Wednesday - Columbia River Gorge

I had made it full circle and was safely back in Portland. Not it was time to explore the gorge. I had three landmarks to see and do before I started my trip. On Saturday, when it felt like I had been gone a week, I still hadn't done any. Then I rafted, saw the big crater, and now it was time for the big falls, Multnomah. On the way I did stop and see Bridal Veil falls (I need to count up the lighthouses, rivers, mountains, and falls I saw at some point). Multnomah falls were the tallest of the falls I saw and the most picturesque though hard to capture fully without a ton of tourists in the way. Continuing up the river I had lunch in the town of Mt. Hood. I have to say I ate at some of prettiest places I could imagine. Overlooking the river you could see people kite sailing and sailboarding. After lunch I went down to take a closer look. The river was so incredibly windy, I could never imagine rowing on it. I did briefly considering coming back and kayaking on Thursday, but I got over that after I watched the choppy water for awhile and decided one way would be easy the other, really tough.

Tuesday

Tuesday was pretty much a travel day. I started off going through the town of Sisters which was supposed to have lots of cute little shops. It did, but I went through too early to enjoy them. I was ok with that, I already had wine to take home with me, didn't need anything more.
I then made my way to Clear Lake and Saquamie (?) Falls. Since I wasn't in a hurry, and I wasn't sneezing anymore, I decided to hike from the lake to the falls. I was getting to the point where I would look at the map of the trail, length, and difficulty to decided if seeing one more waterfall was worth it. It's was a lovely hike, first looking at the clear, clear lake than walking along side the river listening to the rapids. The falls were definitely worth seeing. Notice the rainbow in the picture.

I then headed to Portland. I thought I would go through Salem but the GPS took me through the ___ forest and Mt. Hood Forest along side the ___ river. It was a beautiful drive, full of the views I had come to Oregon for. The only downfall was the lack of gas stations and my dwindling tank. I made it through though, impressed with the Nissan Versa.

Crater Lake

So, I feel like I've been a bad blogger this trip. There was just so much to see, so many hikes, driving, that by the time I got to my hotel room, I was just beat. Plus there was the annoyance that for a few days when I sent my emails to post, they'd come back the next day as delayed. So here I am, on the long flight to Atlanta catching up on my posts and arranging/cleaning up my photos.

I have to say one enjoyable thing about Oregon was that they have no sales tax. I have been planning for months to buy a new laptop when I got back from vacation. Figure out the tax savings on that major investment, plus the convenience of an Apple Store, and you'll understand why I'm typing this on my new laptop. I managed to add it, plus two bottles of wine to my baggage with no problem.

If you don't know, that gorgeous blue lake in the picture is Crater Lake. As blue as it may seem in the picture, it's bluer. It is amazing, huge, blue, clear, I could go on. I have two travel quests, one is a water sport in every state (I"m up to11) the other is the National Parks (I'm up to 4 stamps in my park passport). If you look closely at pictures of the lake, you'll see some white streaks across it, that's pine pollen. Apparently, I am highly allergic to it. I enjoyed my day, not so sure the people around me did. Since at first I thought I was catching a cold from rafting I decided to hike up to the highest point and not hike down to the lake. I felt the view from the top would be the more memorable. That's my excuse at least. I hear that the hike down is ok, but it's straight back up. That does not sound like fun, even to be able to say I did it. I rafted, I hike up to the lighthouse, I hiked to the highest point in Portland, I could let one hike slide. I also took the trolley ride around the lake. It was two hours long and a ranger talked the whole time. I love listening to the rangers talk about their parks. The history of the park, hearing how the crater was formed, talking about the water and the experiments being done on it, hearing the native american lore, it was perfect.

On my way to the lake I traveled through the Rogue Forest and stopped to see falls on the way. Also well worth it.

I then made my way up to Bend for the night.

Sunday rafting

I'm going to write this, hopefully it will post, if not I'll post it tonight.
So... Sunday was devoted to rafting, seems like two thirds of the Griffiths had the same idea, just different rivers. Mine was the Rogue River, I have to look at a map but the shop was in merlin, they took me to galice where we continued down the river.
In my usual style I called that morning to see if there was room for me. The company had been recommended to me the day before on my wine trek. They did have room for me on the half day trip, perfect. Well.... Not that I'm prejudiced at all, but when I got there I found out it was a group of 16 Indians(?) and me. Uh oh, they were having a great time together getting ready, loud and in a language I didn't understand. I was there for the experience right, so no problem. Thankfully when we got off the shuttle he owner stopped me and the guides and said he was putting me on the raft that had started out that morning Nd we were joining up with. It was a family with three rowdy boys, and an older couple, I fit in perfectly. The guide, Richard, was great he joked with the boys, even dumped them a time or two. I could have taken a turn in the single kayak but I really didn't feel like having to think too much. Rafting was fun, a lazy ride down the river punctuated by minutes of thrilling white water. The large group, as predicted, had a great time with water fights the whole time. They did a lot more paddling then we did, which a guide at lunch said was actually a problem because the weren't on sync and he couldn't row. Guides had oars, we had paddles :) when we got close to the end Richard made some lasting memories for the boys and me by "eddying out" in the middle of some rapids so we could water gun attack the other boats. After he let them get way ahead of us he pulled over and let them rock jump, asking how we felt about rules and regulations. The bravest I got was to float for a bit outside the raft, purposefully, I didn't fall out. That water was breathtakingly cold! Wow!
A good day :$
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Another catch up post

Apparently my last two catch up posts were delayed in cyber space, hopefully they're up by now. When I left off last I was planning to lazily make my way down the coast. I started my day with a 10 mile side trip to see drift creek falls. I always say I don't like driving in the suburbs because 10 miles should take 10 minutes. I seems the mountains are similarly times as the burbs, but the scenery more than makes up for it. After I made it to the parking lot, there was the mile and a half hike to the falls. Not the prettiest falls, but I'm glad I stopped to see them. I saw 3 lighthouses, the devils punchbowl, and many cute little coastal towns. I had to go a little further than I planned that night but I ended up in Reedsport that night. Let me tell you the "family restaurant" there was unlike any I'd ever seen. I was expecting the village inn, nope this is Oregon. The specials included salmon, bison, etc artfully prepared. I planned on breakfast there the next day for the Marionberry stuffed French toast, I went lighter instead and had fresh blueberry pancakes, yum. Yesterday I made my way inland to Grants pass. The place my mom said she could have lived. I can understand that, it was a nice town. I spent the afternoon south of there on the Applegate wine trail. I only made it to 4 wineries, but that was plenty. Along the way I met lots of interesting, friendly people who advised my on what rafting company to use today and at one winery the server actually called around and made my hotel reservation for last night. Now that's service :) I ended up staying in the cutest town, Jacksonville, it says it's a gold rush town. I just asked to stay another night since I plan to be very tired after my long awaited rafting trip. I'm so excited and actually I'd better get going. More later, hopefully, if I don't get swept down the rogue river.

Thursday was a long day, which I knew it would be, so it was ok. I picked up my rental car bright and early. Well not bright, it was a foggy day an it never burned off. Today it looking like more of the same. I drove right by Mt. St. Helens and couldn't even see it. One of those kinds of days. I started my coastal wanderings up north in Astoria. I stopped by the maritime museum and learned the history of the Columbia river and the graveyard of the pacific which is the sand bar at the mouth of the river. I then went down to Ecola state park and the Tillamook lighthouse it's a mile offshore, so it's look but don't touch. Remember the fog? Made looking a little tough.  I did hike up to a lookout point closer to it and above it. Before I took the last little trail, after 1.5 miles straight up, I asked people coming out of that was the way. I was warned that it was but all you can see is fog, but they said I'd made it that far can't go back now. They were right it was a white curtain 5ft in front of me. Oh well the hike through the Sitka spruce forest was incredible, felt prehistoric with the mist everywhere. From there it was next door to cannon beach to see the haystack rock pictured here. They also ha cute little shops and lunch! I needed it, steamer clams, French fries, yum.  Unfortunately my car got scratched in the parking lot while I was there. So small that I wouldn't have bothered with it at home, probably, but it was a rental so I called for a police report. A witness and the guys who did it left notes which made it easier but they had the guy come back and the whole thing took close to an hour, not fun, but it's done. I stopped in Tillamook for highly recommended ice cream on my way to my hotel and called it a day. Today, a very slow unplanned day that's starting with a plum almond scone, latte, and blogging.

Wednesday, as its now Friday

Notice I have not felt compelled to blog on a timely manner. I'm on vacation after all. :) Wednesday was a day to get my legs back in two pieces, they were trashed after my Tuesday hike. But of course I couldn't just sit... That would be silly. I went up to the Rose test garden, which reminded me of Butchart Gardens, but instead of one of every kind of rose imaginable, the test grades had rows of the same kind of roses. It makes quite an impact. I then went up the hill to the japanese garden. Very nicely done and very serene. Continuing up the hill, the same hill I climbed on, on Wednesday, I went to the zoo. I think I'm becoming a zoo connoisseur, and this one was great. It was lunchtime so I was going to grab a quick bit before wondering around. I had a huge chef salad and since it's Portland, a beer. They actually encourage you to take it to go and walk around the zoo with it. I think I liked this zoo so much because it was very naturalistic and focused on animals native to the area. Plus it was the perfect size, not too wimpy or too big. I finished the day at a funky southern restaurant with the other Jan. A family friend a haven't seen in years. We had a great time catching up and exchanging stories about our parents. I learned a few things...

Wednesday

I'm going to sit for a moment in the beautiful rose garden and remember all I did yesterday. Thankfully I took notes during dinner when I want people watching. I've decided the best way to have dinner while traveling is to pick a restaurant with outside seating and a happy hour menu. It seems like they put the best stuff on the menu with the right portion size since leftovers would be a pain. Of course my salad last night  wasn't on that menu but I couldn't resist the brewery smoked salmon, this is the northwest after all. They know their salmon and their beer, yum! Now back to my afternoon hike. So... I read about this 4T trail. It makes a loop up to the highest point in Portland using the train, tram (aerial) trolley and trekking would be the last T. At the crest you can see Mt. Hood, Mount St. Helens, Mt Adams and some other mountain I forget.  The trek was a 4 mile hike up a mountain with the crest in the middle of it. I, of course, had to do it my way and started at the other end thinking it would be a shorter hike, it might have been but it was still 2 miles of up and down hiking to get to the crest and then I took the "urban shortcut" back to where I started. It didn't seem like much of a shortcut but I got to see amazing houses on the hill including on that looked perched on a 30 foot pole with the driveway being a bridge to the house. Hmmm... Cool, great view, but not the house for me. I then took the sky tram down the hill and the trolley back downtown. I made all 4 Ts. Went back to my hotel after a little more downtown rambling and I was completely exhausted.

Another catch up post

Apparently my last two catch up posts were delayed in cyber space, hopefully they're up by now.
When I left off last I was planning to lazily make my way down the coast. I started my day with a 10 mile side trip to see drift creek falls. I always say I don't like driving in the suburbs because 10 miles should take 10 minutes. I seems the mountains are similarly times as the burbs, but the scenery more than makes up for it. After I made it to the parking lot, there was the mile and a half hike to the falls. Not the prettiest falls, but I'm glad I stopped to see them. I saw 3 lighthouses, the devils punchbowl, and many cute little coastal towns. I had to go a little further than I planned that night but I ended up in Reedsport that night. Let me tell you the "family restaurant" there was unlike any I'd ever seen. I was expecting the village inn, nope this is Oregon. The specials included salmon, bison, etc artfully prepared. I planned on breakfast there the next day for the Marionberry stuffed French toast, I went lighter instead and had fresh blueberry pancakes, yum.

Yesterday I made my way inland to Grants pass. The place my mom said she could have lived. I can understand that, it was a nice town. I spent the afternoon south of there on the Applegate wine trail. I only made it to 4 wineries, but that was plenty. Along the way I met lots of interesting, friendly people who advised my on what rafting company to use today and at one winery the server actually called around and made my hotel reservation for last night. Now that's service :)
I ended up staying in the cutest town, Jacksonville, it says it's a gold rush town. I just asked to stay another night since I plan to be very tired after my long awaited rafting trip. I'm so excited and actually I'd better get going.
More later, hopefully, if I don't get swept down the rogue river.

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Fwd: Wednesday, as it's now Friday

>
> Notice I have not felt compelled to blog on a timely manner. I'm on vacation after all. :)
> Wednesday was a day to get my legs back in two pieces, they were trashed after my Tuesday hike. But of course I couldn't just sit... That would be silly. I went up to the Rose test garden, which reminded me of Butchart Gardens, but instead of one of every kind of rose imaginable, the test grades had rows of the same kind of roses. It makes quite an impact.
>
> I then went up the hill to the japanese garden. Very nicely done and very serene.
>
> Continuing up the hill, the same hill I climbed on, on Wednesday, I went to the zoo. I think I'm becoming a zoo connoisseur, and this one was great. It was lunchtime so I was going to grab a quick bit before wondering around. I had a huge chef salad and since it's Portland, a beer. They actually encourage you to take it to go and walk around the zoo with it. I think I liked this zoo so much because it was very naturalistic and focused on animals native to the area. Plus it was the perfect size, not too wimpy or too big.
>
> I finished the day at a funky southern restaurant with the other Jan. A family friend a haven't seen in years. We had a great time catching up and exchanging stories about our parents. I learned a few things...
>
>

Fwd: Thursday

>
> Thursday was a long day, which I knew it would be, so it was ok. I picked up my rental car bright and early. Well not bright, it was a foggy day an it never burned off. Today it looking like more of the same. I drove right by Mt. St. Helens and couldn't even see it. One of those kinds of days. I started my coastal wanderings up north in Astoria. I stopped by the maritime museum and learned the history of the Columbia river and the graveyard of the pacific which is the sand bar at the mouth of the river.
> I then went down to Ecola state park and the Tillamook lighthouse it's a mile offshore, so it's look but don't touch. Remember the fog? Made looking a little tough. I did hike up to a lookout point closer to it and above it. Before I took the last little trail, after 1.5 miles straight up, I asked people coming out of that was the way. I was warned that it was but all you can see is fog, but they said I'd made it that far can't go back now. They were right it was a white curtain 5ft in front of me. Oh well the hike through the Sitka spruce forest was incredible, felt prehistoric with the mist everywhere.
> From there it was next door to cannon beach to see the haystack rock pictured here. They also ha cute little shops and lunch! I needed it, steamer clams, French fries, yum. Unfortunately my car got scratched in the parking lot while I was there. So small that I wouldn't have bothered with it at home, probably, but it was a rental so I called for a police report. A witness and the guys who did it left notes which made it easier but they had the guy come back and the whole thing took close to an hour, not fun, but it's done.
> I stopped in Tillamook for highly recommended ice cream on my way to my hotel and called it a day.
> Today, a very slow unplanned day that's starting with a plum almond scone, latte, and blogging.
>

Thursday

Thursday was a long day, which I knew it would be, so it was ok. I picked up my rental car bright and early. Well not bright, it was a foggy day an it never burned off. Today it looking like more of the same. I drove right by Mt. St. Helens and couldn't even see it. One of those kinds of days. I started my coastal wanderings up north in Astoria. I stopped by the maritime museum and learned the history of the Columbia river and the graveyard of the pacific which is the sand bar at the mouth of the river.
I then went down to Ecola state park and the Tillamook lighthouse it's a mile offshore, so it's look but don't touch. Remember the fog? Made looking a little tough. I did hike up to a lookout point closer to it and above it. Before I took the last little trail, after 1.5 miles straight up, I asked people coming out of that was the way. I was warned that it was but all you can see is fog, but they said I'd made it that far can't go back now. They were right it was a white curtain 5ft in front of me. Oh well the hike through the Sitka spruce forest was incredible, felt prehistoric with the mist everywhere.
From there it was next door to cannon beach to see the haystack rock pictured here. They also ha cute little shops and lunch! I needed it, steamer clams, French fries, yum. Unfortunately my car got scratched in the parking lot while I was there. So small that I wouldn't have bothered with it at home, probably, but it was a rental so I called for a police report. A witness and the guys who did it left notes which made it easier but they had the guy come back and the whole thing took close to an hour, not fun, but it's done.
I stopped in Tillamook for highly recommended ice cream on my way to my hotel and called it a day.
Today, a very slow unplanned day that's starting with a plum almond scone, latte, and blogging.

Wednesday, as it's now Friday

Notice I have not felt compelled to blog on a timely manner. I'm on vacation after all. :)
Wednesday was a day to get my legs back in two pieces, they were trashed after my Tuesday hike. But of course I couldn't just sit... That would be silly. I went up to the Rose test garden, which reminded me of Butchart Gardens, but instead of one of every kind of rose imaginable, the test grades had rows of the same kind of roses. It makes quite an impact.

I then went up the hill to the japanese garden. Very nicely done and very serene.

Continuing up the hill, the same hill I climbed on, on Wednesday, I went to the zoo. I think I'm becoming a zoo connoisseur, and this one was great. It was lunchtime so I was going to grab a quick bit before wondering around. I had a huge chef salad and since it's Portland, a beer. They actually encourage you to take it to go and walk around the zoo with it. I think I liked this zoo so much because it was very naturalistic and focused on animals native to the area. Plus it was the perfect size, not too wimpy or too big.

I finished the day at a funky southern restaurant with the other Jan. A family friend a haven't seen in years. We had a great time catching up and exchanging stories about our parents. I learned a few things...

Taking a moment

First morning

Travel went great yesterday, but since I got to my hotel after midnight, it was weird this morning waking up in a city that I hadn't even seen the night before.
For those of you not on Facebook, The pres is continuing to stalk me. My first email getting off the plan was warning me that he was in town and that traffic might be crazy. I took the train downtown this am instead of renting a car so it didn't effect me. It did go right by the convention center and Portland is definitely more cautious than Davenport. Of course since it seems like the candidates practically live in Iowa we're probably more used to it.
So far I've had a breakfast of a voodoo doughnut and stumptown coffee, walked around in Powell bookstore and the surrounding Pearl neighborhood. I was brave and ate a snack at a food cart, not so brave with my choice of hummus and pita.

Sent from my iPhone