Vancouver, WA

I have traveled the world and walked many a beautiful beach but nothing has come close to the stunning and dramatic seascapes of the northern Oregon coast.

I played my first game of Frisbee golf at WSU Vancouver’s dandilion-studded course which lies on the east side of the campus.

It’s time for a Staycation. The sign at the gas station read $4.08 a gallon. You read that right, that is for gas. It’s a bit crazy, but the reality we now live in. They expect gas over $5 by summers end and some are saying that $7 a gallon is not all that far fetched. With the increase cost of fuel for our cars, pretty much everything else is going up in price too. Airfare, hotels and pretty much everything are up.

I love sunshine, just as long as I can enjoy it from the shade. That is one of the reasons I enjoy the 26 acre Marine Park, located to the south of SR14 Exit 1, on Columbia Way and SE Marine Park Way. The park has a nice mix of sun and shade, trees and bright green grass, a baseball field, playground, restrooms, and water to a small group of picnic tables, including a covered area. There is also a boat ramp at the far western portion of the park, but it is a fair walk from where we parked the car so we did not visit it.

Since I visited the labyrinth on Mill Plain, I’ve wanted to try another one. I heard some time ago that there is a labyrinth at a Hazel Dell church, and I found it! Here’s the sign at the north end of the parking lot; pointing out the path that leads down the hill.
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I paired up with another mom and together with our ten charges, set out for what turned out to be a fast-paced morning of sight-seeing on foot around the streets of West Portland.

Esther Short Park is 155 years old and over the decades has served as the town square, hosted a wading pool and skating rink and has come to be considered Vancouver’s centerpiece, its hub of community, culture and history. The park is host to the open air Vancouver Farmer’s Market on the weekends and is bordered by a variety of shops, cafes, and boutiques. It is a great place to ensure a Saturday afternoon is well spent.

But I have found a remedy for the novice, thrifty or collard shirt-avoiding golfer. On the fringes of the Columbia River Gorge hides a quaint and unorthodox par-three course encouragingly named The Pub Course.

I took advantage of a break in the winter-like weather to explore the Washington State University Vancouver campus trails. What I expected would be a normal out-of-doors excursion turned into a serendipitous adventure through lush valleys, quiet woods and hidden meadows dotted with apple trees.

What an adventure today! A visit to a labyrinth. This labyrinth is behind the Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church just off Mill Plain, and it belongs to the church. Nice big adjacent field isn’t it? It would be perfect for kids and dogs to play in, and I’m happy to see the two benches to rest on, if the walk gets tiring.