About the Author

Grant McOmie

Grant McOmie is a Pacific Northwest broadcast journalist, teacher and author who writes and produces stories and special programs about the people, places, outdoor activities and environmental issues of the Pacific Northwest. A fifth generation Oregon native, Grant’s roots run deepest in the central Oregon region near Prineville and Redmond where his family continues to live.

Shooting for Gold

August 10, 2012
Grab your shooting glasses, a shell vest and don’t forget the shotgun as we see how young Oregonians prepare to reach gold in a different sort of outdoor sport recently featured at the Olympic Games in London. When Kate Bonn takes aim at a clay target, she must be sharp, focused and right on target. The… More
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Portland Region , Hillsboro , Trip Ideas ,

Flying M Ranch Trail Ride

August 3, 2012
The sun’s out, the weather’s warm and summer is in full swing, so make  time to head for the hills to enjoy forested adventure with folks who know all about western hospitality. In Oregon’s coast range mountains, sit tall in the saddle and enjoy unique perspective on a summer horseback ride at the Flying M Ranch in… More
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Willamette Valley , Yamhill , Guides & Charters , Farm & Ranch Stays , Farms & Ranches , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink ,

Grant’s Getaways: Cascade Head

July 27, 2012
The beauty of an Oregon summer is that adventure is varied and easy to find. This week, we trek to what many call the best view to the Oregon coast. Cascade Head is a significant and protected site that is prized for its rare plant and animal life. Where the ocean meets the Oregon shore,… More
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Oregon Coast , Hebo , Camping , Hiking & Backpacking , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions ,

Digging Oregon’s History at Champoeg State Heritage Area

July 20, 2012
If you enjoy traveling across Oregon, consider a different sort of journey that lets you travel back to a time when pioneers were putting down roots and starting new lives. At Champoeg State Heritage Area, volunteers really dig Oregon history. Karly Law loves digging into history and this summer she’s scraping through decades of it, one centimeter at… More
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Willamette Valley , State Parks , Historic Sites & Oregon Trail , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Trip Ideas , Culture & History , Attractions ,

Dirt Track Racers

July 13, 2012
If the need for speed in your outdoor recreation is something you live for, there’s a special way to find it at the Banks Sunset Speedway, where “dirt track racing” gets the green flag. Each Saturday night, there’s music in the air where flood lights glimmer and flags fly over the hundreds who gather at the… More
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Portland Region , Banks , Trip Ideas ,

Kayak Fishing

July 6, 2012
What happens when you combine the joys of kayaking with the thrills of fishing? You get an innovative way to enjoy outdoor recreation, one that will leave you satisfied whether or not you catch the big one. More
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Kayaking , Fishing , Trip Ideas ,

Lake Billy Chinook

June 28, 2012
Many of us enjoy taking our homes on the road in summer – whether in a tent, trailer or recreational vehicle - but this week’s getaway shows us a place where you take your home on the water. When Oregon’s Cascade Mountains are behind you and Central Oregon’s U.S. Route 97 unwinds onto a desert… More
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Central Oregon , Culver , Lakes & Reservoirs , State Parks , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Camping , Rivers & Streams , Museums , Fishing , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions ,

High Desert Discoveries

June 22, 2012
I'm a big fan of Oregon’s wide-open spaces, especially east of the Cascade Mountains - where the distances are great and the people are few. My love affair with the high desert runs deep; my fondest childhood memories are rooted in family times centered on camping or fishing adventures. At the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge near Burns, Oregon,… More
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Eastern Oregon , Burns , State Parks , Birding , Historic Sites & Oregon Trail , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Museums , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions ,

Whalen Island

June 16, 2012
Take a deep breath and savor a place meant for the quiet times at the only Oregon state park that’s a coastal island getaway. Wildness rules Whalen Island! Clay Myers Natural Area includes nearly two hundred acres of forest, sand and estuary and it’s a place meant for the quiet times. The state park property at Whalen Island is… More
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Oregon Coast , Pacific City , State Parks , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Trip Ideas , Attractions ,

First Hand Oregon

June 8, 2012
You may get your hands a little dirty and your feet a little wet, but you will gain appreciation for what it takes to protect and preserve Oregon’s fish and wildlife resources. Each spring, as the days grow longer and the promise of summer grows closer, you feel better spending more time outdoors. So, isn’t it… More
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Willamette Valley , Woodburn , Lakes & Reservoirs , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Rivers & Streams , Family Fun , Sustainable Travel , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions , Events ,