Bike Ride > Woodland Tulip Farm Loop

This ride kicked my butt. It was only 27 miles so I thought I could do it with out eating much or drinking water. That was dumb. There were some big hills on this ride (for me at least) and we rode oh-so-slow. But aside from hunger; dehydration; all the bitching while I walked my bike up a steep hill; and the country dogs who tried to chew my tires off — it was a peaceful ride with a great downhill finish through a fern-filled canyon. The loop or loops (I felt like I was riding in big circles) was light on traffic and big on scenery. The ride started out from Holland American Bulb Farms in Washington which was in full bloom and decked out for Easter. We cruised along horseshoe lake and over to La Center; past the casino and westward to the country side. I was unable to find a good bike map via googles but maybe I’ll post the bike route Heather came up with when I feel like spending more time in front of a glowing screen. Update: HERE  is a link to the meet up with the bike route and HERE is the basic route and elevation.

Woodland Tulip Farm - Start of the Ride

Green country side. It was raining por supuesto

Mailboxes live a rough life in the country. The one on the left has bb gun dents, the one on the right has a cage of armor and the one in the center is straight up smashed

Post ride - tires are still smoking and I'm about to eat some tulips I'm so hungry

Woodland Tulip Farm has a great selection of tulips - some hairy and variegated varieties. They were decked out for Easter.

All Summer in a Day

I’ve found that when living in the Pacific Northwest I start to go a little nut-o around this time of the year due to lack of sun. People start shedding scarfs and talking of bbqs – but it is still raining out. It’s cold enough that you can still go boarding at Mt. Hood Meadows. You can’t play softball yet ’cause they won’t let you on soggy fields. My legs are still in dark tights. And people won’t shut up about the weather. But we are anxious…we see tulips and cherry trees blooming. We know the dark days are coming to a close and for three glorious months we will know what it is to be warmed by the sun, to drink beer in shorts and bikinis into the wee hours, to float the rivers without freezing and we will need, really need, things like sunglasses and sunscreen. I think often about the Ray Bradbury short story and movie – “All Summer in a Day“. I am in my closet waiting for that ray of sun to sneak in under the door on onto my finger tips.

To Do> Lan Su Chinese Garden> Portland, OR

At last, that glowing ball in the sky has returned for brief visits. fine.A.lee. During one spell of sun I took a trip to Lan Su Chinese Gardens in Old Town Chinatown in Portland. This is a sweet spot – worth getting a guided tour to tell you about how they snagged trees out of yards around town and brought some great old river rocks over from China.

Exterior wall of Lan Su Garden

One of those old river rocks standing to the left

Getting to be the glowy hour. Nice colors, more river rock

The Garden 'rooms' are connected by cool keyhole doorways

I only write captions 'cause I like the boarder around the pictures

Twisty branches

Each window has a different pattern of some significance - actually, I didn't notice it until just now but this looks a little nazi -- or maybe it's the 'sun wheel' of the bronze age

Road Trip> Hood River, OR

Char and I headed east for a quick day trip to Hood River, OR where we visited Alpacas (again and again); Charlie the Dog; the vistas of Mt. Hood; Mikey’s Muffler Art; and Big Horse Brew Pub for burgers and beer. It was a good day. I love visiting Foothills Yarn and Alpacas – the Alpacas are sweeties and you can feed them. The owners sell alpaca yarn and you can meet the alpaca that it came from. This area is also amazing for fresh fruit, pies, jams and shakes. There are all sorts of treasures out this way…including Mikey’s muffler creations – some pics below:

Feeding alpaca

Charlie the dog snoozing in the alpaca barn

Mt. Hood and some fruit trees that will be blooming in two weeks

Mikey's Mufflers and More. So much more.

Deer Muffler Deer Dur!!

We know this guy. Also spotted: a turtle

Bike Ride > Hagg Lake, OR

Heather and I started out from McMenamins’ Grand Lodge in Forest Grove to do a 30 mile loop around Hagg Lake. It was a gray, gray day but the rain held off and the temperature was good for riding. This is a nice loop and during the colder months the loop around the lake is light on traffic — good training ride with slight rolling hills. Following the ride we headed to the Yard Pub at the Grand Lodge where there was a roaring fire. We chowed down on salads and fresh squeezed grapefruit juice. Ahh.

Spring Ride - heading out from Grand Lodge for a loop around Hagg Lake

Hagg Lake in Forest Grove, OR on a gray spring day