How Pumpkin Pie really came about

Well we all knew the pumpkin came before the pie but this puts a new spin on it.

Crater Lake Marathon

Back in August a friend and I drove down to Crater Lake, Oregon for the Crater Lake Rim Run. It is a marathon distance race (26.2 miles) that runs around the rim drive in the park giving you a spectacular view as you go.
A photo from the East rim looking into the setting sun the night after the race.

The day before and the morning of the race there was a very thick layer of fog that was surrounding the area, it was also quit cold through out the area, especially for August.


The day before the run we spent some time touring around the park and attempting to see the sights. The fog made such sights a bit hard to see.
During the race the sun burnt through the fog, it then managed to burn me as I sweat off all my sun block in the first few miles.



However it did manage to rain on us almost every night

Wagons West

So pointing west mom and I streaked across the continent. We took a straight shot across just north of the route dad and I had taken a few weeks earlier. The first really cool place we came to was Badlands National Park

Baylee enjoyed the views as the rolled by from the comfort of her palace.



After applying adequate amounts of sunscreen Mom and I went for a short hike to check out this cool rock formation.

After enjoying all of the wonders of the park we stopped long enough to eat a picnic lunch. Then shortly after we were in the truck again. Still headed west.

For dinner we ate lake side in the heart Grand Tetons National Park on the shores of Jenny Lake.

The view for breakfast was about 2/3's the way up Signal Mountain.

Oh and if I forgot to mention my mother spent her first night in a tent in at least 20 years!

Baylee loved her breakfast with a view but wished there had more of it.

My cute little Mini Mom atop Signal Mt

Baylee and her loyal servant on top of Signal Mt.

A few days and plenty on miles later we made it back to Astoria, OR. After a day or two's rest we decided to take the kayaks for a paddle. We hit the John Day River.

Summer time in Michigan

So after a few days of hanging out with the family Tiffanie and I headed north to Canada. We were up there a few days to collect data for her masters project. On our trip we stopped at Tahquamenon Falls State Park in the northern peninsula.

Here we are on the steps to the northern falls, as a word of warning it is not advised to look directly at the legs. Just try to focus on the cute doggy or beautiful woman.

This photo shows why myself and countless other children called them the Root Beer falls.

And our way home we stopped at Point Iriquois Lighthouse on the southern shore of Lake Superior



Tiffanie decided to to sneak Shadow up the light tower so he could see the view from the top.









Shadow looking down the steps that he could now see trough as he walked down them.
It took a bit of prompting but he made it.

Heading out on the water to find the birds for Tiffanie's project

Heading Home

It all started with a boat. In May my father bought a boat, it was a nice 17ft wood hauled project boat. The problem is that it was is Astoria, Oregon where I live. Not Grand Rapids, Michigan where my father lives. His easy solution was he would fly out and "We" would drive the boat with MY truck. Not being one to turn down a road trip agreed, on the condition that he paid for the gas and food both ways.

Here is the maiden voyage of dad's new boat. The trailer it was on when he bought was a big hunk of rust so we had to float her to switch trailers.

The first stop on our trip was at Multnomah Falls, it is a large set of waterfalls on the banks of the Columbia River Gorge.

The next stop on our trip was Des Moines, Iowa to see Tiffanie's family. We all met at Bravos, a very nice Italian restaurant that we all enjoyed.

However before we could get back on the road dad with the help of Tiffanie's Father and Step-Father changed out the second tire of the trip that had shed it's tred

Baylee did a great job of supervising the whole event

The beach this weekend

As I pulled into my driveway and climbed out of my truck my neighbor called down and asked if I'd been to the beach. To which I replied yes I had. Then he asked which one I had been to knowing with all the holiday traffic I would probably hide on some hard to reach portion of the beach only accessible by a long and hard to find hike. So you can imagine the puzzled look on his face when I replied, all of them.
Then to put his mind at rest I gave an explination that matched the route below.

Long time coming

A few months back Tiffanie flew in to town for a visit, and my birthday. We had a great time together, the following area few pictures we took along the way.

The two of us atop Saddle Mt

Baylee and I holding position as Tiffanie stalks some beach loving birds.


Baylee watching as two silly humans sneak up of a flock of shore birds.

You cant really see them in this photo but the intermittent brown line between the water and sand is all birds.

Two love birds at Ecola Park, Cannon Beach, OR.

A mature Common loon in the Newport Harbor.


A juvenile common loon who was putting a hurting on the local bait fish population.


Tiffanie took this one, I can't tell you what type of cormorant it is but I love the colors in this photo. It is just so liquid.

Walking down the path towards Heceta Head Light house we came across a 56ft whale that had washed up earlier that day. He smelled a bit but made for some great photo's.

Resting atop the Yaquina Head lighthouse Tiffanie took some shots of the lens my father could tell you all about. I as I like to do took a few of her, then upon noticing took a few of me.


The floor of the lens chamber had these cool honeycomb glass patterns in it to allow light to the lower portions of the light tower.

A parting shot for you taken by Tiffanie

from the Oregon coast

Let a sleeping dog run

Hope you enjoyed

Silcox Hut

So every winter our shop does a trip up to Mt Hood, where we stay at the Silcox Hut. It is a great cabin at about 7000ft. Which is about 1000ft above Timberline Lodge.

To get you up from the lodge you can either hike up or you can catch a ride in one of there big old snowcats

Here we see the main portion of the lodge where we ate, drank and played poker until the wee hours of the morning. Connected to this portion was the bunkrooms.

So we all met at Timberline lodge early to mid Friday and snowboarded until about 4 o'clock. Caught the snowcat up the mountain to the hut where we ate a great meal of spare ribs with all the extras.

We also enjoyed a few drinks or two

After dinner we played cards, sat by the fire, at one point there was a guitar brought out, more food and drink, then some poker

Next morning it was back to the slopes