When is a job not a job? If you were to chart it out, I guess it would be somewhere near where the Y axis (what you love to do) and the X axis (what you’re paid to do) intersect. As one who loves food and travel, that intersection for me is an annual getaway called “On the Road with Oregon Bounty.” Here’s the assignment: go spend seven days in Oregon’s seven different regions, meet interesting people in the culinary world, and produce a video diary of your adventures. Rough duty.

In early August, I set out with a camera crew on a 1,200-mile journey that covered just about every corner of the state. Along the way I learned how to grow and make biodynamic wines, caught a salmon five miles out at sea, and dropped in on a farmers market with a chef and craft brewer, among other escapades.

All the while, I dragged along “special correspondent” Sean McGrath, who researched and reported on interesting side stories each day. I quickly learned that journalism wasn’t necessarily Sean’s forte, unless you were to use the words “bumbling” and “reporter” in the same sentence. I was initally impressed to learn that Sean was a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism. Unfortunately, it was the one in Bogata, not New York City, and I’m pretty sure Sean doesn’t speak Spanish…at all. So, his approach to these stories was, well, unconventional, to say the least.

My regional reports, along with Sean’s antics, will be posted daily beginning September 27. I’ll also be adding a companion blog that will go live each day. Check back later in September to enjoy the whole series.

I think you’ll see what a tough job it really was. But, you know what? Somebody had to do it.