I have been taking it easy lately, but that doesn't mean that I have not been exploring. This past weekend, I went with some friends on a moderate hike along the "Wild and Scenic" Rogue River. The hike was very picturesque as we meandered along the clear, green river waters through the canyon. Our trail ended at Rainie Falls, a large rapid which I can only describe as "angry". The water was churning out of control. We took a resting place on some rocks near the rapid. Much to my amazement and sheer excitement, a large salmon jumped out of the river and up the rapid. We watched this occur about 10 times before we hiked back. I have never seen that happen. Most of these salmon had to be at least 2 feet or more. It was awesome. Sunday was beautiful and I spent it playing tennis in Lithia park. While playing tennis, there was a doe and three fawns across the street just grazing. After playing tennis, relaxed on a blanket in the park and read a book.
Went back to the Applegate Valley to attend church. It is still held outdoors in an amphitheater. It absolutely beautiful. I am getting quite used to spreading out my blanket and kicking back while we sing and listen to the sermon. Then we have dinner on the grounds. I have been doing more shopping lately too. I am trying to stock up on souvenirs for everyone. Ashland and Jacksonville are very trendy and historic and offer an excellent selection of shopping. Still taking tennis lessons and playing as often as possible. I am surprisingly getting better.
Heading to Portland this weekend with a co-worker for a conference. We are hopefully going to be able to go to Body Worlds while we are there. Starting my count down-for real this time. Can't wait to come home and visit. Hope everyone is doing well.
17 September, 2007
04 September, 2007
Lounge Lizards, Craters, and Kayaking
Wow! What a week it has been. Many thanks to Wendy for visiting. I know she is exhausted. I kept her moving...but there is so much to see. I didn't want her to miss anything. It is always nice to see a familiar face...feels a little closer to home.
Where do I begin? Went to a "lounge lizard" party on Wednesday night. Wendy got to meet the Oregon gang. We all enjoyed some not so traditional games. Lots of fun though. Thursday night, we enjoyed the venue at Britt Festival. Saw Chris Botti-a jazzy trumpet player. I thought he was hot until I looked him up on the internet. He looks better from a distance. Friday night, we had tickets to go to Romeo and Juliet at the Shakespeare Festival. We dined at the DragonFly before the play. They serve a fusion of Latin and Asian food. Their theme is "be curious"... I was. Tried caviar for the first time on top of baked plantains. The rich and famous can keep their hors d' oeuvres. Romeo and Juliet was long but wonderful with its medieval setting and many modern twists. My favorite thing about the play was that it was performed on the Elizabethan stage which is outdoors. Not wanting to end the night but having a hard time staying awake, we dropped in the Black Sheep Pub to give Wendy a taste of the night life. That's about all we had and then we went home.
By Saturday we began to drag a little bit. We ate a scrumptious breakfast at Morning Glory to get energized. I gladly made the drive back to Crater Lake to show Wendy the sapphire blue water. I will have to admit that while Crater Lake is still amazing, I enjoyed it better with the snow. We stopped by Becky's, a restaurant on the way to Crater Lake, to pick up her much talked-about huckleberry pie. We stopped to see the lava tubes before heading back. Saturday night opted out of "nerd night" and watched a movie instead. I know you must be wondering what is "nerd night"? Basically, the gang dresses up like nerds and goes out dancing. We were very entertained as they modeled their outfits while in full character. I couldn't let Wendy leave without showing her the huge Redwoods. Sunday we drove through a portion of the Redwood National Forest on our way to the coast. We hiked a few trails, saw some seals, and waded in the tidal pools on the beach. I can never get tired of the absolute beauty of the Oregon coast. Needless to say, Sunday night we went to bed early. Monday was full of adventure too. We went kayaking on the Applegate river. It was very peaceful floating through the small canyons and looking down into the clear river water. We stopped in an eddy and picked some wild blackberries...yum. We completed the day with a little vino tasting at Troon Vineyard, where I plan to return later in October to stomp some grapes.
So it would seem that my time here will be extended yet again. I now will officially be completing my assignment on Nov. 2nd. I promise this is the last time. Hopefully my next adventure will be as great as this one has been.
Where do I begin? Went to a "lounge lizard" party on Wednesday night. Wendy got to meet the Oregon gang. We all enjoyed some not so traditional games. Lots of fun though. Thursday night, we enjoyed the venue at Britt Festival. Saw Chris Botti-a jazzy trumpet player. I thought he was hot until I looked him up on the internet. He looks better from a distance. Friday night, we had tickets to go to Romeo and Juliet at the Shakespeare Festival. We dined at the DragonFly before the play. They serve a fusion of Latin and Asian food. Their theme is "be curious"... I was. Tried caviar for the first time on top of baked plantains. The rich and famous can keep their hors d' oeuvres. Romeo and Juliet was long but wonderful with its medieval setting and many modern twists. My favorite thing about the play was that it was performed on the Elizabethan stage which is outdoors. Not wanting to end the night but having a hard time staying awake, we dropped in the Black Sheep Pub to give Wendy a taste of the night life. That's about all we had and then we went home.
By Saturday we began to drag a little bit. We ate a scrumptious breakfast at Morning Glory to get energized. I gladly made the drive back to Crater Lake to show Wendy the sapphire blue water. I will have to admit that while Crater Lake is still amazing, I enjoyed it better with the snow. We stopped by Becky's, a restaurant on the way to Crater Lake, to pick up her much talked-about huckleberry pie. We stopped to see the lava tubes before heading back. Saturday night opted out of "nerd night" and watched a movie instead. I know you must be wondering what is "nerd night"? Basically, the gang dresses up like nerds and goes out dancing. We were very entertained as they modeled their outfits while in full character. I couldn't let Wendy leave without showing her the huge Redwoods. Sunday we drove through a portion of the Redwood National Forest on our way to the coast. We hiked a few trails, saw some seals, and waded in the tidal pools on the beach. I can never get tired of the absolute beauty of the Oregon coast. Needless to say, Sunday night we went to bed early. Monday was full of adventure too. We went kayaking on the Applegate river. It was very peaceful floating through the small canyons and looking down into the clear river water. We stopped in an eddy and picked some wild blackberries...yum. We completed the day with a little vino tasting at Troon Vineyard, where I plan to return later in October to stomp some grapes.
So it would seem that my time here will be extended yet again. I now will officially be completing my assignment on Nov. 2nd. I promise this is the last time. Hopefully my next adventure will be as great as this one has been.
26 August, 2007
Spam disappointment and Lava beds
This week was pretty mild compared to the past few. Still taking tennis lessons and thought I was getting better until this past session. Let's hope next week is better. Anticipating Wendy's arrival. She is coming to visit with me for about a week. I am so excited.
Friday night was devoted to cleaning up my condo. Saturday, I was so pumped about attending the Spam Festival in Shady Cove. This is 1 of 3 official Spam Festivals in the world. Having never consumed Spam nor attending a festival devoted to Spam, I was intrigued. All of my excitement quickly fizzled. I missed the parade because I was stuck in traffic. Once I arrived in Shady Cove and made my first loop around the booths, I realized this was no more than a glorified flea market. Only one booth had Spam paraphernalia. At least the people watching was good. So my friends and I opted for eating at a Mexican restaurant on the river. Not exactly Spam, but good food and a great view of the Rogue River. Seeking more adventure, Stephanie and I ventured out to find Butte Falls. Let's just say another disappointment. I was expecting at least 100 ft falls or more...it was about 10. At least Saturday night ended on a good note. Went to a pub to hear some blue grass with several people. After watching the incense, infused hippies dance barefoot on the dance floor, we all decided by default (Ally) to join in. It was a knee-slapping, toe-tapping good time!!
Friday night was devoted to cleaning up my condo. Saturday, I was so pumped about attending the Spam Festival in Shady Cove. This is 1 of 3 official Spam Festivals in the world. Having never consumed Spam nor attending a festival devoted to Spam, I was intrigued. All of my excitement quickly fizzled. I missed the parade because I was stuck in traffic. Once I arrived in Shady Cove and made my first loop around the booths, I realized this was no more than a glorified flea market. Only one booth had Spam paraphernalia. At least the people watching was good. So my friends and I opted for eating at a Mexican restaurant on the river. Not exactly Spam, but good food and a great view of the Rogue River. Seeking more adventure, Stephanie and I ventured out to find Butte Falls. Let's just say another disappointment. I was expecting at least 100 ft falls or more...it was about 10. At least Saturday night ended on a good note. Went to a pub to hear some blue grass with several people. After watching the incense, infused hippies dance barefoot on the dance floor, we all decided by default (Ally) to join in. It was a knee-slapping, toe-tapping good time!!
Sunday was no disappointment. Went with several friends to the Lava Beds National Monument. This turned out to be more than I expected. Over the last half-million years, volcanic eruptions on the Medicine Lake shield volcano created a rugged landscape dotted with cinder cones, lava flows, spatter cones, lava tube caves and pit craters. The caves were first developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1930's for public access. There are over 600 caves. Being as we only had a day, we were only able to explore 3-4 caves. Complete with our hard hats (or as they call them "bumphats") and flashlights (which are a must), we crouched, crawled under and over rocks, and performed the occasional duck walk to miss the low and sharp cave ceilings. It was a little eery as you walked deeper and deeper into these caves and farther and farther away from the light, not knowing what was ahead. Several of the caves have ice floors. Some of the caves were closed off due to bats. We finished off the day viewing petroglyph point, a formation created when volcanic tuff erupted from the floor of ancient Tule Lake to form an island. Waves undercut the cliff, and early people paddled out in boats to carve images in the rock. There is more Native American rock art here than anywhere else in California. Modoc Indian stories are still told about this formation. It was also very interesting because the weather has created crevices and now prairie falcons, great horned owls, and even Canada geese make their nests there. It looked liked someone had randomly poured white paint all across the huge rock...but not so. Just bird poop!
Starting the count down. Will know soon where I am going next.
20 August, 2007
Star gazing and Sea Lions
Wow, I have two weeks worth of things to catch up on. Let's see if I can make it the abbreviated version. I will start with this past weekend, since it is fresh on my mind. Drove to the coast Friday night to Bandon. Stayed in a cute little inn that overlooks the Coquille River flowing into the ocean and "Old Town Bandon". Walked down into this cute little Sea side town with tons of character and charm and started off Saturday with breakfast at the Minute Cafe. Walked around for a while and explored the many shops. Particularly enjoyed the hand-made candy and chocolate store...free samples, yum. Even the beer candy was good. That's right beer candy. Anyway, their specialty involves cranberries. For those trivia buffs, Bandon and the Oregon coast produce the majority of cranberries in the US. Ocean Spray has contracts with most of the farmers. So learned about the bogs and sampled berries. Also, visited an art gallery and finally did what I have been saying I was going to. I purchased some art painted by a local. And of course, I bought an ornament. For those of you that don't know it, I buy Christmas ornaments from every place that I visit. The only thing is, it has to be something representative of that area or something that I did. I hope to one day have a Christmas tree full of ornaments from all of my travels.
That afternoon, went to the West Coast Game Park Safari. There are free-roaming wildlife that you can pet and feed. In total there are 450 animals representing 75 species. A little stinky and tricky to walk around (watch where you step)....but fun and interesting. Drove along the coast and reached Face Rock. There are tons of off shore rocks and rocks near the shore with caves that you can explore. Absolutely beautiful!! After playing on the beach and taking a little siesta, headed back to the boat launch in Bandon for a little kayaking in the Coquille. Wasn't brave enough to head out into the ocean, but did make it far enough to see the lighthouse. Paddling was difficult with all the currents and totally made me exhausted. Luckily, had enough left in me to eat at the Wild Rose which had scrumptious, fresh seafood in a cozy atmosphere.
Sunday was rainy but ended being my favorite exploration. Kept driving up the coastline to a little town called Charleston. Visited Sunset State Park which had amazing views of the cliffs, seascapes, and crashing waves. A little farther up, at Simpson Reef and Shell Island, from the overlook you could see and hear endless numbers of Seals and Sea Lions. I have never seen anything like that. At the tip of the Cape, Cape Arago, was another great place to view the rocks and crashing waves. Spotted a humpback whale making its migration. Also visited Shore Acres State Park. I truly cannot describe this view...was what I call a "go God moment". Walked around the botanical gardens (formally a private estate in 1921) and marveled at the displays of floral and scenic beauty. Not wanting to get home late, started heading back. Just when I thought my adventure was over, spotted a sign for Elk viewing. Little did I know how much viewing there would be. The first field had about 8-9 elk just sitting there. Down the road, another field had about 20 or so. Overall, a great weekend!
So I won't bore you, I will make the rest short. I just have to mention the star gazing. Last week went with a large group of people to the top of Mt. Ashland to view the Perseid Meteor Shower. I don't think I have been closer to the sky nor had that view. The meteors sailed across and lit up the sky as their tails faded. One actually looked like it exploded. Everything was so clear up there. Also played in the park one day with a group of people. We were celebrating Julie's half birthday. It was complete with relay races and singing half of the birthday song...you would just have to be there. Went rafting again on the Rogue which was fun and visited an art festival in Shady Cove. Walked around Ashland and sat in the shade of the trees in Lithia park listening to Blue Grass music. Still having a blast and loving the West Coast. Whew...I think that is it, give or take a few details. Hope you are all doing great.
That afternoon, went to the West Coast Game Park Safari. There are free-roaming wildlife that you can pet and feed. In total there are 450 animals representing 75 species. A little stinky and tricky to walk around (watch where you step)....but fun and interesting. Drove along the coast and reached Face Rock. There are tons of off shore rocks and rocks near the shore with caves that you can explore. Absolutely beautiful!! After playing on the beach and taking a little siesta, headed back to the boat launch in Bandon for a little kayaking in the Coquille. Wasn't brave enough to head out into the ocean, but did make it far enough to see the lighthouse. Paddling was difficult with all the currents and totally made me exhausted. Luckily, had enough left in me to eat at the Wild Rose which had scrumptious, fresh seafood in a cozy atmosphere.
Sunday was rainy but ended being my favorite exploration. Kept driving up the coastline to a little town called Charleston. Visited Sunset State Park which had amazing views of the cliffs, seascapes, and crashing waves. A little farther up, at Simpson Reef and Shell Island, from the overlook you could see and hear endless numbers of Seals and Sea Lions. I have never seen anything like that. At the tip of the Cape, Cape Arago, was another great place to view the rocks and crashing waves. Spotted a humpback whale making its migration. Also visited Shore Acres State Park. I truly cannot describe this view...was what I call a "go God moment". Walked around the botanical gardens (formally a private estate in 1921) and marveled at the displays of floral and scenic beauty. Not wanting to get home late, started heading back. Just when I thought my adventure was over, spotted a sign for Elk viewing. Little did I know how much viewing there would be. The first field had about 8-9 elk just sitting there. Down the road, another field had about 20 or so. Overall, a great weekend!
So I won't bore you, I will make the rest short. I just have to mention the star gazing. Last week went with a large group of people to the top of Mt. Ashland to view the Perseid Meteor Shower. I don't think I have been closer to the sky nor had that view. The meteors sailed across and lit up the sky as their tails faded. One actually looked like it exploded. Everything was so clear up there. Also played in the park one day with a group of people. We were celebrating Julie's half birthday. It was complete with relay races and singing half of the birthday song...you would just have to be there. Went rafting again on the Rogue which was fun and visited an art festival in Shady Cove. Walked around Ashland and sat in the shade of the trees in Lithia park listening to Blue Grass music. Still having a blast and loving the West Coast. Whew...I think that is it, give or take a few details. Hope you are all doing great.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
