When the beach calls, you have to accept the charges.

Begin at the beginning... and go on till you come to the end: then stop. ~Lewi Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

I had a great time at the mountains but now it's time for me to head to the beach.  I picked a great day.  That rock in the background is called Haystack Rock.  Enough talk, let's go to sand. 

As I was walking around the beach I noticed a building up ahead.  Could it be one of the great hotels of the Northwest?

It has potential. 

I better go inside.  Ok, it's about 80 degrees today at the beach and they have a fireplace going?  Strange but it adds ambience to the lobby.

The fireplace was warm but I need a more comfortable seat.    

These chairs were really comfy.  I fell asleep and had a dream to head South.  Look out California, here I come. 

Thanks J and B!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

A letter came in the mail a few days ago addressed to the human, however I noticed the signature Jerry and Ben drawing and knew the package was for us. 

Do you see the picture of two bears waving? 

Speaking of J and B I always look for the little drawing on their package, just to make sure it's an authentic Jerry and Ben picture versus a imitation Jerry and Ben letter. 

The gang sent this cool card outlining all of the hot dishes that certain parts of Minnesota are known for.  Let's see, near J and B's summer home that city is known for Green Bean Casserole.  Their winter home doesn't have a dish but the casserole nearest that town is something called Corny Burger Bake.  One of my roommates wants to go International Falls someday and they are known for Wild Rice Casserole. 

A quick Google search indicates lots of recipes for each casserole mentioned (even Corny Burger Bake).

Quite a wealth of knowledge in this postcard.

Besides the cool postcard J and B sent a Starbucks gift card.  Thanks guys. Drunk Fox and I will share the gift.

Journey of a Little Fox part 2

"Not all who wander are lost" ~ Tolkien (and many bumper stickers).


Day two of my journey involves a trip to historic Timberline Lodge.  Timberline is a mountain lodge that was constructed from 1936 to 1938 as part of the works progress administration. Skilled laborers who worked on the project earned $0.90 and hour and unskilled labor earned $0.55 an hour.  How much did supervisory stuffies earn?

Stuffies are pretty smart animals, many of the rugs, draperies, bedspreads, and other linens were actually made from old strips of Civilian Conservation Corps blankets.  If a stuffie was around during that time who knows what could have happened.

Besides recycling blankets they also re purposed cedar poles, used timber from the forest, and the foundation was but from rocks quarried off the mountain.

It was dedicated in September by President F. D. Roosevelt and he and Mrs. Roosevelt enjoyed a lunch of fresh salmon and huckleberry pie.  Those presidents really knew how to live it up.

Here I am hanging out at the same spot as FDR.  Now, he did a lot for us in Oregon and around the USA during the depression (lots of campgrounds, hiking trails, and roads to travel, yeah) but I am more of a Hoover fan.  Any president that promised a chicken in every pot gets my vote.

 Enjoying the same view that FDR had way back in the day.  My lunch DID NOT consist of salmon and huckleberry pie, instead it was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. 

Let's go inside. 

Always a good sign when you are greeted by Smokey the Bear. 

The ironwork is pretty amazing. Makes sense that you would have a fancy fireplace in a mountain lodge. 

Nice view from the inside looking out.  Mt. Hood decided to show itself today. 

They have all of these comfy Adirondack (Muskoka in Canada as I learned from Sandy) out in the back for relaxing.  Now, how do I summon a waiter for a drink?

I need to talk to Sandy about getting a chair that is my size.  

Walking around the lodge is almost as exciting as walking in it.  The lodge is dramatic from the front.  Now, we just need to move all of these cars out of my picture. 

Back inside.  I found the pool.  I am not a historian but I guess the pool wasn't there when Roosevelt dedicated the lodge. 

I recognize some of those flags.  Let's see, Canada.  France (right Ben?).  US Forest Service.  United States of America.  Switzerland, and possibly Mexico in the background?

All of this adventuring is making me tired.  Luckily, the have some nice picnic tables outside.  The ski lift in the background ins't working since it's Summer but that mountain in the background looks like a cool place to hike.

Journey of a Little Fox.

"Sometimes you have to get lost before you find yourself." ~ Author Unknown.

My journey started out as a vision to take a tour of the Grand Lodges of the Northwest, then it expanded to California being that there are not that many Grand Lodges of the Northwest.  I  expanded my tour to include Fancy/Nice Hotels being that I could not find as many Grand Lodges as I wanted to.

My first stop was down the road (relatively speaking) at the Columbia Gorge Hotel. This place looks fancy.

Listed on teh National Register of Historic Places.  Seems right up my alley. 

For a region of the United States that built it's fortune around lumber products it's interesting that they made this place out of stucco.   

This place has everything!  Gardens, views.

 It's own bridge.

It even has it's own waterfall. 

Goodbye Columbia Gorge.  Next stop: Mt. Hood.
Along the way, a fox gets hungry.  I know of a bakery up on the mountain that has free samples of cookies (yes, free cookies), pie, and jams.  Perfect place for a fox to refuel.

I started heading up toward Mt. Hood.  Along the way I found a little lodge.  It has a nice view of Mt. Adams in the background.  

Apparently this lodge is open only in the winter.  Looks nice doesn't it?

Hmm, a closed gate.....I wonder what's on the other side?

Apparently there is a mountain lodge way back there from the 1800s that is still standing.  It's a 10 to 15 mile drive on a rutted, potholed dirt road and only open to guided tours that fill up fast and are only offered by lottery.  It looks like it's a pretty cool place

Whew, that's a lot of adventure for one day.  Now I just need to find a place to sleep, perhaps by that bakery with the free samples.