Trip to Oregon in July

It seems we're always late? We were one year late in going to Oregon and picking up Bradley from his mission. Brianna and Jason got married 2 days after Bradley came home from his mission, so we couldn't go pick him up then. We decided we'd go later, and July worked out good since Brad just finished summer semester at school and had some time off. Rick, Alisa, and Brad all went to Oregon for a 6 day trip in July. BTW, the weather was perfect everyday!

Day1 Travel: Rick & Alisa flew from home to Portland and arrived in the early afternoon. Bradley flew from Salt Lake to Portland and arrived about an hour and a half after us.

We went to a "conveyor belt sushi restaurant" [small plates of sushi rotate around on a conveyor belt and you just pick up the ones you want.]

We then drove to Salem, OR and Bradley went to the McKay Park Ward camp out for a few hours. We just stayed in the hotel and watched TV. We stayed in Salem that night.

Day 2 Portland: We saw some of Bradley's friends in Salem, then drove up to Portland and went to the "Saturday Market".

Alisa bought a blown-glass hanging vase from this booth...


We met up with the Newsome family there and hung out with them for the rest of the day. It was great fun!


Portland Japanese Gardens






Portland Temple






In the evening we all went to eat sushi. We laughed and laughed and had a great time and ate lots of sushi. Bradley, Gaylon, and Craig kept eating spicier and spicier sushi. Finally Brad decided to drink nearly straight liquid wasabi [Japanese horseradish]. Here's a photo taken after his drink...



We stayed in a Portland hotel.

Day 3 Portland: We went to church at the Edges Creek Ward where Brad had served for 6 months. It was very enjoyable. Bradley went to another ward and Rick and Alisa drove around sightseeing. We went to dinner at a ward member's home.

Day 4 Portland & Lincoln City: We went east of Portland to Columbia River Gorge area.

Here's a view of the western edge of the Columbia River Gorge.




Latourell Falls...




Multnomah Falls...




We hiked 1.5 miles to the top of Multnomah Falls. This deck is sitting at the very edge of the falls. It is 620 feet straight down just on the other side of the hand rail. The hike was tough on Rick and Alisa, but no problem for Bradley.


View from the top.




We then went further upstream and stopped at the Bonneville Dam. We saw a boat go thru the lock, and we took the public tour. We saw large salmon swimming upstream thru the "fish ladders". They were heading upstream to spawn.

We then drove back west thru Portland and on to the coast. We spent 2 nights in Lincoln City.

Here's our beach front condo. It was really nice...


Here's our rental car.


Here's our condo looking up from the beach...


Day 5 Oregon Coast: We drove up the coast this day.

Here's lunch in Pacific City. "Haystack Rock" is in the background...






Cape Meares Lighthouse


Cannon Beach








Day 6 Travel: We got up and drove back to Portland to the airport. Rick flew home and Alisa and Brad flew to Salt Lake so they could drive Brad's car home.

All three of us had a great time. It was very enjoyable to see all the places that Elder Massey had served in and meet so many nice people. Rick and Alisa really loved Oregon. Too bad it's so far from the Midwest, because we'd really like to go again.