Kayaks

WHEN: Late Summer, 2014

WHERE: Oregon lakes, including, Doreena Lake and Waldo Lake.

New kayaks.	Lunch spot.	Parking.

WHY: To use our new kayaks.


WHO: Chris, Diana, Venice and Xander.


WEATHER: Sunny and mild.


WHAT: Kayaking

Starting out.	Lunch with the frogs.	Finishing up.

Tahoe Adventures

Renting kayaks.	Bald eagle sighting.	6 hours of paddling.

WHEN: August, 2014

WHERE: Lake Tahoe, NV and CA. In the Sierra Nevada


WHY: Family vacation.

WHO: Chris (also his parents and sister's family), Diana, Venice and Xander.


WEATHER: Sunny and hot.


WHAT:
Maximum length is 22 mi
Maximum width is 12 mi
Surface area is 191 sq mi
Average depth is 1,000 ft
Average surface temperature in summer is 65-70 degrees F

Renting bicycles.	A river break at the end of our bicycle tour.

Leap of faith.

"We rented bicycles so we could bike to lunch. However, we went on a bit of an adventure by accident when we missed a turn. Several miles into our mistake, we turned around and finally made it to lunch... all quite hungry and ready for food and relaxation!

We decided to do the ropes course at the Squaw Valley Adventure Center. The kids loved hooking themselves into their harnesses and running all round the skies on ropes, wires, planks and ziplines. Chris and I also climbed the log tower at the end and jumped to a trapeze. I was worried my shoulder wouldn't be able to handle swinging, but my worry went out the window as I jumped for it. I know I swore, and while I'm not sure anyone else heard me, the screams in my head were very loud." -Diana

Devil's Churn and Thor's Well

WHEN: July 27, 2014

WHERE: Lincoln County, OR. South of Yachats along the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area.


WHY: To understand the difference between Devils Churn and Devils Punchbowl!

WHO: Chris, Diana, Venice and Xander.


WEATHER: Sunny and warm. Unfortunately, we missed high tide. While this meant we were able to see Devil's churn up close and personal (without much fear of sneaker waves) we did not see The Spouting Horn or Thor's Well in all their glory.


WHAT:
Sea level
Long crack in the coastal rock that fills with each ocean wave (Devil's Churn).
Salt water fountains driven by the power of the ocean tide (The Spouting Horn and Thor's Well).


"I wish we would have paid attention to the tides schedule so that we could have seen The Spouting Horn and Thor's Well 'doing their thing'. We did have fun exploring Devil's Churn and the surrounding beach area. I guess we just have to go back again." - Diana

Devils Punch Bowl

WHEN: July 20, 2014

WHERE: Otter Rock, OR. North of Beverly Beach.


WHY: To see the punch bowl we've heard so much about.


WHO: Chris, Diana, Venice and Xander.


WEATHER: Sunny and mild.


WHAT:
Collapsed sea cave
Sea level


"We arrived just in time to see the punch bowl mostly empty. We clambered around and into the bowl just as the tide started to come in. About 15 minutes after we exited the bowl, the entrance was inaccessible due to the high tides. We couldn't have timed our arrival more perfectly. We spent the rest of our time playing on the beach north of the cave." - Diana

Sahalie and Koosah Falls

Koosah falls.

 WHEN: July 13, 2014


WHERE: Along the McKenzie Pass-Santiam Pass and West Cascades National Scenic Byways off Highway 126, Eugene, OR. We walked the Water Falls Loop Trail


WHY: Chris had been wanting to explore these falls and we were blueberry picking nearby. And why not? It is a beautiful hike with two big falls to view.


WHO: Chris, Diana, Venice and Xander.

Flowers at the bottom of the loop.	View at the top of the loop.

WEATHER: Humid and warm with thunderstorms! We were all a little nervous with the thunder, hoping lightening didn't come close. We were grateful for all the tall trees surrounding us.


WHAT:
Approximately a 3 mile loop
Elevation is 2,800 ft.

"I enjoyed the bridge that you cross the river on, because it was just a log suspended over the river with a handrail. It was dangerous and that's what made it enjoyable. " - Venice

"It was kind of scary hearing the thunder because you were wondering if was going to strike one of the trees and fall on you, but it was still fun." - Xander

Spencer Butte

New Year's Day.

 WHEN: Early months of 2014.


WHERE: Spencer Butte, Eugene, OR.


WHY: We gave ourselves a goal of trying to see how many times we could summit Spencer Butte during the year. We started out strong and then, predictably, we petered out somewhere around 5-6 trips.

A final trip up to watch the sunset.

 WHO: Chris, Diana, Venice and Xander.


WEATHER: Various. It was a foggy start to the year. Summiting meant we rose above the fog level and saw some amazing views.

A view to the East.

WHAT:
Approximately a 3 mile roundtrip.
Summit is approximately 2,058 ft.