The Pacific Northwest

PNW

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Detroit, Oregon

One of the PNWs’ most prized possessions: it is literally breathtaking and the entertainment value is endless-

Boating
Floating
Swimming
Fishing
Photography
Wildlife
Camping. They have multiple campgrounds, as well as random camp spots along the road. If your adventurous enough, you can find some really cool secluded spots up random “roads”. Here’s one I found….

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2020 Detroit Fires

In September of 2020, Detroit experienced a disaster so traumatic, it still almost makes me cry 2 years later.

I had recently left a job and had a week off before starting my new one. I used that time renting cameras and taking solo road trips. Labor day weekend I did the Detroit run. Tuesday morning, I show up to my first day of work and only one person is there. Everyone else was apparently fighting a fire somewhere and evacuating people. I was more than a little confused at that moment; however, than confusion grew exponentially when I realized it was noon and still dark and blood-red colored outside.

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First of many days during the Detroit fires.

Detroit

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Luckily for Detroit, fires are unpredictable crackheads and jump around with seemingly no rhyme or reason: thus, the area is still beautiful, however less green! It’s amazing how fast everything starts growing again.

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Fisherman’s Bend

^{(Completely destroyed by the fires)}

Minto-Brown Park

Salem, Oregon

Minto-Brown Island Park spreads out over 1,200 acres of lush, open, and wooded areas. This makes Minto-Brown Island Park not only the biggest park in Salem, but also larger than Central Park in New York City.

There is a 30-acre, designated off-leash dog area that provides plenty of room for your dog to roam, play, and visit with other dogs. This park also serves as a waterfowl and wildlife sanctuary, which you can enjoy from the observation platforms along the sloughs. Blue herons, ospreys, squirrels, and rabbits are among the many different wetland creatures that call this park home.

The Oregon Coast

It doesn’t get much more coastal than this region. And thanks to a pioneering beach bill, all 363 miles of Oregon’s coastline remain free and public. That means endless opportunities to comb for agates or glass floats, catch your own Dungeness crab or razor clam, watch for whales, seals and puffins, make footprints in the sand or simply be captivated by a winter storm from inside a cozy beachfront lodge. No matter the season, the Oregon Coast is a rejuvenating getaway.
Travel Oregon

Clamming

Mushroom Picking

The Painted Hills of Oregon

The Painted Hills is a geologic site in Wheeler County, Oregon that is one of the three units of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument along with Sheep Rock and Clarno. It totals 3,132 acres and is located 9 miles northwest of Mitchell, Oregon.

Here’s my trip to the Painted Hills…

Painted Hills

Pacific Crest Trail

The Pacific Crest Trail spans 2,650 miles (4,265 kilometers) from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon, and Washington. It is a National Scenic Trail. It reveals the beauty of the desert, unfolds the glaciated expanses of the Sierra Nevada, travels deep forests, and provides commanding vistas of volcanic peaks in the Cascade Range. The trail symbolizes everything there is to love—and protect—in the Western United States.

MANS BEST FRIEND

Partial list of places dogs aren’t allowed: Inquire locally

Anza-Borrego State Park
San Jacinto State Park
Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park
Yosemite National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park
The rim trail alternate in Crater Lake National Park (dogs are ok on official PCT that doesn’t visit the rim.)

Salem. Oregon’s Capital

Salem Waterfront Park

Willamette Queen

Enjoy a riverboat experience reminiscent of the days when travel on the Willamette River was only by steam-powered sternwheeler boats.

Salem’s Riverfront Carousel

A magical destination for all ages! · Admission Free to Enter Rides $2.00 Each Bulk Ride Passes Available: 18 for $30 (saves $6) 50 for $75 (saves $25)

Gilbert House Children’s Museum

The Gilbert House Children’s Museum is a private nonprofit 501(c)(3) children’s museum connected to downtown Salem’s Riverfront Park. Founded in 1989, Gilbert House Children’s Museum provides innovative and stimulating educational experiences which spark children’s natural curiosity. The Museum is named after Salem native, A.C. Gilbert, an extraordinary scholar, inventor, Olympic athlete and gold medalist, entrepreneur, and magician. An advocate of learning through play, Gilbert was the proud inventor of the Erector Set, the inspiration for our giant outdoor Erector Set, the highlight of our 20,000 ft² Outdoor Discovery Area.

City of Salem Splash Fountains

Spray fountains are a fun way for kids and families to stay cool during hot summer weather. As the temperatures rise, cool off and play in one of the City’s spray fountains.

The fountains are open June 21 through Labor Day.

Silver Creek Falls

Silver Falls Highway

This place never gets old. In part, because it’s seemingly endless: the beauty stretches way beyond the borders of the park. But mostly just because it’s gorgeous and ever-changing with the seasons.

I must warn you though, that the South Falls Day Use Area, should be called “Falls Metro”- that place is always packed! That’s obviously fine for most people (hence the reason it’s packed) and if you’re just hiking, it’s irrelevant, Just park and bounce! Personally, I prefer to keep going North and finding less populous areas…. but then again, that’s probable why you hear of lost/stranded hikers being rescued all the time.

The Santiam River

The Santiam is fairly large and preferred recreational activities vary throughout. Depending on the location you may choose to go

Boating
Fishing
Kayaking
Rafting
Floating
Camping

My personal favorite, is floating the stretch of river right off I-5 MP 241 (end spot for my run).

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Santiam River near Mill City, Oregon

Maupin, Oregon – Gateway to the Deschutes River

No matter the un-PNW-looking it may be, oh it still is! And its the meta for rafting! You can choose from an array of guided tours, which range from 4 hours to 5 days, in which most have checkpoints where they take your pictures – or – go unguided! I’ve done it both ways and depending on the time of year, it can be totally chill –> a little stressful, for an inexperienced rafter. Just make sure you follow signs when it says to GET OUT HERE! If you don’t, I hope you wrote a will because the class 5+ rapids lie just beyond. Don’t worry, you don’t need those to get a rush if you’re an adrenaline junkie, there are plenty of spots that will flip your raft prior to that.

I remember the first time I went, was on a raft with 6 Asian tourists. The mother especially, did not want or plan to get wet in any fashion lol… lets just say, that the last rapid before exiting the river, looked like a scene from the TITANIC! There were flipped boats, paddles, and lost floating souls all over the damn place it was hilarious! She was not impressed. I was.

I use High Desert River Outfitters every time I do a guided trip. Initially it was because the always have Groupons, now its because they are just awesome!!!

Skiing & Snowboarding

Mt Bachelor:

13000 SW Century Drive, Bend, OR 97702

Mt. Hood:

Hoodoo:

27400 Big Lake Road Sisters, Oregon 97759

Slopeside Winter RV Camping

Mt. Ashland:

693 Washington Ashland, Oregon 97520

Warner Canyon Ski Area:

95158 E HWY 140 Lakeview, OR, 97630,

Vineyards

With 908 wineries in Oregon, a tourism industry has developed around wine tasting. Much of the tourism focuses on the wineries and tasting rooms in and around the Yamhill Valley southwest of Portland. I have a list of nearly 300 Oregon vineyards here. A hot spot – Dayton!!