get to know our Ask Oregon Experts

Our Ask Oregon experts have tons of experience in their area of expertise. Feel free to ask them anything; they’re pretty hard to stump.

Mountain Asit Rathod

Asit Rathod was born in Portland, Oregon and started skiing x-country at the age of five on Oregon's very own Mount Hood.Asit lived and skied between Chamonix, France for five seasons and Las Lenas, Argentina for four summers. He has more than 140 ski descents from the 11,239ft summit of Mount Hood, is an Ambassador for Mount Hood Meadows and contributor to 50 Classic Ski Descents of North America.Asit is a suit and tie by day but big mountain skier at heart.
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Mt Hood & Columbia Gorge Cari Gesch

Cari, a resident of the Mount Hood foothills, is a photographer, writer, and wanderer of hiking trails and scenic byways. She captures images and stories of the experiences and destinations that make Oregon such an exciting place to live and play in on her blog, Wahkeena Exposures.
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Portland Dave Strom

A Portland native, since 2007 I've been covering offbeat Portland history, news, and events at my blog, Dave Knows Portland.In May 2011, I relocated to Astoria, Oregon.As an Ask Oregon Ambassador, I look forward to sharing my knowledge of Portland and my explorations of Oregon's North Coast.
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Fishing David Johnson

Ask Oregon Fishing Ambassador David Johnson has an Associate's Degree in Fisheries, has been guiding for 19 years in Oregon, Washington and Alaska, and has authored or been featured in over 100 local and national magazines. He has also been a regular guest on NW radio and television programs. A resident of Tillamook County, David also enjoys hunting, clamming, crabbing and other outdoor recreation. Find out more about David's guiding service at www.davidjohnsonfishing.com.
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Willamette Valley Debbie Lusk

Debbie Lusk loves Oregon and everything there is to experience here. She may be found on the back of a black mare riding through wine country with saddle bags full of Oregon wine, or enjoying a cold beer at a local Willamette Valley microbrewery. She's smitten with Oregon and plans to enjoy it all one bite at a time! All her experiences can be found on her blog, Sweet Bliss.
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Coast Gary Hayes

Gary Hayes is publisher of Coast Explorer Magazine and founder of Pelican Productions, Inc, a travel media and marketing company based in Seaside, Oregon. Gary is a native Oregonian whose earliest memories include working on his grandfather’s fishing boat on the Oregon Coast. He now lives in Cannon Beach, Oregon with his dog Jackson, a nearly constant travel companion. An extensively published photographer, Gary loves exploring the Northwest’s dramatic landscapes and capturing its natural wonders. He does clean up nicely though and he may also be found sampling Northwest wines and fine regional cuisine at every opportunity. He is a food and wine writer and is the Executive Director of the SavorNW Wine Awards.
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Beer Jeff Alworth

Jeff Alworth has been writing about Oregon beer for fifteen years, and his recent work has appeared in Draft and Sunset Magazine. He has been blogging at "Beervana" since 2006. In Spring 2012, Chronicle Books will release The Beer Tasting Toolkit, his beginner's guide to blind tasting. He is currently writing The Beer Bible for Workman Publishing.
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History John Chilson

When John isn't exploring and celebrating Oregon's recent past, discovering hidden gems and new places, he's walking Portland's numerous neighborhoods (from downtown to the eastside).Otherwise, he's reading and producing new media and old media alike, and enjoying local Oregon beer, coffee and food and bounty - in all seasons.John chronicles all his adventures over at his blog, LostOregon.org.
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Central Oregon Kim Cooper Findling

Kim Cooper Findling grew up on the Oregon Coast but became a Central Oregon girl in the mid-90s, taking in the sunny skies and never looking back (expect a few wistful glances at the ocean). She is the editor of “Central Oregon Magazine” and the author of “Day Trips From Portland: Getaway Ideas for the Local Traveler” and “Chance of Sun: An Oregon Memoir.” Catch her around the state sampling microbrews, hiking river trails, taking silly pictures with her iPhone, and camping with her husband and two daughters in the family tent trailer, Brutus.
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Eastern Oregon Lynne Curry

I'm a city lover, but I moved to one of the most remote places in Oregon to live at the edge of the wilderness in a community of ranchers, artists, and independent types like me. Since I'm a food writer, I blog about eating and the rural lifestyle. My biggest project to date is the cookbook, Pure Beef: An Essential Guide to Artisan Meat with Recipes for Every Cut (Running Press, 2012).
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Golf Noel Lucky

Noel Lucky is an avid, single digit golfer who, for the last 18 years, has played most of Oregon's golf courses. Because of her passion and knowledge of Oregon Golf, she has worked for Golf Digest and Golf World Properties to help promote courses big and small, for golfers of all skill levels. Noel and her husband, Jeff, live in Bend, Oregon which is considered by many the premier golf destination of the Northwest. She is excited to share her passion, many travels and insights on the Oregon golf experience.
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Wine Ryan Reichert

Ryan Reichert is a Portland-based wine writer and educator. Enthusiastic about sharing the best of Oregon wines with everyone. Creator of Northwest Whites, focusing exclusively on Pacific Northwest white wines. Managing editor for "Palate Press: the Online Wine Magazine, an international wine publication.
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Southern Oregon Sarah Lemon

Sarah Lemon is a writer and editor for the Mail Tribune newspaper in Medford, Ore. The Tribune's food editor, Sarah covers Southern Oregon's unique, up-and-coming food scene in the weekly section, A la Carte, and on her blog, The Whole Dish.She also produces stories on a wide variety of topics from the outdoors, health and fitness to entertainment, the home and gardening for the Tribune and associated publications.
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Rafting Zachary Collier

Zach Collier owns Hood River based Northwest Rafting Company. He spends his winters exploring new rivers and summers guiding on the Rogue River. He's paddled and guided trips around the world, but chose to call Oregon home due to the abundance of amazing whitewater rivers.
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Outdoor Adventure Cari Soong

Cari Soong is the Assistant Manager of the Eugene, Cascades & Coast Adventure Center in Springfield, Oregon. When she isn't sending visitors out on adventures throughout the region, she is pursuing her passion for outdoor recreation. From bicycling and hiking to snowboarding, she is always in search of the next epic excursion. She has called Oregon home since 2004 and thrives on finding new favorites around the state. She's always eager to share her expert advice and help others plan their trips.
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