Willamette Heritage Center - Salem, Oregon

Our first stop of the day was Willamette Heritage Center. This museum is actually several historic buildings on 5 acres of land. You are able to enter all of the buildings and they are all wheelchair accessible. Having Scottish heritage, we really enjoyed the Kay Woolen Mill with its plaid and machinery displays.

BONUS ADVENTURE

Oregon State Hospital - Salem, Oregon

While the hospital itself is large, the museum is only a small portion. It is very interesting and worth the visit, but it was overwhelmingly sad for us because we've had a close family member that experienced "treatment" in the 1950s that would now be considered cruel and inhumane torture.

Fort Stevens - Hammond, Oregon

 

With a name like Fort Stevens, we just had to bring Grandpa for a visit. He even wore his Stevens Coat of Arms shirt. We didn't camp this time but we drove by the cabin we once stayed in. https://jillianmichelestevens.blogspot.com/2019/06/fort-stevens-state-park-warrenton-oregon.html

BONUS ADVENTURE

Fort Clatsop

Moving from a State of Oregon Park to a National Park, Fort Clatsop is located in the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park. It was just a short drive from Fort Stevens. We really like the replica of the actual fort. We happened to get there in time to watch a flintlock demonstration. The demonstration was actually more than that and very good, but the end of it with a live flintlock musket demonstration was really the highlight. Another really cool presentation was use of native sign language.

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden - Portland, Oregon

 

With Grandpa Howard in town for a Portland/Seattle vacation, we took him to Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. We had tickets for another day but Mondays are free and it fit into our schedule a bit better.

This lovely garden is nearly ten acres of mostly accessible paths on varying elevations, over and under bridges. Although we got in free, it would have been well worth the cost of admission.

Banks-Vernonia State Trail - Banks, Oregon

 

Banks-Vernonia State Trail is a 21 mile Rails-to-Trails offered by Oregon State Parks. Rails-to-Trails converts abandoned railways to trails. We didn't quite make it 21 miles. In fact, we tired out poor Dundee after just 2 miles out and 2 miles back. What we saw was probably the widest and most accessible trail we've attempted. It was smooth and paved.

Duniway Lilac Garden - Portland, Oregon

We decided to challenge ourselves with a walk that involves more changes in elevation. What better place than Terwilliger Boulevard on Marquam Hill? We've driven by Duniway Lilac Garden hundreds of times without noticing it until we were on foot. We didn't actually see lilacs but the gardens are very nice and it was a nice place to rest and take pictures before heading back to the van and then onto a late lunch.

Frog Pond Farm - Wilsonville, Oregon

Frog Pond Farm is currently doing their Farm Walk-About. We just barely missed their Drive-Through exhibit. This was a bit difficult with the wheelchair and we had to actually drag it backwards through the gravel the entire time. But, if you are mobile this is the place is wonderful to visit. It is family run and shows that they really care about the well-being of their animals.

https://www.thefrogpondfarm.com/

Later in the day we went for coffee in the Pearl District. Sisters coffee is our absolute favorite in the entire state! We intentionally got lost in the hills on the way home and found our way to the top of Council Crest for the best views in Portland.

Cook Park - Tigard, Oregon

So we finally pieced together several previous excursions into one long walk. We parked at Cook Park in Tigard and walked through to the Tualatin Greenway. We passed Through Tualatin Community Park and all the way to the end of the trail. There's literally a bridge that ends abruptly. We saw a mother bird feeding its babies in a tree and a racoon escaped over the edge of the bridge. We then headed back toward Cook Park but veered off into Durham City Park to let Dundee burn off some energy on the off-leash athletic field and splash in the Tualatin River.

The Grotto - Portland, Oregon

This place has been on our bucket list since before we moved here. It's one of those things that you hear is a must see when visiting Portland. But in all the times we visited before moving here, it just never happened. Well we finally got around to it. We think it is worth the small price of admission and will keep you peacefully entertained for a few hours or more. There is a room at the top of a cliff with stunning views of the City and Mount Saint Helens.

https://thegrotto.org/

Willamette Park - Portland, Oregon

 

This afternoon we decided to find a change of scenery while testing our newly finished wheelchair canopy. We didn't quite want to head to downtown Portland so opted for Willamette Park on the South waterfront. We even crossed the Sellwood Bridge for a perfect view of the water and the tall buildings downtown. We could have easily walked to Sellwood Park or Oaks Amusement Park from there but decided to save that for another day.

Cook Park - Tigard, Oregon

We needed to get outside after dinner to test the new Tobii I-13, which is supposed to be usable outdoors. It worked great except when the path got too bumpy for it to register where the eyes were pointed. We were recently told about this side of the park that we hadn't explored yet and it apparently connects to other parks in Durham and Tualatin.

Seaside, Oregon / Astoria, Oregon / Long Beach, Washington

 

We started the morning off in Seaside. It was a little bit crowded because it was such a beautiful day. We then headed into Astoria to find food. After that, we drove on a very long bridge into Washington. There was a really nice long boardwalk in Long Beach. Although bumpy, it was easy to push the wheelchair and we could keep going for a long time with the perfect ocean views. It was slightly chillier and windier there so we headed back into Astoria to grab dinner before heading home.

Summerlake Park (Annual Family Photos) - Tigard, Oregon

We were overdue for family photos (by ten years). We grabbed our favorite photographer/friend/teacher and headed to Summerlake Park while the weather cooperated with us.

Tualatin Hills Nature Park - Beaverton, Oregon

This place is conveniently close to SeaSweets, our favorite Poke place. We grabbed lunch to go, finished it in the parking lot, and then walked for several miles on the nice paths. Most of them are fairly smooth but the wooden bridges are another story. It's still definitely worth the trip over and over again. The Visitors Center happened to be closed this time but we have seen it before.

http://www.thprd.org/parks-and-trails/detail/tualatin-hills-nature-park

Progress Ridge Townsquare - Beaverton, Oregon

We often come here for shopping and entertainment. This time we walked though. It was mom's choice for Mothers' Day. First order of business was coffee and pastries from Ava Roasteria. Then we picked up sweets from around the globe at Rocket Fizz. They have a section of sweets and sodas from the UK, including Irn Bru from Scotland so we had to give that a try.

https://progressridgetownsquare.com/

Iron Mountain City Park - Lake Oswego, Oregon

It occurred to us that you could actually walk around the Lake, although it is not all visible from public sidewalks and spaces. So we parked at Iron Mountain City Park and set off to walk around the lake. The map I got from the City's website showed it being just over 7 miles. Somehow we missed a street that we were supposed to turn on and didn't figure it out until we went a half mile past it. So when we finally got back to the van it was just over 8 miles. The distance was not the hard part. We brought the manual wheelchair and the maps do not show the crazy changes in elevation. We got back exhausted and with a missing wheelchair footplate.

Fanno Creek Trail - Tigard, Oregon

 Just another day on our favorite nearby trail. This time we completed 7.36 miles.

Spring Break - Boise, Idaho

 

Who does spring break. in idaho. during a pandemic?!?!?! Well, we did. We wanted to check in on Grandma and do some walking tours of the old homestead. We've only been back once since we moved away in 2010. Unfortunately, it wasn't safe to go inside so it really was just a long walking tour. We only went inside the hotel suite. We did pass by St. Lukes Hospital. It's weird because there are so many emotions - good and bad - from that hospital. Both kids were born there. We used to call them Small Fry and Tater Tot because of the fact that their birth certificates are from Idaho.

Vancouver Waterfront - Vancouver, Washington

For some reason, it's always fun when Google says, "Welcome to Washington" when we cross the bridge. Also, we wanted to change up the scenery while going on a long walk. We ended up walking from the waterfront to Fort Vancouver on accident. It was a nice accidental side trip, but unfortunately it was closed and so were the bathrooms.
 

Pathfinder-Genesis Trail - Tigard, Oregon

 We got to get out for a lunch time walk while there was still snow on the ground.

Bridgeport Village (10 mile roundtrip!) - Tigard, Oregon

 

At the beginning of last summer we talked about setting distance goals for our family walks. Today we hit our final goal of 10 miles. It is 5 miles from our house to Bridgeport Village. We stopped briefly for a snack before heading back.

Willamette River - Portland, Oregon

 A cold but clear day meant a long walk over several bridges and multiple miles on both sides of the Willamette River.

Rock Creek Trail - Hillsboro, Oregon

 

Rock Creek Trail is another regional trail that extends into several cities and runs through multiple parks. We parked near Orenco Woods Nature Park in Hillsboro and headed toward Bethany/Beaverton. This one will definitely take several visists to complete.

http://www.thprd.org/parks-and-trails/rock-creek-trail

Lunch Time Stroll Downtown - Tigard, Oregon

With beautiful weather and a long lunch you've got to get out for a long walk. We have a loop that we follow that just happened to pass the school office staff TWICE. 

We started on Pathfinder-Genesis Trail to Fanno Creek Trail. From there we took the Heritage Trail to Main Street and back down Fanno Creek Trail again.

Ballot Drop-off - Tigard, Oregon

 Like the Visine advertisements from the 80s and 90s - It gets the Red OUT!!!

John Tigard House (East Butte Heritage Park) - Tigard, Oregon

 

We've heard of the John Tigard House but always seem to forget to check it out. This was an after dinner walk so the house was closed and it started to get dark on our walk home. Hopefully we'll remember to come back again and explore the area with more daylight.

https://www.tigard-or.gov/community/east_butte_heritage_park.php

Tigard Transit Center - Tigard, Oregon

 We enjoyed the Outdoor Museum on the Heritage Trail on our way to grab coffee at Symposium. Out of chance (and curiosity) we walked across the street to the Tigard Transit Center. Commuters park, walk or bike here to catch the WES train to the Beaverton Transit Center MAX station. We were surprised to find moveable art. It was a mix of strange cast of characters. We could have stayed and played if it wasn't the middle of a pandemic. We decided it was best not to touch anything, but just enjoy it from an arm's length away.

Fanno Creek Trail - Tigard, Oregon

 There was finally a break from all the smoke from the wildfires. Yay! We completed a six mile trek today.

After Dinner Stroll Downtown - Tigard, Oregon

 It's a little rare for us to get out during the week. It's even more rare to go at night. We left shortly after dinner when it was still light out but it was dark by the time we got home. We saw some new murals in downtown Tigard and we found the 99W overpass lit up in a variety of colors.

Greenway Park - Beaverton, Oregon

 

So we were actually on a six mile stroll on Fanno Creek Trail. But we grabbed coffee at Lionheart Coffee and spent more time exploring Greenway Park. We saw a lot of people playing disc golf. Some of their throws were quite impressive.

http://www.thprd.org/parks-and-trails/detail/greenway-park

https://www.lionheartcoffee.com/ 

Marquam Hill - Portland, Oregon

 We had some time to kill after an appointment at Shriners. On the way home we decided to pull over and see some views.

Tualatin River - Tualatin, Oregon

 

We felt a lot more comfortable on the water after our rafting and kayaking tours with Adventures Without Limits so we decided to try this on our own. Our first attempt at launching failed because Cook Park was way too crowded. But just upstream a little ways was Tualatin Community Park.

Smith Berry Barn - Hillsboro, Oregon

 

Oddly enough, this place randomly showed up on Google Maps. We often randomly drag the map around to look for green areas indicating parks or nature preserves. Okay, sometimes it's just a golf course that tricks us. Anyway, we looked this place up and decided it was well worth the scenic drive to get there. They were almost sold out of berries that day but we did get to visit with some goats and chickens.

https://smithberrybarn.com/

Summerlake Park - Tigard, Oregon

 

We needed to get out of the house for some video calls that were happening. This is one of our favorite local parks. 

https://www.tigard-or.gov/community/summerlake_park.php

Eastbank Esplanade - Portland, Oregon

 We completed a large loop around the Portland waterfront. We actually parked on the West side but our main objective was to check out the Eastbank Esplanade and the area around OMSI. It was all nicely paved and mostly wide paths. Going over the bridges was a little bit crowded but we went slow and kept our distance.

Heritage Trail - Tigard, Oregon

 

Tigard recently opened this Heritage Trail with and outdoor museum. It conveniently connects the downtown area with the Fanno Creek Trail at Woodard Park. As soon as you approach the downtown you are greeted by Symposium Coffee. It's a favorite local coffee place but it does have limited hours.

Fanno Creek Trail - Tigard, Oregon

 

We had to walk to the library today to make absolute 100 percent sure that it's closed due to the pandemic. Because that's what you do when you are in denial about your favorite place being closed. It was alright though. We took advantage of the parts of Fanno Creek Trail that we often ignore. We passed by the library and continued all the way to the Southern end of the trail that was navigable by wheelchair.

Tualatin River Greenway Trail - Tualatin, Oregon

 

We spotted this nicely paved 12 foot wide trail before and decided to head back to see how far it goes. According to the City of Tualatin the part that they maintain is 4.6 miles, but it does extend into neighboring Durham and Tigard.

https://www.tualatinoregon.gov/recreation/tualatin-river-greenway-trail

Portland Waterfront & Artwalk Tualatin

 

With everything closed due to the pandemic we headed for the Portland waterfront for a stroll on the West side of the river. It was a little too crowded and the bicyclist were having a difficult time keeping their distance so we drove out to The Artwalk in Tualatin.

https://www.tualatinoregon.gov/recreation/artwalk

Pathfinder-Genesis Trail - Tigard, Oregon

We had time for another lunchtime walk. It was chilly but dry. We spotted sidewalk chalk art shortly after arriving on the path. We took a different route today which led us to a backyard with the most friendly goat. He came frolicking over to us when we stopped to take a photo. We saw lots of ducks and squirrels on the way home.

Woodard Park - Tigard, Oregon

The weather was still nice enough to take a long stroll to one of the nearby parks. Kate decided to go on two wheels.

Cook Park - Tigard, Oregon

Another lunchtime stroll. This time we returned to Cook Park. We ran into school staff out for a jog. It was a really nice surprise to see them since school has been closed due to Corona Virus.

Fanno Creek Park - Tigard, Oregon

We took a lunchtime walk on the paths at Fanno Creek Park with some detours through parts of Downtown Tigard. We liked seeing our name on a boat shop so we paused to take a photo. :)

Pathfinder-Genesis Trail - Tigard, Oregon

This nice path actually runs through our neighborhood and is nicely maintained by the City of Tigard. The trail branches out in a few spots so you can choose your own adventure.

Cook Park - Tigard, Oregon

The Tigard Library parking lot was full so we drove over to Cook Park to take a stroll and waste some time. We explored a side of the park that we ignored all the previous times that we've been there.

Kidfest! at Portland Expo Center - Portland, Oregon

Groupon had a great deal on family tickets to Kidfest!, which included an early admission for special needs children. We got to do trampolines and paintball before the general admission.