NW Kid Chaser

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:

For years, we've heard about the Valley of the Giants outside of Falls City, Oregon. This summer, we finally dedicated one of our days to visit this close (but oh-so-far location) and found that the adventure had mixed reviews

Pros:
1) Big trees. Huge trees. Place-your-child-next-to-it-and-wowza trees.
2) Crystal, clear, beautiful water.
3) 387 shades of green: Moss, Ferns, Lichen, Ground Cover, Trees...
4) A well marked, easy to hike trail.
5) The middle of nowhere: No traffic sounds. Lots of bird songs.

Cons-
1) The same beauty found in other (easier to find) Oregon locations.
2) Very muddy path (for approx. 50 yards in June).
3) Seriously long drive on a very bumpy gravel road.
4) The middle of nowhere: Come prepared.

Once on site, my family enjoyed the hike and marveled at the large trees. The path winds among the Douglas Fir trees - sometimes over fallen logs, sometimes under, and (at one point) squeezing right between two sawed-halves. It really was a fun path. However, the momma in me shuddered when my youngest asked (for the 2nd time) why it took two hours to get to this coast-range location, when it usually takes us just over an hour to drive all the way to the beach.  One good look at the map answered that question and confirmed that my boys continue to like the "doing" more than the "seeing". We won't be making a return trip - but I'm glad we took the adventure.

You can receive driving directions to the Valley by calling the BLM (503-375-5646). I see now that they discourage "passenger cars" on the road. Oops! The area is certainly remote, so I would definitely recommend having a spare, being very clear about your return route, and not relying on cell phone service.

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.

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.

In preparation for the upcoming First Lego League 2013 Season,
our Lego team recently visited the local experts
who forecast the weather.

My children's school spent the last days of the school year at
Camp Westwind (just north of Lincoln City). A good friend described Westwind as the Opal Creek of the Oregon Coast. I can only describe it as my favorite outdoor school excperience of all time! With amazing location and facilities, Westwind was perfect for our large group. It has it all: beach, river, sea, forest, tidepools, meadows, hiking trails, campfires, and hot showers!

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:

    My family enjoys visiting Mission Mill right here in the heart of Salem. During our summer break, we also enjoyed a quick visit of the Pendleton Woolen Mills in eastern Oregon.

     The two sites are closely connected. The Thomas Kay Woolen Mill (in Salem) was the childhood playground of the co-founder of the Pendleton Mills. While a tour of Mission Mill gives a view of the past, a tour of the modern day Pendleton Woolen Mills shows how weaving continues to thrive.

Here’s the breakdown:

Public tours for individuals and small groups are held weekdays at 9 am, 11 am, 1:30 pm, and 3 pm. Reservations are not required, however tour spaces are filled on a first come basis. Tours take about 20 minutes. Shorter tours are also available on weekends. Call for details: 541-276-6911.

       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.