Life has been really busy since I last wrote an entry for the blog. I got married and have been busy with other things life threw my way. Sorry I haven’t written in a while.
One of my favorite places to ride in the Fall is Waldo Lake.
Waldo Lake is one of the clearest lakes in the world. Waldo is an amazing place to view from its shores or campgrounds, but to mountain bike around Waldo adds a whole new experience. The ride is longer than you would think. The ride is about 22 miles with a fair amount of short roller climbs. The trail’s elevation is at around 6,000 feet. Many people think they can whip around Waldo in an hour or two, which is not true for the average rider. I think the fastest people I know can knock out Waldo in around 2 ½ hours. The fastest I have done it was 4 hours, but then again I still like to ride Waldo and enjoy the views too. Most times I ride Waldo it takes 5-6 hours, which includes snack breaks and sightseeing stops.
Photo: Dawn & Brad, and their dogs Timmy and Buddy Photos by Dawn Tryon
Oregon’s spectacular coastline is haunted by tales of ghastly shipwrecks, haunted light houses, and tall tales of treasure stashed away never to be found again. Some of those stories center on Neahkahnie Mountain, which just lies north of the coastal hamlet of Mazanita. A local Native American legend tells of several ships that wrecked nearby sometime in the 1600’s, long before the intrepid explorers Lewis and Clark arrived. Those claims have been validated with the discovery of several blocks of beeswax destined for Catholic missions that washed ashore over a half-century ago. The wax itself was traced back to the Spanish sailing ships that plied the waters off of Oregon’s coast between the 1600-1800, which leads one to believe that perhaps these legends of treasure might actually be true. One myth in particular speaks of a chest of gold coins that was buried and long forgotten somewhere on the mountain. No one has ever found it, yet treasure hunters still keep the hope alive that one day the precious trove is rediscovered.
If you’re like me, it’s easy to fall into the mindset that finding time for a fun outdoor adventure on a weeknight just seems impossible. But at the challenge of my ever-adventurous mother, my theory was put to test. She told me to be in my hiking gear and on my porch by 5:15 p.m., and she’d be there to whisk me off to Spencer’s Butte for an evening hike.
Fortunately for us, living in the Willamette Valley (namely Eugene), means a beautiful hike in the woods is just a hop and a skip away. Up, up, up the road roared my mom’s Trailblazer as we traveled a mere 10 minutes from where I live (in the middle of town!) to the Spencer Butte Trailhead. It was an excellent fall evening, clear and beautiful, a fact reflected in the full parking lot.
The Fourth Annual Hood River Hops Festival on Oct. 6th was the perfect way to spend a Saturday. Coming from Portland we headed east on I-84 down the Columbia River Gorge. This is a terrific drive anytime of the year, but especially in the fall when all the colors are changing. What makes the Columbia River Gorge great is that there are so many things to see and do. Multnomah Fallsis a sight not-to-be-missed in the Gorge with a nice hike to the top of the falls (about 1.2 miles one way). Bridal Veil Falls, Vista House, Rooster Rock State Park and other amazing sights are great places to stop while traveling the Gorge.
Looking for a cool, only-in-Oregon type event this three-day weekend? How about Wordstock?! Featuring readings by over 250 authors, poets and Northwest writing legends, as well as panels on every conceivable subject, writing workshops, private dinners with authors, a two-day book fair, children’s readings and activities, music and more, Wordstock, is Oregon’s ode to the written word.
Good food, great camaraderie, and fly fishing…can you think of a better way to spend part of the day? Recently, five of my colleagues and I had the opportunity to experience all of that.
We started our afternoon with lunch at the Paragon Room at McMenamins Hotel Oregon. Hotel Oregon is a fabulous, historic four-story brick building built in 1905, located in the heart of Oregon’s wine country in downtown McMinnville. The Paragon Room features two large superbly handcrafted pool tables and saucer-shaped light fixtures complete with blinking lights above each table. The fixtures are incorporated within the décor to honor the annual UFO Festival that takes place every May. The UFO Festival began as a tribute to the famous 1950 Trent sighting in which two locals photographed a UFO in McMinnville.
I lived in Florence, Italy, one summer in college, learning about art and culture. Study soon dropped low on the totem pole when I discovered Italian food and wine. On weekend trips to small restaurants in Tuscany and other parts of Italy, we feasted on boar, pasta, rabbit and rich desserts, washing it all down with Grappa and Limoncello.
Cork Cellars Wine Bar and Bottle Shop
During too many trips daily to the gellateria down the street from our pensione, I closed my eyes from the sheer joy of hazelnuts, melon, strawberry and coconut in cream. At summer’s end, though ready to go home, I despaired that I might never taste such exquisite food again. A food-fussy child, I had never imagined eating rabbit, especially since I had a pet one. Italy was an awakening.
It’s the perfect time of year to curl up in front of the fireplace with a glass of Pinot noir and a piping hot plate of Oregon cuisine. Treat your senses this season with a taste of Oregon Bounty’s many events!
During the month of November, you will have the opportunity to meet local winemakers, attend an Oregon Bounty Winemaker Dinner, and participate in the fantastic lodging packages offered throughout the state.
I have been a Corvallis native for a long time now and had never been to Iovinos Ristorante (yes it is Ristorante not Restaurant), but had heard some wonderful things. Last week I decided to indulge myself in a new restaurant experience with a group of friends (No I did not pay for them, I am nice but not that nice). Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with the restaurant. The food was wonderful and the atmosphere was just as good. There is an extensive wine list and a full service bar which adds to the fabulous experience that this Italian restaurant has to offer. The building is in the new Renaissance Towers at 136 SW Washington St., in Corvallis Oregon. The Renaissance is Corvallis’ new and first high-rise condo building overlooking the beautiful Willamette River.
Corvallis has many great restaurants to choose from. Please visit our Places to Dine section for more information.
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