Cebu Lounge Offers Free Live Music

Friday, January 31st, 2014 at 9:30pm at the Cebu Lounge in Hood River, Oregon is Albatross with Eliza Rickman live! Details on this location below.

Cebu Lounge at the Best Western Plus Hood River Inn offers Hood River, Oregon's only waterfront nightlife and live music. Cebu offers free live music most weekends in a relaxed, inviting atmosphere. Musical offerings range from the blues of local Tess Barr to indie favorites such as Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside. Take it all in from our plush leather seating or kick up your heels - there is always room to dance. Enjoy a full bar, award-winning wine list, and delicious bar menu from adjacent Riverside restaurant. See the upcoming schedule below.

SRC: http://www.riversidehoodriver.com/cebumusic.html

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Columbia River Gorge Songwriter Summit

Ready to enjoy your Friday? Why not head over to the Columbia Center for the Arts, over in Hood River, OR for a night of tunes and more! Ticket available at the door for $10 each, beer and wine available for purchase as well. Read more about one of the artist below.

Lincoln Crockett is the real deal, a talented performer singing standout originals on mandolin & guitar, all while playing leads, rhythms and chords at the same time. He holds audiences’ attention with the expansiveness in his voice and his ability to move a mountain of music through his instruments. Crockett has a style all his own he sometimes calls "progfolk".  He twists jazz, bluegrass, prog-rock and folk into an affecting set of wry soul-searching with uplifting spiritual flavor specific to no genre. The combined effect has garnered Crockett respect from within the music community in the Pacific Northwest, the reputation of being a 'musician's musician' and devoted audience support.

Crockett has performed everywhere from national festival stages to theaters, clubs, bars, coffeehouses and houseconcerts. Crockett currently lives in a tiny dairy valley at the foot of Mt Adams, and enjoys playing old-time fiddle tunes with his neighbors.

To read more about the other artist performing click link below.
SRC: http://www.columbiaarts.org/more-arts/2014/1/SongwriterSummit.html

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ELF: An Electric, Solar Pedal Vehicle

 ELF: Electric, Light and Fun 

This ELF vehicle is said to be tons of fun while only weighing 150-pounds. Test driven at McMenamin's Edgefield parking lot in Troutdale, OR. people were lined up ready to give it a go. Read more below about this fun transportation.

Cotter said the ELF has a range of up to 30 miles with a combination of pedaling and electricity, or it can handle a short commute with just engine power. It can carry up to 350 pounds, plenty for most riders and up to eight bags of groceries. The base models cost about $5,000. He is working on a larger, truck-like model that can carry 800 pounds of people and cargo.

Besides introducing ELFs to more Portland-area customers, Cotter will meet with potential business partners to help him assemble and sell the vehicles.

One of them is Chris Holden, vice president of the West Columbia Gorge Chamber of Commerce and owner of KCR Manufacturing, a small Wood Village company that designs and fabricates tools and other products.

“It's looking like a really cool project,” Holden said. “There's really a lot of value we could add to their manufacturing process.”

 SRC: OREGONLIVE , view full article By Eric Apalategui | Special to The Oregonian 

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Hike Leader/Shepherd Training 101

Saturday, March 08, 2014 put it in your calender for 8:00 AM through 6:00 PM at the Lyle Cherry Orchard Trail, WA. This Hike Leader training will be educationally filled, fun, and a great hike. Read more about this annual training below. Click here to register as an attendee.

Join us for our annual Hike Leader & Shepherd training to kick off Friends' spring and summer hike program. We will start the day with a 2-3 mile hike at the Lyle Cherry Orchard (Friends land trust property) to gain a better understanding of Friend's hiking program. We will act out “what-if” scenarios on the trail and learn about new recreation initiatives with Friends' hiking program.

After the hike, we will have lunch at the High Prairie Community Center (6 miles north of the Cherry Orchard property) for a catered lunch of soup and sandwiches (on Friends!). We will also hear from a couple of presenters. After this education-filled day you will be well-informed and ready to lead (from the front or the back) a hike with Friends. This is an excellent training for new and experienced hike leaders!

SRC:  Friends of the Columbia Gorge


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Other Falls to Visit while the Benson Bridge is Being Repaired

Even while the Benson Bridge is being repaired thaer are alternatives in the West Columbia River Gorge area

"There are, however, other opportunities to get your Gorge falls fix, with a trifecta of waterfalls..." -- Randy L. Rasmussen, The Oregonian

While we wait for the repairs of the iconic Benson Bridge of Multnomah Falls, The Oregonian has some great suggestions for out -of-towners looking to see falls in the Gorge area. read the suggestions below.

Heading west on Interstate 84, from Portland, you can either exit at Troutdale to catch the Historic Columbia River Gorge Highway (Highway 30) or connect with it by taking exit 22 at Corbett.(A bonus view along this route is of the Vista House at Crown Point).

The first falls you'll come to is Latourell Falls, located within Guy W. Talbot State Park. Trails from the parking lot give you a number of different perspectives, including a close-up view from the base of the 224-ft falls that will leave you wiping your camera lens clear of mist.

An easy-to-miss falls is next at Shepperd's Dell, about 4 miles east of Crown Point. Parking is limited and can be found immediately east of the bridge adjacent to the falls. A short trail, lined on one side with a lovely moss-covered concrete and stone barrier, leads down to a view point about midway on the 220-ft falls.

Last on this short tour is Bridal Veil Falls. It's probably the most ambitious hike of the three falls: It's about a 2/3-mile round trip from the parking lot and back. The pathway is a mix of pavement, gravel and stairs (it's probably not the best spot to take unattended children). At the end of the trail, an elevated platform offers a wonderful view of the 118-ft cascading falls.

You can rwad the entire Oregonian article, "Alternate Columbia River Gorge waterfalls to visit"

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Travel Oregon launches Columbia Gorge Bicycle Trail Survey

(Photo by J. Maus/BikePortland)

The biking connection from Troutdale to Cascade Locks is complete as of November 2013, bikers are able to ride without having to spend any time along side the I-84 shoulder. Now Travel Oregon wants to hear from you in order to get an idea of how the path is being utilized . Read more below for more information about this survey, to complete the survey click here.

Travel Oregon is conducting this survey in order to get a clearer picture of where people are riding, how often they're traveling to the Gorge, whether or not they're staying overnight, and so on. The results will be used to make better decisions about project planning, funding priorities, and advocacy efforts.

SRC: http://bikeportland.org/2014/01/21/travel-oregon-launches-columbia-gorge-bicycle-trail-survey-100215

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Full Sail Brew Pub

Full Sail Brew Pub

Check out Full Sail Brew Pub in Hood River, Oregon. From October to April on the second Thursday of each month, Full Sail Brew Pub offers what is known as their 'Brewmaster Dinners' which is a four course dinner paired with just the right Full Sail brew. Other entertainment at this pub described below.

Take a tour and meet the people behind the pints, learn about crafting beer, see the local ingredients we use in our award-winning brews, and learn about our sustainable brewing practices. Tours are free of charge daily at 1, 2, 3 and 4pm.

SRC:  TRAVEL OREGON

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2014 Ski the Glade

2014 Ski the Glade

Coming this March is when the Mount Hood National Forest grants the Historic Glade Ski Trail open for a short time. To enjoy this three mile downhill ski trail from Timberline Lodge to Government Camp, you must get your tickets early because they are limited. 

Mark your calendars for March 1st, 2014 to Ski the Historic Glade Trail!

Tickets are limited.

SRC: Mt Hood  Cultural Center & Museum


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Snow Kiting

Photography by Richard Hallman

Looking for an extreme way to enjoy the snow this winter? Maybe Snow Kiting is the thing for you. This sport was born from kiteboarding, with some added air and snow. Read about Aaron Sales experience with this sport below.

My snow-kite sessions are often about jumping as high as possible or exploring vast expanses, but on Mount Defiance, I found myself simply cruising around while taking in this new view of the Columbia River Gorge and the surrounding mountains. I have biked and hiked these mountains over the years, but from this perspective, it all looked completely different. Best of all, my two-year mission to snow kite the top of this mountain was complete. Sometimes the fun is more about the spirit of exploration than the session itself.

SRC: http://traveloregon.com/trip-ideas/itineraries/gorge-snow-kiting/

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Sunshine Mill Winery

Sunshine Mill Winery

January 24th, 7-10 pm: Ryan Durgan is performing live at the Sunshine Mill Winery. Relax with a glass of wine  at the Sunshine Mill in Dalles, OR and enjoy the live music. Read below to learn about some of the Sunshine Mill's rich history.

The Sunshine Mill has a long, colorful history.  The Sunshine Mill has milled wheat on this property for more than 130 years, and was the first building in The Dalles to have electricity, powered by a Thomas Edison Motor which can still be seen in The Mill.  It is also the only designated skyscraper in The Columbia River Gorge.

SRC:  http://www.sunshinemill.com/#!events/c6ef

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Shirley's Tippy Canoe

Shirley's Tippy Canoe is the place for "Darned Good Food" and much more. They offer Tippy Catering, Tippy Special Events all served with Tippy food made from scratch. Set in a beautiful area on the Columbia River Highway. Read more about Shirley's Tippy Canoe in this review below.

Situated on the Western end of Historic Highway 30, Shirley's serves up some Darned Good Food, indeed.  It's just outside of Troutdale proper and is an easy drive from Portland in non-peak time traffic,  There's plenty of parking in their own lot, some outdoor seating and picnic tables towards the river.  The restaurant itself is spacious and includes a full bar, The walls are laden with all manner of tchotchkes and bric a brac and the place is meticulously clean. In short, a great place to take the family.

To Read the full review visit SRC: http://fledglingsgourmet.blogspot.com/2013/10/shirleys-tippy-canoe.html

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The Dalles Dam Hosts 4th Annual Eagle Watch

Photo by Jeffrey Randall

This is the time of year when Bald Eagles are in search of food for the winter, and what better place for them to find dinner than the Columbia River Gorge. This year the Dalles Dam will be hosting the Eagle watch, where last year more than 30 of these beautiful birds were viewed. Learn more details below.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers invites area residents and visitors to catch a glimpse of the American bald eagle at the fourth annual “Dam Eagle Watch.”  This two-day event takes place Saturday, Jan. 11 and Sunday, Jan. 12, from 7:30 a.m. to noon at The Dalles Dam Visitor Center in The Dalles, Ore.  If the event is canceled due to inclement weather, the event will be held Saturday, Jan. 25 and Sunday, Jan. 26, at the same times. 

 SRC: http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Media/NewsReleases/tabid/1888/Article/20485/the-dalles-dam-hosts-4th-annual-eagle-watch.aspx

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