Bicycle Parts Look Lovely - Who Knew?…read more The idea for Resource Revival came to Graham Bergh in 1991 when he got a flat tire biking to his recycling job in Portland, Oregon. They create interesting and functional products from recycled bicycle parts. Every year, bike shops all over the United States send them tons of tons of greasy used bicycle parts. From there, the Rebicycling process begins. I think I first saw Resource Revival stuff in Jacksonville Oregon as part of Gayle and my annual Ashland Trip. These products don't quite fit Gayle home decorating tastes, but I've particularly enjoyed the bike-based picture frames, desk pendulum clock, bowls, and most recently a small wall mirror. They make great gifts too, especially for those whose inner Portlandia is crying to get out.

I bookmarked this when Eric reviewed it in September 2011. My Utah based brother Jim is an avid…read morebicyclist and I knew he would love something made of reused bicycle parts. For his birthday January 19th Alan and I sent him a desk pendulum clock. I asked that they not include any price related information in the packaging and they didn't. They threw in a keychain gratis. Jim waited until Saturday to open it and he was thrilled. He said he could recognize every component. They also included a couple of business cards, which he's going to take to the next big bike association gathering in Salt Lake City. He's going to show them to the powers that be and suggest they buy Resource Revival's products for awards and gifts. If you know someone who's a real bicyclist they might appreciate something from these folks. And if you're that person, you know you would!

The Mosier Plateau Trail is very popular year round, but especially during the spring when there is…read morea vast display of bright yellow, cheerful balsam root and blue lupine that line the trail and cover the hill. The trailhead starts in downtown Mosier near the Old Scenic Highway Bridge. There is sign and a bench as markers. There is a free parking lot west of the bridge on the opposite side of the road. The Mosier trail is labeled moderate due to the a series of steep switchbacks up to the plateau, which is about 700-725 feet in elevation. There isn't any shade on the switchbacks so make sure to wear a hat and sunscreen, especially in the summer when temperatures are in the 90s. Wind is also a factor most days and it can be incredibly strong, like blow you over strong! The high point, pun intended, is when you reach the plateau and continue towards the Columbia River for expansive views of this magnificent river! On the plateau, there are additional wildflowers, like vibrant red orange paintbrush, desert cactus and in early spring, lots of purple widow's grass. The 3-3.5 mile in and out hike hike takes you past the historic pioneer cemetery (Mosier was founded in 1854) and Mosier Creek falls, a beautiful 2 tiered fall that is visible about a quarter of a mile in and is a popular destination in the summer. Dogs on leash are allowed in the trail. Hikers often encounter a dog off leash - he lives in one of the nearby houses and is known for going on his daily solo hike up and down the switchbacks. In the town of Mosier, a few feet from the trailhead, there is little town park identified by the Totem Pole and there is a porta potty, picnic tables, Breana's Market for sandwiches, snacks and beverages. And until they run out of their delicious Mexican food, La Vaquita Taqueria Truck is a popular post hike lunch spot. Their tacos are fabulous. Best in the area. Be respectful: don't go off trail, don't pick the flowers, and do pick up after your dog. We want to keep our trail beautiful.

Via the Tooth Rock route this is a very pleasant hike. Book says "moderate" based on a slightly…read moreover 1000' gain in about 5 miles the way we climbed it. Normally i say moderate = difficult, based on my level of fossilization. However, this really did seem MODERATE. I think the fact that the trail is, until near the top, almost without rocks, and nearly totally void of those nasty ol' tree roots designed to trip up us OCH (Old Coot Hikers) types. The problem arises in a couple of spots where the going is darned rough. Both of these are near the top, one marked by baseball sized rocks in place of the evergreen needled pleasures of the trail to that point. But worse by far are a couple of mighty trail-less parts where the going is truly rugged. Go slow. No, slower than 67 years old slow! Stay low, and bring your best hardwood walking stick. It's worth the 1000' climb for the eventual view. We arrived at the trailhead parking lot at around 7:50 AM on a sunny Monday, and there wasn't a soul there. By the time we got back, 14 cars in the parking lot. Us old fossils get up early, Mimic us.

We purchased a Pearl mantel from ADDCO Electric Fireplaces. We live in CA but ADDCO had the best…read moreprice and value over any local retailer near us. The customer service at ADDCO is amazing. Our emails were prompltly responded to and the communication was great! We are glad we came across ADDCO Electric Fireplaces and would not hesitate to purchase from them again.

I needed a replacement electric fireplace insert, and the businesses that sell them near my home in…read moreSouthern Idaho charge over $500 for the 33 inch units. Working with Maria, I was able to get a brand new unit shipped free of charge from Addco for $100 less than it would have cost me locally. The unit arrived via FedEx within three days, and I had it installed in 10 minutes. We love the many features and the heat it puts out. We will get many seasons of enjoyment from our new fireplace insert.

The hike itself doesn't have the most dramatic beauty, given the fact that it's in the Gorge. Once…read moreyou reach the summit, the ordinary nature of the fairly rugged trail up is all forgotten. The view at the top is a stunner. Truly panoramic! You can see so far east that the wheat fields of the Palouse seem to be just beyond that light haze, and so far west down the Columbia that if you squint the Portland airport is ... Straight out in front of you is the Bonneville Dam in model rail road scale. Pick the sunniest day you can and figure on a slow ascent. The hiking book we used said the last .75 miles was "steepish". For at least part of that .75 I'd drop the "ish". Bring a lunch, and relax at the top where the overall view is better than "beautifulish."

This is a nice, scenic little park and a great place to enjoy a picnic lunch. You won't see many…read morepeople there in the Winter. There's a fair amount of parking so even during the Summer months you probably won't have any problems. It's a bit off the beaten path (with easy access from SR14). Not far from Wishram. I've never personally found many people to be there any time I've stopped. Good views of the Gorge, Columbia River and Mount Hood.

What a lovely idea! Paving and renewing the old Columbia River Highway and making it a walking…read moretrail. Wide enough for bikes and walkers to pass without disturbing each other. The paths are probably as wide as they once were many years ago with older cars, horse and carriage, which is plenty wide enough. Fairly flat, it does have some raises in elevation, but it is really not bad at all. Lovely views. It is an easy walk, and closed to motorized vehicles. Honestly, this was my favorite part of my recent trip to Portland and I hope to walk other parts of this trail.

My wife and I were looking for a nice easy hike right outside of Portland and we found one!…read more It is a paved road that is blocked off to cars and it has beautiful views of the Columbia River. I didn't realize how huge the Columbia was. It was a perfect day and everyone we passed by was super friendly. Great walking trail for someone who isn't a fan of off-road hiking like me. Give it a shot!

This business will no be getting any of my money due to the rudeness of the staff. In this day and…read moreage it's a better idea to conduct yourself with a little bit of politeness and not jump to conclusions about people. I wish they hired someone with a shred of politeness.

This studio is absolutely amazing!! Not only was the class we attended a great workout, but also a…read morewonderful way to meet new people. My friend and I joined after spending the night at a nearby "Hipcamp" and were welcomed with nothing but smiles and good times. The instructor, Nika, is one of the sweetest people I've met, and was super supportive while leading us in the class. 11/10 would recommend!