I like fun.

     One of my favorite things to do when the weather starts to get chilly and the fall colors start to pop, is hike. There are so many trails to explore near PDX, and there are some GREAT urban hikes as well. On Friday Brent and I did one of my favorite Portland urban hikes – the Wildwood trail to Pittock Mansion.

     It was the perfect day for a hike and with the rainy season looming, I wanted to take advantage of what will probably be our last sunny day of the fall. We parked in NW Portland near Macleay Park and caught the trail that runs along Balch Creek. The stone house is the marker to merge onto the Wildwood trail (basically just stay straight past the stone house) and follow the Wildwood Trail all the way to Pittock mansion. It’s about a 5 mile round-trip hike and it’s pretty easy. There’s a stretch of switch backs as you near Pittock mansion that can get a little intense, but it’s only a half a mile or so and well worth the effort.

     The first part of the hike is a half-mile walk along Blach Creek to the stone house and it’s just plain beautiful. The creek bed was slathered with falling orange and yellow leaves and the contrast they make to the lush green and earthy brown surroundings was breathtaking. We stopped on the first bridge to peer into a clear pool of creek water near a rock wall. There are usually a few trout meandering there in the mouth of an eroded cave. Brent spotted a big-daddy trout (maybe 15 inches) hanging out with some smaller buddies and we watched them for a while.

     Maybe it was the walk in the forest next to the running water, or watching the lazy trout floating in a crystal clear pool, or maybe it was knowing that I was going to see my best friend Brandi that evening, but I was reminded of a high-school fishing escapade. My best buds in high school were a rowdy group of girls and we loved to have fun. We were also lucky enough to come of age in Eastern Oregon, a place full of fun outdoor activities. Now, that said – I’m not exactly “outdoorsy,” not in the way my besties are. These girls grew up in the woods with their logger dads and hunting families. My family camped when we were growing up, but like in designated campgrounds. My dad didn’t pack his pistol and a shot-gun when we headed out for a family camping expedition. I’ve often been mocked for my lack of wilderness knowledge. I have trouble identifying the difference between a coyote and a wolf. It makes me the butt of lots of jokes.

     So, I’m the least “outdoorsy” of my high school besties AND…I’m the clumsiest. Once on an afternoon fishing trip, we were wading up the shallow waters of the Grand Ronde river. If memory serves me correctly, it was Jaimie and Brandi and me. It was a hot sunny day and our plan was to catch some rays AND some fish (we were way better at getting a tan than catching fish). In hindsight, I’m sure the picture of three teenaged girls in bathing suites, hair piled high in ponytails on top of our heads carrying fishing poles and gingerly choosing our steps while we tried to keep balance on the slippery rocks was pretty hilarious. Jaimie was convinced that there would be a good fishing hole just up around the river bend. The current was strong and the rocks were slick. Brandi was just issuing a warning not to fall as I felt the rock that my stepping foot lodged against shift to the right. That was all it took. Both feet slipped right out from under me and the cold water swallowed me up as the current took hold. It was a split second of helplessness. And then I felt a sharp tug on the back of my head and I yelped. My best friend Brandi with her cat-like reflexes had seen me fall and lunged forward to grab for my ponytail. She caught me in the nick of time and I was pulled to the safety of the big rocks on the river bank by my hair. We sat for a moment catching our breaths and then looked at each other and burst into laughter. As per the norm, we caught more sun than fish that day and I will always be grateful for a long ponytail and the best friend who saved me.

     Trudging up creek beds and hiking through forests are not new experiences for me, but an urban hike is different. It’s so cool to feel like you’re deep in the forest and lost to the world and have civilization right around the corner.  On our Friday hike we took the Wildwood trail up the hill to Pittock mansion. Forest Park gives the illusion that you’re off the grid. We were deep in the middle of a giant rainforest where the trees are so thick and high that they block out the sunlight and the ferns are pre-historically giant and suddenly I heard a siren. It caught me totally by surprise and I jumped. I was jolted out of the illusion and reminded that I was still smack dab in the middle of the city. The sensation of walking out of thick forest into the parking lot at a mansion is just…surreal.The views from Pittock mansion are the best in the city. If you want that iconic Portland city-scape spot, Pittock mansion is the place to get it. Seeing it in the Fall is extra special because the vibrant color of the changing leaves gives the city a patch-work quilt look. If you’re looking for a fun hike and you don’t want to have to drive to find it, hike Wildwood trail. The stretch between Balch creek and Pittock Mansion is gorgeous any time of year.

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     When I was about six years old (this guess at age is a total crap shoot – I actually have no idea how old I was, I could just have easily been five or eight) my dad traded a dinner ware set (the kind he makes, he’s a potter) for a small sail boat and his love affair with wind and water began. Before this transaction took place, I’m not sure my dad had ever sailed before. Here’s what I do know. My dad learned to sail using a book and his family as crew. Our time on that first boat is cemented in our brains because of all the painful and hilarious moments that always resulted in one of us screaming in exasperation – Dad! Read the book! We weren’t convinced that he was studying at all.

Here’s what WE learned:

1. There’s almost never wind when you need some.
2. If someone shouts “coming about,” you had better duck for cover because you’re about to get a boom in the head (it was a very small boat). For years, even as my dad’s sail boats got much bigger and ducking ceased to be necessary, whenever he said “coming about” I had the instinctual reflex to hit the deck.
3. There’s only one bush (it’s likely sage brush) on all of Lucky Peak Reservoir and we stared at it for many, many, many hours as we waited for a “gust” to speed our way back to shore during those early expeditions.
4. My dad will never buy a motor big enough to water ski behind. This was particularly earth-shattering for all of his kids and from what I’ve heard it’s going to be the same “boat” for the grandchildren.
5. There’s hardly ever wind. But when there is wind, it’s usually way too much and embarrassing things happen when there’s too much wind and you’re trying to learn how to sail.
6. They’re called oars, not roars and no matter what you want to call them, it sucks when you have to use them.

     My dad loves to sail. I think it’s his most favorite fun thing and he’s graciously endured a family who never really warmed to the activity. Even though it’s not my most favorite thing, as my Dad’s sailing skills improved, I learned that sometimes it’s actually pretty fun. On our trip to Eastern Oregon this week, Brent and I were able to sail with my parents on Wallowa Lake. We had just enough wind to keep things interesting and the sailing, a little bit of sun and the company made for a wonderful afternoon on the lake.

     Wallowa Lake is one of my favorite Oregon destinations. I’d say it’s the fourth most beautiful part of the state (the Columbia River Gorge, Crater Lake and the coast slightly out-shine it, but not by much). It was Brent’s first time to Joseph and Wallowa Lake and it was so fun for me to see it all for the first time through his eyes.

     On our way to Joseph, we stopped in Enterprise at Terminal Gravity Brewery. Brent was surprised that such an un-assuming spot brews the beer that so many Portlanders love. We sat outside in their grassy picnic area, had a pint and enjoyed the gorgeous scenery. I love that they have a cooler full of hand-blown glasses that belong to each of the locals who drink there regularly. The charm oozes and the beer is plentiful. Something about the setting makes a Terminal Gravity IPA taste better than it does anywhere else.

     Then it was on to Joseph with its shops/galleries and brass sculptures. The majestic mountains are the perfect backdrop for a stroll through town. My Joseph favorites include – R&R drive in (best soft ice-cream for hundreds of miles – oh, except for the Little Bear in Wallowa – it’s stinking good too), the Outlaw Saloon – they serve beer in frozen mugs that are so cold that ice crystals float up through the beer from the bottom of the glass, the “sexy cowboy” sculpture – just discovered on this trip. I’ve never noticed it before, but my mother enthusiastically pointed it out to Brent (much to my amusement), Embers – sitting on their patio with a glass of wine with the mountains front and center is fabulous and Bee Crow Bee – unbelievably luscious soap and they also have a spa there now.

     And then…Wallowa Lake. The view from the non-state park side (shown above) holds that spectacular beauty that I mentioned earlier. In addition to the camp ground and the lodge, there’s a bunch of kitschy tourist trip-type stuff at the State Park end of the lake. Things like bumper boats, mini-golf and the like but the lake and the mountains are the main attractions in my book. We got a good dose of both from my dad’s boat. We spent a couple of hours sailing and it was relaxing and fun. My water-loving husband even took a quick swim.

     So thanks Mom and Dad for a fun stay in Eastern Oregon and thanks Dad for teaching us all to sail – I’m happy to report that I’ve learned to appreciate the art (and the fun) of it.

     You can see all the photos from our trip in the August 2010 album on Facebook. If you have an outrageous sailing story or a Wallowa Lake memory to share, I’d love to hear it! Feel free to comment below.

     I turned 33 last Friday. I always love a good birthday, but 33 seemed…well..anticlimactic. What I was looking forward to most was a fun day with Brent doing something in the sun. The anticlimactic nature of my mood perpetuated when I heard that the weather was supposed to be cool and cloudy on Friday.  I was forced to replace my daydreams about catching some rays on a river adventure with reading reviews and checking movie schedules.

     You can imagine my delight and surprise when I woke up on Friday to sunshine. YES! Temps weren’t going to be quite high enough for swimsuits, so we decided a good hike was in order. I’ve wanted to check out the waterfalls on Hwy 30 ever since my friend Jason Meketa posted pictures of Ponytail Falls on facebook earlier in the year. He described a fun hike that included a water fall that you could walk behind. I decided on this for my birthday adventure.
    

     The Historic Columbia River Highway was another black X on my “you’re a terrible Oregonian who doesn’t explore your state” record, so I was excited to remedy that. I’ve driven I-84 and marveled at the gorge and Multnomah Falls hundreds of time – and I can honestly say that even after hundreds of times both of those sites are still a marvel, but I’d never taken the time to drive the slow-paced Hwy 30 and see what there is to see beyond the freeway.

     It’s pretty amazing. We took the easy drive East on I84 from Portland to Exit 18 and curved up onto Crown Point Hwy. It’s a gorgeous scenic drive that leaves you wondering who’s lucky enough (and crazy enough) to live in such beauty. I looked longingly at the u-pick blueberry farm we passed, but we were on a mission. The first viewpoint we stopped at was Portland Women’s Forum. I’m still not sure where the name comes from, but it is majestic. This is the view that you see in so many iconic Columbia River Gorge photos. The word that comes to mind is: Wow. It was extra cool because there was a painting class happening while we were there. A group of artists were set up with their easels and brushes capturing one of the most beautiful sights in Oregon.   I took about a bazillion pictures and then we were on the road again. Next stop Vista House.
    

     Vista House is yet another sight I’ve zoomed by so many times without stopping to see. We found more incredible views, took more pictures and chatted with a friendly park ranger who gave us a map to the water falls. I honestly had no idea there were so many. We were in for a treat.

     During our adventure, we stopped at Latourell, Bridal Veil, Multnomah (we needed snacks) and Horsetail Falls. It was amazing. Many of these falls you can see from the highway with little or no hike required. I’d highly recommend spending an afternoon exploring. You can check out the photos I took in my August 2010 album on facebook.

     So –  Ponytail Falls. We parked at Horsetail Falls and took the .4 mile hike to see the Ponytail. It really does look like a ponytail and you really can walk behind the water. It’s cool and an easy hike because it’s short, but also is uphill switchbacks most of the way. I was definitely huffing and puffing, but the view is well worth it. You also get some pretty amazing glimpses of the Gorge from the trail (more photo opps). It’s not a girthy falls, it’s a relatively small shot of water that springs off the rock like a ponytail and cascades into a small pool that you can access with a short climb down. The trail hugs the rock wall that indents into a cave behind the falls and you can walk right through.  I’d do it again in a heartbeat, the experience was pretty spectacular.

     We set out on a birthday mission to walk behind a water fall and ended up with a really fun day filled with gorgeous scenery and some great memories. If you’ve visited any of these falls, or know of other fun hikes near PDX, let me know. We’re always looking for our next adventure.