Hood River, OR

Brian and I just got back from a trip to Hood River to meet up with some friends. If you ever get the chance to go...you should. It's an awesome little town right on the Columbia Gorge. It was truly beautiful on this particular trip because all of the fruit trees (mainly pear and apple) were starting to bloom. There's nothing more spectacular than a field of blooming trees being overshadowed by a snowcapped mountain or two. Anyhow, we arrived on Friday and met up with our friends on Saturday. We spent the day hiking with Deb, Justin and Aaron. The trail went along the gorge, but we diverged at one point to follow a beautiful stream showcasing a multitude of miniature waterfalls. It turned out to be a great day and one of the first spring days that we've seen. Later, we headed back to the house we were staying at for a late afternoon of slacklining (basically tightrope walking) and hanging out in the hot tub. That night we went to an adventure flick put on by the Banff Mountain Film Festival. We left bright and early the next day to arrive back in Bend at a reasonable hour for me to get to work. Brian ended up going rock climbing with some buddies at Smith Rock yesterday afternoon and I ended up joining them late in the day. They did some pretty impressive climbing while I was still at work and then were gracious enough to do some easier stuff so that I could participate. That easier stuff ended up being pretty tricky, but it was great practise, and I was exhilarated upon finishing the route. It was definitely the highest that I had ever climbed or attempted before so I was pretty excited at the end. I think Brian was pretty excited too, because he led the route and then repelled for me. His buddy finished up and cleaned our gear off the wall. Smith Rock is another very impressive spot with world class climbing. We hiked out at sunset so the wall was basked in a wonderful soft light. Tonight we're headed to a kayak flick at the local canoe and kayak store. It's really nice because the store is on the river and it is within walking distance of the house, so we'll be able to get a stroll in after dinner. (Yes, believe it or not we can cook....although tonight the plan is to have nachos for dinner...so I'm not sure if that's considered cooking or not.) All in all, we had a great weekend and the weather is finally turning nice. (Yay!!!) I'll try to post some pictures, but I'm not sure if I know how to yet. I'll give it a whirl though. Enjoy.