Living Positive: Hitting the Trails

August 10, 2023

After 4 days of sitting on our backsides in the car, we hit the trails. First we headed to the most popular waterfall in Oregon. Multnomah Falls is the second-highest year-round waterfall in the United States and just down the road from where we are staying. Because of the high visitation rate, we had to register for a timed entry pass online which was easy to get this time of year. Also parking was available but I’m sure that in mid-July it is a different story.

You don’t have to walk far to see the Falls in all its glory but we decided to take the hiking path a little farther and before we knew it we were on the trail to the top of the falls. It was only a mile but it was very steep and I was breathing much harder than I thought I should since the elevation where we started was only 170 feet. In my defense it was a 700 feet gain in elevation to get to the top. Along the way we had great views of the Columbia river and Don spotted an eagles nest. It was well worth the hike and it is just amazing that the stream at the top that leads to the waterfall is not that big to create such a display.

After our hike we headed to the town of Hood River in search of the Historic Columbia River Highway that is now a walking/bike path. This was the maiden voyage of Bear in the bike trailer for dogs that we had purchased a few years ago but have never used. It was the perfect path to try it out on because it was nicely paved and shaded by several trees. We started at the Hatfield West Trailhead and headed toward Mosier where the path ends. It was a beautiful trail and included the Twin Tunnels that had been restored so walkers/riders could safely go through. The total trip was a little over 8 miles and before you are too impressed, yes we have e-bikes but we still had to pedal! It’s just so nice to get a little “boost” when you need it!. How did Bear do? Let’s just say that he enjoyed it as much as he enjoys kayaking…..he whined most of the way and wanted out.

Since we were in the neighborhood, we took a drive on the Fruit Loop. The Fruit Loop is through the Hood River Valley and includes around 28 on the farm fruit stands, wineries, distilleries, and fields of flowers. It was late afternoon so we had to prioritize. We opted out of the pick-your-own-fruit scenarios and headed straight for the wineries. We were able to do a tasting at Mt. Hood Winery which has a killer view of Mt. Hood. Their Pinot Noir and Riesling was pretty good too. Next we found the Stave & Stone Winery which had a added bonus of being next door to Hood River Lavender. You can’t go wrong with lavender ice cream and wine! The people in this valley are very lucky because it is just beautiful with gorgeous views of orchards, vineyards, and the mountains. Well worth the visit if you’re in the area.

It was a busy day for sure so now we need to recharge our batteries, as well as the bikes’ for another adventure tomorrow!