Turning left in Tacoma
I’ve stopped in Tacoma only three times in my life, either on the way to or coming from Seattle. In 1991, when my daughter Lisa was 4, we stopped at the Chuck E. Cheese on Tacoma Mall Boulevard. I remember that only because Lisa got momentarily separated from us. I stood at the door and...
Thankful for those who create public art
Nancy and I get to the Portland Art Museum about once a year and when we do, we usually go different directions. Last Sunday, she went upstairs and I went downstairs, and we met up about two hours later. Instead of looking at art, I decided to wander into the auditorium and listen to a...
Seeing some 'new' places in Portland
I’ve made countless trips up I-5 to Portland for nearly 40 years. Just when I think I’ve seen everything worth seeing in the City of Roses, I come across something I’ve never experienced. On Sunday night and Monday, Nancy and I celebrated her birthday in Portland. We visited two places in the city and one...
A beautiful day along the Alsea
About once a month, I get a profoundly visual reminder of what a beautiful state we live in. In September, it was a Labor Day hike at Silver Falls State Park. In October, it was a hike on Bald Hill in Corvallis. Today, it was a drive on Highway 34 southwest of Philomath, l Cómo...
McDonald-Dunn Forest hike brings back memory of story on former German POW
The McDonald-Dunn Research Forest northwest of Corvallis is a mid-valley jewel.
I was reminded of that on a recent hike with Nancy at the southern end of the forest off Oak Creek Road. We saw lots of bicyclists, runners, hikers and a few dogs.
Another state park gem: Champoeg
The only thing I could remember about Champoeg State Park was swimming there on a hot summer day in 1972.
When Nancy, Lisa, Anna and I camped there last weekend, no designated swimming area was to be found. Park officials don't want you to swim there.
Laid-back song for a laid-back lake
"Jamaica Farewell," the song that 46 ukulele players performed at least a half dozen times on Sunday afternoon at Lebanon's Cheadle Lake Park, kept replaying in my head as if my iPod were stuck on it.
Haven from the heat: Lewis Creek County Park
By 12:30 yesterday afternoon, Lewis Creek County Park's main parking lot had filled. It's the only lot I had ever used there, so I thought we were out of luck. But we followed a line of cars headed to the boat trailer parking lot on the east side of the park. There we found...
McKenzie River Trail tops the list
Of all the hikes I've taken this summer and last, my favorite has been the McKenzie River Trail.
The 26-mile trail stretches from the McKenzie Bridge area to just north of Clear Lake. It includes a loop around the lake.
An unexpected delight: Oceanside
The forecast for the north coast on Monday was for cloudy skies and a high of 60 degrees. Not bad, but certainly sweatshirt and jeans weather, I figured.
Beauty in our backyard: Bald Hill Natural Area
You get a great view from top of Bald Hill on a clear, sunny day.
Last Sunday, we could see south to Spencer Butte in Eugene. I was told we were at an elevation of 750 feet, so Marys Peak didn't loom as large as when we viewed it from the valley floor.
A closer look at Cascadia State Park
On Monday, we were looking for a new place to hike so we decided to head out to Cascadia State Park. We're glad we did.