John Regan’s Offbeat Observations

It's always exciting to read the comments that our readers are inspired to write after enjoying e-Marginalia travel features, but some really stand out. We'd like to share Daniel Lee's recent reaction to John Regan's "The Best Worst Weather".

Being from New England, where we enjoy some of the ‘best’ worst weather anywhere, I wanted to express how much I enjoyed John Regan’s article, The Best Worst Weather. Seeing that the Pacific Northwest is one of the few regions in this country that I have not experienced first-hand I found myself more and more curious about Astoria and the surrounding area, its offerings and its people, while reading this refreshingly descriptive article. John, like my wife and I (both adventurous car travelers) seems to appreciate beauty where it is not always obvious. Anyone can spend a bundle of money to stay at an all-inclusive resort and live in an imaginary world for a week. But to venture out and discover real people and real places can sometimes take little more than a working vehicle and an eagerness to see the value in simple every day life, which can quite often be extraordinary. John reminds us that real beauty can be found almost anywhere. Whether it’s a gritty coastal town, vacation destinations during the off-season, college towns when school is not in session, working-class mill towns where real people live and survive, or even at the end of a tavern in Astoria. Whether you’re in Oregon or Maine, rain or shine, sometimes the true beauty in this country lies just under the surface. The writer of this article was able to lightly scratch Astoria, a place dear to his heart, and share it with the rest of us in his own way. I hope to learn more about the small towns of the Pacific Northwest for an overdue visit, and would also love to read more of John Regan’s offbeat observations and experiences.

Aside from sharing Lee's appreciation for John Regan's traveling, observing and writing style, we couldn't have articulated any more clearly this essential truth: "Anyone can spend a bundle... to stay at an all-inclusive resort and live in an imaginary world for a week. But to venture out and discover real people and real places can... often be extraordinary."