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PNW Backstories
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The Pacific Northwest is on everyone's list of "Let’s Go Places". Thanks to Toyota, we take you to any and all rural corners of the Pacific Northwest to hear the real stories of real people. We hope you will join us, like our page, and get ready for some adventure. Check out some of our featured videos here, showcasing real people, real stories.
Sumpter Oregon, An Inhabited Ghost Town
Sumpter Oregon is pretty famous in its own right. Located about 30 miles west of Baker City it's become a winter and summer place to play. It's quiet in the winter, just quiet enough to escape.
Real Tonic Made In Baker City Oregon
There's not a lot of real tonic water made in the world today. But in Baker City, this secret recipe is attracting people worldwide to the place where tonic water is far more than something to mix in a drink, although it also makes one heck of a great gin and tonic.
Snow Mobile Riders Translate into Economic Development in Rural Oregon
Snow mobile riders are a huge deal to many small rural towns in Eastern Oregon. The sport draws people from all over the West to these places where rugged terrain, snow, and peace and quiet make for prime snowmobiling country.
Barley Malt Man: Baker City Foodie Scene
It's hard to make good beer without malted barley. Around Eastern Oregon brewers know the local barley, malted by a former farmer, is what gives their beer its fine flavor. This is an amazing story of a guy filling a niche, making a living, but really doing it for all the right reasons.
Barley Brown’s Beer: One of Oregon’s Best
We love Barley Brown’s Beer. We liked it the first time we had it here in “the valley” and was darned excited to go to Baker City to tour the iconic rural brewery and meet its owners. Barley Brown is all about quality and community.
Cidermaker In Baker City
Fermentation is a way of life in Baker County. Beer has been a big deal for a while, and spirits are moving into the area, too. So it should surprise no one that cider is pressing its way into the market.
Baker City Winemaker
Think of award-winning winemakers and Baker City might not be on the top of your list. But that's changing for many people. Sure, there's only one winemaker here, but it’s worth the road trip for many fans.
Dale Beatty Craft Furniture Maker: Halfway Oregon
Downtown Halfway Oregon would not be the place it is today without artist Dale Beatty and his wife. Their fingerprints are on literally everything in town, as we found out when we stopped at their winter home, an old church, right in downtown Halfway.
Cornucopia Lodge: Remote, Wild, Oregon
The Cornucopia Lodge is simply outstanding. The food is great, the comfy rooms/cabins quaint, and the scenery Oregon's best. Go here when you want to stay as far away from the world as one can get.
Ghost Town Snowshoeing Cornucopia
Cornucopia is an old ghost town at the end of a road way up past Halfway Oregon. There's a beautiful lodge and cabins you can rent nearby but we took the opportunity to slip on our snowshoes and go for a hike around the ghost town. Here's what we found.
Cowboy Riverfront Retreat "The Bunkhouse"
Can you find Joseph, Oregon on the map? If so, check out the Cowboy Riverfront Retreat. Judy, the owner, knows the town. And her place, less than a mile from town, sits out in the country, under giant mountains. Here's a tour of the "Bunkhouse" room.
Terminal Gravity Brewery Give-Away
While traveling the Hells Canyon Byway, brewery Terminal Gravity in Enterprise Oregon called to say they'd like to give something to our Getaway Adventure Package. We love when the local…
Hidden LaGrand Landmark: Landing Hotel & Dining
From the outside you know the Landing Hotel and Dining is special. A “gift” that became a labor of love, it’s now open to all LaGrand visitors and locals. Take a little tour.
Wallowa Tractor Collector Master FB
Meet a man who is addicted to collecting old farming stuff. This kind of addiction is in his blood, but his hobby serves a purpose.
BikeRail Ride
Hear from the “Rail Queen” as she talks about how this spontaneous project got off the ground and why this innovative business is bringing people to their area.
Old Family Farm "Sweet"
Many of the original landowners in Langlois Oregon still have property in their family names. We found a family that makes sweet success out of niche markets.
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