On The Grande Ronde

On The Grande Ronde.  That's where we spent the 4th of July this year.  The weather was perfect: sunny and upper 90s.  The minuscule burg of Troy, Oregon hosted a lovely cookout, dance and cake auction.  We had awesome burgers, chips, beans, cherries and slaw.  Awesome food!   We stuffed ourselves silly.

A few days before the 4th, we arrived at Spokane airport and picked up our rental car for the 4ish hour drive into the nether regions or Oregon.  We had be informed already that the wireless coverage would go out about 35 miles from our destination.  Yes, we were headed into the wilderness.

The first clue should have been the 9 mile switchback drive down Rattlesnake Ridge.

I was able to scare the begeebus outta my boys going down the hill.  Hee hee hee.  Too bad we got the minivan and not the crossover suv. 

We arrived in the early evening and the first words out of Zooks99's mouth were, "When do we get to go fishing?"  Talk about a one track mind.  The boys were testing out their bunk beds when Grandpa informed me that there were brand new BB guns stashed in their bunks.  Suddenly Zooks97 showed up to inform us that there was, gasp, a BB gun in his brother's bed!  OMGWTF!?!?!?!? You don't say!  Um, what about YOUR bed?!?!? 

Blank Stare.  Off he trots only to return with HIS OWN BB gun!  Woooooooooot!  Grandpa set up a target and in no time at all they were doing their damndest to burn through the 1500 BBs Grandpa and Grandma had bought for them.  Life is good.

After dinner Grandpa hooked up '99 with a fishing pole and he and his new Keens were shin deep in the river just the other side of the deck casting a nice spinner into the Grande Ronde River. 

So for those keeping score we've managed to check off two items on the To Do list mere hours after arriving.  WTF are we going to do to keep these Short Attention Span Theater kids engaged for the rest of the week?  Work with me here people!

Grandpa married Grandma Red a year ago last spring.  After spending the last week with her I can vouch for this: he better not fuck this up or we may have to disown him.  She's an awesome woman and he's damn lucky to have her. 

Grandma Red's previous husband died a few years ago from cancer.  He was a car racer and mechanic.  They had this place on the Grande Ronde for over 35 years.  Red has mad mechanic skills as well and has taken over the shop when needed.

Recently they were offered a free cabin from another property.  It was turned into Grandpa's Man Cave.

Red likes to spruce up the place with lots of flowers. 

Hannibal has been a fixture around the place for some time.  He's a cross eyed Siamese mix with some kind of neurological disorder.  It was interesting to watch him "walk" around the place like it he owned it.

Hannibal isn't the only critter around the place.  Harley and Jazz get a lot of attention as well.  Harley - the brown one - is a recent purchase.  He was intended for Grandpa but he's a little on the small side (in contrast to Grandpa) and they are looking for a bigger horse to replace him. 

Oddly, the boys never mentioned wanting to ride the horses.  The four wheelers were an entirely different story.  Zooks97 was DYING to go for a ride.  Red finally capitulated and agreed to show him how to ride.  In return she said that he would have to help her finish building a fence. 

That Red is always on the go. 

That's all for now.  More to follow.