Umpqua River Boardwalk: Reedsport

I’ve often been curious about the riverfront in Reedsport. From my perspective, it has always seemed like a lost opportunity; really, you would hardly know that Reedsport was on a river if you didn’t cross it on your way out of town. In the past, our forays down to the river to explore have only …

Thanksgiving wine tasting in Elkton, Oregon

Every family has their Thanksgiving weekend traditions. For some, it is Black Friday shopping at the local mall, for others it might be a game of tag football or a hike with the family. For us, it is wine tasting. With few exceptions, the day after Thanksgiving finds us on a wine trail. Last year …

Pass Creek Covered Bridge: Drain, Oregon

We drive through Drain on a fairly regular basis as we like to take this route to get to the coast. Sometimes a stop at Drain's Civic Center to walk through the Pass Creek Covered Bridge (also called the “Krewson Covered Bridge”) is just the ticket. I know from experience, though, that this covered bridge – painted brown …

Elk at the Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area

Lately, I’ve had many opportunities to drive past the Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area, just east of Reedsport. Each time, I always look for elk out in the meadows, and I frequently stop for a closer look and to stretch my legs. For me, there is something captivating about the elk – maybe it is …

Oakland Wigwam Burner

Wigwam burners were popular in the middle of the last century as a way for the timber industry to dispose of waste wood. They replaced open-pit fires which were obvious fire hazards. Then in the mid-1970s they were phased out of use. Many were torn down; others have come down more naturally. Some people, like myself, enjoy …

Reustle — Prayer Rock Vineyards Winery: Roseburg

I love touring our Oregon wineries, not only because I like tasting the wines but also because I like exploring the back roads and out-of-the way areas where they are located. Over the years, we’ve seen much of western Oregon this way, even the more widely visited wineries outside of our major towns (Portland, Salem, …

Becker Winery: Roseburg

Touring multiple wineries in one day really accentuates the differences between them. Each winery has its own personality, from the wine, to the owner, to the setting, to the way they welcome visitors. On our Thanksgiving tour through the Umpqua Valley wine county, we visted Becker Winery. Tucked into an oak woodland setting, Becker is a small …

Glaser Estate Winery: Roseburg

How would you like to enjoy a glass of wine here? You can! This is the deck of the Glaser Estate Winery in the Umpqua Valley. This year, we took our annual Thanksgiving wine tour to the area between Sutherland and Roseburg, Oregon. For our tasting tours, I like to mix larger wineries with small “mom …

Drain Wigwam Burner

Wigwam burners are a quickly disappearing reminder of our timber history. At one point, they were known for spewing thick smoke into the air as they were used to incinerate wood waste in logging yards. Now, like our covered bridges, they are a reminder of our recent past. Although, unlike our covered bridges, there appears …

Mildred Kinape Memorial Park

Mildred Kinape was born in 1907 in Oakland Oregon. Her own mother died when she was just 3 months old and she was raised by her father and her Aunt Mary (who came west to raise Mildred after her mother died). Mildred often said her one misfortune in life was being born a girl, but …