143. Portland, Oregon

We had just one full day in Portland and were lucky enough to have it be a Saturday so we could go to the Portland Saturday Market. Open every Saturday and Sunday from March–December, the market is the largest continually operating arts-and-crafts fair in the United States, drawing up to 750,000 visitors during its annual season. I think there were at least 700,000 people there the day we visited (not really but it was very crowded) […]

142. VooDoo Doughnut – Portland, Oregon

A stop at the famed VooDoo Doughnut was a must for breakfast on our first day in Portland. The doughnuts are delicious and good luck picking just one or two. We decided to get four for the two of us so we could also get the signature pink box. With names like “The Dirty Bastard” or “The Gay Bar” you have to have a pretty open mind though. I was brave enough to try the […]

141. Columbia River Gorge – Columbia River, Oregon

After leaving Multnomah Falls, we headed up to the Columbia River Gorge area in search of good food, and more importantly, good wine. This region is known for its excellent growing conditions producing some of the country’s best wines. Climate and terrain throughout the Gorge range from conditions found in Germany to France’s Burgundy and Italy’s northern Rhone Valley and northwest Piedmont. From the cool, western end of the Gorge come delicate Pinot Noirs and […]

140. Multnomah Falls – Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Multnomah Falls is the tallest waterfall in the state of Oregon and is split into an upper falls of 542 feet and a lower falls of 69 feet. We made the 1/4-mile hike up to the Benson Bridge, a photogenic foot-crossing, which spans the falls’ second drop. Not just a great place to enjoy the view, it’s also perfect for catching your breath before forging ahead to the top or returning to the Multnomah Falls […]

139. Mt. Rainier National Park – Washington

  This was really stop one on this road trip with my dear friend Wendy May.  A true example of Plan B and a friend coming to the rescue as the trip was originally planned for Scott and I.  A romantic adventure with lodging that included everything from a remote log cabin to a luxury boutique hotel in Seattle. However, about 2 months prior to the trip, Scott was told that his company was moving […]

138. Palouse Falls State Park – Lacrosse, Washington

I’m a sucker for a waterfall so I had definitely planned a stop at Palouse Falls State Park on my Palouse day drive.  The waterfall itself is a short hike from the parking lot and it didn’t disappoint. Standing at a height of 198 feet and surrounded by striking basalt cliffs, the powerful waterfall lies on the Palouse River upstream of the confluence with the Snake River.  I didn’t have time to hike any of […]

137. The Palouse – Washington

The Palouse is not really a place exactly but a region filled with many, many places.  The area covers 4,000 square miles (and I certainly didn’t plan to see all of it) but I did plan to spend the entire day driving through what I could.  I headed out in my rental car on my own with my backpack, camera and a few snacks.  It was a gloriously sunny day, radio on with blue skies […]

136. Steptoe Butte – Whitman County, Washington

Steptoe Butte is a quartzite island jutting out of the silty loess of the Palouse hills.  The rock that forms the butte is over 400 million years old.  A narrow paved road winds around the butte leading to a parking area at the summit.  It’s a worthwhile drive and the view of the surrounding rolling hills and farms of the Palouse from the summit is spectacular.