Sunset, Kailua-Kona, The Big Island, Hawaii, March 11, 2024

Sunset, Kailua-Kona, The Big Island, Hawaii, March 11, 2024
Sunset, Kailua-Kona, The Big Island, Hawaii, March 11, 2024

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Two Susans to Go - Sun., Mar. 30


Multnomah Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon
Our friend, Susan M., causally invited me to go on a road trip with her to Oregon so we could walk the Columbia Gorge Biennial Classic volksmarches sponsored by the Columbia River Volksmarch Club. For four days in June, 14 sponsored walks and one bike ride are put on by the volksmarch club. The walks/hikes are in the spectacular Columbia River Gorge; most walks include waterfalls or scenic viewpoints of the gorge.

Wahkeena Falls, Columbia River Gorge
We also plan to volksmarch a number of state capitals: Phoenix, Carson City, Sacramento, Salem, Boise, Salt Lake City and Santa Fe. She is working toward her State Capitals badge. I will sign up to walk the state capitals as well and work on my badge too.

If you know me, you know travel is my passion and I will do anything to go on a trip. I got to thinking about it, then my thinking got more serious. Why not? You only live once. This is going to be so much fun!

I asked my manager at the RV park if it would be okay to take four days off. [Note: I work two days per week, so taking four days off means our trip will be 2-1/2 weeks long.] She said, "Sure." It's our slow season, so I don't feel I'm leaving them in the lurch.*

*(Leave in the lurch definition = to leave in an uncomfortable or desperate situation; desert in time of trouble: Our best salesperson left us in the lurch at the peak of the busy season. Source: dictionary.reference.com)

Now we are planning where we'll go and other sites to see along the way. Ideas include Desert Botanical Garden (Phoenix), Lake Tahoe, Silver Falls State Park (Oregon), Timpanogos Cave (Utah), Mesa Verde N.P. (CO), Bandelier Nat'l Monument (NM), UFO Museum (NM).

Planning continues. I'mn sure between the two of us we'll have this whole trip set up in no time. We must remember to leave time to be spontaneous!

Today was a perfect weather day in San Antonio. The temperature was 82 with comfortable breezes blowing all day and humidity of 35%. With our windows open, we had lots of fresh air in the 5er.

That's all for now. Travel Bug out.




23 comments:

  1. Cool! Let me know when you're back in Oregon. If I'm around I'd love to join you ladies.

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    1. Hi Linda,
      I will be in Oregon May 25 to June 3 to visit my mom.

      Then Susan and I will be arriving June 17 and will depart June 23 to head east. We will be doing seven walks in four days from June 19-22. We'd love to have you join us. We're pretty sure we'll be doing the walks at Multnomah Falls, Starvation Creek, Mosier Tunnels, Wahclella Falls, Horsetail Falls and Pinnacle. We're talking about doing 25K on Eagle Creek past Tunnel Falls on Sunday, June 22.

      We'll be staying in Troutdale so you could meet us at our motel or meet us at the start point in Cascade Locks. If you meet us at the motel and we carpool, you'll be doing two walks in one day and spending lunch with us.

      Susan

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  2. Beautiful shots.You must had a wonderful day!

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    Replies
    1. The pictures in today's blog were taken in Dec. 2012. I'll get new pictures in June.

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  3. Walking in the Columbia gorge sounds fabulous!

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    1. It is! We lived in Oregon over 30 years and hiked there all the time. Gorge-ous (local pun).

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  4. We love the Columbia River Gorge area. Just breath taking.

    If you have never seen Desert Botanical Garden, you will love it. Very unique place.

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    1. I think I went to Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix a long time ago. It will be nice to see it again.

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  5. Good for you! You and I talked about those Columbia Gorge Falls just a few days before. I think you ought to take this opportunity to go and do whatever you can get away with!

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  6. Good for you - sounds like a great trip! Thanks for you comment on our blog, and yes, as I've moved North so has the pollen. Hopefully a week in Silver City will help.

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  7. I had to go back and read it again. I thought you were hitting all those capitols in just 4 days. I wondered if you had mastered teleportation ;)

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    1. Hi Betsy,
      You're right, that was confusing. I went back and put in a note that we'll be gone for 2-1/2 weeks, but I'm only missing four days of work because I work part time.

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  8. great place to walk! The gorge is absolutely beautiful. One of my favorite places.

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    1. One of my favorite places too. Magical, enchanting, beautiful.

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  9. Sounds like a fabulous trip. Girls outings are fun in itself but add in stunning scenery and you've got a recipe that's darn awesome!

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  10. While in the Army during the late 1980's, I use to volksmarch in Germany. What a great way to see the area. :)

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    1. The Susan I'm traveling with was in the Army and Volksmarched in Germany too.

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  11. The Silver Falls State Park hike is magnificent. Should be gorgeous that time of year...around ten miles to do the entire thing, but you can get on and off at different locations. Walking behind the falls was one of my favorite things.

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    1. I've hiked the whole thing a couple of times before. We lived only 45 minutes away in Aurora, Oregon. Done each waterfall hike many times as well. There is a Volksmarch we'll be doing that includes all the falls.

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  12. I live in Eastern Washington. I must recommend White River Falls state park. It is 34.1 miles south of The Dalles. GREAT picnic area with beautiful falls in the middle of farm land. We just visited last weekend and had the whole place to ourselves as it is early in the season. LOVE your blog ... glad I found it!

    Signed, a fellow traveler!

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    Replies
    1. Is White River Falls the one with the old dam and power station? We love that place! Took the kids swimming in the pool at the bottom of the falls when they were young adults, nice sandy bottom, but freakin' cold water!

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