We arrived at Multnomah and promptly decided that we would walk the 1.2 miles to the top. Afterall, the kindly volunteer at the help desk (who was about 70) said it was a 'moderate' walk and that we could probably do it fairly quickly and then continue on for the remainder of the 2.5 mile trail and wrap it all up in about 2 hours. So we thought we would start small and do the 1.2 mile hike. Moderate, it seems, has a different meaning at Multnomah Falls. It is 1.2 miles up some steep inclines with little rest. It was literally 1.1 miles straight up. Our only saving grace was the promise of beautiful scenery and a small downhill section that would provide some sweet relief.
Should you ever decide to visit Multnomah falls and hike the trail a few words of advice: bring water and a snack, 1.2 miles might not sound like a long distance but don't let it fool you; stop and enjoy the scenery-there are some amazing views as you make your way up the trail; enjoy the top of the mountain- there are a few non-paved, although well-traveled paths that take you just a few feet off course but that are totally worth it; go to the overlook-it is spectacular!
After conquering the mountain we headed off to the town of Hood River in search of some grape-y refreshment. First stop was Phelps Creek tasting room. The tasting room is situated next to the country club and offers and absolutely breathtaking view of Mt. Hood from the golf course. They have some great wine and we even got a quick tour of the winery. What I like about wine country is that you start at one place and stumble upon places that you never knew existed. One of those was Mt. Hood Winery. They had some spectacular Syrah and Tempranillo. The whole place makes you want to sit a while on their patio and stare off into the distance at Mt. Hood. We couldn't have asked for a more spectacular day. The last stop on our mini-wine tour was Cathedral Ridge. Surprisingly they had a Zinfandel. Zin is not a typical Oregon varietal so it's always fun to taste it when a place has it available. Cathedral Ridge has some amazing Zin.
Exercised and slightly buzzed from our wine we headed back into PDX for dinner. What better place to wrap up a visit to PDX than to go to one of PDX's hottest new places: Le Pigeon? It was a dining adventure. The place doesn't have more than 40 seats and without a reservation you have to sit at the bar- but that's ok. There is a three man team of chefs who preform what looks like the most wonderful dance as they move about the small open-air kitchen with nearly wordless communication. One is prepping salads while the others get the maincourses going. And just when you think you can spot your dish hitting the grill they turn it into something totally different. We had the Foie Gras Bacon as a starter and it was to die for! Sinfully smooth foie gras with the cooked with bacon fat, piled on toast and served with a wonderfully citrus-y salad is a great way to end a day and to start a meal. The entrees were as follows: Salmon served with mushrooms and veggies, a huge, bone-in pork chop served with chilies and pan seared green beans, and finally beef cheek bourguignon. This was foodie heaven. Everything was perfectly cooked, melt in your mouth delicious, and just what we needed after our day of hiking and wining. The piece de resistance were the luscious desserts. Mom had a creme brulee with an espresso side car, I had a chocolate cherry galouti with vanilla icecream, and Dan had bacon cornbread with maple-bacon icecream- Y U M!
And now it's back to the real world. I dropped Mom off at the airport. The warm days of summer are rolling in and it's time to experience all the summer fun in PDX
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