Final Views of Hood River

Fruit orchards along the "Fruit Loop" in Hood River

"The Heights" neighborhood

Does anyone in this town not do a sport?

 

The "doggy wall" we had bought to keep doggies in their section of the van was clearly not working.

Driving toward downtown, literally "down" town.  Better check your brake pads often if you live here.

Driving along Hwy 281

Doggies happily waiting for mommy and daddy to get in the car and take them on their next adventure

We spent our last nights camping in various areas around Hood River, including a rest area, Wal-Mart, and back in Tucker State Park.  We were uncertain of the Wal-Mart in Hood River.  Being a resort town it does not offer overnight stays.  Everyone would camp there if they did, and that would ruin their fine reputation I assumed.  Actually, someone in town told us that if you did camp there, Wal-Mart did not care and would leave you alone. It was the city police who would come knocking on your door at 3 a.m. to ask you to leave and perhaps even give you a ticket.  So it was a risk.  We decided to do a stake-out.

While inconspicuously munching on our Quiznos sandwiches in Wal-Mart's parking lot at 9 p.m., we noticed that another RV had pulled in, one of the behemoths.  It was hard to tell if they were going to try an overnighter.  Then Staff saw it - the slides had come out!  As Staff says, "When the slides are out, they're stayin'." (For non-RVers, slides are those sections of a behemoth RV that actually push out to allow for extra space inside.)  Well, if they could do it, so could we. We were able to do our usual sleep of the dead, not awaking until 9 a.m.

Sunday, July 17, was our last day in Hood River.  I was torn between leaving a city that had so much to offer in terms of good restaurants, shopping and outdoor activities, and returning to our friends, family and routines back home. The latter won!

The photos here were taken when I decided to visit some places that make me happy while my husband was getting in one last day of kite surfing.

Lavender Valley

The honey bees are friendly and only sting when they feel trapped.  Feeling certain that I would trap them if I cut my own flowers,  I bought the pre-cut bunch.

Fresh lavender in the trailer

Finny keeping watch in the trailer
 

This was cause for a screeching halt and illegal u-turn in the middle of the road.

If walking up and down Hood River's hilly main street isn't enough exercise, you can always walk up this flight of 413 stairs.

It seems that everyone in Hood River is there to cycle, windsurf, or kitesurf.  I don't think it is allowed to simply exist there.

Follow the sign for yummy food...

Along any country road in Hood River you're bound to find a barbecue or fruit orchard.

A little country music completes the picture at the roadside barbecue.

 Everyone stakes out their favorite spot in the trailer