 1985 movie appearance, inside and out! I did a little (okay, a lot) of digging and discovered it was purchased in 2022 by superfan Behman Zakeri. He paid $1.65 million for the home and is bringing it back to its original Goonie glory in time for the 40th anniversary.

🤯 The old fence? Not being repaired—being installed to look old! I think it’s crazy, cool, and inspiring all at once. Follow your dreams, people! And yes, I now follow Mr. Zakeri on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goonieshome 🎉 Major congrats to him and his crew for saving the Goon Docks. Goonies everywhere are cheering! And remember: “Goonies never say die!” 🏴‍☠️