At Karla's Smokehouse in Rockaway Beach,
the daily offerings are listed on the front door.

We've eaten really well from what we've picked up along the road. (That didn't come out quite right. I'm not talking about roadkill raccoons and skunks, of which there have been more than a few. We're not the Clampetts.)

We've watched for roadside stands, fish shacks, cheese plants, whatever we can find, to stop and pick up something fresh and local for dinner. Cooking it all up has been a tasty side project for the trip -- something you can't do in a hotel -- and it's time to report back again.

First, here are some places we stopped, and then I'll tell you what we made in our RV galley:

--Karla's Smokehouse, east side of Highway 101 on the north edge of Rockaway Beach. Karla is something of a legend on this coast, and people are bemoaning the fact that she keeps talking about retiring. We picked up a little hunk of pepper-and-garlic smoked salmon and some smoked tuna, both wafting spicy scents of alder and whatever else Karla uses in her secret smoker. We were surprised to learn that she doesn't use locally caught salmon, but buys sushi-grade salmon from Alaska and Canada. At least it's processed locally. We spent $10, and a little smoked fish goes a long way.

At the Tillamook cheese factory story, you'll find varieties rarely
seen in most supermarkets.

--Tillamook Cheese. Can't miss the cheese factory, on the north end of the town on east side of 101. It's tied to dairy farms all over the Tillamook and Nestucca valleys; wave to the providers as you drive past pastures of handsome Holsteins. Take the plant's self-guided tour if you want (and get an ice cream cone, for goodness sakes), then pick up some cheese for the trip. Barbara's find of the day: a cooler of cheese end-cuts, packed in bags and labeled to sell for about 30 percent off the regular price. "This is what you come to the factory for -- something you can't get anywhere else!" she crowed. "And who cares what cheese looks like?" They also have varieties you seldom see at Safeway, such as the Smoked Black Pepper White Cheddar and the Garlic White Cheddar we bought (and will be eating for weeks) for $4.29 a pound.

-- Bear Creek Artichokes. This farmstand a few miles south of Tillamook features produce in season (fresh local artichokes grown right here) and a big variety of housemade jams and such, with samples out for tasting. We picked up a jar of their Summer Garden Salsa ($3) and a carton of their spicy artichoke dip ($7), "all made right here!" according to "just Karen," who works there.

--Oregon Oyster Farms, 6878 Yaquina Bay Road, Newport. We heard about this place in advance and made the pilgrimage on a winding road far up Yaquina Bay from downtown Newport. And it was hugely worth it to a bivalve worshiper like me. The bay is famous for its oysters, and these came from a dockside shack far, far from the madding crowd (or any sort of industry or pollution source). A pint of freshly shucked, with my choice of large, medium, small or extra small, was $7. (We got small, which gave us 14 oysters.) Southbound, exit 101 to the right immediately before the bay bridge in Newport and bear left to the old town waterfront district on Bay Boulevard, which eventually becomes Yaquina Bay Road. It's about 6.5 miles from 101. Open 9-5 daily.

--Fresh crab. Just look for signs near any dock. We found ours at Sportsmen's Cannery, on the docks at Winchester Bay, south of Florence. One whole Dungeness crab, caught yesterday and cleaned while we waited, was $12.50.

What we made for dinner:

--Smoked-salmon quesadillas. Karla's salmon with melted Tillamook garlic cheddar, baby spinach leaves and fresh tomato, with Bear Creek salsa and a glass of Willamette Valley Vineyards riesling. The ocean view from our RV dinette was the dessert.

--Oyster Hoagie. Breaded and fried oysters on a roll with a dab of jalapeno tartar sauce, baby spinach leaves and fresh tomato. The oysters had that taste like you're walking the beach in a stiff wind and catching the salt spray on your tongue.

Crab tacos a la Victor.

--Crab tacos. Flash-sauteed that fresh crab in garlic butter, then rolled it into a flour tortilla with ripe avocado, Bear Creek artichoke dip, garlic cheese, baby spinach, tomato and salsa. With a Widmer Drop Top amber ale from Portland to wash it down, before curling up in the overhead berth with a warm cat and a good book.

Considering that only one of the two burners on our RV's propane stove will stay lit, and the odd combination microwave/convection oven tends to blow a circuit breaker if you keep it on for more than 30 seconds, I think we've done well.

And like I said earlier, if you'll pardon the expression: Burp