Oregon Bucket List (Portland, Hood River, Gold Beach: neighborhood, live, shop)

[Priscilla Martin]

Oregon has so many wonderful things to do. Remember that movie, The Bucket List? Before the movie was the book, entitled The Bucket List:Things To Do Before I Kick It. I always wish I could come up with clever titles like author Justin Zackham did. I'm sure we all have things in Oregon we'd like to do before we're pushing daises. Here's mine. What's yours?

I'm sitting here at my vanity, (the guy who named that piece of furniture got it right), looking at myself in the mirror. I look like I spent my entire 70 year life in the Sonoran Desert. Sighing, I look down at all the bottles, tubes, jars and canisters full of makeup products I've used religiously over the years so this wouldn't happen. They all made false claims and lied. Could I sue Pond's Cold Cream? I realize I need to ramp up my anti-aging efforts. I think hubby has a putty knife and some Bondo in the garage, from back when he actually used to do something around here. Right now he's parked in the recliner with a cup of coffee in one hand and the television remote in the other. It's 9:30 in the morning and he's watching one of the 20 or so ESPN channels. Dune buggies are racing around some bumpy dirt track. I know soon as I leave the bedroom he'll switch it over to female beach volleyball. "It's an Olympic sport," he always reminds me when I catch him staring at those tight bunned, long legged, flat stomached women hitting a ball over a net while wearing clothing that would make a bikini blush. Maybe I need Botox. No, I hate needles. A face lift. No, I'd end up looking like Joan Rivers and that's reason enough not to do it. I give up and pad out to the kitchen for another cup of coffee. While opening the fridge door for some creamer I spot My Bucket List, all the things I want to do before I die, written on a piece of paper that says Shopping List at the top, secured to the fridge door with a magnet with Crater Lake on it.

I stop, frozen in thought. Numero uno on my list is: Jet Boat Ride Hell's Canyon. I think I saw it on television and it looked like fun. Number Two: Wind Surf In Hood River. I saw a sign that had "Windsurfing Lessons" written on it in what appeared to be black spray paint years ago while speeding down I-84 through Hood River. Do you have to wear a neoprene wetsuit? At my age it would be a good idea to keep body parts intact. Number Three: Sea Lion Caves. We went there once when the kids were little. It was cold, damp, and kind of creepy, but the kids still talk about it to this day.

I'm staring into the fridge at nothing in particular, dreaming and reminiscing when I hear hubby call out from the bedroom. "Honey? Since you're not doing anything would get me another cup of coffee?"

I stop and think about what he just said: "Since you're not doing anything." I take my bucket list off the fridge, pour both of us another cup of coffee and slip back towards the bedroom. I clear my throat upon entering to give him a chance to change channels. My Bucket List in hand I ask, "Remember that movie with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman?"

"You mean The Bucket List?" he replies.

I smile.

[Leisesturm]

You know, Priscilla, when you aren't complaining about unavoidable realities of life like... progress. Well... I never noticed until just now that you do actually have a flair for anecdote. Might I suggest, mildly, that your fascination with water is overrated and that your ultimate fulfillment may lie in more landlocked pursuits? There must be a writers workshop meeting somewhere in your neighborhood. Join it and you can spend the time walking there to observe Portland life up close. Lots of material there. The combination of your memories, experiences and the ever unfolding human portrait that is Portland, surely that must equal a squishy Jet Boat ride(?) and you don't have to spend a whole day getting there. FWIW.

H

[karlsch]

Originally Posted by Priscilla Martin

........ Numero uno on my list is: Jet Boat Ride Hell's Canyon. I think I saw it on television and it looked like fun.........

I recommend this Hells Canyon, Hells Canyon jetboat trips, Hells canyon idaho, hells canyon oregon

It's a lot of fun.

Take a longer trip, at least the 6 hour Kirkwood Tour.

I live nearby so whenever old friends from the East visit, I treat them to a trip. Sometimes longtime City Folks, such as a friend who lived in D.C. and worked in the Pentagon for 30 years, don't seem to appreciate it.

Here are some random pictures I have taken: Hells Canyon Slideshow by kuskokwim | Photobucket

The Rogue River trip from Gold Beach is also great.

[gonpostal]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

You know, Priscilla, when you aren't complaining about unavoidable realities of life like... progress. Well... I never noticed until just now that you do actually have a flair for anecdote. Might I suggest, mildly, that your fascination with water is overrated and that your ultimate fulfillment may lie in more landlocked pursuits? There must be a writers workshop meeting somewhere in your neighborhood. Join it and you can spend the time walking there to observe Portland life up close. Lots of material there. The combination of your memories, experiences and the ever unfolding human portrait that is Portland, surely that must equal a squishy Jet Boat ride(?) and you don't have to spend a whole day getting there. FWIW.

H

I never thought of the water connection, Crater Lake, Snake River, Columbia River, Pacific Ocean.........I guess a bucket is a good thing for me to have.

[Steve Pickering]

The Sea Lion Caves are not that far away. You can get there without a horse and buggy now, and they have an elevator for seniors. Get started.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

The Sea Lion Caves are (expensive, stinky, and a total tourist trap, but) well worth the experience!


From their website (720° view, below):

http://www.spherovision.net/html5/US...J4/p01b_m.html

[Priscilla Martin]

Originally Posted by gonpostal

I never thought of the water connection, Crater Lake, Snake River, Columbia River, Pacific Ocean.........I guess a bucket is a good thing for me to have.

That's just what I was going to say