Category: Outings

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Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge trip

A road trip to visit and scout Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge and some other stops on the way. Lori and I headed out and made our first stop at McMenamins Kalama Harbor Lodge. I had a chance to try some more biscuit and gravy. Heading North on I5 our next stop was to scout Mima Mounds National Area Preserve. It has a unique geology of large mounds that no one for sure how they were made. We finally made it to Nisqually. With the government shutdown none of the building were open but the trails were. We covered about 4.5 miles of trail and started making plans to return to see more.

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East Gorge Road Trip

On this road trip to the East side of the Columbia River Gorge was to see some new places and visit to old spots and see how they have changed. Visiting several places on a wonder of the East side of the Columbia River Gorge. Lori, Jeanette, Sylvie and my self started off at the new Mitchell Point Tunnel to experience the wind tunnel effect it can have. Next was lower trail at Catherine Creek to see the late season flowers. We then drove through the Schreiner Wildlife Farm a new place for Sylvia. The initial plan was to do a short hike at Dallas Mt. Ranch but we found the big flower show was over so we moved on to see the petroglyph gallery, some then else new for Sylvia. Finally some thing new for me we did a wine tasting at Sunshine Mill. We finished up with lunch at the Bargeway Pub where I had a wonderful coco stout from Sunriver Brewery.

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Columbia Gorge Wander

We missed a turn and ended up wandering to places in the Columbia River Gorge. Its good to be flexible and to have a good knowledge of the Gorge. So first visit was to the new tunnel at Michel Point. Then we crossed the river at Hood River. Then stopped in at Spring Creek Fish hatcher to see the little fishies. Then off to see the Camas in bloom at a lesser known spot. Then on to Whistle Punk trail. We finished up at Backwoods Brewers for lunch.

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Outing to The Valley

This time Lori, Jeanette and I were out for a road trip to explore some spots in the Willamette Valley. Lori wanted to go to show us Bauman Farms and have lunch at Clancy’s. I came up with a couple of more places to fill out our trip. The planned was to go to Hughes Water Gardens, Bauman Farms, Church or the Holley Ascension, Samuel Brown House, Powerland Heritage Park and Clancy’s. Over lunch Lori decide she wanted to show us one more spot so we went to Ales Garden. It pays to be flexible on these outings.