Floaty Comes Home (with some Oregon first-timers)

It was a long haul driving up into Washington to a residential area near Mt. St. Helens to pick up our new friend—Floaty. We made the trip right before stopping at the airport to pick up our Memorial Day visitors—Joy & Billy! Tom found our awesome two-man pontoon fishing boat on Craigslist. Pretty much a no-brainer. So, it wasn't but a few hours 'til we were co-ordinating pick-up with the seller. On the way back towards Portland, we stopped at a gas station to secure the straps better. Everyone who saw Floaty was IMPRESSED. One guy said, "which river ya takin' that down?" I said, "every which one I can find".


Here's Tom wrestling Floaty off the roof for the first time.

The seats fold down for better transport and the oars breakdown and ride in the back of the truck. The person in the back seat rows with the eight-foot oars, while the Captain (that's me, sir), sits in the front and drinks beer or coffee (depends what time we're gettin' our fish on).



We did a lot of really fun things while Joy & Billy were here. Above you see Joy and I hiking upstream on Tanner Creek. The weather was perfect.


After dancing with a giant fluttering bunch of butterflies (while trying to photograph them), Joy poses for a photo on one of the bridges that crosses on creek on the trail to Wahclella Falls. Very nice, sir.


I was having a good time. There is a minuscule bridge next to my ear.


We climbed down to the base of the waterfalls on the slippery and sharp rocks. It's love!


Love is better in the woods.


A quick stop at Multnomah Falls. That's one big mother of a falls. Helloooooooooo, momma!


Next we did the short, but somewhat complicated hike to the falls at Oneonta Gorge. After a few shallow stream-crossings and a bit of rock-hopping, you have to negotiate a giant log jam. Here's Joy making her way into the gorge.


Billy keeps his feet from the cold, cold water with some cirque.


Most of the hike is in ankle-deep water, but it does get as deep as your crotchal area. That'll wake you up! We didn't make it all the way back to the falls this day, but it was still a cool place to explore for a little while.


A highlight of the holiday weekend was our white water rafting trip down the White Salmon River in Washington. Tom & I rode front with Billy & Joy directly behind us.


Water adventurer that she is, Joy volunteered to "ride the bull", which means sit on the front of the raft and hold on to the little ropes. Yeehaw!


She's just a couple of booties. Sploosh!


We also enjoyed some camping, mountain biking, shopping and scorpion bowling before our Mass buddies flew back east. Goodbye friends! Floaty is waving. :)