Day Four: Across the Cascades and Into the Wild

Back to Mount Hood for a ride up the Magic Mile (ski lift).












A view from the lift






















Superman

As we crossed the Cascade Mountains,
we drove through a huge Indian reservation.

Our new home. For five days, we lived here at this primitive campsite.











"The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy amidst the simple beauty of life. (Anne Frank)
















The kids invented their own refrigerator.
















It's always a party with Tim Schrank













This one's for Sung!

Climbing up the rough side of the mountain

On the road up the mountain

Ah, I could live here.

Alex lost his shoe at this spot...several of us had gotten out for a bathroom break (notice there are no toilets anywhere...) Unfortunately, we didn't realize he'd lost his shoe until we'd reached our hiking destination...which meant we had to drive back, get his shoe and go back up. It's not a little mountain people!











There she is in the distance--the whole top blew off when she erupted in 1980.



A bridge had washed out in June when melting snow created a
rushing river...we had to hike a mile
and a quarter along the road just to
get to the trailhead. Liv's wondering
if this is really worth it.















The trailhead with lots of snow...at the end of June!

We lost the trail, so decided to follow the river. Maybe not our best decision...

Pictures do not describe how strong
the current of this melted snow river was. But Tim worked for 20 minutes to lay a tree across it so we could cross, and, well, do you see a tree anywhere?

As close as we could get that day! (The visitors' center and several roads and trails were closed because of a heavy snowfall in May.)

Dinner at McMinnimin's

Amy eating meat.

Amy's friends, Tim Schrank and Gretl the doctor.

Day Three: Conquering Mount St. Helens

Getting ready to hit the road to Mount St. Helens















First stop: an espresso shack. They're everywhere on the West Coast...I finally found my people. These people drink coffee, espresso, latte all day long and there's no such thing as decaf!!! Also, funny how west coasters are so laid back and they drink tons of coffee, and east coasters are WOUND and they're always the ones drinking caffeine free soda,decaf coffee tea, even decaf tea...

Day Two: Escape to Mount Hood

Beginning the ascent to Mount Hood























From Mount Hood , you can see Mount Jefferson across the valley.

"Heeere's Johnny!" Timberline Lodge
was a site for the the filming of The Shining. It was built in the 30's by the WPA...a New Deal success story!

























Hiking the Barlow Road, part of the original Oregon Trail.

Picnic in Washington Park (downtown Portland)

Making our picnic dinner

Washington Park in the City of Roses

Pasta salad, wine and cheese (sorry we spilled wine on your brand new sleeping bag liner, Amy! But thanks to Google, dish soap and hydrogen peroxide, it wasn't too disastrous!)

Our Trip in Retrospect

DAY ONE
Traveling on Wednesday, June 25.

Are they really going to let us check 10 bags...?



And we're here!!!
Amy's downtown apartment!!

Inside Amy's apartment

Alex and Tina...Twins separated at Birth?

Westward, Ho!

Alright, People!!! We're back! We've had some computer illnesses around here, but times are lookin' up! Thanks to Ken and Alan, our family computer doctors, we are just moments from being up and running, better than ever.

The Walshes leave tomorrow for Oregon for a 15-day outdoor adventure! I'd like to thank thank Al Gore for inventing the internet because we planned a lot of this trip using the internet...I really think this internet thing could be the wave of the future!

I guess we're about the last to hop on the Oregon bandwagon (covered bandwagon?...) Well, anyway, we've heard so much about it from all of you who've been there, we decided to check it out for ourselves. If you're interested, you can check in to see the latest. And by the way, Big thank-you's (yes, I know it's plural, but I used the apostrophe to avoid ambiguity...) to all of you who have been so excited with us as we planned this trip. Well, it's 11:46 p.m. And I have to get up in 3 hours so we can all be ready for Tina to take us to the airport at 3:30 a.m....she owed me one...
Ttyl
D