6/12 Mostly sunny. Pleasant temperature. Hiked with
Friends of the Gorge to Whistling Ridge -
Buck Creek - Nestor Peak.
The goals is to look at the area that would be affected by the proposed
Whistling Ridge Wind Farm project. 18 total, including a lawyer (Nathan) and a botanist (Ralph) as guides (both are great, and in good shape). It's overrated as strenuous. About 7 miles, over many trigs and overgrowth. Access Little Buck Creek road.
Quite a bit of ups and downs, tired out half of the group. Lots of retired ladies. Views are mostly restricted. Trees are mostly small. A couple of baldy slopes have good view of west (Hood) or north (Adam), and more flowers. Right now, purple Globe Gilia, Yarrow, and Broadleaf Buckwheat. Not many balsomroots are still in flower. Lupines are seeding. The last 1/4 miles is on a logging road, to Nestor Peak. There's a shed on its flat summit.
After the hike, half of us went to
AniChe Cellars, just around the corner. On the way, saw black bear on the road, for a few minutes. I'm in the 3rd car behind, still saw the bear well. That's a treat. At the winery, $10 for wine tasting with paired snacks. Seems like a good way to admire the view and the chickens in sun. My driver (a family of 3) didn't want to stop, so we headed back to town.
Driving back across the bridge to Hood River now gives you a good view of the Wind surfers. A lot of them here today, at least 50.
Since it's still early, I bought a beer and headed to the
International Rose Test Garden. Sat by the roses with a book until sunset. A very nice and busy place this time of the year. Roses are blooming.
6/12 Mostly sunny. Pleasant temperature. Hiked with Friends of the Gorge to Whistling Ridge - Buck Creek - Nestor Peak. 
The goals is to look at the area that would be affected by the proposed Whistling Ridge Wind Farm project. 18 total, including a lawyer (Nathan) and a botanist (Ralph) as guides (both are great, and in good shape). It's overrated as strenuous. About 7 miles, over many trigs and overgrowth. Access Little Buck Creek road.
Quite a bit of ups and downs, tired out half of the group. Lots of retired ladies. Views are mostly restricted. Trees are mostly small. A couple of baldy slopes have good view of west (Hood) or north (Adam), and more flowers. Right now, purple Globe Gilia, Yarrow, and Broadleaf Buckwheat. Not many balsomroots are still in flower. Lupines are seeding. The last 1/4 miles is on a logging road, to Nestor Peak. There's a shed on its flat summit.
After the hike, half of us went to AniChe Cellars, just around the corner. On the way, saw black bear on the road, for a few minutes. I'm in the 3rd car behind, still saw the bear well. That's a treat. At the winery, $10 for wine tasting with paired snacks. Seems like a good way to admire the view and the chickens in sun. My driver (a family of 3) didn't want to stop, so we headed back to town.
Driving back across the bridge to Hood River now gives you a good view of the Wind surfers. A lot of them here today, at least 50.
Since it's still early, I bought a beer and headed to the International Rose Test Garden. Sat by the roses with a book until sunset. A very nice and busy place this time of the year. Roses are blooming.
