Our Excellent Adventure Moves to Hood River

With great sadness, (not really - this is the first time we have ever seen Janet smile at 8 in the morning!) we left  Ocean Shores and headed to Portland and then Hood River.  We met up with Mike and Bronwyn at Podnahs' Restaurant in Portland - best BBQ in town!  Janet ordered the same thing she always orders, Brisket Cobb Salad.

It comes with house made blue cheese dressing.

Off to Hood River!  We easily found our vacation rental house, and it is nice.  Meg and Derek arrived shortly after.

Here's Rube, checking out the situation at our rental the next morning.

The next morning, Bronwyn and Mike arrived for the day and with Janet and Meg, they set off to do a hike.  Pash and Noodles also got to go.  I had to stay home because of my bad leg and Ruby had to stay home because she is Ruby, plus she's really old.
Bronwyn was choosing the hike, so Janet was very specific about it - no cliff edges because Janet is afraid of heights, afraid of bugs, afraid of rodents, afraid......never mind, you get the picture!

You can't tell from Janet's photo, but behind Bronwyn at the edge of the big boulder was a sheer drop off into a river, far, far below.  Janet was unable to show the drop to the river as she was too afraid to get closer.  Janet was having a fit!  Surely, if Janet is afraid of heights, Brownyn should be too, right?

Oh great, Janet is thinking to herself, but wisely said nothing.  Are we lost?  We now have limited water and one granola bar.  She knows they will all say the younger people need the granola bar in case they need to go for help.  Another one of Janet's fears - she will fall and break a leg and will then be at the mercy of two of her daughters to haul her to safety.  What if they have bad, unresolved childhood memories, percolating just below the surface?  Will they drag carry Janet to safety as comfortable as possible, or will it be pay back time?

Whew!  They found their way out.  What do they do after the big hike?  Same thing they always do in Hood River - they go the Taqueria Hood River and enjoy some excellent Mexican food.

Janet had what she always has, Taco Salad.

Bonus about this restaurant - dogs are allowed on the patio!  Normally, Noodles would misbehave as it's her nature, but she was far too exhausted from the hike.