About the Author

Eileen Garvin

Eileen Garvin lives and writes in Hood River. When she’s not hunched over her keyboard or digging in the garden, you can find her mountain biking, kiteboarding, hiking, skiing or camping somewhere in Oregon.

Trail Talk with Terry Richard

July 11, 2012
Sunshine and snow melt mean open season for backpacking. We decided to talk to Terry Richard, who has been writing about the outdoors for “The Oregonian” newspaper since the 1970s. Richard has climbed, hiked and backpacked all over Oregon, so we knew he’d have some fun trip ideas. What Oregon peaks have you climbed? All… More
found in
Hiking & Backpacking , Trip Ideas ,

Berry Season

June 28, 2012
If you’ve been eagerly awaiting Oregon berry season, you aren’t alone. Portland’s Ken Forkish (owner of Ken’s Artisan Bakery and three-time semi-finalist for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef) fully embraces the bounty of Oregon berries each summer. “The joy is in the variety that we have. Once summer kicks in, it is… More
found in
Culinary Events , Culinary Experiences , Farmers Markets , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink , Events ,

Outdoor Family Fun

June 27, 2012
Summer is a great time to try something new with the family, and Oregon has no end of outdoor fun. Get outside and learn something about Oregon, our sea life, camping, wetlands or the local food movement. You’ll probably learn something about yourself too! Dig it: Learn to crab or clam in Siletz Bay in… More
found in
Oregon Coast , Lincoln City , Kayaking , State Parks , Amusement Parks , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Camping , Family Fun , Culinary Experiences , Seafood , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink , Attractions ,

The Building Blocks of Chocolate

June 4, 2012
Woodblock Chocolate’s new commercial space isn’t anything like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory — unless Willy Wonka moved to DIY-Portland. Instead it’s a clean, open space for creating bean-to-bar chocolate from nothing but high quality cacao and cane sugar, a product perfectly suiting Portland’s appetite for handcrafted goodies. Woodblock owners Charley and Jessica Wheelock are bent… More
found in
Artisan Producers , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink ,

Summer Steelhead Season Opens

May 31, 2012
Notoriously elusive and much sought after, the Oregon steelhead is the subject of many a tale about icy winter rivers, overcast skies and hours lost to exasperating and fruitless effort. Here's a morale booster: The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) wants to remind us that steelhead run in the summer, too. "Summer steelhead… More
found in
Oregon Coast , Astoria , Family Fun , Fishing , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions ,

Girlfriends’ Surfing Getaway

May 25, 2012
I wanted to get out of town and try something different, some combination of physical and relaxing. A weekend in the sweet little town of Manzanita with some of my favorite women seemed like just the thing. More
found in
Oregon Coast , Manzanita , State Parks , Guides & Charters , Favorite Trips , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Restaurants , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Eat & Drink , Attractions ,

The Beauty of the Falls

Crashing, boiling, breathtaking, roaring. These are the words used by writers, poets and travelers to describe the waterfalls of Oregon. What’s harder to capture is our fascination with these powerful cascading streams that spill out of the wooded hillsides and snow-capped mountains around the state. Year after year we return to witness the cycle of… More
found in
Lakes & Reservoirs , Favorite Trips , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Rivers & Streams , Waterfalls , Hiking & Backpacking , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions ,

Oregon Dreamer: Pholia Farm

I’m here to learn about Oregon’s only off-the-grid creamery, which produces award-winning, aged raw milk cheeses, and, in the spring, scores of adorable baby goats. More
found in
Southern Oregon , Rogue River , Favorite Trips , Culinary Experiences , Sustainable Travel , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Eat & Drink , Attractions ,

Gear Up for Biking

May 12, 2012
It’s time to get reacquainted with that two-wheeled thing in the garage that you have been ignoring all winter. Are you up for some white-knuckled criterium spectating, or a muddy mountain bike race? How about a funky art-bike parade? Or Maybe you just feel like going for a ride. Here are some ideas to get… More
found in
Central Oregon , Bend , Bicycling , Sustainable Travel , Sports , Trip Ideas , Events ,

Spring into Cooking Class

April 16, 2012
Bounty returns in the spring, and we are getting fired up in the kitchen. Oregon is the heart of Northwest cuisine, and now Bend has a new artery.  If you love to create good food as much as you love to eat it, step into the kitchen at the Cascade Culinary Institute (CCI). Opening its… More
found in
Oregon Coast , Bend , Culinary Events , Culinary Experiences , Educational Activities , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink , Events ,