Nice Nice Northern California

Since it was Rachel's parents third time visiting Oregon, we wanted to include some local highlights, but also do something new this time. When we looked at a map and realized we were only 6 hours from the Redwood Forest. None of the Groves had been there, so we planned a few days across the border!

We stayed in the quaint town of Eureka in a beautiful Victorian house. It was so much fun to have a whole house where we could cook meals, play board games, and watch the Olympics!

  

We spent one day driving along the beautiful Avenue of the Giants, which winds through the forest for 30 miles and is lined with trailheads leading to hikes of various lengths. We were able to see some of the featured trees in the Forest, such as the Giant Tree, Immortal Tree, and Eternal Tree.

  

Another day we enjoyed a leisurely stroll through the local shops of Ferndale. We had coffee in an adorable cafe that even had a sweet kitty walking around. We became quick friends! After enjoying the city center, we spent the early evening watching the waves ride in and out on the coast. It was deeply peaceful watching the water and experiencing a new section of the coast.

   

We were all very pleased with the decision to spend part of our vacation in Northern California. Now that we know how doable of a drive it is from Oregon, we hope we will be back to see more!

Summer in Oregon

After five weeks apart, we finally reunited in Oregon! As has now become somewhat tradition, Rachel and her parents flew out to Oregon to spend time together as families and take in the beautiful outdoors that the region offers. This was Greg and Norma’s third time to the area, and each time has consisted of different activities and trips. We started the trip by celebrating Rachel’s parents 40^th Anniversary in Portland.We sought out new restaurants, coffee shops, and breweries, and weren't disappointed with any of them!

We started our time in Portland by meeting up with one of my best friends from high school who is currently living in Portland, Elana. It was so fun to see her just after getting off the plane!

The happy couple on their anniversary.

Before sending them off to their surprise anniversary dinner!

                             

We enjoyed a sampler flight at the famous Deschutes Brewery.

The first hike we attempted was actually to find "hidden" waterfalls. An article was recently written describing the way to find seven waterfalls that have apparently been undiscovered. The trick is that there is no path to get to them! Reaching them involves sliding down the side of the mountain, climbing over huge rocks, and scrambling to the top. The challenge was invigorating! We reached three of the seven, and we all agreed it was worth the work!

     

After our adventure to find the hidden waterfalls, we thought we would take a quick loop around Opal Creek and Jawbone Flats. Devin and I had done this hike years ago, and did not remember it being very long. However, it was actually six miles. After already hiking and climbing for hours in the morning, these six miles felt much longer! We loved the beautiful scenery, but we were all exhausted by the end of the hike!

We enjoyed exploring the Columbia River Gorge and did a hike to Punchbowl Falls. After the hike, we drove up to the look out over the area. What a view!

There were lots of swimmers enjoying the cold water!

 

We spent a couple of days checking out Central Oregon and what it has to offer. We returned to the beloved town of Sisters, which we have been to many times and love dearly. This time, we ventured farther to Bend, OR. Bend is like a dream! A quaint downtown set on a river, surrounded by outdoor activity options. We only did a couple of short walks, but we now know that we will certainly be frequenting Bend when we live in Oregon!

The Three Sisters

 In Sisters, we hiked the MacArthur Ridge. It was a steep incline, and then a mild walk along side the ridge of the mountain. If it had not been cloudy, we would have had a 360 degree view of the area. But we loved the view of the Three Creeks Lake and a few of the mountains around us.    

                    

 

In Bend, after driving up to Pilot's Butte for a view of the city, we took an easy stroll around Todd Lake and ended at Scout Lake with quite the view of Mt. Bachelor!

Wishing we were on that paddle board...

One of the highlights of the time in Oregon was spending a few days with our close friends Chris and Kelly. We met Chris and Kelly in Barcelona two years ago and quickly because dear friends. We traveled together many times, spend time together at least every week, and even lived together for a month! They left Barcelona this past December and we were heartbroken! However, we were finally reunited for a weekend! Chris and Kelly work for 100 Fold Studio in Montana, so they drove over to Oregon and we went camping on Cannon Beach. Catching up with them, and in such a stunning location, was like a dream. Beach bonfires, tide pool exploring, sleeping under the stars, a coastal hike and best friends... it really doesn't get much better!

After Chris and Kelly left, we had time to do one more hike, to Jefferson Park. We attempted this hike one previous summer, but got stopped by unexpected amounts of snow on the trail. This time, the weather was perfect! We trekked up the steep trail and then hiked deep into the mountain park, arriving at a set of lakes with unbelievable views of Mt. Jefferson. It felt like we could reach out and touch it! Our only regret was that we didn't bring camping gear and couldn't stay longer!

The other exciting part of this trip was the days we spent in Northern California and the Redwood Forest. We'll share those with you next!