On the Go with NW Kid Chaser - NW Kid Chaser

Marvelous Mary's Peak...

1/25/2015

Yesterday's clear skies were the only motivation our family needed to visit Mary's Peak, just outside Corvallis. The views from the 4,097 feet summit (the highest point in Oregon’s Coast Range) were absolutely amazing! Looking across the valley we could see snow capped Mt. Hood, Mt. Jefferson, Three Sisters, and even Mt. Bachelor.

There are a variety of "paths" to the summit. We traveled the "Meadowedge Trail" and found it perfect for families. Not too long/not too short (1.8 mile loop), includes both forest and meadow, picnic tables at the ready for snacks at both trail head and summit: Ideal for young explorers and parents.

To get there: From Salem, travel time is approx. 1 hour 15 minutes. Take I-5 South to Hwy 34 (through Corvallis and Philomath). After passing through Philomath, follow the brown information signs north onto Mary's Peak Road. Once driving up the mountain, you'll come upon Conner’s Camp (5.5 mile loop hiking trail to summit from this point). Keep going another 3 miles and you'll see a paved road to your right that leads to the Mary's Peak campground. Once you've entered the campground, take the left loop and you'll see a place to park and a picnic table just right of the trailhead map. 50 feet after entering the forest, you'll see the sign (below).

Once on the trail, it is easy to navigate. Take water, snacks, a camera to capture the view and give yourself plenty of time to explore the beautiful trees along the path and the joy of the summit. This trail is a highlight of the mid-Willamette Valley.

Newport Family Fun...

8/31/2014

Our family made a quick beach-run a few weeks ago. It was a good way to beat the summer heat of the Valley. Here's a map that shows you a few of our favorite spots in Newport:

Oregon Coast Aquarium

Hatfield Marine Science Center

Mo's at Newport's Bayfront

Newport Candy Shoppe

Odell Lake ...

8/4/2014

I'm woefully behind in blogging about Spring Break 2014.
It really was great fun. We traveled to Odell Lake and learned why so many Oregonians love the area for recreation.

Here's the gang - looking out over the Lake early one morning.

We traveled to Odell Lake Lodge & Resort with our neighbors and enjoyed canoeing, hiking, and cross country skiing. One large cabin was just the right size for three families of adults & children. The kids piled into one room with bunk beds. Families took turns preparing the evening meal. We all stayed up late playing games & talking.

Boat and ski rental is available from the Lodge. A number of trails depart from the lodge into the forest. Sadly, when we were there, there wasn't enough snow to ski. However, just a short drive down the road, we found plenty of snow (and a great family trail) at nearby Gold Lake Sno-Park.

The main trail at Gold Lake is a straight road lined with beautiful trees. Best part: The kids can ski ahead and still stay within sight. Half a mile from the gate is a gentle slope: easy to climb and fun to descend. Turn right at the top of the slope and you'll make a medium-sized loop back to the road. This is a great location for those new to cross country skiing and learning to glide.

We'll be back!

Welcome Swifts...

8/12/2013

Late last week, near our home, my family spotted a small colony of swifts taking up residence in a nearby chimney. It was great fun to see these little birds gather, circle, and then enter a snug space for the night.

Typically, swifts migrate through Oregon each September on their way to Central and South America. Chapman Elementary School in NW Portland is "one of the largest known roosting sites of migrating Vaux's Swifts." Our family joined the crowds of people there last September to watch the nightly show of wildlife.

Chapman School has a huge chimney with room for thousands of birds. The Audubon Society has volunteers on site to answer questions. Folks gather early and picnic on the hill (just up from the playground). Bonus: If you go early in the season and bring cardboard, the kids can sled down the hill as they wait for the nightly "show".

The night we were there a hawk also came to join the event. Wowza! Migration; food chain; ecosystem; habitat: This end-of-the-summer, Oregon event is perfect for nature lovers both young and old.

Swift

Chapman Elementary

Info at Chapman School

Minto Island Growers...

7/7/2013

All the neighbors met at Minto-Brown Island Park this weekend for a long bike ride and plans for lunch. Fourteen of us in all, we snaked through the twists and turns of the trails, enjoying the beautiful weather.

We began at the first parking lot (to the right) just inside the park entrance. Then followed the outside path along the river. After a brief stop at the playground, we continued on to where the trails meets the road. There, we had to ride on Fargate Avenue and then Brown Island Road (for about 1 mile) to reach Minto Island Growers.

Minto Island Growers has a produce stand, u-pick berries, and a food cart. We had an amazing lunch (and dessert) before riding back to our starting point.

This will be an even lovelier trip once the Minto Bridge is built. Come on Salem, go by bike!

Here's our general route:
Approx. 10 miles RT

Talking Garden...

5/26/2013

Last summer, my family and I visited the Talking Water Gardens in Albany. Free and open to the public every day of the year, this "engineered treatment wetlands ... is a public works project that cools treated wastewater before entering the Willamette River."

I know... I know... it doesn't sound exactly like a place you'd want to visit, but take a look at these photos, that I took as we walked along the trails, before marking it off your list:

On Your Feet Friday...

9/8/2012

Three cheers for Gallagher Fitness in Salem for organizing Friday night fun in downtown Salem.

After catching a brief bit of the Amazing Race TV series last spring, I’ve been looking for a race(-ish) event within an urban venue for our family. A few options quickly emerged (Urban Dare and The Great Salem Race), but for one reason or another these programs didn’t quite for the bill. Then we found ‘On Your Feet Friday' in our very own backyard. Hooray!

Here's how it works:

Folks gather in the parking lot next to Gallagher's between 5:30 and 6pm to sign-up and receive their 'passport.' This shows all the groovy downtown spaces you must visit before 7pm.

Next - folks run, jog, walk, skip and dance about downtown Salem. In the crowd you'll find serious joggers, walkers, families with strollers, and just about everything in between. All this fun is then followed by prize raffles. The more stores/attractions/viewpoints you visit - the better your chances of snagging a great giveaway.

At last month's event, we visited these great local stores -- and stopped for ice cream too (The ice cream wasn't on the official program, but it was along our route and screaming our name)!

Overall, I'd say 'On Your Feet Friday' offers the very best in downtown energy, family friendly exercise and urban fun. This event is also for a great cause!

The next event is: Friday, September 14th. Let's go Salem- I'll see you there!

Spokane...

8/29/2012

Many, many moons ago (when he was a bachelor) my husband lived in Spokane. Taking an alternate route home from Yellowstone, we stopped in Spokane to get a glimpse of his old stomping grounds.

I’m not sure exactly what I expected to find in Spokane, but I (honestly) didn’t have particularly high hopes. We pulled into town with hotel reservations and a plan to leave early the next morning. Instead, we stayed past lunch and found a new favorite, downtown hotel and park.

Lodging:
Usually when traveling, I look for a hotel with two things: a pool for the boys and a business center for me. After a long day’s drive – I can check my work email, while Dad and boys exhaust themselves in the pool. By 9pm, we’re all happy and tired.

However, when making arrangements in Spokane, our hotel choice was all about location, location, location. Well... location AND price. I wanted a hotel that would allow us to walk to Riverfront Park, but needed a room that would not break the bank.

I found Hotel Ruby through an internet search and decided that to take the risk, fully hoping that “boutique”, “recent remodel”, and “locally-owned” would add up to something interesting.

We weren’t disappointed.

Here are just a few snapshots of the trendy, hip hotel that served as our home away from home.

Riverfront Park:
A fabulous public park is like a piece of art. A great park includes a mixture of colors and textures. It often tells a story sparked by a bit of inspiration. The designer must employ time and care in the details of the creation. What joy it was to find that Riverfront Park in downtown Spokane has all these things. Built for Expo ’74 of the World’s Fair, the park has things-to-see, things-to-do, beautiful strolling pathways, and treasures around every bend.

The public art in the park ranges from a gigantic red wagon (slide included), building blocks (see below), a trash eating goat-sculpture (sadly out of order on the day we visited), and a long line of iron men (and women) running in a race. While the playground in the park is very small, the carousel, gondola, suspension bridge, and splash fountain provide more than enough fun to fill the day.

Riverfront Park in Spokane has now been added to our list of favorites:
Bush's Pasture Park, Salem, Oregon
Riverfront Park, Spokane, WA
Lithia Park, Ashland, Oregon
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California
Central Park, New York City, New York
Bonderen, Copenhagen, Denmark

The Wild West...

8/5/2012

One brief stop during our road trip to Yellowstone National Park was Jackson, Wyoming. Jackson was a great place to stock-up on groceries and gas before entering Yellowstone (through the South Entrance). Jackson also has a touristy charm, as well as a wealth of outdoor “doing” opportunities.

The very heart of Jackson is the town square at Broadway and Cache. The square features four unique arches made from elk antlers. The square makes for a shady spot to people-watch, as it is bordered on all sides by fancy shops, cute eateries and more tourists than you can shake a stick at. Also, on the square is the opportunity to take a stagecoach ride. Count me among the tourists – I just had to take a stagecoach ride. For $20 the whole family loaded up and circled the downtown area. I was surprised how comfortable I found the seats. Maybe this is the way I could have traveled out West? Maybe not. The dust, heat, and monotony would have perhaps been more than I could bear. I think I’m definitely 21st century soft.

The bulk of our time in Jackson Hole was spent on the Snake River. We participated in a Scenic Float Trip through Mad River Boat Trips: Three hours on the water, packed lunches, 6 bald eagle sightings, and two happy boys. The ride was smooth through the wonderfully beautiful and wild land. It rained on us during the last part of our boat trip. Hard, driving rain chilled us all, but the weather gear provided by Mad River made the storm bearable (and perhaps even a bit memorable). In just a few more years, we’ll be interested in their white water trips too!

The Doing Things...

8/2/2012

While there are countless breathtaking views within Yellowstone National Park, our family loved the park attractions that felt like outdoor-sport (rather than sightseeing).

Our favorite outing: Boiling River

This spot is a family favorite because at the end of the short hike - a unique and relaxing experience awaits. Not marked on most Yellowstone maps, you reach the Boiling River by driving past Mammoth as if you were planning to exit the park through the North Entrance. Just about two miles from Mammoth, you’ll see two developed parking lots (right across from each other on either side of the main road). If you arrive early in the day, you can park in the East lot and will see the sign near the

trailhead. Follow the half mile, generally flat, maintained trail and soon you’ll arrive at the exact spot that the scalding Boiling River meets the cool Gardner River. The mix of hot and cold water makes for once-in-a-lifetime-swimming-hole-fun! One step too far to the left and your skin prickles in the heat. One step too far to the right and you feel the deep chill of snow melt. Every swimmer has to choose their very own spot, right in the middle, so that the mixing of extremes creates the perfect temperature.

My family (mixed that with the family of my amazing cousin) made for a total of four adults and six children. We entered the

“pool” formed by the two rivers and found a spot along the stretch of the river that is protected by a small ledge of carefully arranged rocks. Because the mixture of water and small children typically puts this Mommy on high alert, I left my camera locked in the car so that I could focus solely on survival of my offspring. Of course, where the water of the two rivers mix wasn’t more than two to three feet deep in July AND we quickly set up a barrier of Moms and Dads downstream who could “catch” any kiddo that made us nervous. Thus, I found myself able to enjoy every wet moment of this outing. Thank you to my cousin who passed along these great pics (and reminds me to worry less – live more).

The other star of the show: Yellowstone Lake

Yellowstone is best known for its geothermal features of geysers, springs, mudpots, and fumaroles, but it is the sheer amount of water within the park’s boundaries that will stay with me when I remember this trip. Yellowstone Lake, at 132 square miles, is the largest lake at high elevation in North

America. Our family spent a part of one day at the water’s edge just behind the Visitor’s Cente r near Fishing Bridge. Children are eligible for a free fishing license and although my boys (sons and cousins included) didn’t try fly-fishing, I was happy to see them perfect their long, arched casts. I recommend bringing your own supplies (barbless hooks and artificial lures) and come to the lake early (before the afternoon winds begin to blow).

Live what you love: National Park Rangers

We attended one “Ranger Talk” at Old Faithful and participated in a “Ranger Led Hike” near Canyon. Such Ranger Programs are free of charge and offered at a number of park sites;

a number of times a day. I like the information that the rangers provide. I like the insider stories they tell. I love to see the passion they have for the park and their work within it. Constantly telling my own children to live what they love – I smile and nod my head when my oldest son points to the ranger and whispers, “She really likes Yellowstone.”

Also during our four day visit, both of boys completed the Jr. Ranger program. Free for children age 5-12, I downloaded the workbook before leaving home. The boys read through the directions on the way to the park and began filling in the

worksheets as soon as we crossed the park’s border. I found the Jr. Ranger activities perfect for winding-down at the end of the long day. We’d sit on the bed in our pajamas and review what the boys learned during the day (and what they hoped to accomplish in the next). My ten year-old was proud to complete all the program requirements. My youngest felt important when he was sworn in as an official Jr. Ranger.