...and the West Coast GPs are ready!
When our Jonnie-O (Owens) married the beautiful, talented,
and wonderful Anna (Copplestone), they brought into the world the most highly awesome Robert Henry Norman
Owens (otherwise known as Whoa-Boy), and became the OwenStones...a family comprised
of some of our most favorite people, and very dear to our hearts. In late July, they began a long west coast
trip, which included three weeks with
us! We were determined to show them as
much as possible of this beautiful state, and we made a pretty good stab at
it. Of course, being subscribers of the
Donut Diaries, they were expecting plenty of baked treats to go along with the
sightseeing! I don’t think we
disappointed...
After much airline difficulty and mix-ups, the OwenStones
arrived in Portland early on the
morning of July 26th. After
filling them with a hearty breakfast, next stop –by request– (and certainly necessity)
was the infamous VooDoo Donuts, now with three locations in Portland.
Ever since this bakery –specifically their Maple/Bacon
Bar– was featured on Food TV with
Anthony Bourdain, their popularity has been outrageous. Henry tore into his voodoo doll with
relish(!), while the rest of us waited patiently to devour our prey.
Next stop was the Detroit Dam, for a break from the long Portland
drive...it was a very hot day, and the stop was refreshing.
The next week was spent relaxing around the house, exploring
Bend, and giving the OwenStones
time to decompress from their unbelievably harrowing airline treatment. Henry enjoyed shedding his clothes and jumping
into the sprinklers on hot days...
diving into the fun activities at the Old
Mill Park...
jumping off the wall at the top of Pilot Butte...
being pampered on our massage table...
pretending to be an eagle at the High
Desert Museum...
flying airplanes in the back yard...
helping Norm mow the grass...
and enjoying lots of library books by the fireside...
Jon couldn’t wait to get his rod and reel in the water, so
first stop was Tumalo Creek at Shevlin
Park where he and Anna got a taste
of Oregon fishing...
while Norm and Henry cooled their feet on the bank...
then it was Henry’s turn to try his luck, with his Dad’s gear of
course...
The first venture outside of Bend
was a trip to Smith Rock by ‘the guys’ (Anna and I stayed home to cook, and to enjoy
the peace and quiet!). Jon, Norm, and
Henry hiked and fished this outstanding natural wonder...
Next venture was an overnight camping trip for the OwenStone
family up in the Sisters Range. They camped at Todd
Lake, then fished their way from
lake-to-lake before returning home the next day...
Actually, that was taken in the pond at the High
Desert Museum,
where we visited the following day. Jon
had an amazing Olympus camera which, in addition to normal
function, could also be submerged right underwater for some awesome shots. This is another of my favorites... Henry’s
little feetsies!
The next morning, we sent Jon and Anna off to the Crooked
River to do some serious fishing as
a twosome, while we got to play with Henry.
And the next
morning, we all –including Gracie!– set off for the coast in our RV...tents,
backpacks, and fishing gear in tow. Of
course, first stop was the Sister’s Bakery to load up on donuts and pastries of
various kinds for a hungry crew.
Our selection even met with Gracie’s approval...
That afternoon, an overnight stop at Fishermen’s Bend
gave Norm a chance to tempt the fish on the Santiam
River ...or was it the other way around?!
When we arrived at Beverly Beach, we were once again met
with overcast, rainy, windy weather. Not
good for sunning, but great for kite
flying, beachcombing, and ice cream cones!
We surprised Henry with a visit to the Newport Aquarium,
where he got to view the sharks –one of his favorite things– “up close and
personal”(!)
He would have stayed there all night if we would have let
him, and actually, the shark area is
available for rent as a sleep-over for up to 10 or so (if you can afford it!). No
thanks; my dreams are scary enough!
Our final days back in Bend
included another fishing excursion to Tumalo Creek, especially so that Henry
could get some practice in these wild,
western waters...
Then the family threesome headed up to Crater Lake for a day of sightseeing and picnicking. The lake is a jaw-dropping sight when seen for the first time --right, Henry??
And for their very last day in Bend,
Jon and Anna attempted and conquered
the scaling of the South Sister!!
We filled them with waffles and bacon by the pounds upon
their return, and then our mighty troopers subjected themselves to ice baths to allay the muscle cramps threatening
their legs. A long, sound sleep found
them fit-as-a-fiddle the next day.
Sadly, it was our last one together.
We would spend it making the long drive to Portland
so that the OwenStones could get a good rest before their early morning flight
back home the next morning. It was also
my birthday, and my wishes were to drive around Mt.
Hood, visit Multnomah
Falls, and have dinner together at a Middle Eastern
restaurant. All my wishes were granted
(how lucky am I ?!!), and it was a wonderful day...
After we left them at the motel, Norm, Gracie, and I settled
in at a nearby state park, and the following morning began a new journey out to
the far northeast corner of Oregon. We had to do something to fill the void of their departure! Though, I’ll admit, Gracie didn’t take their
absence too sadly...she was thrilled to have her truck space back again!
