FRANCIS YOU GOONIE!!!!!

I got an early start on my day. Sharshalla had awoken at 6AM to get an early start on his bike ride; I awoke as he knocked his bike against the door frame leaving our room. We said a few words and I wished him good luck on his ride, and he wished me luck on my journey. I was ready to tackle all The Goonie sites, which would encompass a very long day of walking and countless picture taking. I wanted to rent a bike, to be a real dork, and do The Goonie ride from the Walsh’s house all the way to Cannon beach, but unfortunately it would have cost me $25 so I passed on it.  

I started at the very start of the film, at the old Clatsop County Jail where the Mamma and Francis Fratelli are springing Jake from his incarceration. I was surprised to find that right across the street is where a deleted scene involving Mr. Walsh and his Museum was shot. The whole time I was walking about all I could hear in my head was the opening song that sets the pace for The Goonies. I took a turn around the side of the Jail and came out on 8th St and to my surprise was the very spot where Chunk smashes his pizza and milkshake against the window. It made me laugh just thinking about it. I then started down Marine drive kept thinking about The Goonies, and keeping a look out for any thing familiar. I took a few turns and before I knew it, I was in front of the high school where Annie was a Cheerleader. I was a bit out of luck because there was either a practice going on, or a football game taking place, so I couldn’t get onto the field to take a picture, but it sure added to the feel of the movie, like I was living it. Then continuing on, I walked down 30 to 37th St where I found the intersection Rosalita was almost run over at, and in another deleted scene where the whole Goonie gang stops to fill up on supplies. Then it was time for the crème de la crème, the Holy Grail itself, the legendary lair of the Goonies, the Walsh house, or more commonly refered to as the Goonie house.

It was a rather surreal experience standing in front of it at the bottom of the hill. I had always wanted to come here as a kid and live my own adventure, and now I was, of the sorts. As I approached the drive, a group of people were coming down, I though perhaps they owned the house, but no they turned out to be tourist who came to pose in front of the house. Walking up the steep incline I replayed the movie over and over in my head trying to compare what it once looked like to now. When I finally got to the top I just stared at it for a minute. It’s odd how such an inconspicuous house and a seemingly cheap movie could have such an impact on someone’s life. I stepped back and started clicking away with my camera. I then swung around took a few of the Data’s house, the blue house next door that doesn’t appear to have been touched since the movie was made, only a little faded. I then walked over to the edge of the hill and looked on at Astoria, turning to look down the drive, which I thought appeared a lot steeper in the movie.

I just sat there for a bit at the top of hill staring at the house and taking it all in. I’m sure the owners must have wondered what the hell this guy was doing staring at their house for so long, but I didn’t care. Then at the bottom of the drive a minivan pulled up and four guys popped out and ran up. They saw me standing there and one of the guys asked me if it was indeed the Goonie house, to which I replied “Yep this it, although it looks a lot different, the fences missing, and the porch has been extended out to the front, its also a different color.” I was very enthusiastic to share my knowledge of the Goonie house with them, I guess so much so that one of them turned to me and asked “Do you work here?” I was flattered by his comment and replied with “No but I stayed at a Holliday Inn Express last night!” I thought it was funny but my humor seemed to pass over his head, so I said “No, no I’m just kidding, I have just seen the movie more times than I can count.” The group then asked me take there picture in front of the house, and I happily obliged them.

In front of the house lie an old chest, almost looked like a treasure chest, with a sign on it that said “cold drinks” as if to capitalize on the Goonie house. Then there was a sign next to it asking to leave a dollar in the mailbox if you took one. A souvenir of sorts, from the one and only Goonie house. I placed a dollar in the box and took two Pepsi’s, one to drink and one to make a shrine out of when I return home.

I then looked out onto Astoria bay and took it all in one last time. It was now that I regretted not renting a bike for $25, so I could get the whole Goonie experience by riding from the house, all the way to Cannon Beach, and Ecola state park.

I hoped back in my car and drove about 30 miles down the road to Cannon Beach. It wasn’t what I expected at first, it had been all built up and touristy. Condos, hotels, and restaurants now adorned the beach front. This made finding a parking space quite precarious as tourist with children and animals ran about.

I didn’t know where to enter the beach from so I just started walking toward the sounds of the Pacific Ocean and following the ever growing crowd of tourist. I turned a corner and there in the early morning mist it protruded out of the ocean, the third largest natural monolith in the world, Haystack Rock. It was quite breathe taking to see it, Goonies aside, and I just stared at it with a giant grin on my face. I then took off my socks and shoes rolled up the bottoms of my pants and started walking along the cold pacific shore line toward the massive rock.

The smile on my face must have been way to apparent, because I was stopped by a group of three girls who laughed at me and one spoke up saying “You are having way to good a time at the beach.” I laughed back and told them all about my journeys across the country and how ecstatic I was to sea the Pacific Ocean and dunk my feet in it for the first time.  

As I continued down the beach toward Haystack Rock, the morning mist began to lift, and the sun came out from behind the clouds burning down upon me. I took a seat near a large piece of driftwood, removing my jacket, and just sat there sunning my self as I gazed at the massive rock. As I sat there, the tide began to roll out, revealing a path to the rock’s rocky shore. I walked over to it taking notice to all the little sea creatures that had been left behind and stranded in the quick retreat of the ocean. I spent the next few hours walking up and down the 7 mile stretch of Cannon beach.

Just a little bit north of Cannon beach lies Ecola state park were the entrance to it played a big part in the Goonies. The road up to the cliff face was winding and tight and treacherous, but the It led to an amazing view from the top. I ended up staying there to watch my first brilliant sunset over the Pacific.