In the late summer of 2016 on the drive back from Yellowstone I wanted to camp near the Washington border. I was several hours behind schedule and the goal was to get somewhere around Cataldo, ID. I had to visit the town with the same name as me. The driving hours rolled by and I got near the goal and started looking for campsites. It was Memorial Day weekend so I knew spots would be at a premium but I hoped to find some backcountry spot to pitch the tent. Every campsite that we encountered was full. I decided to continue westward towards the Washington/Idaho border to try to find…

The city of Bend lies in the high desert area of central Oregon. Our timeshare has properties there and we decided to go. I wondered if there would be enough things to do for an entire week. After getting there the problem was narrowing the list of activities to make them fit into a week. Deserts evoke the feeling of desolate, isolated, hot, and pretty monochromatic. The Central Oregon high desert contains something for just about everyone including trails, rock formations, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, forests, shops, galleries, museums, outdoor artwork, and wildlife. I cannot possibly list all of things to do in the Bend area. Rather, I will describe some…

Location Eastern Oregon in the Bend/Sisters area Length 3 miles Elevation (start) 2800′ Seasons Spring to Fall Usage Heavy Conditions Difficulty Moderate Parking Parking lot at trailhead, no passes required Permits Northwest Trail Pass or National Park Pass required (verify this) This trail is part of the McKenzie River National Recreation Trail. The McKenzie River creates the Sahalie and Koosah Falls. Sahalie Falls is just past the trailhead. You have good photo spots at the beginning of the trail and also good vantage points about 15 minutes past the trailhead. Koosah Falls is about a 30-minute hike from the trailhead. There are some nice views of the river valley and…

The Island of Kauai is the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands which means that it has some very impressive beaches. Kauai has a vibe different from the other islands. On the Big Island I want to get out, hike, explore new places, drive for hours, etc. On Oahu I want to see the history including Pearl Harbor, the lighthouses, Diamondhead, etc. On Kauai I want to just relax, hit the beaches, and snorkel. Kauai is the garden island. As we drove around I saw many interesting looking trees that I called “Dr Seuss Trees.” I was later told that Dr Seuss lived on Kauai (I have been trying to…

The Big Island has something for everyone. There are sandy beaches, trails, spectacular views, mountains, rugged coastline, volcanoes, wildlife, cities, dining, and wonderful people. The Big Island has all climate zones from desert to snow. If you could vacation on only one island I would suggest the Big Island because of its diversity. Here are a few of my memorable experiences on the Big Island: Big Island Ranger: (full article) On our first trip to the Big Island we stopped at the Visitor’s Center at the Pu’ukohola Heiau. We adopted a ranger for a couple of days and had some very fun adventures. Captain Cook, Big Island: Captain Cook is…

Sometimes, especially on road trips, things do not go as expected. Sometime when things do not go as expected they turn out much better than you could have anticipated. Many years ago we were taking a road trip from Washington State to California via the coastal route. In northern California we wanted to see the giant redwood trees. It was getting later in the day and we needed to find a campground and stop for the night. We pulled off Hwy-101 in the Redwoods and stopped at a campsite. The site was completely full so we got back in the car and checked the next campsite. The next campsite was…