Weirdest Thing

This afternoon we went up to Columbia Employee Store. Awesome! We took the truck because the oil in the car needs to be changed badly, like, it should have been changed 2 weeks ago. Anyways, on the way home we were passing another Toyota Tacoma. Here is the dialogue:

Jason: Is my truck taller than that one?

Sara: Oh yeah.

Pass the truck. Notice the truck changing lanes, pulling up beside us. Notice Jason nod to the guy and give him a thumbs up.

Sara: What did you do that for?

Jason: He nodded to me and gave me the thumbs up first. I think he's checking out my lift.

Sara: Oh my gosh!

Pull up to stop light, one car ahead of us in the right lane. Truck man in left lane pulls even with us, no car ahead of him. Rolling down of windows...

Truck Man: Nice lift dude, what do you have on there?

Jason: Something something something, number number, acronym, something something (he actually said real words, but goodness if I know what he really said!)

Truck Man: Nice, I have those on the front, but stock on the back man and they are toast! Who did that for you?

Jason: I did.

Truck Man: Nice! What'cha running on those?

Jason: 33-10's (referring to tire size, I'm pretty sure)

Truck Man: Whoa! Does that even work?

Jason: Yeah man, it works, sweet, grunt grunt grunt grunt something something something.

Truck Man: Grunt grunt grunt grunt, something something something something.

Light turns green.

Sara: That was the weirdest thing I have ever experienced. I feel like our truck has been violated. He looked up underneath your truck's skirt!

Jason: I know! Kinda cool huh?? (sitting tall and feeling proud about the compliment on his truck that was apparently given by this guy)

Sara: I gotta write a blog about this when I get home.



And now, the thermometer says it is 99 outside and 90 inside. Which should explain the picture:

Poor Cassie is dying, and so am I. I think I am gonna go to the Y now, for 3 reasons: 1) the Y has AC, 2) it's 90 degrees in my house, and 3) to work out.

Union Peak Trail

The second hike we did while on our 'southern Oregon tour' was the Union Peak Trail. This trail starts out on the Pacific Crest trail inside of the Crater Lake National Park. After 3 miles it turns off onto the Union Peak Trail and heads 2 miles up to, well, the peak! There were so many mosquitoes on this hike that we really booked it to get to the top. Fortunately at the top there weren't any mosquitoes so we could relax up there before we bombed back down.

There was alot of snow on this trail which made it hard to follow the trail. There were many times that we got off the trail and had to really look around to get back on it.

Cassie really enjoyed the snow though

The views from the top were incredible

We didn't actually get all the way to the top because the snow cover was too much and got a little too dangerous. Close enough though right? :)

Thunder storms rolling in!! Time to get down!!

And a map:

View Union Peak Trail in a larger map

Rogue River Trail (Rainie Falls)

The first hike we did while in Medford was the Rainie Falls or Rogue River Trail. It was really hot when we started and even hotter when we finished but it was a really nice hike. This is the trail that takes you back to some lodges that you can only get to by foot or raft. Pretty cool place. Here's some photos and a map:

View Rogue River Trail in a larger map

Cassie decided to go for a swim afterwards:

Camping & Baking

We had a great camping trip this last weekend with 4 other couples that are a part of our small group from church. We left from the church about 5:30, then realized we would be sitting in traffic if we headed straight for I-5, so we went to Panda Express to chow down some dinner. We got on the road after that - no traffic!- and got up to Stevenson, WA about 7:30. We set up camp and then built a fire and sat around talking, what else do you do when you are camping?

Saturday after breakfast we split up, half of the group headed in to Hood River for the afternoon, and the rest of us went on a hike to Fall Creek Falls! An amazing waterfall that was worth the dust, heat, and the SNAKE I saw on the trail. Ewwwwwww!! After lunch, the afternoon including napping, reading, swimming, sitting in the creek, basically relaxing. We had a yummy dinner and spent the evening around the fire again.

Sunday we packed up and headed out, grabbing an ice cream cone before we hit the road. Us and another couple decided to take the long way home, up to Hood River and around the base of Mt. Hood, coming home from Timberline Lodge. It was a great trip and we are planning our next trip as a group, hopefully a winter retreat!

Today the weather cooperated and was cooler in the morning. I decided to take advantage of the cool weather to heat up the oven and do some baking. I made banana bread, rhubarb cake, and bran muffins. The muffins are for me cause I like them. The rhubarb cake is for Jason to take to work cause his work people like it, and the banana bread is for Jason to eat for breakfast! Yay - and my house is only 71 degrees after 3 hours of baking!

Packing up to go camping!

Our truck has been out of order this week due to maintenance. It's actually in our garage, up on jack stands. Jason has been diligently working on it for the last 7 days, hoping to have it ready to roll for our camping trip this weekend with our bible study group.

Looks like we will be taking the car...

How will we fit: 4 camp chairs, 2 sleeping bags, pillows, roll up table, 5 gallon water jug, air mattress, 3 clear packing tubs, 2 coolers, multiple grocery bags of dry food, ladder golf AND enough firewood for the weekend in a Honda Civic?

Maybe I'll go out to the garage and cheer Jason on - you can do it!!!! (You have to do it!)

I think we need a new look

I think our blog looks kinda depressing. I like the little picture at the top with the name and stuff but the black is starting to get old. I think we need a face-lift. Nothing to cutesy but maybe something more interesting...I'll have to bring it up with Jason.

Southern Oregon Vacation: Installment 2

Wednesday, July 1st we packed up all our stuff and hit the grocery store in Medford before driving up to Union Creek. Usually there is a pretty good temperature difference, being cooler at Union Creek, but not this day. It was really hot and sticky! I can't remember the last time I was at the cabin when it was so hot. We pulled in, and took a nap first thing. Jason went out fishing, only to return to say the mosquitoes were really bad, so we drove up to the store to get bug spray. We didn't really spend time outside because of the mosquitoes, we did manage to cook dinner on the dutch oven, but then came inside to eat. Lewis drove up from Klamath to have dinner with us. Basically we stayed inside for the evening, going outside once for about 15 minutes to play a game of Ladder Golf.

Thursday, July 2nd we got going in the morning so we could get a good hike in. We hiked Union Peak in the Crater Lake National Forest. The first about 3 miles were on the Pacific Crest Trail, and then turned off for 2 miles up to Union Peak. The mosquitoes again were very bad, we almost bailed. The trail had a good amount of snow still too which made navigation difficult. We were on the trail about 75% of the time. Luckily we had a GPS leaving us at trail. We made it to the top around noon, ate lunch and enjoyed the view, then headed down when we spotted thunderheads and heard a couple rolls of thunder! We made it down and back to the car around 2pm. We were ready to just sit on the tailgate and rest our feet and recover, but the bugs were thick, so we jumped in the truck and headed to Crater Lake. We drove up and got out and looked at the lake, then did the East Rim Drive around the lake. Beautiful drive, waterfalls, great views, overlooks, pictures, good stuff. After we left Crater Lake we headed to Diamond Lake and a campground that has hot showers! We felt much better after a shower, we discovered we were both sunburned and counted the bug bites. Pretty much the rest of the day we rested.

Friday, July 3rd we went up to Beckie's Cafe for breakfast and ate huge pancakes bigger than our faces. We waited until the Harden clan showed up, around 1pm. Altogether we had about 20 people at the cabin, and basically we spent Friday sitting around, catching up, playing games, fishing, and eating. More people seemed to help disperse the mosquitoes which was nice!

Saturday, July 4th we ate a big breakfast and then went out for a hike to Boundary Springs, the head waters of the Rogue River. It was a hot and dusty hike, but very pretty at the end. We took a group picture, sorry I don't have it, but it was kinda annoying because the bugs were really bad the whole time we were taking pictures. After the hike, people took napes, went fishing, while the more practical types got pedicures! Aunt Donna brought her little foot spa and did pedicures for whoever. It was awesome! We ate a yummy dinner of tri-tip and sat around the rest of the night.

Sunday, July 5th Jason and I were in charge of breakfast for the crowd. We made French Toast and bacon so we got up and started cooking! We ate breakfast then started getting packed up so we could head home. We loaded up and said good-bye to everyone and 4 hours later we were home! Side note: Last year the cabin trip was later, in August, and we were coming home to work on roofing our house! It was so nice to come home this year and just relax and not tackle a major house project!

And that is the story of our Southern Oregon vacation.

Southern Oregon Vacation: Installment 1

We only blogged 5 times in the month of June! Oh my gosh, that is a record low. July should be a little more eventful in blog land.

So we just returned for a 10-day vacation, nowhere tropical, but hot nonetheless: Southern Oregon!

Friday, June 26th we left Sherwood and headed South. We met up with Jason's friend Peter in Wilsonville and caravaned down to Grants Pass. I got dropped off at my grandparents house and Jason and Peter took off to 4-wheel on the McGrew Trail out of O'Brien. If you want to know anything about this trip, you will have to ask Jason! I was picked up by my mom and went on to Medford. I forgot how hot Medford gets in the summer! Oh boy. Yuck.

Saturday, June 27th was another hot one. Mom and I dinked around the house during the morning, Dad had to work. Around noon I headed out for a wedding in Trail. I spent the afternoon at the wedding, melting in the heat! As soon as I got home I took a shower and then lounged around the rest of the day, too hot! We rented "Slumdog Millionaire", interesting movie! Not quite what I expected, but still good.

Sunday, June 28th Jason returned from his 4-wheeling trip, dusty and dirty. We spent the afternoon getting him and his truck cleaned up and hearing all about his trip. And playing Ladder Golf in the back yard with Mom, Dad, Cassie-dog, and Lucy-dog.

Monday, June 29th we spent the morning trying to figure out what was wrong with the truck - the breaks we squeaking so we thought the brakes were bad, come to find out the 'tie-rods' (not sure if that's the right word) were worn. We didn't do anything about it (and still haven't) because Jason can do the work cheaper on his own. We had lunch with Kellie at yummy Senor Sam's - a Southern Oregon joint. Mom and I spent the afternoon running errands and Jason researched truck parts! More Ladder Golf.... Oh, and I got the phone call that I was being recalled to work for the fall!!! Yeah!!! Praise God.

Tuesday, June 30th we headed out, picked up Grandma Harden, and drove out the Merlin-Galice Highway to Graves Creek to hike the Rainey Falls trail along the Rogue River. It was a hot hike along the cliff above the river. We were able to watch a bunch of rafters put in and go through some rapids. We hiked about 4 miles total, and I didn't see any snakes so I count it a success!! After we got off the trail, we went down the river and cooled off our feet and let the dogs swim. Pretty much the rest of the afternoon was napping and staying cool. Have I mentioned that Medford is hot in the summer???

Next installment of this blog will include the activities of July 1st-July 5th...