Saturday August 29 2009 by Leland.

After a week at Pendleton we trekked up to Woodinville Wa. and parked in the driveway of our friends Les and Linda.  Our purpose was the TEK systems annual picnic.  It was chilly and cloudy and threatened rain, in other words perfectly normal weather for the Seattle area and normal picnic weather most anywhere. 

We found the place and although the turnout was light we had a good time.  We visited with Tracey and Chris who are the two folks at TEK we have anything to do with (other than Loni).  We met a guy who grew up in Missoula and after the picnic found out that he played baseball with my younger brother and nephew.  Small world.

Posted in Travel | No Comments »

Tuesday August 25 2009 by Leland.

Arvid had invited us to stop off at this place in Washington when we met him in Casa Grande last winter.  Little did he know we’d show up on his door step and spend the night in his yard.  Arvid and Patrice have a wonderful 10 acres and we really enjoyed our afternoon and evening with them.  The next day we left with a load of fresh ripe fruits and veggies that they had grown.  Thank You Arvid and Patrice. 

Posted in Travel | No Comments »

Monday August 24 2009 by Leland.

Next stop on the way down river was the Multnomah Falls.  I have driven by this beautiful water falls dozens of times and never stopped in.  The stop on the interstate is actually a between the lanes rest area with a tunnel over to the falls area.  The old highway in this area is really scenic and beautiful but pretty slow for travel with a motor home. 

Posted in Travel | No Comments »

Monday August 24 2009 by Leland.

On down river towards Portland we stopped in at the Bonneville Dam and Historic Fish Hatchery.  It is a beautiful cool restful place and the fish in the ponds are super.

Posted in Travel | No Comments »

Sunday August 23 2009 by Leland.

Upon leaving Pendleton headed down the Columbia River on our way to Seattle area, we stopped for the night at the John Day Dam.  Just below the dam is an area about a mile long that looks like the Corps Of Engineers planned on a lot of picnicers to use.  The whole area is open to free camping.  We pulled in and settled for the afternoon/evening but noticed a lot of smoke just west of us.  We were concerned a little as the only road out of the camp area was right down there where the smoke was.  I got my bike off the rack and rode down to check it out.  A recent train had set the weeds and brush on fire along the railroad tracks.  Several crews were fighting the fire and put it out but not before it burned up about an acre between the interstate and the RR tracks. 

After the fire was out I rode on down to another part of the camp area and watched the wind surfers out on the river.  The sport has really progressed from the surf board with a stick and plastic sail.  Now these popular things are actually called kite boards.  Boy can they move and jump.  Amazing.

Kite boards aren’t the only thing driven by the wind in this area.  Like so much of the American West now, the wind generator phenomon has struck here.  They are everywhere and while I guess it’s for a good cause, how many are enough and how much of the American scenery do they get to ruin in the name of Energy?

Posted in Travel | No Comments »

Saturday August 22 2009 by Leland.

Included in the Pendleton Underground Tour was a tour of an old hotel above the underground that was a bordello until mid century (the last one- the 19xx one).  The madam was a power house of politics and was, according to the tour, the stereotypical heart of gold type madam who only did good for her girls and the gents who visited.  Do you believe it?  Who knows.

Posted in Travel | No Comments »

Friday August 21 2009 by Leland.

We arrived in Pendleton for our contract project and had some time on our hands.  We planned it that way.  So looking around for what to do with this time, we stumbled upon the Pendleton Under Ground Tour.  Off we went.

The tour is mostly a re-creation of the Chinese underground living of the early times of the railroad.  Pendleton Underground Tours  website , click here for more info.

The “Underground” began as a safety and living methodology for the much maligned Chinese immigrant workers brought in by the railroad.  Discrimination ran rampant and shooting chinese was thought of no different by some than shooting gophers.    So the Chinese worked the railroad and disappeared underground after work.  This depiction of that is really some of the old places used but mostly it’s the interconnected basements of the buildings in an area of downtown with a lot of “typical artifacts” brought in.  If you get the chance to visit this underground, it’s worth the money but just.

Light comes down from the streets  through quarts glass panels in the sidewalks.

Down we go.

Chambers and business places.

Posted in Travel | No Comments »

Saturday August 15 2009 by Leland.

 Within a few days of the Fair, we were off on a trek to Oregon, Washington and places in between.  One of the first stops was only 125 miles away in Paradise Valley, which is south of Livingston Mt.  This was an invitational Fly In and our great freind Jim had invited us.  There were about 15 or 19 RVs and dozens of planes for the weekend.  As you can see browseing the phots, not all the planes survived but it was a GREAT weekend.

Posted in Montana, Travel | No Comments »

Thursday August 13 2009 by Leland.

It was mid August and the weather was perfect.  Not too hot, just right.  We went to the Fair and watched Brittany’s dance school perform and then walked the midway for a bit.  Cathy and I left early but Dave, Stacey, Aaron and Brittany enjoyed a whole day of fun.  I did eat a fried cheese pieces.  Wow, $.015 worth of cheese for $5.  Maybe that’s why we left so early.  Broke.

Posted in Grand Kids | No Comments »