Colorado - 04/2009 Valley View

Planned a long weekend in Colorado and had dinner in Denver with Jeannie and Max Taylor, their boys, and Jamie Smith, before racing out of Denver to avoid a snow storm and head down to Valley View.

Got settled in the Oak House


and took note of some of the other housing options.



Enjoyed taking the waters.

at the Waterfall Pool,

the Party Pool,

the Swimming Pool,


and the hot pool.

Sweated out all those toxins in the Sauna.

and cooled off in the unique cool plunge below and eliminated all those free radicals.

Orcas Island - 02/2009 Doe Bay

Enjoyed a nice long weekend on Orcas Island. Access is by the Washington State Ferry, with some relatively rare snow.

Arrived at Doe Bay in due time.

And got checked in.

This is the Office, General Store, and Cafe, from the front and rear.

Doe Bay Resort and Retreat is a unique alternative to the traditional destination resort. On over thirty-three acres of pristine waterfront property,

they have a variety of accommodations in a rustic, down-to-earth environment.

You can start the day with yoga practice in the studio and a trip to the soaking tubs and sauna,

take a guided kayak trip in the afternoon and have a delicious meal in the waterfront café,

hike in nearby Moran State Park and then read about the things you've seen in the Otter Lodge, our guest lounge and library,

or surf with free Wi-Fi.

Oregon 12/2008 Clif - Day 10

Our flight home gets canceled due to the snow storm in the Portland area, so we get an extra day with the Parkers. We decide to head to the mountains and try to make it to Cougar Hot Springs to take the waters, but first, we take on fuel at the Burrito Boy.

Jack gets invited to go with the guys on the condition that he keep quiet and not ask a lot of questions. That's pretty hard for him.

We make it to Cougar Reservoir, and there is lots and lots of snow.

The road past the Dam is not plowed, and the road was not passable.

We met a man who was trying to get his dump truck out. Besides this 4x4 truck with some good lift, he had a backhoe to try to clear the way.

We had to turn back, as it was too much for the Hummer. I don't think the man was able to get his dump truck out either.

Traveling in the mountains in the snow, one always comes across trees across the road.

We came across this neat rig.

And spent some time visiting with him.

Jack gets to play in the snow.

We stop at Belknap Hot Springs and look around.

And get a good view of the McKenzie River.

We make it back to Eugene and make a stop for supplies to take home with us.

We make it to Portland for our rescheduled flights, via Alaska Airlines. Clif and I were not on the same flight. Clif went home via Los Angeles, and I went home via Las Vegas.

Oregon 12/2008 Clif - Days 8 & 9

Hayward Field at the University of Oregon is one of the best-known historic track and field stadiums in the United States. It was the home of Oregon's football team from 1919-67, and has been the home to the Ducks' Track and Field teams since 1921. Hayward Field was named after the Oregon Ducks first track coach, Bill Hayward, who ran the Ducks' program from 1904 to 1947.

In 1970, the track was widened to eight lanes and converted to an all-weather surface. The track converted to the metric system in 1988, its length changing from 440 yards (402.336m) to 400 meters. One of the most modern scoreboards of the time was added in 1991, which gave unofficial times and places of competitors seconds after they finished.

After a donation by Bill Bowerman, UO's longtime track coach and co-founder of Nike, the 15,000-square-foot Bowerman Building was added to the northwest of the track, housing locker rooms, U of O track memorabilia and the university's International Institute for Sport and Human Performance.

A major renovation began in 2004, adding a new entrance named Powell Plaza, moving the practice track and expanding it to 400 meters, and replacing the aging fencing bordering the complex, among other improvements. With news that Eugene would host the US Olympic Trials in 2008, Hayward Field underwent more renovation in 2007. Eight light poles were installed, allowing for televised night events. The crowned infield was removed and reconfigured, and a walkway behind the west grandstand was added. A new scoreboard was installed thanks to a generous donation by Phil Knight and Nike. See Asa's July, 2008 adventures for more on the 2008 Olympic Trials.

Hayward Field played itself in a fictionalized staging of the Olympic trials for the 1982 film, Personal Best and in the 1998 biography of Steve Prefontaine, Without Limits.

We reward ourselves at Prince Pückler's Ice Cream. My tummy was assuaged with homemade ice cream from local creamery Prince Pückler's. Because of the umlaut over the first "u" it's amusingly pronounced kinda like "puke-lers". But puke you will not, because that was some fine ice cream.

Pückler's has been making homemade ice cream in Eugene since 1975. They have a much more enticing and interesting lineup of flavors than your typical 31 Flavors or Coldstone, from the old standards Vanilla, Chocolate, and Mint Chip to Pumpkin, Oregon Bing Cherry, Eggnog, and an incredible-sounding concoction called "Velvet Hammer" that I think involved caramel, chocolate, and local espresso. I wish they were open for breakfast. That's how I'd like to start my day.

It's a good thing I don't live in Eugene, because the desire to sample most of the other flavors would overcome my good sense and do severe damage to my sugar.

The President likes Pückler's too.

Worship at Cascade is next on our agenda. Cascade Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) and a member of the Pacific Northwest Presbytery which is the collection of PCA churches in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska.

All are welcome regardless of personal or religious background. Cascade is here for the unconvinced, the lost, the found, the burned, bored, cynical, spiritual. We invite you, no matter where you are in the process, to explore, grow with and experience Cascade.

This Communion Table was dedicated to Elder John de Bruin. It is a beautiful table and always gives me pause to remember my friend, elder, and Churchman.

Davina and the new piano.

Kyle leading God's people in Worship.

Cascade is reaching out to the students at the University of Oregon.

Kyle, Molly, and Clif fueling up at City Brewery after Worship.

A rare photo of Gretchen at City Brewery.

Clif and Jack.

Molly, doing what she does.

Scary Sam and Jack.