8/8/12 Chatterbox
Betty Kaiser
Yikes! This is the second week of August and the last month
of freedom for many school kids. At our house, it is also the month that our
three Templeton, Calif. grandsons come to visit. We look forward to their yearly
visit and right now, I’m in the middle of checking out places to take them on a ‘secret journey.’
It has become a tradition for us to introduce our 5 visiting
grandsons to a part of Oregon that they haven’t seen before. Somehow, it was
much easier planning these trips when the boys were small. Now that they range
from a senior in college to a fifth grader, it’s a little more difficult to
plan something that appeals to all of them.
Fortunately, since they’ve driven 800+ miles to get here,
they really are happy just to hang out with their grandparents and the dogs.
They can sleep in, swim in the lake, play cards, ride bikes and relax. Still, I
try to fit in one or two day trips that won’t wear everyone out.
Most years they try and time their visit to coincide with
the Junction City Scandinavian Festival. I have pictures of them as little
tykes eating cotton candy, dancing on the stage, attacking the climbing wall
and posing with a knight in armor. This year they’ll arrive too late for the
Festival, so I’ll have to stock up and freeze some delicious meat pies to
remind them of what they’ve missed.
One year we all went up to the Enchanted Forest, a 20-acre
theme park between Albany and Salam. Trees shaded Storybook Lane where the boys
crawled through Alice in Wonderland’s rabbit hole and staggered through the
crooked house where the crooked man lives. We also visited an old English
village and a western town.
The big attraction (and my favorite) is the Big Timber Log
Ride. Now that the kids are older it probably wouldn’t rate very high on their
list of exciting excursions. But just a few years they loved the clanking of
the chain lift as we rode through a sawmill and then traveled through some
beautiful forest scenery. There was a small dip where we all got a little wet
before entering some more twists and turns. Finally, we climbed a bit and
zig-zagged before we got to the big dip and everyone got wet. It was lots of
fun.
Oregon’s central coast is another fun mystery trip. Camping
at Honeyman Park is convenient to a variety of places to keep the kids busy. Old
Town Florence is better sight seeing for adults than kids but between shopping
and eating, there’s enough to hold everyone’s interest for a few hours.
As soon as everyone gets bored, we head for Sea Lion Caves.
It’s always exciting to board the elevator that descends to a massive sea cave
at the bottom of the cliffs. Sometimes the fishy stench can be a little
overwhelming but just watching the sea lions sunning and frolicking on the
rocks is mesmerizing.
Heceta Head Lighthouse is just a ways up the road. It’s
currently closed for renovations but it’s still a great spot to relax, look for
seashells and watch for whales. I’m told that whales really do frolic in those
waters but I’ve yet to see one
One of my favorite spots is the 2.700 acre Cape Perpetua
Scenic Area. It has 26 miles of connecting trails that take you from tide pools
below to the magnificent old growth forest above. It’s a cool place to be on a
hot summer day with an interesting interpretive center.
Another favorite mystery trip was the year we took our Ventura,
Calif. grandsons to Salem. There is so much to see and do in our state’s
capital that it was hard to know where to begin. First we toured the capital
building and it is impressive. Inside the rotunda, the capital dome rises 106
ft above the bronze replica of the state seal. The ceiling, featuring 33 stars,
symbolizes Oregon’s admission as the 33rd state in the union.
We then rode the elevator to the 4th floor where
we were told there was a short 121-step climb onto the observation deck. Ha! The literature forgot to mention that
those steps were straight up a narrow spiral staircase that wound through the
infrastructure with catwalks and ramps leading to a heavy door. Fortunately,
the door opened at the base of the gilded Golden Pioneer Statue where the view
was awesome.
After working up an appetite, we headed downtown for pizza
and a visit to Salem’s Riverfront Carousel (closed) and the A.C. Gilbert’s
Discovery Village. That turned out to be a surprising hit with the boys because
of its interactive exhibits. Gilbert, an inventor, is most famous for the
Erector Set and the village is home to the world’s largest Erector Set tower at
52 feet.
Eugene-Springfield, of course, is much closer to home. The
boys are all athletes in one sport or another, and visiting the UO is a choice
destination. Hendricks Park is beautiful and the Wave Pool is always fun but
we’ve never been to the Cascades Raptor Center. Hmm.
Cottage Grove has been well explored but I’m sure we’ve
missed some sweet spots. One place we haven’t been is river rafting on the
McKenzie. Maybe a return trip on the jet boats in Gold Beach or Grant’s Pass or
Wildlife Safari. So many places and so little time.
Truly, the area that we live in is a treasure trove of
places to go and things to do. I have barely scratched the surface and I want to
share them all with our boys! So
where are we going this year? I’m not sure. But this I know…it won’t be boring
and it will be fun!
It’s summer! Welcome to Oregon, boys! Let the fun begin...
Betty Kaiser’s Chatterbox is about people,
places, family, and other matters of the heart.
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