| Hello, and welcome. This month's report takes us to | | | | turn and begin our last |
| the western U.S. state of Oregon and some fantastic | | | | climb toward the resort. Where the ground behind |
| snowboarding. First a little background on the state | | | | us was merely wet, the ground to our left and right |
| of Oregon itself. Begin with a little prehistory by | | | | is now deeply |
| following this link to learn about Oregon and the | | | | covered in frozen precip...aka snow. We round a |
| Columbia plateau. Your journey begins with incredible | | | | bend, turn into the parking lot and then...a break in |
| lava flows, volcanic activity and great rains which | | | | the clouds. WOW! |
| formed the diverse landscape we now know as | | | | The upside down ice cream cone reaching toward |
| Oregon.Our travels begin very early, o-dark early, did | | | | the heavens is directly ahead. What an awe inspiring |
| I mention no sleep the night before early...you get | | | | sight... As soon as the awe subsides, slightly, the |
| the picture. | | | | tingle in the back of my neck begins... Would I still |
| Jesse and I leave home about 3:30 am and head | | | | have a neck that tingles in a few short hours from |
| south for the Miami International Airport to begin our | | | | now? Would we conquer this mountain of white...or |
| trek westward. | | | | would it conquer us? Six hours later, bruised |
| Even at this early hour heavy traffic was present on | | | | and beaten, we make our final run for the day, and |
| the ever under construction roadways of South | | | | what a wonderful day it turned out to be. Fresh |
| Florida. The flight | | | | powder, deep snow, over 180 inches plus, a wide |
| westward did leave on time and security screening, | | | | variety of challenging runs and trails has made for a |
| sometimes a hassle at MIA went quite smooth. | | | | perfect day of boarding. Could Mt. Hood Meadows, |
| Great! The trip is off to a smooth start. We arrive at | | | | our choice for the final two days of our winter |
| DFW on time, and with our connecting gate for the | | | | vacation be any better? What a great day this has |
| Portland flight immediately adjacent to us, everything | | | | been.We drag our weary bodies back to town and |
| appears to be proceeding much better than planned. | | | | once again have an enjoyable dinner. As we get |
| Skies, for the most part were clear and the air quite | | | | ready to settle in for the |
| smooth making for a pleasant flight. From our seats | | | | evening, our host and his close friend inform us that |
| we can even peer out the window from time to | | | | they have started a campfire for us to enjoy out |
| time and see the mountain ski resorts near Sante Fe | | | | behind the B&B and |
| New Mexico and Salt Lake City Utah, wow! As we | | | | ask us to join them for some marshmallows and |
| begin our descent I am able to catch a glimpse of a | | | | some interesting conversation about their travels. |
| magnificent peak penetrating the cloud bank near | | | | Soon, thereafter, we |
| Portland. The | | | | both collapse into our beds with smiles on our faces, |
| words awe inspiring come immediately to mind...Mt | | | | food in our tummies, and stiffness in our joints as we |
| Hood...our destination, and I hope...not my final | | | | prepare ourselves for the next two days.The snow |
| one.After deplaning the aircraft, which I have to | | | | boarding at Mt Hood Meadows turns out to be |
| admit was not the most comfortable I have ever | | | | superb! It is, without a doubt, one of the finest |
| flown on, we proceed | | | | resorts, which are numerous, that we have ever had |
| to baggage claim and are pleasantly surprised to see | | | | the pleasure to visit. The terrain varies widely from |
| both our snowboards and equipment awaiting us at | | | | bunny slopes for the beginners, to some of the most |
| the oversize | | | | challenging, adrenaline pumping, heart pounding, I have |
| baggage door. Next step, off to the rental car desk, | | | | ever ventured this weary body on. For the |
| gotta love this 3 hour time difference, it's only 11:30 | | | | snowboarders, numerous terrain parks are scattered |
| am! As we | | | | throughout complete with jumps of all sizes, rails and |
| head onto I84 heading eastbound, the wind and the | | | | very well groomed half pipes. The skies, turned out |
| rain begin to pick up substantially, this is the Pacific | | | | to be, clear, crystal clear, on both days and the |
| Northwest you | | | | temperature continued to climb throughout the |
| always hear about right...wind, rain, clouds...? We don't | | | | course. We even were able to take off our ski |
| care though, because for us it means fresh powder! | | | | jackets the final day and wear only our light shirts, |
| The drive | | | | and of course, much sunscreen, as the sun's rays are |
| is an easy one, merely forty eight miles from airport | | | | very damaging at this altitude and time of year...old |
| to Hood River. This highway we are on meanders | | | | story...I'll tell ya about it someday. This, my friends, is |
| along the Columbia River, and judging from some of | | | | LIVING!Our final day begins early, what else is new, |
| the terrain I am able to sneak a peek at thru the rain | | | | and the next thing we know we are on the road |
| and clouds, it is rather impressive. As we follow the | | | | back to Portland and the |
| Lewis and Clark trail ever eastward, the Columbia | | | | airport. Where has the time gone? Must we leave so |
| looks quite impressive as well as imposing with the | | | | soon? I guess we must, as I have to get back to |
| wind driven rain creating whitecaps, and large swells | | | | work, and Jesse to |
| on the surface as the river winds it's way into the | | | | school as Spring Break is coming to an end. We are |
| Columbia River Gorge.As we arrive in Hood River, | | | | sad to see the mountain in the background as we pull |
| Jesse is sound asleep and I am wearing thin as this | | | | onto the highway. We have not conquered it, no one |
| very long day continues to, like the river meander on. | | | | really does. We have though, taken a piece of it with |
| But alas, with a few quick twists and turns, our map | | | | us forever, in our |
| leads us to our destination, atop a small hill | | | | memories and that is enough to put a smile on both |
| overlooking vast peach orchards. Our bed and | | | | of our faces. Someday we will once again return.The |
| breakfast is a two story cabin, with a finished | | | | airport ahead...the nightmare awaits us... |
| basement. The main floor has two bedrooms, a | | | | I am certain I had checked the flights just a few |
| communal living and breakfast room, and a wonderful | | | | days ago. Wide open, lots of empty seats, no |
| outdoor patio. The upper floor includes 3 bedrooms | | | | problem getting home, |
| and a single bath. This presents no problem; | | | | or so I thought. I did not realize when planning our |
| however, as this weekend, we are the only guests. | | | | trip that Spring Break for Oregon residents was just |
| After meeting Linda, | | | | beginning on the |
| one of the co-owners of our quaint B&B, we decide | | | | day we chose to leave. After checking our bags to |
| to venture out into town in search of some much | | | | Miami and passing through security screening I was |
| needed nourishment.After perusing the town a bit, | | | | soon to find this |
| we settled into a brew pub named the Big Horse | | | | detail out. All flights full! All flights, all day, all locations, |
| brew pub. No equine on the menu, but some delicious | | | | and just about all airline full, actually oversold. This |
| burgers fill our hungry stomachs. The view from our | | | | was not good. What to do? Normally if a flight is |
| table is quite beautiful, the town, the river, the bridge | | | | oversold, we sometimes have a chance of getting on |
| and even a few windsurfers venturing out. What | | | | it, last minute, especially using a higher priority as we |
| happens next though is quite awe inspiring...the sun | | | | chose to use this day. After waiting thru two flights |
| begins to peak thru the clouds creating a double | | | | that left and seeing our name dropping on the |
| rainbow, that ends in the river below us. What a way | | | | standby listings, instead of rising I knew we had to |
| to bring our day to a close. We head back to our | | | | make alternate plans. I called my wife on the cell |
| lodging, and after a short chat with the other owner, | | | | phone and together we pulled our resources to try |
| Lee, we climb into our comfy beds totally exhausted, | | | | and find Jesse and I a way home. It just seemed all |
| yet looking forward to our day on the mountain | | | | flights were full, on all airlines that day, in Portland, as |
| tomorrow. As day two of our journey begins, we | | | | well as Seattle, which I was willing to drive us to in |
| get to experience the other B in B&B, that being | | | | order to catch a flight. Finally, after many hours I |
| breakfast, and to our delight, it is exceptional! Going | | | | finally found us a way out of Portland. We would |
| downstairs we are greeted by the aroma of hot | | | | have to wait until 8 pm that night, but a flight was |
| coffee, a wide variety of teas, and several fresh | | | | heading for San Francisco on Horizon Airlines that did |
| fruit juices from which to choose. Fresh breads, rolls, | | | | have some seats available. We didn't hesitate in |
| butter and jams also await our hungry insides. | | | | buying some tickets on this flight. But we did have |
| Following these delights we are presented with a | | | | quite some time to wait. We ate, we slept, we ate |
| menu of fresh items we may include in our | | | | some more, we walked around, read, and finally after |
| omelettes, accompanied by Canadian bacon, both | | | | 10 hours in the airport we boarded our flight. I never |
| sweet and hot sausages, and melt in your mouth | | | | felt so good as we broke ground as I did that day, |
| home fries. Mouth waters even now as | | | | knowing that we were moving forward, even if only |
| I think back on this outstanding breakfast. We will | | | | a slight amount. We arrived in San Francisco without |
| definitely not be hungry or in need of any energy | | | | incident; however, our flight on American to Miami |
| bars this day as we | | | | was not departing, until seven the next morning. Only |
| conquer the slopes...and our own bodies. After a | | | | problem, to insure we would get seats on this flight, |
| gracious farewell from our hosts, we set forth | | | | we needed to check in for this flight at about 4 am, |
| toward the mountain.The weather is still dreary, a bit | | | | as we had no computer access if we left the airport. |
| cold and rainy, but the drive to our destination for | | | | |
| today, Timberline Ski Resort, | | | | So once again, we found some seats and slept, if |
| is uneventful. A two lane road follows the Hood | | | | you could call it that. Nonetheless, we did get on the |
| River for most of the drive, as it winds it's way | | | | flight at seven and |
| through various orchards | | | | finally arrived home in Miami at about 8 pm that |
| in the foothills before beginning it's steady climb to | | | | night. Tired, worn, beaten, bruised, smelling like you |
| higher altitudes. Due to the cloud cover, we still have | | | | know what, we |
| not had any direct view of the mountain itself, and | | | | picked up our car and headed for the 2 hour drive |
| we have become a bit worried as we proceed | | | | to our home...With a smile on our face...That wasn't |
| onward, as snow snow has been seen | | | | so bad...was it, let's do it again...next year :)Please visit |
| anywhere. Did we make a fatal mistake? Is it much | | | | Travel-Ascending.com, for more news and |
| too late in the season? Did that internet website we | | | | articles.Donald Reese, aviator, travel-agent, and travel |
| looked at before departing deceive us in any way? | | | | author shares his adventures/misadventures as he |
| All our fears are aleved though, as we round the final | | | | explores our world. |