Text : “Skid” Marx Photos: Clara Foleen and Manual Phocus
Saturday, October 22nd dawned overcast and wet (ask me how I know…), and, fortunately, the weather actually improved (if only marginally) so that most JOCO members could exercise their favoured mounts with a jolly jaunt in and around Clackamas County in search of the often elusive perfect glass of apple cider.
Ably organized and lead by Seth Shenker, a baker’s dozen club members gathered for the hunt – er – drive-out. Meeting at the “Shears to You” parking lot in Oregon City, directions were handed out to those of us who did not have I-phones with which to download the route directions. Fortunately, with a smaller number of cars, it was easy to keep the group together, even though there were a series of major intersections to negotiate, and a large-ish number of left turns required to complete the route.
While we were underway, there were about three areas where there was a light misting that splattered windscreens requiring wipers to be used for a short time. However, no “shower” lasted any appreciable length of time, and never “matured” into anyone’s idea of rain.
Driving time was almost exactly an hour, and deep in the hinterlands of Clackamas County (although relatively close to Estacada) we pulled into the (gravel) parking lot of Stone Circle Cider (36797 S. E. Kemp Rd., Estacada, Oregon 97023). It was nice to stretch our legs and take in the view of the hillsides dotted with apple trees (surprise!), a pond, and the tasting room (nestled between an equipment shed and a residential dwelling). A few other patrons were already enjoying their choices of cider, and the tour group members immediately set about deciding which delicacy looked the most enticing. Or, one could decide to be a bit more adventurous and sample several varieties where one could taste a spectrum of “sweet” ciders, go the opposite direction and try a variety of “dry” ciders, or “mix and match” flight of four two ounce “samplers” for a more general overview of the available libations.
There are several graphics upon the walls of the tasting room to help guests visualize the types of apples from which the various ciders were pressed. The room itself featured a sloping roof which, at the short end, would not have comfortably accommodated anyone whose stature would have exceeded roughly six feet three inches.
We “sampled” for a bit over an hour, after which some participants departed seeking a dinner venue. A few found their way to the Stone Cliffe Inn where they had fortuitously made reservations, and others opted for a well-known local steak house. Some of us simply headed home for popcorn and a favorite movie on DVD.
Thank you, Seth, for setting up a fun afternoon’s drive with a seasonal “liquid refreshment” theme.
