Eagle Creek Hike WHOO HOO!!

On recommendation from my ASL teacher, Dan and I went on a hike through Eagle Creek Recreation area today. It is about 41 miles from the city, right off of I-84.

(side note: we stopped by the Friends of the Library used book sale on the way...I got a copy of Barbara Kingsolver's Animal Dreams and a book of shorts stories by South Asian authors (including 2 of my favorite authors who write about India). Dan got a stack to add to his growing book collection. He tends to pick books about humanity and science and brainy things like that. Ask him if you want specific titles.)

OK!! On to the hike.

This leaf was a promise of many more to come...












Happy Hikers! (Dan's comment: don't we have eNOUGH of these pictures??)
















These guys were everywhere!! Very fuzzy and cute. Although some died and were being eaten by flies. But Dan thought perhaps these two were mates.









The bridges were beautiful..reminded me of Anne of Green Gables :)

















The cliffs are pretty steep, and the edges drop right off!













All-in-all a beautiful, enjoyable hike!! We went about 4 miles out and 4 back..just under 8 total. We kept a pretty good pace, about 3 1/2 hours round-trip...but that includes camera stopping time for me (I took about 60 pictures)












Next weekend is PUMPKIN WEEKEND! If the weather is not too gross we are going to a place called Sauvie Island to pick pumpkins and generally frolic in autumn goodness. Just have to make it through work this week...

PS!! Jackie I couldn't stop thinking of you last night at this vegetarian-friendly restaurant called The Farm Cafe. They have all locally grown/organic ingredients and I had the most delicious goat cheese salad: they took circles of goat cheese and dipped them in bread crumbs, then lightly fried them so they were warm on top of the greens and drizzled the whole thing with a caper vinagrette. Dan got these tofu cutlets braised with some kind of blackened crust and garlic roasted mashed potatoes with mushroom yumminess on the side. They ran out of the pumpkin ravioli before we got a table, but I had this primavera fetuchinni parmasan concoction that was very delicious as well. We had to wait just over an hour for a table..it is a really popular place and I can see why. People definitely go there to "dine." The ambiance is extremely romantic: it is an old farmhouse converted into a restaurant with a tiny bar and candles everywhere. It feels like all the tables are in little nooks and crannies. YOU WOULD LOVE IT!!!!