We have been staying with my (Austin) dad's sister and family here. They have a lovely home with a huuugge backyard and three fuzzy kitties.
Besides lots of sleeping in and recharging from our 14 hour drive day San Francisco to Portland, we have also had plenty of time to catch up with with family. My cousin Julie still lives at home, and getting to see her has been a major blast to the past. Julie and I recounted memories of sleeping out on the trampoline under the Oregon sky, an epic trip to Washington DC as kids, and many adventurous family reunions. The time in Portland has been so recharging and enjoyable, to the point that Kindra and I decided to stay a few extra days :)
Today is Friday, and it is Kindra's 25th birthday!!! (A quarter century, right? I am looking into retirement homes for her, any suggestions? :) We hit the road for a hiking adventure in the Columbia Gorge, one of Portland's great beauties. First stop, the Oneonta Gorge, where a 0.3 mile hike along a creek and through chest deep water in a canyon led to a gorgeous eighty or so foot waterfall with a swimming hole to boot. Of course, Kindra and I did the hike barefoot, and paid for it with painful steps along the way. But the waterfall was more than worth it, and we swam in the frigid water by the falls to our heart's content. The highlights included swimming under the waterfall and climbing behind it, and Kindra scaling a rock wall nearby with a rewarding ten foot jump. Sooooo fun. We then hiked/jogged along a trail at Multnomah Falls, and came back into town for a sushi dinner with a giant 'Samari Boat' of food and cake afterwards for Kindra :) Tomorrow we will stay in Portland, and then head to Vancouver Sunday and spend the night camping in the mountains nearby. Monday leads us to 100 Mile House British Columbia, where our stay with Sherry at Eagle Tree Farm begins!
A great stop on the way to Portland was Crater Lake. Breathtaking.
Here's a link to more pictures from our SF and Portland trip: https://picasaweb.google.com/117860913937238604610/RoadTripSFAndPortlandia
No comments:
Post a Comment