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Summer in Oregon

It is officially summer in Oregon! The last two weeks it was almost never under 90 degrees and sometimes temperatures even climbed up to 100 degrees! That means a lot of outdoor activities and fun in the sun but at the same time it means that the adventure in the USA is coming to an end for me. There are many different things that need to get organized before I leave like my road trip in July, closing my bank account, selling my car, organizing all my stuff that I have collected over the year, packing and preparing everything for the departure.
When it turned May I realized, wow only three more months. Then all of a sudden June crept around the corner and I was shocked! Where did time go? In the beginning I thought 12 months will never go by, but here I am – end June! Now there is only one more week in Oregon left before I will travel through the United States. The countdown started!
But let’s take a step back and let me tell you what happened ever since I came back from the wedding in Missouri.
To sum it up, I spent the month of May mostly with small events. I didn’t do any major trips but rather enjoyed daily life with my not-so-new host family. I also got sick for a week and it took me some time to get back on track. So all in all it has been maybe less exciting than some other months but not least nice and enjoyable for me.

On May 2nd for example we went to the Master Garden Show in Canby. This was really cool because it was a super sunny Saturday and Sarah, Ben and I got to spend a lot of time outside. We looked at the most colorful flowers, the strangest crops and ended up buying plants like black raspberries, one that eats bugs and a bunch of different herbs.

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Master Garden Show in Canby

 

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Just mint would be way too boring!

 

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I love that!

 

On May 14th I got a nice invitation from my dear coworker Gail to go to an alumni dinner event at Marylhurst University. She has been a graduate from Marylhurst and well I was at least one semester part of it. Compared to other colleges, this university is rather chic and sophisticated but especially for this event everyone was dressed up. You can certainly say that it was an event to see and to been seen. The guests were divided into three groups that went one after the other to three locations, with different themes, signature drinks, little appetizers and different silent auctions.
We made our way through the Old Library, the Art Gym and Flavia Salon. It was so nice hanging out with Gail because we always only saw each other at work and that day we got to know each other more than only through work related topics. After spending 30 minutes in each location, all the guests went to the commons area where the evening ended with a sit down dinner. We had a three course dinner and it was very delicious. While we ate, the president of the university, different board members and students talked on the stage, and the choir sang. The event was basically to raise money. People were asked to donate money to support the students.
I certainly had a good time even though I did not donate – naughty me. But I am a poor student myself who needs support. At our table sat a couple that was from Oregon but lives in Germany at the moment because he serves in the military. I thought that was so funny because there does not pass one event where you don’t meet a person that is somehow related to Germany. I also got to talk to one of my former instructors from my Cultural and Visual Study class and all in all it was just a lovely evening.

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Cocktail party

 

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Silent auction

 

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Beautiful sit down dinner

 

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Speeches at Marylhurst

 

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My dear Gail and myself

 

On May 16th we went to the Upper Clackamas Whitewater Festival. My host mom Sarah talked about the event already weeks before it actually happened because she loves to kayak. Before we went, we looked at videos and photos from the previous years but unfortunately this year two important factors were different.
Number 1: The weather. There was no sunshine and it was continuously raining. It was cold, gray and windy. I already felt a bit sick and of course the two small boys also didn’t enjoy it as much this way.
Number 2: The water level. Due to the lack of snow on Mt. Hood this year, the Clackamas River only carries a minimum amount of water. Some people went in the water despite the cold weather, but one could obviously see that they didn’t have as much fun. There was just no way for them to do any of their cool tricks. Instead the rocks that used to be in the water were all above water level.
The setting though was really beautiful. Clackamas River flows through a gorge of the deep forests of Mt. Hood State Park. We also met Sarah’s brother and sister and got to hang out with them for a while. It was nice spending time in the nature but I think we were also all glad when we made it back to the warm and dry car.

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Mysterious Oregon

 

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Wild water rafting – you can see that the water usually is all the way up to the grass!

 

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Sarah and Ben

 

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Tim – my favorite 7-year old 🙂

 

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Lush rainforest

 

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All cuddled up in the car

 

The weekend of May 30th and 31st was probably the first one that would be worth calling summer. Temperatures were around 90 degrees (30 degrees Celsius), the sun was shining bright and we had a free weekend to hang around the neighborhood.
On Saturday we visited the Lake Oswego Farmer’s Market for the first time. The markets around here are open from May through October; so the new season just started. The market in Lake Oswego is known to be a really nice one with fine agricultural products. Over 80 vendors sell mainly homemade crafts and local foods like fruit, vegetables, honey, cheese, nuts, baked goods, seafood, soup, lemonade and even plants from local nurseries. There is also a corner with a bunch of different food trucks and live music. We decided to have lunch after looking around everywhere but it was so difficult to choose what to eat. Everything just looked and smelled delicious. In the end I went for a Gyros sandwich and Sarah for a Philly Cheesesteak. We sat in the sun, enjoyed the food, heard the live music from afar and watched the kids play around us. It was a beautiful day.

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Lake Oswego Farmer’s Market

 

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I love lavender

 

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Blueberries, strawberries, regular cherries and Rainier cherries

 

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Summer saturdays at the market

 

A day later we did almost the same – but this time it was the West Linn Farmer’s Market. This one is just down the street from us. Compared to the Lake Oswego market, this one is a lot smaller and didn’t have as much fine vendors. Ben went in a bouncy house and that way even he had a fantastic time. We went with Sarah’s good friend Sandrine and made our way through the stands with sampling all the different foods: Hummus, strawberries, fudge, almonds… In the afternoon Sandrine invited us to her in-laws’ house at the river. They live in Lake Oswego, very close to my workplace, directly at the banks of Willamette River. Their house is absolutely gorgeous and they gave us a warm welcome. That day there were a bunch of neighbors, kids, dogs and families around, so we just mingled with everyone. We enjoyed this beautiful day with a soft breeze from the river. This family had everything you could ever ask for on a fun day around the water: kayaks, surfboards, stand-up paddle boards, a slide, a boat, wakeboards… We were able to use their kayaks and so we paddled up and down the river. It was so cool!!! The current is only very little so you don’t have to worry about that. Also from the river you get to see all the waterfront homes with their stunning backyards that you would never see from the street. There were some really impressive ones, right between river, cliffs and forests. With the hot weather and the sun this all just seemed a little too perfect! I loved it and felt once again to be in the right place at the right time.

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Willamette River

 

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Everyone had fun

 

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Old train bridge

 

For the first weekend of June my host family and I planed something really fun – a camping trip. Destination: Crater Lake in Southern Oregon.
My host mom Sarah absolutely loves to camp so she knew what she was doing when she planed the whole trip. She thought about everything we had to pack and take. I really only had to think of my personal belongings. We left Friday morning, June 7th, after pilling and tying all things we needed to the roof. I had the pleasure of sitting between my two host brothers Tim and Ben and then the dog in the trunk who loved resting her head on my shoulders. She usually gets car sick quite easily so I was constantly worried that she would do more than just drool, but she didn’t! Of course the boys got tired of driving for such a long time but all in all it was a fun road trip.
On our way to Crater Lake we took the route via Bend which is the 5th largest metropolitan area of Oregon. It is a really nice small town in a beautiful natural surrounding. We had lunch in the Deschutes Brewery which was really good.

cater lae

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Ready to go!

 

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Tim is ready

 

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Ben is ready

 

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And Izzy is moe than ready

 

We made our way through a lot of forests but also saw fields, rivers, different mountains (Mount Bachelor, Mount Jefferson, the Sister Mountains) along the way and then took a little break at Detroit Lake. This was one of the most shocking things I have seen in nature. Detroit Lake is a big artificial lake and there used to be a marina and lots of fishing. The only thing we could see though was a dry lake! We had to walk a few minutes to get from the old shoreline to the actual waterline.
The lake has become so small because there is just such a big lack of water. Remember how I was always talking about the great winter with no snow and almost no rain. Well I could see the effects right there. The whole west coast of the USA is suffering from the lack rainfall. Of course people in California notice it a lot more because temperatures are higher than here. But even in Oregon all rivers and lakes only have a very low water level – and it’s only June! I really hope for nature’s sake that next winter there will be more rainfall again. In my opinion we can see global warming right here!
We walked through the rocks and the area that used to be covered by water. I felt like walking on the moon. Once we made it to the water it was all yucky, murky and covered with algae. What a sad experience.

 

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On the horizon you can see water

 

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It coud be beautiful

 

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Tim and Ben playing where the lake used to be

 

In the afternoon we finally made it to south Oregon and famous Crater Lake. The Crater Lake National Park is the only national park in Oregon and is one of the ‘7 wonders of Oregon’. I read so much about it and always wanted to go, so I was glad we managed to go down there before I am leaving. The history of Crater Lake is actually really interesting since it is not just any lake. As the name already indicates, it is a carter. About 7700 years ago the volcano Mount Mazama erupted and the top collapsed. It is estimated that approximately 720 years were required to fill the lake to its present depth of 594 m (1,949 ft) with rain and snow. That makes it the deepest lake in the United States and the 9th deepest in the world. There are no rivers flowing into or out the lake which makes it isolated. It is known for its clarity and deep blue color. In average you can look down 25 to 35 meters.
They try to protect it from environmental pollution as good as possible. It is for example not allowed to go down to the lake, take a boat or swim. In the high season there are some special boats taking tourists around the lake. But everything is very limited to preserve this one of a kind natural sight.
To our surprise we saw a lot of snow! That weekend was the hottest of the year so far in Oregon with temperatures up to 95 degrees so we actually did not expect to see snow. But up at the rim of the lake it was all over. The kids were super excited and the adults a bit worried since we planned to camp in a tent. Fortunately the camping site was 13 miles away from the lake and at a lower altitude, so temperatures climbed up again to 70 – 75 degrees.

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Beautiful Crater Lake with Wizard Island – a vulcano island

 

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Snow in June!

 

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But it’s slowly melting and normally it is snow free by July

Entering the camping site I had a first big shock: There was a big sign saying that it is not unusual for bears to be around. Campers were asked to put food away to keep them out. There were bears? And there was a possibility they walk around the camping site? And I was supposed to sleep in a little tent only? I was not sure how to feel about that!

The camp side was really cute though and we found a nice spot to put up our tents and our little camp for the weekend. Every site had a picnic table, a fire pit and a metal cupboard to store food that could attract bears.
I put up my little tent where I slept with the dog (Yes, believe it or not – I am best friends with the family’s dog. People that know me will know that I am not a big dog person. But Izzy is the sweetest and I was hoping that she would protect me from the bears!). We went on a little walk around the camping site to collect sticks, wood, moss and everything else that would help us to start a fire.
We spent the evening around the campfire, fighting mosquitoes, watching the stars and eating S’mores.

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Our camp

 

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Tim, Sarah and Ben around the campfire

 

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Our guard dog Izzy

 

The night was a bit hard on the solid forest ground and then Miss Izzy was cold and afraid and decided to lay ON me instead of next to me, plus my thoughts circled around a possible bear attack… But waking up in the morning was great and the night was forgotten immediately. Birds were singing and the sun cracked through the trees. Sarah was already busy with building up a fire and like the whole weekend we gathered around the fire pit. We had a delicious breakfast with eggs and bacon and slowly started the day.

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Mornings in the forest

We got ready to leave the campground and discover Crater Lake. We were not up for any big hikes since we had a 3-year old, a sick 7-year old and a crazy dog with us. But we drove up to the lake and it was so beautiful. The sun with shining and the temperatures were around 70 degrees. The lake was as blue as a lake could be and I think I have never seen such a deep blue color in nature ever before. There are several vista points up on the rim and from there cliffs fall steep down into the water. We enjoyed the beautiful views of this really special lake while taking an easy walk.

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With my favorite 3-year old at Crater Lake 🙂

 

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B-L-U-E

 

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On the right side you can see the historic Crater Lake Lodge

 

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Family picture

We spend the afternoon resting – again around the campfire – laid out in the sun, chatted, snacked and just enjoyed the day off in the nature. After the kids refused to take a nap, we decided to discover the area around the campground. There was a cute little creek down in the valley where we hiked down to. Annie Creek was so clean, pure and COLD! But since the temperatures have been pretty high we enjoyed having our feet in the water and watching the beautiful shallow water.
The evening ended with a nice cook out by my host dad Matt. Usually simple and precooked meals are the thing to eat while you are camping, not so if you go on a trip with a chef. Matt already prepared a bit at home and had everything he needed to cook a delicious dinner for all of us. We had steak fajitas and for dessert of course a lot more S’mores. My favorite!
Before going to bed, Tim and Ben spoiled us with some bedtime stories, dances and songs on the stage of the amphitheater…

 

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Dinner time

 

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Back to the roots – father & son

 

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S’mores in the making

 

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A dog, a boy and a camp

 

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In the amphitheater

 

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Singing with Tim

 

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Ben is telling bedtime stories (with S’mores all over his face)

 

On Sunday we packed all our bags and it is actually surprising how much stuff you can have for just two nights. We put everything on the car, packed the kids and the dog as well.
On our way back we stopped a few times to look at the beautiful nature of Umpqua State Park. I mentioned this so many times but still Oregon’s landscape just amazes me. We passed the most beautiful valleys, rivers, forest and even something you could call desert.

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National Park entrance & exit – Yes there are a few trees in Oregon 😉

 

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Oregon desert

 

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How I will miss those trees

 

We stopped at Clearwater Waterfalls and took a little hike around there. Those vibrant colors of different greens were just amazing and then the fresh water of the waterfall was just perfect to cool down a bit. Of course also the mosquitoes loved this wet rain forest terrain and after only a few minutes we were all covered with bites.

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Clearwater Waterfall

 

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In deep nature

 

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Sarah and her two boys at the waterfall

We took a different route back home and by the time we were in Roseburg we made it back to civilization where we had service again. We stopped for lunch in Eugene which is the home city of the University of Oregon. It is the second largest city in Oregon, quite historical and from what I could see it looked really neat. In the late afternoon we made it back to West Linn and enjoyed the 90 degrees in the backyard by the pool after the long car ride.
What a wonderful trip it was with the whole family. I am glad we could all share this special time and experience together. Thank you to my new lovely host family for making me feel so comfortable!

A few weeks ago my dear coworker and friend Fiona decided to leave Julie’s Travel Desk. She takes a little break from all the stress and continues to work on new projects. Everyone in the office was really, really sad to hear that she was leaving and she will be missed a lot. We had a goodbye party for her on June 9th after work. We all went to Sandi’s house (my boss), had a drink, something to eat, sat outside in her beautiful backyard and had a lovely time hanging out all together outside of work. Although it was Fiona’s goodbye it already made me realize how it’s going to be when I have to say my goodbye very, very soon. Gail gave a nice toast and luckily Fiona will stay around in this area, so they will all still see each other – unlike me…

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Hollis, Sandi, Gail and her mom Marge

 

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Michelle, Melinda, Carolyn, myself & Jamie

 

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Fiona, Michelle & Melinda

 

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My final goodbye to Fiona in the office – I will miss you lots!

 

One big rock that was laying between me and my departure in Oregon was selling my car. You might remember what a challenge it was for me to buy a car since I am honestly not too interested in cars and therefore don’t know anything about them. It has to drive and fortunately mine did for 9 months except one incident in December when I had to fix the alternator.
Now I had to think about a way to sell this little car again. Although there was still some time left, I didn’t want to do it last minute. On Monday, June 8th I put up an ad on Craigslist with all the details. I cleaned it from inside and outside and got it all ready for someone else to buy it. Luckily my host parents Sarah and Matt looked over the ad and so I just had to wait and see what would happen.

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My ad on Craigslist

On the one hand I wanted to sell it for a good price but on the other hand I wanted to keep it as long as possible. My biggest fear was that I wouldn’t sell it in time and then had to sell it to a car dealership for a very low price.
The ad was online and actually I thought it looked pretty good and I was confident. But nothing happened. I checked my phone and e-mails but for two days nothing happened and I was already a bit worried that no one tried to haggle over it. Finally on Wednesday, June 10th someone texted me. He wanted to meet up and look at the car the next day. Sarah and Matt agreed on coming with me because I was really nervous. It was my first car ever and I simply didn’t know what to do. Also I was not really comfortable meeting with some random guy on a parking lot.

Thursday, June 11th after work at 7 pm we met at the parking lot of a local grocery store. The guy was really nice and he also brought his wife. They both looked at the car and they seemed to like it. Matt went on a test drive with him and I was just a nervous wreck. On the one hand the hope to sell the car for a good price and on the other one the uncomfortable situation of selling my beloved car weeks before I would leave.
They came back and he did like the car. He asked me how firm I was on the price and since I still had some time left to sell it, I said that I was pretty firm. He discussed with his wife until he came back eventually and said that he would take it – for the price that I put on Craigslist. No haggling, no deep psychological tricks, nothing. Just facts and a straight Yes, I will buy it. I could not believe how easy it was in the end!
I had the title and all necessary documents with me. We signed everything and made a contract. I gave them the keys and that was the last time I have seen my little car. In the end it went so much quicker and easier than I had ever thought. I was really, really happy with the price and over all just relieved!

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When I took this picture, it was already sold – a last goodbye!

 

The whole evening I couldn’t believe it. Whenever I looked at my parking spot it was just empty. My car has a new home now. Although I was a bit sad, I am more relieved now that I got it all done. I ticked off one more thing of my long ‘things-I-need-to-get-done-before-I-am-going-home’ to do list.
As a last homage to my car I would like to say that I am so very happy with my purchase. The car drove me safe back and forth to work, university, downtown, the mountain, the beach, two times to Vancouver and another time up to Seattle. 10.000 miles later I still felt safe in the car and besides the problem with the alternator, it ran always smooth and reliable. Of course I also have some memorable experiences with this car: driving through the snow around Mt. Hood, getting towed in downtown and the broken window after attending the bull riding event. But most important I and the people I took with me were always safe. And in the end that’s all that matters.

Now for my last days of work I have a new vehicle! A good old bike!  🙂
Sarah kindly lets me use hers. It is actually brand new and that way in perfect condition. I do really like to cycle and LOVED it last year in the Netherlands. Though I am not in the Netherlands anymore and believe me, I notice the differences every day now!
Oregon has mountains and is hilly, too hilly if you ask me. Whichever route I take from home to work there are always several hills I need to pass. Also there is not always a bike lane, not to mention an extra traffic light for bikes. Car drivers are by far not as cautious around cyclists either.
It’s a good 9 mile ride one way which I can do in 45 minutes. Of course it’s not around the corner, but it is totally doable. And of course it is only for a couple of times before I have to leave anyways. Whenever I am creeping up one of those hills, all thirsty, sweaty (screw 90 degrees when you have to cycle!) and a million cars and super fit cyclists pass you, I am just talking myself into the following: It is so good for you to be active. It is so much better for the environment. You don’t spend any money on insurance or gas. All these thoughts make me feel a lot better. It is actually great to see, smell and hear the surrounding of summery Oregon.

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My new beautiful vehicle

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Literally from the point where I took the photo, the bike path STARTS and the sign says it ends… fail

 

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Share the road!

 

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They have more of those signs than actual bike paths

 

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This was actually taken in south-east Portland – but I just thought this was the cutest thing ever – placed at a super steep street

 

This was an update on everything that happened lately in my everyday life. Compared to the next month which is going to be insanely busy and exciting, the last two months have been pretty relaxed and I was able to enjoy my second home in Oregon.

Enjoy the summer everyone!
Anneke

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Random picture with the whole family at the vineyard

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