Smith Rock State Park

On Saturday morning we headed out early to Smith Rock State Park, a hiking and climbing mecca about 20 minutes from the house we'd rented. (We stopped for coffee in Redmond at a place advertising "coffee, waffles, and marshmallows", and ended up buying all three. Who could refuse?)

We met up once again with the Hoangs; our friends Adrienne and Elise were also there with their families, intent on a rock climbing day. We were instead set on hiking Misery Ridge, a 4-mile loop with a brutal uphill start, steep descent, and then easy stroll along the Crooked River. It was a perfectly gorgeous day.

 First things first: nothing better than a giant tv screen and cable! Our boy was so happy.

Black Butte - which we hiked on Friday - to the right behind Sebastian's head. He was really proud.

 

You can see the zigzagging trail up Misery Ridge in this photo above.

 

Two chattering, imagining, intrepid sweet girls.

  

  

We were spread out all along this uphill slog. Cuong and Sebastian at the top, Anne and Camille in the middle, then Liesl, Steve, and me at the bottom. So cool.

  

 

  

 

  

 

Three monkeys and monkey face.

Throwing rocks into the Crooked River - poor Camille badly bruised her elbow bone on Monday and had a cast on her right arm. But she was still so game for the hiking and throwing and playing.

After hiking, we stopped to say hello to our rock climbing friends, who had set up on a route and were taking turns climbing it. They were kind enough to let me hop onto the rock and climb a little.

 

Here I go!!

 

 

 Woohoo!!

After the exertions and sun and heat of the morning, we headed to Bend for a more relaxing afternoon. We indulged in gelato and then hung out in the grassy park in downtown Bend - took turns playing frisbee, baseball, soccer, hide-and-seek, and dodgeball, and then had an early dinner at Barrio.