Columbia Gorge

Our road trip to Oregon was initially going to be just along the Coastal Route. That changed when our nephew John and niece Jenny suggested we make the effort to head Northeast to the Columbia Gorge, home of close to fifty waterfalls. 

Google photos further encouraged me to change plans and include a couple of days in what turned out one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen. And thanks to our friend Doug, who hosted us the first two nights of our journey in Crescent City, we were given expert tips on how to make the most of our stay.

We camped for two nights in Ainsworth State Park, right next to the train tracks which made for interesting night noise. However we were also surrounded by deep forest, the majestic river and a deep sense of peace in all that nature.

Photo by Jen G

We had some fun water time both by falls and on a lake. And my grad school friend Jen was able to join us for a morning hike up to Horsetail Falls (all but Havana were up for a longer hike; she won out because the fuss bugs were not worth fighting that day)

While up on the Gorge, we stumbled upon a blueberry farm and another time a nice couple let the girls have a go on their paddle board. We ate dinner at a local place in Cascade Locks filled with artifacts and history of the original peoples of the area and the scrumptious homemade food left our bellies so full that we sleep like rocks in our tent that night.

I thought the area would be pretty and peaceful but I was not prepared for just how majestic and magnificent it was. Sadly, a few days after we left a reckless teenager tossed a firecracker into the dry, hot forest, setting the area ablaze. To this day the (Eagle Creek) fire has close to 50,000 acres and is only around 46% contained. Any fire is tragic but after having been graced with the beauty of the Columbia Gorge just a few days prior, all of our hearts felt heavy. We were humbly grateful that we were able to witness her grandiosity before she burned. 

Blueberry Heaven

One of reasons I love to travel is for the opportunity to get out of the daily routines of maya, which too often include schedules and times. Being able to let the day unfold, in it's own natural accord, is something I relish. And while there has to be some planning while traveling, I often leave many days open for "we'll see what happens." Because those moments often bring the highlights of the journey.

This proved true once more while frolicking around the Columbia Gorge area. We had decided in the morning to go for a drive. We thought Vista Point would be our destination but we were open to the road held in front of us. On that day, it held blueberries. Wonderful, juicy, fresh off the bush blueberries.

Blueberries are something the entire family loves but none of us had ever seen where or how they are grow. So when we caught sight of the "U Pick Blueberries" we pulled over immediately. The girls couldn't wait to get out of the car and get going, especially Havana, whom I often call my "Juicy blueberry girl!"

There was a self-serve farm stand at the small farm and we grabbed a metal tin that would allow us to fill it up for only $5.00. Even Monteray Market couldn't beat that! Of course, we ate our way through  and our family all agreed that we had never had tastier blueberries. They were small in size but packed with freshness and sweetness. They were simply the best blueberries. We later learned from the owner (who came out only to collect his money!), that he had been born on that land and his family had been there for several generations. 

When all was said and done we had a lot of fresh, juicy blueberries.We packed those delicious fruits in a gallon size ziplock bag and put them on ice in the cooler. We used them for pancakes the very next morning. Yum Yum! We were about two days home at that point so when we got home, I put the remaining in the freezer but not before I added some to smoothies. I am now hoarding them and doling them out sparingly. They are like gold to me. But more importantly, we have another great family memory in our hearts.

Blueberries as far as we could see!

Two Sister's on a Road Trip

Two Sisters went on a Road Trip over summer break.
They saw and did many new things and so many new memories they did make.

They saw things like old rail cars, 
and seals and sea lions, seen from afar.
They played amongst  1000 year old trees then went and felt the ocean's sweet breeze

Some days they did fight
in the morning and night
But on other days they played like friends who were close and tight.

They took off on their own at the campsite at Sunset Beach
Going further than ever out of their parent's reach. 

They made scavenger hunts for their parents to follow. 

They took hikes on beaches, to a lighthouse and to the top of a waterfall.

Sometimes they fussed and needed some coaxing. Sometimes they needed no persuading at all.

When the morning of their dad's birthday came they woke him with gifts and later that night they all shared his cake. 
And a few days later they tried paddling boarding on a lake. 

They fought, they loved, 
they laughed and cried.
Both mostly they were always side by side.

Amara
Havana
Two Small Gems
Two Sisters
Pals to the end.

   

Oregon Coast

In the seventeen years I have lived in California, I have long heard about the remote, rugged coastlines that lies north of the state border. It wasn't until last year however, that I felt the calling to go and see the Pacific Ocean in the North. Thankfully, my adventurous family was up for a road trip that would allow us to touch, explore, experience a place that we discovered felt welcomingly remote, ruggedly beautiful and full of surprises. Some days were foggy, other days sunny. Both brought deep breaths of awe at a coastline that is unique and inspiring.

For close to 300 miles, from Brookings to Tillamook (were were veered East) we drove, stopping randomly at beaches, beach towns and eateries, all the while having the sense that we were witnessing sea/landscape that welcomed the hearty and the confident. For many of the small towns were far and few between and many of the conveniences of modern civilization, like box stores and cell phone service lay somewhere east, over mountains and valleys.

As we drove North, I could feel the energy of those who first settled the land that met the ocean. I found myself a bit envious of life that while strenuous, was aligned with the natural world. I also couldn't help but wonder what it was like for the first Europeans to cross a harsh and challenging continent, ending in the vast Pacific Ocean. It felt to me that one would think they reached the end of the world; happy and content but with reality long settled in, that life along the Oregon Coast was not for the faint but for those who could appreciate all that encompassed the far removed place.
During our many stops, we found shells, jellyfish, crab, stones and a few human friends. The sea and rock seemed so much darker than what this East Coast native was used to on the Atlantic Ocean, some 3000 miles east.  And I fell in love; with all it.