On the Trail to Oregon

Our end of summer trip this year was a journey along the Oregon Trail (sort of). We took the drive through Spokane to the Columbia River gorge and all the way to Portland. We stopped at one of the massive dams along the river and checked out a fish hatchery with some massive sturgeon. After a night in Portland, we hit the ocean, checked out Tillamook where they make some fantastic cheese, ate at the stand where they invented the corndog, and saw some pretty impressive rock features in the Pacific Ocean. Oregon is definitely a beautiful place!

Watching the salmon trying to jump upstream

Can't help but get into the water...

Finished off Portland with The Killers concert!

Hiawatha Biking It

I'd been wanting to try out the Route of the Hiawatha bike trail for a while, so when the Millers opted in, we headed up to Lookout Pass and checked it out. The trail follows an old railway line through the mountains, literally. The first tunnel was around 1.6 miles long, so it was definitely an experience in the cold, wet dark. Otherwise, the trail was pretty smooth and easy going. 

Got a little muddy in the tunnels...

Summertime Hijinks

There's a short window in the summer when the weather is hot, and the river isn't so high that it sweeps you away. From mid-July through August, we took full advantage. We found a few new spots to get down and get in the water, plus multiple trips to the lake of course, and evening walks are always a must.

Even Drax learned how to go for a swim...

Caught some fish in Three Forks

Never up to any good...

Floated the Bitterroot, with only a few moments of peril...