Central Oregon & Washington

We really didn’t get to explore or experience central Oregon or Washington on our epic journey, but we were able to hit some of the highlights this August.

Estacada, Oregon

Mary’s brother Tom lives about an hour outside Portland in the cascade foothills near the small hamlet of Estacada. Tom and his wife Janice have a large spread with lots of animals and wonderful views of the surrounding mountains.

We had a nice visit with Tom and Janice, their great dogs, the horses, the pig, the turkeys, the peacocks, the emu, the chickens, the llamas, the zebu, and of course the cats. We just stayed one night and had a great breakfast of fresh eggs in the morning. Thanks, Tom and Janice!

Detroit Lake and Breitenbush Hot Springs, Oregon

Next stop was Detroit Lake State Park, a pretty large lake and a nice campground with full hook-up sites. We spent an afternoon at the lake and I got to add Detroit Lake to my list of swimming holes. But, the big attraction here is to go to Breitenbush Hot Springs. Our 5^th wheel is a bit too big for the Breitenbush campground. Breitenbush is a Hot Springs Retreat Center run by residents of the adjoining intentional community. They host countless retreats and seminars throughout the year, but you can also just visit on your own, or even just for the day.

Mary and I got a day pass and lunch. They serve three vegetarian meals per day and the food is great. The real draw is the hot springs. There are three stone pools set along a hillside path with the farthest one being the hottest and also a place of silence. At the bottom of the hill is a series of smaller round concrete hot tubs that also vary in temperature. In addition there is a cold dunk tub that can be quite exhilarating! The water is extremely clear and pure and has no sulfur odor. They also have a steam hut. All the hot springs facilities are clothing optional and most people (but not all) partake of the pools in the nude. The clientele ranges from young families to old geezers and everything in-between. It is a fun and interesting place.

Bend, Oregon

We thoroughly enjoyed the hospitality of Jack and Nancy Smith (my aunt and uncle on Deb’s side). They have a very nice house on 13 beautifully manicured acres just north of Bend. We parked our 5^th wheel there as a base for exploring Bend, and we got to spend some time with Jack and Nancy. We connected with Mary’s friends Candace and Ed and Harry and Anne. We hiked Todd Lake and Smith Rocks State Park, and toured the High Desert Museum and surrounding area. Bend really has grown (85,000 pop.) into a great little city. The setting on the eastern edge of the Cascade Mountains seems almost perfect. It has excellent access to lakes and mountain hiking and skiing but with the sun and warmth of the high desert. Neither Mary nor I had been to Bend for over fifteen years and both of us were very impressed. The area is definitely a must see if you love summer or winter.

Leavenworth and Cashmere, Washington

My niece Laura (on Deb’s side) was getting married in Cashmere on August 21, 2011. Laura had asked me to officiate the ceremony, making this my second wedding service in two years. The occasion brought most all of the Hall side of the family together for the first time since Deb’s memorial service. We staged a surprise 60^th wedding anniversary celebration for Bill and Audry and we shared some fun times in the “Bavarian” town of Leavenworth Washington. The wedding ceremony went well, Laura was a beautiful bride, and the weather was very warm and sunny.