SUP 4 Cancer, Hood River's Paddle Board Endurance Race Yesterday brought the third annual SUP for Cancer at Hood River's Waterfront Park. SUP stands for stand up paddling, a fairly new sport that has taken off the last couple of years. The race was a fundraiser powered by TeamDuke.org as part of the "Tenacity Games" and all funds benefit Athletes for Cancer Survivorship Camps for Young Adults with Cancer. The racers left Viento State Park, 8 miles west of Hood River, paddling up river through the beautiful Columbia River Gorge to Hood River's Waterfront Park. We counted 25 participants arriving while we were there and one of the first finishing times was one hour, 30 minutes. The final/winning times have yet to be published. Parts of the race were filmed by MTV to be shown at a later da... 07/09/2011

The Kid Is A Monkey: The Climbing Wall at Waterfront Park Waterfront Park in Hood River was opened in the summer of 2008. The Park made it easier for locals and tourists alike to take advantage of recreation on the Columbia River. It's the perfect place for windsurfers, kiteboarders and paddle boarders to put in and out of the river. It includes a children's bay to swim with a sandy beach and a grassed play equipment area. There is a floating dock, wind art, picnic lawn, a "great lawn" for sports, a terraced amphitheatre, seating for up to 1,500 people and a cemented path with room for up to 40 vendors for special events. After swimming, the climbing wall is my kids' favorite. Here's Sam climbing up the most difficult side:   07/08/2011

Friday's Fotos - A Gorgeous Day at The Beach It's turned into a bit of a routine for my boys and I this summer... after running errands in town, we stop by the beach on the Columbia River to cool off. Today was a particularly beautiful day at Waterfront Park in Hood River. Swimmers, Sunbathers, paddle boarders, windsurfers and kite boarders were out in force. Oh, and I got to try out my new camera! 07/08/2011

Villa Columbia Bed & Breakfast, Hood River In Style! The quaint and charming style of Hood River lends itself to being the perfect spot to stay in a bed & breakfast and the Villa Columbia is one of the best! Set in the heart of downtown, you can walk to shops, restaurants, galleries, wine tasting and more. The best of recreation in the Gorge is also only moments away. Built in 1911, the Villa Columbia is breathtakingly preserved with charming antiques and fine touches at every turn. Five guest rooms are luxuriously appointed, offer stunning views and include private bathrooms. Each morning is greeted with a three course, gourmet breakfast served in the sun room or the glorious dining room. The great room includes a grand fireplace and posh sofas to settle on for the afternoon. The Villa... 07/05/2011

Happy Indepence Day From Hood River, Oregon There is absolutely nothing like the 4th of July is a small town! Our day started by getting to the parade 1 1/2 hours early to claim our spot to sit. As the parade started, two bi-planes buzzed the crowd, then the fire engines led off the parade. All right, so the parade was a little cheesy, but it's wonderful anyway because we know half the people walking in it. I very stupidly forgot my camera (bad, blogger!), but my friend Julie Clark helped me out by kindly loaning me some of her photos. Thanks, Julie!   07/04/2011

He Just Needs Someone To Love... Meet Trapper! Trapper is probably a Border Collie mix and maybe a year or two old. He's just bursting with energy and could play all day. He'll need an active new family or person, and lots of room to move around. He is in need of some basic training and manners, but since Border Collie's are so smart, it should be a breeze. He'll settle down nicely to snuggle with his new companion. Love is going to do wonders for this guy. Trapper has all his shots, is neutered and microchipped. He's ready to go to his forever home. The fee to adopt this funny boy is $180, cash or check only, please. You can meet Trapper in Odell at the Hukari Animal Shelter 3910 Heron Dr, Hood River OR 97031. 541-354-1083. Adoption hours are Wed 5-7 & Sat 9-11. You can download an app... 06/29/2011

100 Years In Hood River and Going Strong! From the earliest years in the history of Hood River, the Hood River Hotel has been standing in the middle of downtown. It oozes old world charm but with all the modern amenities you'd expect in your hotel. Visitors can walk to restaurants, galleries, wine tasting and shopping galore, just out the hotel's front door. There is a jacuzzi and spa, as well as, the Cornerstone Cuisine Restaurant. Room rates are reasonable. The hotel also offers catering, facilities for meetings and conferences and hosts weddings. This year the Hood River Hotel celebrates its 100th anniversary and has been lovingly restored to look much as it has for the last 100 year. 06/29/2011

Wordless Wednesday - The World From Another Point-Of-View I chose this for Wordless Wednesday because there is little needed to be described in words... I just look at the photo and feel happy. Remember how different the world seemed from that point of view? Oh, to be young and carefree again (and to not get an instant headache when hanging upside down)! 06/29/2011

Pamper Yourself... At the Foils Day Spa in Hood River The Hood River Valley is a known haven for outdoor enthusiasts of all types... biking, hiking, skiing, windsurfing, kiteboarding... you name it. So what would feel better after a day of playing in our river and on our mountain? Unwind at the spa! Foils offers a huge variety of beauty and wellness treatments from massages, facials, manicures, mud wraps, spray tanning, waxing, pedicures and hair treatments all in a beautiful, peaceful setting. Schedule a day of pampering, including lunch and beverage. Visit the Foils website for a full description of all the services they offer or call 541.386.1786. Leave the world behind and get renewed, represhed and revitalized at Foils, 209 Oak Street, Hood River. 06/28/2011

Gorge Dog... yep, it's a store JUST for your dog! All of us in the Hood River Valley know the area is very dog friendly... so many people take their dogs everywhere and like me, some spoil their dogs maybe a little too much. Gorge Dog is a specialty store at 412 Oak Street in downtown Hood River that helps us spoil to our heart's content. The store stocks everything from dog collars, homemade treats, toys, clothing, luxury bedding, even cards for our pups. Stop by to browse and pick up a goodie for your own best friend. For info call: 541-387-3996 Hood River is located in the Columbia River Gorge, from which "Gorge Dog" got its name. 06/28/2011

Mike's Ice Cream - A Day In Hood River Isn't Complete Without It. Mike's Ice Cream shop has practically become a tradition in Hood River. It is conveniently located at 504 Oak St., at one end of the main shopping district of downtown Hood River. It's perfectly situated to grab a quick cone halfway through your shopping or sight-seeing. Mike's is often described as quaint and it's the perfect place to take a break and relax, while the ice cream is simply yummy! For more information, call Mike's at (541) 386-6260 06/28/2011

Full Sail Brewing Company, A Hood River Original Did you know that Full Sail Brewing Company beers are crafted right here in Hood River? The founders chose Hood River purely for all it had to offer... the lifestyle, the Columbia River, Mt. Hood, a vibrant, charming town and ambitious, independant, creative locals. In 1987, the founders bought the abandoned Diamond Fruit Cannery, invested in state of the art equipment and opened their brewing company. That first year they put out an amazing 287 barrels. In 1989, Full Sail's best selling beer, Full Sail Amber scored a gold at the Great American Beer Festival and a legend was born. It was only the first of many honors to come over the years. Full Sail beer had arrived. In 1999, Full Sail divided it's assets among its 47 employees and becam... 06/28/2011

La Clinica of Hood River Celebrates 25 Years The mission of La Clinica is to provide high quality medical and dental care to every person in our community. La Clinica del Carino is a non-profit, community owned medical clinic in Hood River. It does not require insurance and will adjust healthcare fees for each patient based on income, as well as will provide payment plans for financial hardships. Most of the staff speaks fluent Spanish and English as well as some other languages. La Clinica is a "family practice" clinic, taking care of all ages. Walk-ins are welcome. This year marks the 25th year La Clinica has served our community. Staff, their families, board members and alumni celebrated the anniversary today, June 25th, at a barbeque celebration at the Hood River County Fairgrounds.... 06/26/2011

"Good Food For Good People", The Saw Tooth Roadhouse The Saw Tooth is one of those classic "local" hangouts serving the Upper Hood River Valley, although folks from Hood River often make the trip, too. It features a wide variety of food from tacos, burgers, pizza and pastas, all the way to homemade barbeque and fine prime rib. It is not a fancy looking place, but the food will make you think otherwise. It is laid back and comfortable, set with amazing mountain views, where you can dine indoors or out. The Saw Tooth also offers full bar service, with 8 beers on tap. The name is drawn from the Mt. Hood Forest Products lumber mill the restaurant is set next to. The Saw Tooth Roadhouse is located 9 miles south of Hood River, 4780, Highway 35. For a full menu visit the Saw Tooth Roadhouse we... 06/26/2011

Gorge Grown Food Network - It's All About Health & Family! Gorge Grown Food Network is a citizens' and farmers' group which helps to build a regional food system in the rural Columbia River Gorge region of Oregon and Washington. It is devoted to insuring that all the families of the Gorge have access to healthy, fresh, local food. It helps to build connections between farmers, farm workers, consumers, educators, health professionals and politicians, in order to make the process of setting up a farm to getting food onto tables more efficient. It also helps to build local communities and economies by making agricultural businesses successful. You can purchase Gorge Grown fruit and produce at it's weekly outdoor market, Thursdays, 4-7 p.m. at Hood River Middle School. Also available there ... 06/24/2011

Dog Day Afternoon At The Hood River Waterfront The Dog Day Afternoon is a great celebration of our cherished pets, kids and summer! All proceeds will benefit the Hood River Adopt A Dog program. What a great cause! Join us at the Hood River Waterfront, on Saturday, June 25th, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come in costume, kids and dogs, for a day of fun!   Schedule of Events: 10:00 a.m.       Dog Day walk registration opens, $15 fee 11:00am          Dog Walk-loop starts                            12:00pm          Dog Walk ends                                     Noon - 2 p.m.   Dog Day BBQ, $5 Lunch Noon-3pm        Dog Day dog-gone fun fair                                          Raffle Drawings announced continuously                         Bouncy House (for kids only) available all day           ... 06/24/2011

It's Not Always Windy In Hood River On Tuesday, the weather in Hood River hit 85 degrees (the hottest day so far this year) so our boys and I headed to the Columbia River for a quick swim. Since there was little wind, I missed not seeing the windsurfers and kite boarders Hood River is famous for, but folks were still finding ways to have fun. There were a few paddle boarders, canoes, Ski Doos and motor boats taking advantage of the calm river. And, of course, there were sun bathers, swimmers and even a few people just enjoying being outside. "Big Winds" is conveniently located right on the river and offers rentals of paddle boards and other equipment to take advantage of the river windy or not. There is never a shortage of things to do in Hood River.   06/24/2011

Taste A Great Gorge Wine... Wyeast Vineyards The Hood River Valley is still relatively new in producing world class wines, but it's gaining recognition and publicity quickly. One of the most popular wineries in the region and a great introduction to what the region has to offer in wines is Wy'east Vineyards. Located at 3189 Hwy. 35, the tasting room is 5.5 miles south of the town of Hood River and is open daily from 11:00 to 5:00. Stop by to try one of their wines from over 20 acres of pinot noir, pinot gris and chardonney vines. On July 23rd consider attending Dine Amongst the Vines, a five course sit down dinner in the region's most spectacular outdoor setting! For more information, visit the Winery's website. The Winery also hosts special events and weddings for up to 150 people.   06/18/2011

Friday's Foto - School's Out For Summer! These are some of my rowdy students getting on the bus after the last day of school, June 17th. I'm going to miss these kids so much. Our school is being closed as part of budget problems and I'm transferring to the local middle school. I will still be working with two of my 5th grade graduates. 06/18/2011

  Hood River Real Estate - Foreclosures and Short Sales in the Colombia Gorge   The Columbia Gorge on the border of Washington and Oregon is not exempt from the national problems folks have in keeping their homes. As sad as the outcome can be many new and first time buyers are benefiting greatly from lower than market value homes and homes in better neighborhoods around Hood River then they could afford just a few short years ago. While the reality of a foreclosure is not a pleasant one for the seller there are ways to either avoid foreclosure or utilize different options if you have come to a point where you just can't afford your mortgage any longer. The problem is that many homeowners don't want to see the looming picture before them and choose to ignore attempts to gracefully get ou... 06/15/2011