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What's Going On In Oregon This August?

July 31, 2007

Yikes! Summer’s not even over and we’re already talking about a back to school shopping spree giveaway. Please don’t fret! It’s still sunny and warm and gorgeous here, and we’ve got a few fantastic ideas to help you plan at least one more spontaneous summer getaway to Oregon. Take the family on an Oregon Coast road trip, or visit Salem's very own Oregon State Fair.

Also this month, we’ve got a delicious grilled steak tip salad recipe that hails from RimRock Inn Restaurant, whose outdoor deck overlooks the spectacular 2,000-foot-deep Joseph Canyon in northeast Oregon.

Hope to see you in Oregon, where the shopping is lovely, and always tax-free…

~ The Editors

On Top Of The World- Hiking Cooper Spur

July 30, 2007

By Dawn Tryon

This Sunday morning dawned pretty gray, but true Oregonians get out and hike no matter what the weather may throw at us. So after an extra cup of coffee, off we went.

As we headed to our Mt. Hood destination, it began misting but we lived on the promised forecast that the rest of the day would be sunny. Oftentimes in Western Oregon, summer mornings have a cool marine layer of clouds that burn off by the afternoon (which keeps our temperatures moderate and pleasant for the most part).

We drove out I-84 from Portland and took Hwy 35 south at Hood River. Our hike for the day: Cooper Spur on Mount Hood. I had never been on this hike but had wanted to for years, and boy, we were in for a treat! Our hiking book recommended tackling this trek in late summer after the snow had melted. This was the prime time, as it was the end of July.

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Introducing the Travel Oregon Google Gadget

July 27, 2007

If you've got an (iGoogle) page (a personalized Google homepage), looking for what to do this weekend in Oregon just got easier.

We're excited to officially unveil the Travel Oregon Gadget! (pictured on left). The gadget is a simple tool that installs on your personalized Google homepage and allows you to easily search for places to go and things to do in Oregon, right on your Google page.

To get started on your adventures, install the Travel Oregon Gadget, by downloading it from Google here.

Once you've got it installed, simply pick a region, pick your experience and travel Oregon! As always, we love your feedback...please let us know how we can make your search for unique Oregon things to do easier.

~Happy Friday!
Mo

Wooden Nickel Summer Concert Series at the Oregon Garden

July 25, 2007

By Michelle Westerberg

When you’re asked to write a blog about your boss’s 50th birthday a lot of thoughts immediately come to mind… There are those people who enjoy recounting the day they turned another year older and then there are those who want to forget – and forget about it immediately!

Now I was put in a tricky situation since this was the first ever blog I’ve been asked to write for Travel Oregon and I’ve only been on staff for about a month. I was caught up wondering if this was some sort of hazing ritual – you know, have the new girl write about the boss turning the big five-o and then see if she makes it to week #5…

Well, after weighing my options I decided to play it safe and not mention the birthday again, but instead focus on the details of what some of the Travel Oregon team did to celebrate the start of “the second half of life” of our astute leader.

A group of us packed up the car with blankets and lawn chairs and headed to Silverton, Oregon for a concert at the Oregon Garden.

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The Undiscovered Country: Part II

July 24, 2007

By Leigh Brown

This week's wine blog is a continuation of Leigh's Wine Buzz: The Undiscovered Country. Read on to hear part two of Leigh's adventure in Lane County. Cheers!

Across the way, one gets a glimpse of the sloping hills that brought out about the name, Sweet Cheeks Winery. The tasting room looks over Crow Valley, hence the Crow on their label. They recently acquired Mark Nicholl, an Australian, to be their new winemaker. They are most definitely a lucky bunch to have this Aussie on board. Mark was kind enough to give us a tour of the building and let us see their barrel room and winemaking facilities. Along with the tour, we sampled his soon-to-be bottled vintage of Pinot Noir. Wow. Mark also walked us down to their grape vines to show us the tiny green berries, soon to be ripe and juicy this fall.

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Summer in the Oregon Mountains

July 23, 2007

I have been blogging all winter/spring about what to do in the Oregon Mountains...well it's summer and there is still plenty of fun to be had in the beautiful white-capped Oregon Mountains (and surrounding areas)!

Oregon astounds me sometimes.

It is a place that always seems to keep me smiling. Every time I visit a new area, I think: I have been in Oregon for 10 years, and this is the first time I have been here? What have I been doing all of this time?

There are hidden gems in every valley, on every mountain top and in every small town you have never traveled through. (This photo to the left was taken at one of the beautiful sections from the Alpine Trail outside of Oakridge, OR.) Get out a map of Oregon, highlight every route and every community you have visited or traveled through. See all of the roads and places that aren’t highlighted? Plan a trip there. One at a time, as I am sure your wish list is too comprehensive to do all at once (I know mine is)! Visit TravelOregon's website and get a glimpse of what you have been missing, then pack the car and take a road trip.

You will be amazed at what you find out there.

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Apple Valley Country Store Selected as a "Top Insider Spot for Oregon"

July 20, 2007

Travelocity recently selected Hood River's very own Apple Valley Country Store as a "top insider spot for Oregon" in its Local Secrets/Big Finds 2007 edition! This edition was created to showcase hidden tourist "hotspots". Apple Valley was chosen from over 10,000 Travelocity member entries. It was one of the 295 U.S. businesses selected, and one out of the five selected in Oregon. The Apple Valley Country Store is currently featured on www.travelocity.com- be sure to check it out!

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The Undiscovered Country: Part I

July 19, 2007

By Leigh Brown

Recently I had the pleasure of visiting a part of Oregon I never knew existed. With hills full of green and views of incredible heights, one would wonder why people do not pass through the valleys of Lane County more frequently. While there was some sadness to see that others were not partaking in the bounty of food and wine in this area, I was internally gladdened to see that I did not have to wait in lines of traffic to visit a tasting room or two (or five!) and experience what Lane County had to offer. It was a treasure and a treat.

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Celebrate Corvallis' da Vinci Days This Weekend

July 18, 2007

The team at Travel Oregon is very excited to announce that the annual da Vinci Days festival will take place in Corvallis this weekend, July 20-22. From unique art exhibits such as Pete Beeman's dual pendulum and breathing post installations, film festival, sidewalk chalk art and performers such as Pink Martini and Henan Performing Arts Ensemble, you can truly let your creativity run wild.

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An Afternoon at Mcmenamin’s Edgefield

July 17, 2007

It’s wedding season, and many people are taking advantage of the gorgeous summer weather, and planning summer weddings in Oregon. I recently attended a wedding at Mcmenamin’s Edgefield, located in Troutdale. This particular Mcmenamin's has a great deal of space for either an outdoor or indoor wedding, so those of you starting to plan might want to add this venue to your list!

Another reason Mcmenamin’s Edgefield is a great location, is that it has a large hotel, with incredibly low rates. Three of my girlfriends and I shared a suite, which lowered the cost even more. This could be particularly useful for guests who are traveling from outside of Oregon. Each suite has its very own theme, which is painted directly on the door, and also included in part of the room’s décor.

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Learning to Snowboard at Timberline Lodge

July 16, 2007

(Video: Rick Wilmes, Timberline Snowboard/Ski School Instructor on the program)

“We’re going to learn how to snowboard this season,” I exclaimed to my wife Jessica as Oregon was buried by a mountain of fresh powder in the season’s first major snowstorm late last fall. Work and other schedules hindered this goal, however, until just a few weeks ago. But thanks to Oregon’s famous late-season snow and North America’s longest ski season at Timberline Lodge—host of last week’s 4th Annual Burton Abominable Snow Jam that brought world-class riders to Oregon—we finally learned to ride this season.

We hit the road on a beautiful late-spring Friday and headed north, towards the majestic peak of Mt. Hood. As we drove through the picturesque village of Government Camp on our way up Highway 26, I couldn’t help but notice the fact that there were no visible signs of winter around us; the flowers were in full bloom, the sun was shining brightly and birds were chirping away without a care in the world. But as we turned left onto Timberline Highway and made our way up to the lodge, my mind was reassured by the imposing sight of the white-cloaked crest of Oregon’s highest mountain.

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Travel Safely in Oregon This Summer - Stay Informed During Wildfire Season

July 13, 2007

While the Oregon Department of Forestry announced the start of wildfire season a month early this year, the hazard need not interfere with your vacation plans. Affected areas currently involve only a small portion of the state. Before you set out for summer adventure in Oregon, you can check the following online resources to learn if your campground or travel route is affected by a wildfire:

Governor Kulongoski’s website for fire conditions and safety tips:
http://governor.oregon.gov/Gov/fd/main_drought_fire07.shtml

Forest restrictions and closures: http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/FIRE/fire.shtml#Forest_Restrictions___Closures

Public use restrictions:
http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/FIRE/public_use_restrictions.shtml

Oregon Fire Marshal updates:
http://www.oregon.gov/OSP/SFM/Conflagration_Activity.shtml

Department of Forestry news releases and emergency messages:
http://flashalert.net/news.html?id=1072

Explanation of fire danger ratings:
http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/fire/fire-ratings.php

Wildfire air quality health rating:
http://www.deq.state.or.us/aqi/wildfire/index.htm

~ Safe travels!
The staff at Travel Oregon

Glorious Oregon Hikes - Park Meadow Trail in Central Oregon

July 11, 2007

July is one of Oregon’s most glorious outdoor months when it comes to the mountains in Oregon, and with the 4th of July holiday upon us, we decided to head out and enjoy the predicted sunny warm weather from the cool reaches of the Oregon Cascades. Every trip we go on usually involves some kind of adventure or misfortune that we can laugh about later, and this took shape almost immediately after heading out of Portland. Barely 30 miles on the highway, a rock got thrown up by a passing truck and sailed into the windshield. Smack! But at least we got this part over with quickly….the rest of the trip was great!

After staying the night in Redmond for an early jumping off point the next day, we drove to the quaint town of Sisters and headed south towards Three Creeks Lake. Sixteen miles down the road, the pavement ended and we took a right onto a more primitive road pointing towards the Park Meadow trailhead (Located in the Deschutes National Forest, Sisters Ranger District ). We bumped down the alternating sandy and rocky track, our Subaru making the 1.1 mile side trip a piece of cake. With the sun now overhead, we strapped on our backpacks (dogs and humans) and headed up the easy trail. Almost immediately, the soapy scent of hot pine needles enveloped us as we headed deeper into the forest, and I heard the call of Swainson’s thrushes nearby in the canopy. Ah, heaven. (Photo: Dawn and her 40-pound pack navigate a stream)

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Spend a Weekend at the Oregon Country Fair

July 9, 2007

By Ashley Moran

Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the “Summer of Love” by attending Veneta’s Oregon Country Fair. The fair will take place July 13th, 14th and 15th- and there are a number of exciting sights, sounds and even tastes on the agenda.

Below: Jenny Newtson, Oregon Country Fair Media Coordinator, explains the significance of the fair's largest art piece:

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Vote Springfield, Oregon for the Simpsons' Premier

July 7, 2007

We're joining Oregon Governor Kulongoski in encouraging all Oregonians (and Oregon fans) to vote online (by July 9) for Springfield, Oregon as the place that should host the movie premier of the "Simpsons".

While 14 other Springfields are vying for this honor in the contest hosted by USA Today.com, we respectfully feel that Springfield, Oregon is the legitimate home of Homer, Marge, Bart and the rest of the crew. D'oh! Consider:

- Matt Groening grew up in Portland (just an hour and half north of Springfield).

- We also think it's no coincidence that many Simpsons' characters share the name of Oregon streets and landmarks...here are few:
1) Northwest Flanders Street in Portland was the inspiration for "Ned Flanders";
2) Northwest Kearney Street inspired the name of "Kearney," one of the schoolyard bullies who torments Bart;
3) North Van Houten Avenue inspired "Milhouse Van Houten," Bart's best friend
4) Diamond Joe Quimby, Springfield's mayor is named after Northwest Quimby Street

So hurry...vote for Springfield, Oregon today...there are just 2 days left! ~ Mo

Birding in Klamath Falls

July 6, 2007

By Mo Sherifdeen

Whoever came up with the old idiom, "birds of a feather stick together," must have been thinking of Klamath Falls. With more than 47 birding locations that play host to 350 species among the mountains and marshes of its 190,000 acres, the Klamath Basin Birding Trail constitutes one of the biggest freshwater wetlands west of the Mississippi and is arguably a haven for bird watching. (Video: Dawnn Brown of Travel Klamath welcomes you to Klamath Falls)

On a brilliantly sunny June day a few weeks ago, a few Travel Oregon cohorts and I joined Dawn Brown from Travel Klamath and Dave Menke from U.S Fish & Wildlife on a tour of some of the area's prime birding locations. Having never gone out to check out birds before (at least the feathery kind), I was feeling a bit unsure of what to expect and what to do on this outing. But as soon as we met up with our guides, I knew that we were in the hands of experts. They swiftly got the group together by passing around our tools for the trip - binoculars, copies of Klamath Basin Birding Trail (which you can order online), and of course the requisite food for every able bodied bird watcher - water and granola bars. Tools in hand, we scrambled into the birdmobile (ok, van) and hit the road (see photos of our excursion here).

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OMSI’s Bodyworlds 3 Exhibit

July 2, 2007

By Ashley Moran

Photo: dancer

My little brother Nick and I rarely have time to bond, so we decided to hit the road to Portland and check out OMSI’s latest exhibit: Bodyworlds 3. I would highly recommend this exhibit to both science lovers and those who are interested in learning more about the human body, because you will truly be wowed by what you see.

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