Getting out

The dry weather has arrived in Portland just days after the summer solstice, hopefully our rainy June will be replaced with sunny days in July.

I did manage to squeeze one bike ride at the beginning of the month, I headed out of Portland in search of nicer weather in central Oregon. I was optimistic, so I headed east and managed to out run the rain. My luck held out the whole day until I was ready to cross back into Oregon at the Bridge of Gods. I got caught in one of the biggest, wettest rainstorm I’ve ever been in.

I got soaked! It was raining so hard the cars were pulling off the highway. I pressed on for the next thirty miles and was almost dried out when about ten blocks from my house, the Oregon weather gods emptied their clouds on me again.

I’m hoping to get out of town for another trip after the fourth of July, wish me luck!

Sun Valley

My Labor Day weekend was spent working in Sun Valley, Idaho. I headed up to Idaho to help my old friend Mitch Silver with his 32nd annual Labor Day auction. Situated on the grounds of the Sun Valley Lodge over 125 vehicles crossed the block over the two day sale.

It had been over a decade since I had last worked this auction, it was great to see some of my old friends from the car business, and laugh about the old days when we were much younger. The weather was perfect and the crowds filled the tent on Saturday to look at and bid on a wide range of collector cars. I’m looking forward to going back next year.

This beautiful Rolls Royce sold for $54,000.

The rare supercharged Studebaker sold for $34,000.

The super sized motor home sold for $125,000.

Dry Falls

I finally got a chance to hop on my motorcycle for a quick trip. I have missed riding my Kawasaki. But this weekend we were reunited again. I did a quick service and grabbed my backpack for a run up to Dry Falls, Washington which is about five hour northeast of Portland. Dry Falls is located in the Channeled Scablands of eastern Washington. The falls were created by the massive floods that engulfed eastern Washington during the last ice age. It an impressive site, and the amount of water that rolled over the area is estimated to be all the rivers in the world combined and multiplied by 10!

Dry Falls

Up through the canyon, 12,500 years ago I would be at bottom of the river, with 300 feet of water above the top of the canyon.

Selfie!

Okanagan Valley

Work and travel have kept me busy for the past couple of months, but the past week really was the cherry-topper! So what have I been up to?

I just returned from a five-day trip from the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. We went up for a wedding that took place right on Lake Okanagan in Lake Country. The next day, I was there to celebrate Canada Day too. Canada Day is July 1, so it was a super long weekend celebration that moved right into the Fourth of July.

The Okanagan really is an amazing place. It is the heart of BC's wine and fruit industry. It is lake and cottage country. Most of BC’s wineries and orchards surround Lake Okanagan, a spectacular 82-mile long lake.

Canadians take great pride in protecting their environment. The small towns we drove through dotted along the lake were pristine. Free of trash and graffiti, with main streets featuring well-kept storefronts, cafés, and long-time businesses. It was really refreshing to see and I am already ready and looking forward to going back for another restful vacation!

All dressed up for Sarah and Jason’s wedding in Lake Country

Property at Lock + Worth Winery and Poplar Grove Cheese overlooking Lake Okanagan

Sunset at Nichol Vineyard on the Naramata Bench

First Peach Pie

Second to my love of all things two and four-wheeled, is my love of pie!

I felt like I had mastered my apple pie, so this year I decided to try my hand at peach.

My daughter and I headed out to Sauvie Island, just about fifteen minutes west of downtown Portland, to our favorite U-pick farm. We picked our peaches right off the tree.

I'm big into tradition, so I decided to start with my mom's tried and true recipes. Both of her pie pastry and peach filling resulted in the most outstanding first ever peach pie for me.

Summertime

I hope everyone is having a great summer and getting a chance to enjoy the great outdoors!

I have been busy working and traveling this summer. Last week I took my bi-monthly trip from Riverside to Las Vegas. Driving across the Mojave Desert made me really wonder how people can live in that kind of heat. When we went through Baker, California; it was an extremely balmy 112 degrees. I know it's a dry heat, but that's still too hot for me!

Last weekend, I hopped on my motorcycle and took a 500-mile roundtrip through Central Oregon. I came across some beautiful country. I hadn't been to the upper part of the John Day River, nor Painted Hills, and the Fossil Beds. It was a super fun trip. I saw lots of other riders traveling on the same roads, where I believe are some of the best parts of our state. I would highly suggest anyone's getting out and about this summer to enjoy some of what Oregon's got to offer. She's a beauty.

#SummertimeandtheRidingIsEasy