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