First anniversary fun, part I: Meandering around McMinnville, Oregon
In a definite homage to our Hopscotch Honeymoon (see here), Mr. T and I decided to celebrate our first year of marriage by packing up the Twin Comanche and taking a short hop up to the Pacific Northwest. Our first stop was McMinnville, Oregon to see friends and visit Evergreen Aviation, aka home of the Spruce Goose. It wasn’t an 18-day odyssey like the moon, but it was still a blast! See below for proof.
xoxo,
shawna
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Departing over downtown Sacramento. |
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I always feel the need to prove that I’m on these trips with self-portraits. |
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Twice the levers, twice the fun? |
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On the trip, we passed near half a dozen gorgeous peaks, including Mt. Shasta. |
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Breathtaking scenery is one of my very favorite parts of flying general aviation. |
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Close proximity to Shasta. |
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I’m always trying to spot people or animals on these mountains, but to no avail. |
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Oregon! |
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Mr. T, pilot extraordinaire. |
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Fueling in Albany, OR. I had to laugh that in Oregon, it’s okay to fuel an airplane, but not an automobile without assistance. (Truly, it’s illegal to pump your own gas in Oregon!) |
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For a tiny airport, I was surprised to see this A4 hanging out. |
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McMinnville area. |
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I love the rich crop colors. |
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Landing at McMinnville. Luckily, the clouds broke up just as we set down. |
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A picnic lunch at DuPonte winery where our friend Taylor cooks on occasion. Somehow I left without stealing that garden art. It was a struggle, let me tell you. |
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I want a vineyard! (Not to raise grapes or anything, just to stare at. I never get tired of this image.) |
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Taylor and Mr. T. Taylor is a most excellent tour guide! |
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We met several of Taylor’s friends throughout our quick tour of town. |
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Rich red soil. Great for grapes, not so great for clothes, ah hem. |
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I’m only including one of my “grape leaf” series. You’re welcome. |
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At Red Hills Market where Taylor bought me the best macaroon in the WORLD. The world I tell you. |
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Mr. T’s thoughts on macaroons. Coconut hater! |
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Taylor asked if we wanted to meet his wife’s horse. I figured we’d go to a local stable. |
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We ended up at Devon Wood, a masterclass dressage facility where Jennifer was competing over the weekend. Wowza. |
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Rio is not shy about the carrots. |
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Beautiful boy! |
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I find this photo hi-larious. Inspiration for Taylor’s next Halloween costume, perhaps? |
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Crazy carrot-fiending eyes. |
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Gimme! |
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See what I’m saying? This horse doesn’t mess around when carrots are about. |
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Gigantic nostrils. |
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Devon Wood. Immaculate, state-of-the-art grounds. |
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Mr. T is incredibly pleased that the only horses I find seriously enthralling are P-51 Mustangs. |
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Twas like visiting a different world. |
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Would’ve liked to see some of the competition, but we arrived after the games had ended. |
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Natty, don’t you think? |
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Not bad, not bad. |
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Gigantic indoor arena. |
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My friend Kristin says these are oak loose boxes with rubber brick flooring, aka accoutrement that make this place worth more than my house. |
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Certainly cleaner, too. (I wish I were kidding.) |
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Taylor visiting. Note my cool sun flare! |
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Gorgeous. |
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Can you imagine seeing this everyday? |
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In keeping with the hopscotch spirit, we visited a quaint B&B. (For more on hopscotch B&Bs, click here.) |
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Love me a nice Victorian. This one is owned and operated by Jack and Denise, a lovely couple from the north of England. Such hospitality and warmth! |
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The temperate summer climate generates the most beautiful blooms. |
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A charming English garden. |
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Mollie, the all-but-deaf-and-blind sheep dog. Poor girl has seen better days but she was still quite friendly. |
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Well-appointed furnishings and decor. Our room was comfortable and featured the standard queen bed and clawfoot tub. |
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On Facebook, I commented that I resisted stealing this typewriter as stealing decor is poor form. Well, Mr. T pointed out that this is a calculator. Apparently I evaluate cuteness over function! |
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A dilapidated but still somehow charming woodshed. |
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Again with the big blooms. This may technically be a weed I think! |
Up next: A visit to Evergreen Aviation (and the Spruce Goose!) and a tour of the place so nice, they named it twice.