matt werbach
It’s beginning to look a lot like summer. It didn’t happen overnight this time. The winter, though mild, had its claws in deep, and while spring is finally blooming all around the Columbia Gorge, the Cascade Mountain passes are still getting more than their fair share of snow. For a few long weeks, it seemed as though spring might not make it, and then all at once, the fruit trees bloomed just in time for the annual Blossom Festival, and the green shoots of this year’s leaves are starting to dot the branches of our deciduous neighbors. For some, it couldn’t have happened a second too soon, and for others, there’s an apprehension that comes with spring and summer in this area.
Our local business owners need that influx of spring, summer and early fall tourism more than usual this year. It’s become incredibly repetitive and redundant to say it, but there has been a world-wide economic recession, and when your local economy is so dependent on the presence of visitors from out-of-state or even other countries, it’s no wonder many Columbia Gorge small business owners are anxious and excited for the boon in business that follows the return of abundant sunshine throughout the region. From fishing guides, to winery tasting rooms, to restaurants and our local groceries, there can be no doubt of the imperative role our swelling summer population plays in the continued economic success of the communities that surround the Columbia River.
There’s already a noticeable increase in people, though at this point, many of them are residents who’ve simply come out of hibernation or returned home from warmer winter climates. As I walk the streets, it’s easy to see that there are more smiles, more waves, and with that, hopefully more optimism. They, the visitors, the tourists, the curious, and the adventure seeking, they will come. But May is that precious month that serves as a bridge between the somewhat peaceful and idyllic calm that so many residents embrace, and the adventurous, boisterous summer season that follows.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the last time I tried something new—something “touristy” or “vacationy.” I, like so many of you, live in a place that allows for an endless stream of new adventures, new sports, new restaurants and new art displays. I update the columbiagorge.com events calendar just about every day, and it’s filled with things I have either never tried or have written off as one-time experiences. What better month than May, while the streets and trails are just a bit less crowded, to venture out into the ever increasing sunshine and to explore the Columbia Gorge, my home, as if I’d never been here before.
So you’ve lived here for years, maybe even your whole life, but have you done everything you can to experience the natural playground you have in your own backyard? You’re a windsurfer, kiteboarder and maybe even a stand-up paddler, but have you sailed the river? Maybe you fish, but when was the last time you gave a fly rod a try? Or perhaps you’re a hiker, but have you ever strapped on a pair of trail running shoes with a few days’ supplies and fast-packed your way through the area’s wilderness? I’m sure many of you are nodding your heads, yes, you’ve done all of these things, but I know there’s something out there you haven’t tried, and that very something is what a vacationing guy or gal is going to come here to do. Can you really get bested—get out adventured—in your own backyard?
We’re not all athletes or adventure seekers either, I certainly know that. Maybe you’re a self-proclaimed foodie, a wine aficionado or an art connoisseur. Well, then the Columbia Gorge is your playground too. Have you tried the new varietals at Maryhill or Pheasant Valley? When was the last time you rounded up the family, or perhaps better yet, took your significant other, and headed downtown to your local First Friday Art Walk? And for you foodies, much like the adventure seekers, simply because a few months have passed, I can guarantee that new menu items are featured at a place you haven’t visited in years. I don’t know where, yet, but there’s some new renegade chef who’s taking your old favorite and spinning it in a direction you never thought it would go, and as soon as you or I can find him or her, we’ve got to try it out.
This very spirit—this kind of pioneering attitude—is a huge part of what has made the Columbia Gorge such a success and such a fresh new place, no matter how long you’ve lived or visited here. This May, as temperatures climb and spirits lift, let’s take a few days, a few weekends, and head out into the great-known, to find what we haven’t yet discovered in our neighborhood. Thankfully, we’ll soon be sharing our restaurants and trails with those who play such a huge role in the economic and social livelihood of the Columbia Gorge, but for just a few more weeks, the numbers of residents will far outnumber the visitors. For the next month, I’m going to be a visitor. I’m going to see and experience everything this playground we call the Columbia Gorge has to offer. And when someone approaches me on the street in June or July and asks where to rent the right equipment for this, or to find a guide for that, I’ll know, because I’ll have tried it first hand. Come this summer, I may give a different answer when someone asks me where there’s a good place to grab a bite, or what gallery they’ve got to see before they leave. Let’s all take a little vacation in our own backyards.
2 Responses to “Doing it All Again, For the First Time”
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Michelle says:
Great column! It sounds like you’ve been up to some fun things! Keep it goin.
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Nancy W. says:
You’ll have to do a follow up article and tell us what “visitor” activities you did this past month. I for one, want to hear all about it!
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Tags: art, columbia gorge events, Dining, Gorge Events, Shopping, wine, Wineries
