Our Final Days Visiting the Pacific Northwest

Our two-week vacation to the Pacific Northwest ended on a high note; before leaving, we spent the last two days visiting family near Portland, OR, and it was WONDERFUL.

Our last day at the Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, OR was bittersweet.  I still wanted to fit in another day of bike riding and shopping, but you know what they say about all good things having to come to an "end."

We packed our car, programmed the GPS, and braced ourselves for the 3 hour-fifty minute drive to Hillsboro, OR, a city on the west side of Portland.  I'm typically not a fan of long drives, but this one was BEAUTIFUL.  We took US 20 to US 22, passing by places like Tumalo, Sisters, Marion Forks, and the Detroit Lake State Recreation Area.  I could have easily stopped by any of these places to take pictures, but we wanted to meet my cousin and his wife in time for dinner, so there wasn't additional time to wander.  

Huge pine trees towered over us on both sides during most of the drive.

That evening, after getting settled into our final hotel, we met up with Jamie and Vincent for dinner at BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse in Hillsboro.  

The next day, they promised us a hike in the woods at their favorite park followed by an afternoon of "video games" at the Next Level Pinball Shop and Museum.  (We let them set the itinerary, and they didn't disappoint.  In fact, Little Lewie was beyond thrilled because Vincent and he both share a love for computers and gaming.)

They first took us to Noble Woods Park in Hillsboro, which reminded us much of the time we spent in Olympic National Park.  Similar to Olympic, Noble Woods Park was filled with large trees like the Sitka Spruce, Western Red Cedar, and Western Hemlock; some (like in Olympic) were also covered by moss.  

After our walk and breakfast, we headed to the Pinball Shop, which touts over 450 pinball machines and arcade games.  For just a $20 entrance fee, we could spend the entire day playing as many games as we wanted without needing coins or tokens.  There might have been only one game, a VR one, which required an extra charge.

The number of games we all played was too many to count.  Favorites for me included the Guns 'n Roses, the Simpsons, and the Star Wars pinball machines followed by arcade games like Dig Dug, Donkey Kong, and Q*bert.  Lew and Lewie played lots of driving games, and Vincent and Jamie found the horror games, including a really scary one that involved killing zombies.  (We all tried it out; although, I had a really, really tough time looking at the screen.)

During the next and final day, the boys and girls went their separate ways. Vincent, Daddy Lew, and Little Lewie headed to a music shop and computer store; Jaime and I headed to a New Age book shop.  We came together for one last meal--this time at a cool Indian restaurant.

  

In all, our last few days visiting Vincent and Jamies were FUN.  (The last time we saw them, they were living out in the desert in Goodyear, AZ; we traveled to see them after visiting the Grand Canyon.)  This time we traveled to see them just outside of Portland, OR after visiting Olympic National Park and Sunriver.

Of course, goodbyes are never easy, especially when your loved ones live all the way across the country.  When I was growing up, cousin Vincent was like a big brother that enjoyed pestering me.  I could always count on him to scare me by showing scary pictures in Fangoria magazine or to embarrass me by giving me presents like a nose-picking award for my tenth birthday.  Perhaps one of my favorite memories is when my cousins and I all went camping in Vermont.  While my mom and aunt left the camper to use the bathroom, Vincent decided to throw his dirty underpants at his two siblings and me.  My younger cousin Billy and I laughed so hard that we almost peed our pants.  In fact, I think Billy might have...(My friends have memories of him teasing them, too, particularly during my birthday parties.)  

I'm glad Lewie had a chance to spend time with my cousin and his wife--first at age seven in Arizona and now at age twelve in Oregon.  Our visits might not be frequent, but they are memorable and a reminder that the best thing you can do with family is to LAUGH and be silly.  Life is just too short for anything else!

Exploring the Mile-Long Lava River Cave near Bend, Oregon

Our trip to central Oregon was fascinating as we had a chance to learn about the terrain, climate, wildlife, and cultural beginnings--both of the Native Americans and early Pioneers.  

Our last day touring this very wild and rustic area brought us to the Lava River Cave, a mile-long lava tube, which is part of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument.  To be honest, visiting the Lava River Cave was on my bucket list of places to visit when I created an itinerary for Oregon.  At one point, I considered signing us up for a two-hour narrated tour; however, when finances became tight, we opted to do the self-guided tour, which was still wonderfully educational.

Up until this point, I had limited exposure to caves; I had seen a few limestone caves, famous for their stalactites or stalagmites, but those experiences never required me to fully explore an underground channel.  A lava cave or lava tube is different.  Formed by a volcanic eruption, a lava tube is created when molten lava flows underground.  When the eruption ends, the lava tube drains of molten rock, but leaves a tunnel behind, which eventually cools and solidifies into black stone.  Fun fact: According to the U.S. National Park Service, "Most lava caves are close to the surface and not too deep underground."

When we first arrived, the parking lot was full; this was expected.  The National Park Service (NPS) had already forewarned us that we might encounter a closed gate to avoid overcrowding.  Still, within 20 minutes, the gate was lifted, and we had a chance to park and purchase our pass.  Then, we were invited to sit in a small seating area where a member of the NPS gave us some pointers about the Lava River Cave.  We learned a little about the ecosystem of the cave, but most of her talk focused on the prevention of white-nose syndrome, an invasive cold-loving fungus that grows on bats' skin, often causing death.  I had heard of white-nose syndrome before but didn't know it was so severe.  In the article, "White-Nose Syndrome Killed Over 90% of Three North American Bat Species," the syndrome was first documented in New York in 2006.  Since then, it has been confirmed in 12 North American bat species, having spread to 35 states and seven Canadian provinces.  Some ways of preventing the disease are as simple as not wearing the same clothes during multiple cave visits.  (Since caving/spelunking is not a a hobby for us, I don't think this will be a problem.)

After the talk, we were encouraged to rent lanterns for $5, which were well worth the investment.  (Prior to going, we had bought headlamps, which we also wore.)  Other tips included the following:

• Wear close-toed shoes or even hiking boots since the stairs and cave floor can be slippery, rocky, and uneven.
• Dress in warm layers as the average temperature in the cave is 42 degrees Fahrenheit
• Consider wearing gloves as the metal handrails are cold
• Allow at least one full hour and 30 minutes to explore the entirety of the cave round trip.

When we entered the cave, we could easily see why good shoes and a lantern were a must.  To access the cave, one must descend 150 stairs.  Then the light source from the cave opening started to diminish, requiring us to use our lanterns to examine every nook and cranny of the cave floor to avoid slipping on uneven surfaces or even tripping on rocks and boulders.  The cold and dampness could be felt, too.

In some cases, the cave seemed wide and vast; at other points, it became quite narrow.  Lewie, of course, compared it to the game of Minecraft, where he explores the underground cave system.  For me, I felt like a miner exploring a dark, treacherous tunnel.  

By the end of the mile journey and back, I was ready to see daylight again.  I was grateful for the experience but didn't feel this was an epic adventure I wanted to repeat again anytime soon.  Little Lewie enjoyed it, and my husband...well, let's just say that he gave up after 30 minutes.  The stairs were not too kind to his knees and then the narrow parts of the cave didn't help his Closter phobia.  It was a blessing I didn't pay for any long guided cave sessions because my husband just wouldn't have lasted.

In all, the Lava River Cave was a unique experience.  We didn't see any wildlife or bats, but we certainly loved learning about its formation, the ecosystem, and even what we can do to prevent white-nose syndrome. On the way back, the opening looked like the size of a pinhead (see above).  Now I know why I like seeing the bright side at the end of the tunnel--no pun intended.