I Love to Travel

If I had it my way, I would be traveling someplace every month.  I want to (some day) go overseas, but until then I love traveling to places I have never been in the good old U.S.A.  It amazes me how different the topography and the floral and fuana can be in just a couple of states over, up or down.

We recently returned from a trip through Idaho, Washington and Oregon.  We went through miles and miles of growing wheat, beets, potatoes, onions, corn, safflower, garbonzo beans, and of course, sage brush.  Spring is a nice time to travel while the temperatures are lower and the hills are green.  It made me reflect on just how much Heavenly Father loves us. This is still the best country in the world.  We are a great nation and we have the ability to feed  nations.  This trip  also fed my soul and I better appreciate this world of ours.  I got too used to hearing negative press about people, places and things.  I got so I wouldn't watch the news.  This trip was a let down of that negativity for me and gave me a renewed hope for our country in so many ways.

 

 

We saw these beautiful flowered hillsides above, surrounded by pine trees below.  That's a little different from what I am used to.  It's usually the tops of the mountains covered in pines and farmer's fields below.

 

 

 

 

We saw old mansions that were restored or kept up,  as opposed to homes that are new and are 90% are stucco like mine.  It was refreshing.

 

 

We visited cities with diffrerent architecture, climate, and art venues.

 

 

City parks

 

Someone's  idea of big old butterfly statue and I like it.

 

 

Hotels that have hosted presidents, poets and history making pioneers

 

 



 

The Columbia River Gorge where barges and tug boats operate as if it was the ocean instead of a river.

 

 

 

Museums about the Lewis and Clark expedition

 

 

"Old" reminders of where we came from... (the car) not my model

 

 

A reminder of how far we have come in medical science

 

 

How important our railroads were and are to us.  This shows Wayne on top of the gorge.

 

 

the middle

 

 

and down below

 

 

 

I'm not opposed to a great motel room either and this was the view from ours in Sun River, Oregon.

 

 

 

This was the deck off our room which contained two rockers like this.  We could just sit and look at the view and pretend, yes I said PRETEND, that we are getting old and rocking away on our porch.

 

 

Wayne got to play 2 of the 3 beautiful golf courses surrounding Sun RIver Lodge, one of which is a PGA course with white sand, baby eagles, water everywhere and which he played one of his best games since taking up the sports 40 years ago.

 

Our room also had little silly ammenities like extra TP in a  bag.

 

And included cotton balls and swabs.

 

There was a resort village about a mile away which I walked to a couple of times, bought some books, had lunch and window shopped while Wayne golfed.  The good thing about this is:  I made it back to my room.  Those who know me, know that I don't have the homing gene in my body and can get lost very easily.  I usually have to hunt for my car in a parking lot.  I did have to stop a couple of times and backtrack once but got back without incident.  I knew when I found the walking tunnel, I was almost home.  Whew!!

The walking tunnel

 

 

 

This was home for a few days.

 

 

 I don't know what they are but they were gorgeous

 

 

 

The fireplace in our room

 

 

 

 The front deck

 

 

 The refrigerator is behind those doors.

 

 

 

We went to a couple of banquets that were to die for.  This was the centerpiece at one table.  I thought it was simple and clever.  The food had everything from salmon, steelhead, steaks, chicken, ribs etc.  and all the sides and desserts you could ever eat.  Catered food is not always that good but this one riveled the best I have ever had.  I thought for sure I would gain 5 pounds before we got home but at the end I had gained 4 ounces.

 

OK, it's not like I am an over busy person with trials and stresses that I needed to get relief from.  I am the first to admit that I have a pretty good life.  So what's wrong with that?  We got away, we ate, we played we saw and I want to do it again.