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Saddle up and head to one of the most celebrated rodeos in the Northwest at the Molalla Buckeroo July 2 through July 5. Located in the beautiful Willamette Valley, the authentic community of Molalla has a rodeo with a history dating back to 1913. The justly famous Buckeroo is a 4th of July tradition that is pure Americana.
 Fireworks follow the Rodeo, and there is high-stepping live music and dancing afterward. Grab your favorite cowgirl or guy, and two-step your way to a rollicking and romantic evening that is definitely out of the ordinary. Today the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) event draws riders from across the U.S. as part of the Northwest’s active rodeo circuit. From bucking broncos and bulls to barrel racing and roping, the prowess of these athletes continues to impress spectators.
The Buckeroo is much more than just a rodeo; it is a chance to enjoy the country lifestyle at a family friendly event with food, festivities and brews. Spend some time exploring the friendly town of Molalla and the surrounding rugged Molalla River Recreation Corridor, perfect for horseback riding, hiking and biking.
You will find plenty of activities nearby, like touring the Rosse Posse Elk Farm, visiting U-Pick Farms for berries warm from the field, sipping wine at St. Josef’s Winery or buying luscious veggies from Fir Point Farms near Canby.
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Summer has arrived, making it time to gear up for your own style of outdoor adventure.
From car camping to Pacific Crest Trail hiking to backcountry trailblazing, we have something for all nature enthusiasts. Mountain biking, family-friendly road biking and waterfall hikes are favorites with the locals, and you have the luxury of enjoying them after a night at one of our B&Bs, vacation rentals, as well as from your own tent or high-end RV Resort.
July and August are the height of Festival season, so make sure you check our Events calendar regularly, as events are added daily. Farmers Markets, concerts in the park, art classes on the mountain, huckleberry and lavender festivals and the week-long County Fair offer only a brief sampling of goings-on that make traveling Oregon an ever-changing landscape. Historic Oregon City is the place you can take yourself on a free trolley ride, participate in a barn-raising or attend a birthday party for oxen at the freshly-reopened End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center.
If you are conducting your journey from a two wheeler, check out the Bike It! Map, which is now available online at your ten-speed fingertips. If you love the notion of doing it all (sip, swirl, spit; hike, bike, canoe,) Zephyr Tours has just a few places left at the table for their Oregon Multi-Sport Wine Adventure, August 23 – 27.
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Think “Thelma and Louise” without the jaw-dropping ending. We are happy to present three new GoSeePortland Guides designed to make RoadTrips with Girlfriends a planning snap. Take to the Greater Portland road with your galpals for a bonding experience that you will long remember. Combine shopping, sipping, and soaking for loosening up best done out of town.
The Willamette Valley is an ideal destination for women with wanderlust. Whether you’re looking to pick your own produce at a local farm, take a long walk through a scenic covered bridge or view the Willamette Valley from the basket of a hot air balloon, this region has something to please everyone in your group. You’ll be able to drink it all in as you make your way from one lovely Pinot to the next.
Ladies on the Trail to Adventure lets you get a leisurely start to the day before you head off into the sunset for a well-deserved RoadTrip with your closest confidantes. A drive through Mt. Hood Territory brings fresh air, a clear head, and hours of time for sharing and memory-making.
Enter the Mt. Hood Territory “Favorite RoadTrip Story” contest, for the chance to win a driving tour CD, gas and gift cards. Many of these first-hand accounts will be posted online, so get creative and share your traveling tales with fellow adventurers.
P.S. If you are the one on point for finding great deals for the young ones this summer, keep this tip in mind: Century Clackamas Town Center is showing kids movies for $1 each Wednesday from now to August 12. This and a wealth of nearby tax-free shopping are just a few more reasons to stay at the recently renovated Monarch Hotel while you explore the Territory. |
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Pickathon’s Pendarvis Farm is to Indie-music enthusiasts what Lester’s Farm was to Woodstock worshipers. Held July 31 – August 2, this continuous three-day weekend musical feast is presented on six stages and includes both indoor and outdoor venues. In its 11th year, Pickathon is located on 80 acres of lush meadow and forested campgrounds. This year attendance at Pickathon also offers a chance to win a brand new, custom, locally built guitar.
Raffle ticket purchases are available during the weekend of Pickathon only. The winner will be announced Sunday evening. This is a Green music festival where the venue lets you enjoy hiking and views of magnificent Mt. Hood as well as picking galore and skillful site and stage design.
If you are a beginning to advanced musician plan on bringing your instrument as picking will be everywhere. Family-centric events held throughout the weekend, and as an added bonus - all kids under 12 get in for free.
Buy your tickets now. Days Inn Portland South and Best Western Sunnyside Inn are each offering special Pickathon rates as well as free shuttle service. Pickathon has made it easy for you to be earth-friendly getting to and from the event, as the bio-fueled Ecoshuttle bus will provide frequent pickup from the Gateway MAX Station to and from Pendarvis Farm during the times the gates are open. Bicycle route guides and rideshare information are available online. Pickathon invites you to be part of the great energy, so go ready to stomp your feet, sway under the stars and set your spirit free with the inspired and creative musical force of the Pickathon Roots Music Festival.
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Last week the Sandy Area Farm Loop, a project I’ve been eagerly awaiting, came together with an online presence and colorful printed brochure. While I’m a city dweller now, I grew up on a farm and this wonderful route serves as a reminder of how much fun it is to get your hands dirty. With more than a dozen visitor-friendly and unique agri-businesses opening their doors, you have to see the diversity for yourself to believe it.
Cedar Springs Alpacas was one of the first to catch my eye. Here you’re likely to be served cookies and lemonade, get acquainted with the trout pond and be given the chance to catch your own fish, before being escorted on a personalized barn tour. Yarns from their Suri and Huacaya alpacas and hand-knitted garments are also available for purchase. Who can say “no?”
Just down the road, Nik and Nadja of N&N have emerged as savvy farmers, converting their small "farm garden" into a showplace of cooking herbs and heirloom plants. The Sandy Area Farm loop makes it fun as well as easy to buy local. June and July are berry and salad green season, and it won't be long until the fields are producing lots of vegetables and orchards bring on tree fruits. If you find yourself motivated by honest horticultural endeavors, you will want to visit one of my personal favorites, Red Pig Garden Tools. Housed in a rustic two-story red barn, this business is chock full of hand-forged gardening tools, useful supplies and an unusual small museum. Owner Bob Denman is the owner and blacksmith on premises, so stop by and talk tools.
Venture out to the Sandy Area Farm Loop and find out how easy it is to be “Close to Portland…yet a World Away.” |
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