Let it All Hang Out ‘Cause We’ve Got a Run to Make
Hello campers! Been a couple of weeks since the last blog. Time seems to have a way of moving on whether we want it to or not. Spent the last couple of days on a mini road trip to Hood River OR via Portland. Dropped the hounds, Sydney and Buddy, off with our great friends, Pat and Amy, who kindly looked after the dynamic duo. Much thanks, we owe you one.
Drove the family truckster to the fine state to our south to visit my sister in-law and her husband for the start of a fun weekend. After four years of searching, the couple just moved into their new house. At almost one hundred years old the charming abode is secluded from the busy life of downtown Portland but close to a wonderful, almost hidden, village that serves a mean cheeseburger topped with pulled pork and yes – wait for it – bacon. It was nice to have a quiet Friday to just relax and not worry about your next meeting or project due date. Those things will always be there but time with family is special.
With phase one – resting – complete, it was time to get back in the car and venture east toward Hood River. Having never been before I enjoyed the scenic drive as we weaved our way around beautiful hillsides, stunning mountain views and the crystal blue water of the Columbia River Gorge. I say this with pride, the Pacific Northwest is a wonderful place to live. If you’ve never been out this way, you need to come for a visit.
After a blisteringly fast ninety minutes we arrived in the town of Hood River. Nestled against the backdrop of the Gorge this hidden gem provided the location for the remainder of the weekend. Later that night my brother in-law and his new wife also arrived on the scene for Saturday was Hops Fest. A day-long event filled with local brews, food, music and Diet Coke. More on this in a bit. Before adult beverages were to be consumed it was time for the Fruit Loop. Oddly, Toucan Sam had no part of this morning adventure. No, the Fruit Loop was a fun drive visiting local farms and apple orchards through the Hood River valley. Despite loading six adults into the car we still managed to stock up on apples, pears, cookies, pie and even pumpkins all while having a great time catching up.
Once back in town we walked a few blocks to attend the Hops Fest. On an absolutely beautiful fall day we took in the sights – no one under twenty allowed, sounds – please make the female singer of the cover band stop, to smells – BBQ, brats and teriyaki chicken. The real star of the show was the beer. Not a fan myself, I fancied an icy cold Diet Coke (it really is the real thing) and just enjoyed spending time with family. As night began to fall we ventured back to the rental house for steak and pizza. If you’re from this area you may remember a place called Pietro’s Pizza. Cracker crust, pepperoni, Canadian bacon – my mouth is watering just typing this. A delicious treat to round out a fun day.
All good things must come to an end and as we said our goodbyes today and ventured off to parts unknown I was left with wonderful new memories and shared experiences. That’s my jam.
