Donaldson Crew Adventures

A local outfitting company called Wanderlust tours offers a moonlight canoe in and around the full moon each month during the summer. Kelly and I have been trying to get a trip going like this all summer with some friends and the timing finally worked for the the August full moon.  We went on Saturday August 9 when the moon was at its fullest and it is also at one of the closest points to earth in its orbit making it extra big.    We went with the Hornsbys (Dean and Ceri - Red canoe) and the Bercots (Eric and Shelly - blue canoe).  After canoeing for a while we stopped at a beach and had local craft brews while the moon rose.  Once the moon was up and it was dark we took to the water again.  It was a fantastic evening on the water.

I was driving with the 3 boys through downtown Bend and we drove by Drake park where there was a classic car show going on.so we stopped!

Last friday I took the kids to Paulina Lake inside Newberry Crater.  This week after Hunters swim meet we went up to East Lake, which is the sister lake inside of Newberry Crater.  (see this picture - the lake on the right side is east lake)

Here is a panorama of the lake from our spot on the beach

We hung out on the beach and also rented a boat for a ride around the lake.  Great fun.

A cool old sign by the boathouse

Some pictures from today's final swim meet of the summer for Hunter.  He got first in the breaststroke, and second in the freestyle for his age group.  The ribbon ceremony is Monday.    He loves to swim!

Small dirt ramps in the field beside the elementary school.

Kelly is gone on a girls weekend in Boise, so I took Friday off and we went up to Newberry Crater for the day.  We rented a small motor boat at Paulina Lake Resort for 2 hours.  A good deal at only $30.  We traveled across the lake to the north side where the Paulina hot springs are located on the shore.  We had the area to ourselves.  The hot springs bubble out of the beach.  

After the lake I wanted to take the kids from the water level to the top of Paulina Peak at just under 8000 ft which is accessible by road.  The kids enjoyed seeing where we had just boated across.  Notice the 'big obsidian flow' a massive lava flow in the greater crater area.  

We ended the day off with a bbq in the back yard.

 

With the thunderstorms this week we have been treated to some great sunsets. Crux has one of the best views in town coupled with great beer.

Kelly wasn't feeling well, so I wanted to get the kids out of the house this afternoon.  I decided to try Tumalo State Park.  We have never been there before, and I was pleasantly surprised.  Its a nice shallow river and its only about a 15 min drive from our house.  We hung out for a while in the late afternoon and then headed over for some dinner at Taco Del Mar.