Posts Tagged ‘Biking’
What’s to Love: I’ve explored the rock climbing area up at Rocky Butte many times. I’ve been turned off by the trash and noise from highway 205, which runs underneath the bluff. The climbing itself looks pretty good and worth a shot. I’ll give that a try this summer with the kids. This trip, I was interested in exploring the structure on the summit of Rocky Butte, which I’ve heard offers excellent bouldering.
What’s to Love: The Mosier Tunnels are locate just outside Mosier, Oregon and are a couple of exits east of Hood River, Oregon. Located high up on bluff, they are part of what used to be the old Columbia Gorge highway. This roadway is now closed to cars for an impressive 4.7 miles, which will bring you all the way back to Hood River. This is a perfect destination for a family bike ride, especially when combined with so many other destinations nearby.
What’s to Love: Are you making your plans for the winter holiday season? Portland Family Adventures highly recommends Black Butte Ranch during the Christmas holiday season. Black Butte Ranch comes alive during the festive holiday season. Close your eyes and imagine their properties and roads lightly dusted with some fluffy dry snow perfect for tooling around the resort on cross-country skis and quite possibly, sledding on some of the golf course hills. Even in winter, Black Butte Ranch delivers the best in family fun. Please check-out this reprinted article from our experience last year.
What’s to Love: I’ve lived in Portland since 1999, and this was my first trip to Henry Hagg Lake. I was always concerned that it would just be a big scene with jet skis, motor boats, and a bunch of yahoos throwing trash all over the place. I was definitely wrong and we had a lovely time. I found the entire recreation area clean and a bargain at $5.00 for a pass. The lake offered up a fairly secluded beach with warm water for swimming and a bunch of activities for the whole family.
What’s to Love: If you’re wondering what “Freeriding” means, you might want to first check-out OPB’s feature from Oregon Field Guide. Basically, it’s riding a mountain bike through “technical features” setup along forest paths. These technical features can be something as innocent as a small bump. However, as one progresses further into freeriding, the “technical features” become narrow balance beams (far off the ground too!), teeter-totters, banked turns, and HUGE drop-offs. This is a popular form of mountain biking, and “Post Canyon” outside Hood River is one of the country’s premiere areas.
What’s to Love: Despite being sandwiched-in between some nasty industrial businesses, Smith & Bybee Wetlands Natural Area is an excellent family-biking destination with several options for family fun. You may just need to hold your breath every now and then.
Due to the popularity of my post “Tips for Biking with Kids,” I thought I’d do a follow-up that focuses on a family living without a car in Portland…by choice! If you’re a family thinking about making a similar lifestyle change, or you’re simply interested in how a family can possibly live without a car, read-on and get inspired.
In October 2006, Michael Downes and Wendy Ashton moved to Portland, Oregon with their son Nathan Downes after living in Pasadena, California for 10 years.
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This Trip Powered by Zipcar – Read More About Car Sharing
What’s to Love: After living here for the past 9 years and being an avid city biker, I can honestly say that Portland does deserve its reputation as one of the best biking cities in the country, if not the world. However, the more I start to bike with my 4 year old son, the more I realize that much of the best kid-friendly-biking exists outside the city limits. Sorry Portland, but the network of paved paths within the Tualatin Hills Recreation District rivals anything within Portland proper. Certainly, Vancouver, WA is also providing an impressive array of biking paths for its young bikers and families.
Preamble: We’re just out of the starting block (officially) with summer, and I wanted to send along ten recommendations from Portland Family Adventures. These are some of our favorites that may or may not resonate with your family.
If you can recommend a trip, please comment below. Here are some perennial favorites from Portland Family Adventures. Oh yeah…I just realized that I left off my absolute favorite thing to do, which is attend Kruger’s Farm - Summer Concert Series! These concerts are every Thursday night (July and August) from 6:30 – 9:30 on the farm’s beautiful lawn. The concerts are VERY family-friendly (no dogs, no smoking!) with great sound and great bands! There is also plenty of food and drink available on the farm; however, picnics/coolers are welcome (NOTE: it’s against the rules to bring your own alcohol onto the farm). Please read farmer Don’s blog about Multnomah County’s efforts to prohibit these activities at Kruger’s Farm.
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