Activities in Oregon
It's pretty obvious that I enjoy living out here in the Great Northwest. The quality of life is excellent. From the Cascade Mountain Range to the East to the Pacific Ocean to the West and everything in between in the Willamette (pronounced "Will-AM-et") Valley, the only real problem with living in Portland is that there are just to many things to choose between when funtime comes around! This page looks at some of those ways we enjoy our offtime in Oregon.
VISITORS FROM THE EAST (6/12/01): My bro Randy came out with boyfriend Dan and his other roommate Poh over the weekend for a visit. It worked out quite well as it was Rose Festival week - the Navy was in town with lots of large ships parked along with Willamette River, we saw the big parade, and in addition to seeing a lot of our natural wonders we supplemented their trip with plenty of visits to the man made wonders, too (i.e. brewpubs). They were great guests and we were thrilled to have them out!
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Mark and Laura (Toupee and Red) House Warming Party Pics (April 2000)
(Click on a picture to see full size)
Keri and I had volunteered at the Summer Reading Library Charity Gala earlier that evening and were decked out, while Toupee and Red were happy to have friends over to help Sammy through his first party (with of course many more to follow).
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FARMER'S MARKET
Keri's found another Farmer's Market just down the hill from us which she loves. Check out their web page. In the late summer early fall I get a little taste of home when the sweet corn comes in.
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MT. HOOD HIKING FOR ANN's BIRTHDAY!!!
Keri's folks took their first steps towards visiting every Great American Lodge by spending two nights at Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood for Ann's birthday. Keri and I joined them for a Saturday from the lodge around (and up, and down, and up and down again!) hike to a place called Paradise. It was not an easy hike, and was certainly good for our minds and bodies. Check out the pics. Click on them below to view them in their full original glory...
The summer of 1999 was spent enjoying lots of fine dinners, walks, bike rides, and tennis with Keri, Sunday football, and spending plenty of time out on the golf course trying to break my best 9 or 18 holes of the year (40 Heron Lakes Greenback front 9 and 85 Heron Lakes Greenback Labor Day Saturday with my dad, Toupee, and Brent).
VACATION SUMMER 99!!!
I made it back to Illinois for a bit of fun later in August. It was great seeing most of the old gang at Mike and Erin Sands wedding. I got in plenty of golf and didn't have much time to reflect before Keri and I were off for a whirlwind trip around Oregon. We booked our campsites online at Oregon State Campsite web site and had a blast on the coast before heading inland to stay at the Oregon Caves Lodge. This is a recommended trip for everyone!
Westside Light Rail is open for business! - It's fun just to get on the train and ride around. Portland is trying to lay claim to being the "Best Transit System in America" (I think every town says that about their Mass Transit), and Keri and I are pretty happy with not just the train but the trolley and buses as well. One highlight of the rail line is the 26 story deep Washington Park Zoo stop with a core sample which goes back 16 million years on display there!
Keri and Robyn on Mt. Hood, August 1998.
Click here for more of 1998's end of the summer Mt. Hood loop trip in pictures!!!
The 1998 Oregon Brewers Festival offered an alternative way of cooling off. The last Sunday in July Keri and I headed 20 blocks westward on the Vintage Trolley to sample brews from all over the country, including a nice fruity Hawaiian Lilikoi Wheat Ale from Kona Brewing Company and the potentate "Fred" concoction from Hair Of The Dog. Other favorites included the Procrastinator Bock from Falls Brewing Company and Hawthorne's Best Bitter from Lucky Labrador Brewing Company. The 11th Annual festival was a perfect place to be on a hot sunny day and since it happens every year it is something every Oregonian can look forward to! By the way, there is also an Ale Festival in downtown Portland every December... They really like their beverages here.
White Water Rafting on the White Salmon River was fun for Keri, I, and her folks on July 25th, 1998. I'd gone once before on the Snake River in Colorado, but for the Carkeeks this was new stuff. Keri learned how quickly the hot air temperatures could become a faint memory after she fell into the icy cold water about 10 seconds into our first rapid and was quickly pulled in by our guide Mike. After that wake up call, she picked up the pace and had a nice ride. There are plenty of companies all over who offer rafting trips to the inexperienced, and if you're looking for a natural way to beat the heat you've got to give this a try.
Pictures from Beacon Rock July 25th, 1998 (Keri and I with her father Steve) *
Keri and Robyn ready for adventure before going down the White Salmon River - Nice wetsuit!!!*
Seconds before Keri went swimming in White Salmon River*
*pictures courtesy Ann Carkeek