Category: 2026 Travels
-
Smith Rock State Park near Redmond, OR
We were very glad our travel plans included a visit to Smith Rock State Park in the Oregon High Desert 30 miles north of Bend. Our thanks go to Debbie and John of From She To Me for recommending it! The park consists of over 650 acres, averaging ~3,000 feet in elevation, and provides for…
-
Redman Central Oregon KOA in Culver, OR
We are on our way to Crater Lake National Park, which is a 360 mile drive from Pendleton. We decided to stay at this KOA since it was right on our route and just a few miles away from Smith Rock State Park. Like many RVers, we watched a lot of Youtube videos at first…
-
Sherman County Historical Museum in Moro, Oregon
“We took a walk on the rural side” in Moro, Oregon. (Apologies to Lou Reed.) The Sherman County Historical Museum is full of artifacts (many donated by local families) showcasing the County’s history and community. Sherman County was created in 1889. Homesteaders arrived by wagon, stage coach and steam boat. The county’s population peaked in…
-
Pendleton Woolen Mills
The first time we visited the Pendleton Woolen Mills Factory Store in Pendleton, OR (June, 2022), it was closed. All we could do at that time was peer in the window as we were on a tight timeline to meet up with Joe’s brother and couldn’t hang around for the 11am opening. This brought a…
-
Pendleton Underground Tours
After touring the Tunnels of Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan, how could we pass up the opportunity to explore Underground Pendleton?! Like Moose Jaw, Pendleton is known for its own colorful western history. The 1.5hr Pendleton Underground Tour through the interconnected system of tunnels beneath Pendleton includes living quarters, laundry, barbershop, ice cream parlor, saloon, Prohibition…
-
St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Pendleton, OR
After checking into the Pendleton KOA, and getting leveled and settled™, we decided to take a ride-share to church because we were late. St. Mary’s Catholic Church was closest to the KOA and had a 5:00pm Saturday Vigil Mass. Perfect for us! We arrived early and had an opportunity to kneel and express our deep…
-
Pendleton KOA
Driving into cities and towns in our RV is a bit easier in the western part of the US. Traffic tends to be lighter, street parking spaces are often longer, and parking lots are usually surface lots (parking garages are hostile to vehicles over 8 feet high). In addition, there may even be RV-designated parking…
-
Echo Ridge Cellars in Echo, OR
Echo Ridge Cellars is a Harvest Host located in Echo, OR. It was a convenient place to stop for the night on our way to Pendleton, which is just 20 miles east. We were joined by four other Harvest Host RVers as this winery welcomes travelers and there is plenty of space. They have the…
-
The Bulldog Diner in Rufus, OR
After visiting the Mitchell Point Tunnel, it was time for lunch. Using Apple Maps, we were fortunate to find The Bulldog Diner and Growlers Pub in Rufus, OR. Rufus (pop. 268 in 2020) is located just north of Routes 84 and 30, a short distance from the John Day Dam (~3 miles). There are only…
-
Along the Columbia River Gorge: Multnomah Falls and Mitchel Point Tunnel
The Columbia River Gorge is an 80-mile canyon of the Columbia River that marks the state line between Washington and Oregon. The drive through the canyon on the Historic Columbia River Highway (US 30/Interstate 84) is one of the most spectacular we’ve ever experienced. We were headed east this time and were awed by the…