Friday, July 28, 2017

Road Trip!

Friday Fave Fives for a catch up of Willow's Wanderings.

We were road tripping for two weeks, so I didn't add any posts here at Willow's Cottage.  Now it's time to catch up!  We did so much!  Celebrating with my brother and sister-in-law.  We share our wedding anniversary, so if we are together on that day, we celebrate!  We hiked.  We reconnected with other family and friends.

1.  Yes, we were in Portland, Oregon, my hometown.


The Willamette River flows through all of my memories.  Crossing the river every day to attend high school.  Riding over the new bridge in my brother's black convertible with the top down when I was sixteen.  This time, we walked the new walking bridge, Tilikum Crossing, over the Willamette and then crossed again on one of the other bridges.  Downtown Portland is ideally designed with walking paths on both sides of the river and the bridges connecting east and west sides.



2.  We also hiked in Forest Park, the eight square mile park in the Tualatin Mountains west of downtown.  I love hiking among the fir trees of my childhood.




3.  On our way back home, we drove through coastal southern Oregon which is where my father was born and lived his childhood.  I still have family there and we enjoyed a short visit with a cousin.  The drive along the Umpqua River and the Pacific Ocean brought back so many memories.





4.  The Professor and I both have roots in Northern Coastal California.  He attended high school in Humboldt County, so of course we stopped there overnight.  And of course we had to hike around the Redwoods Park in Arcata.



5.  On our trip we visited three national parks.  I mentioned Mt. Lassen earlier, but we added Redwood National Park/Forest and Pinnacles National Park to our list of 'parks visited'.  We drove up a narrow windy road to one of the Pacific Ocean view points in the Redwood National Forest thinking we would have a stunning view.  Although it was not what we expected, it was still spectacular.  White cloud bank covering the entire ocean and sweeping up to the tops of the coastal cliffs.



Pinnacles:  very hot and dry in the summer!


But there's no place like home!  A familiar view of the Pacific Ocean along Highway 101 in our county.


11 comments:

Faith said...

Redwoods is on my bucket list!! Ive never heard of the other one.

Someday I hope to get to Portland for a visit....my husband has been for a co fere ce. He said it was chilly and rainy the entire time. I believe it was autumn shen he was there.

Your hiking pics are wonderful and how fun to visit your hometown areas!

happy weekend!

Barbara H. said...

What neat sights to see while traveling! Happy anniversary!

Ann said...

What a beautiful trip!! I have been to Portland, but was only 14 at the time - and that was quite awhile ago - so I don't remember much!! After your post, I would like to go again!

Susan said...

Thanks for sharing some of your childhood memories. I love water and have never lived near it. So I am a little envious!

Wow - how wonderful that y'all could visit three national parks this trip.The west coast is certainly spoiled with choices.

I have never visited Portland (only driven through). I think it is time I did so since it is close enough for such a trip.

Have a great weekend.

Gail said...

Glad you and your husband are enjoying the retirement years. It's wonderful to be able
to enjoy seeing the country without time constraints. If you don't already have one, the
senior lifetime pass sold by the National Park Service is $10 currently but the price is being
increased to $80 on August 28, 2017. Information is available at their website www.nps.gov

So many people didn't move to the west until after World War II, but your family seems to have a
long history. Did any of them come out on the Oregon Trail?



Deb J. in Utah said...

It's always nice to go home - even if just for a visit. Looks like you had a nice trip. Have a good weekend.

Mereknits said...

Gorgeous photos from a wonderful trip.

Susanne said...

The Oregon Trail and the Redwood Forest are both on my bucket to hopefully someday see so I really enjoyed your pictures. That other forest trail walk also looks lovely.

Anonymous said...

I just got back Monday from a trip to Oregon. Do you remember stopping in the Roseberg/Sutherlin area for me to visit my Aunt? She had lost her son in the Vietnam Nam war not too long previously and we had a sweet visit. She had only one other child, a daughter, who cared for her there in Sutherlin for the last few years. She just passed away a few hours before her 102nd birthday, and my brother, sister in law and I were there for her funeral. We drove down that amazingly beautiful Oregon coast, crossing over north from Portland, then along the river and across again to spend the night in Astoria, then down the coast. I think I only missed you by a few days! Mary

Tracy said...

Soooo HAPPY to see you back here and some from your travels, Willow! And and you crammed a LOT in your trip! Oh, those redwoods... *swoon*... ((HUGS))

UplayOnline said...

Did any of them come out on the Oregon Trail?


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