TRAVELING UP THE NORTH UMPQUA AKA STEAMBOAT INN

 A week or so ago Norm was asked to help friend, Dick, with a 'not-working-right' lazy susan in the kitchen and it was down low rather than above the counter.  After quite a frustrating and long afternoon both Dick and Norm's arms were covered with dark bruises from elbows to hands.....taking turns crawling on the hands and knees was hard work.  It was all fine, though and it's to be expected for 2 senior 'gents' to have a few dings here and there as well as the bruises.  So, Ginny, Dick's pretty wife, wanted to take us out to a special meal......(I had a 'sympathy' bruise).  We had all heard about Steamboat Inn so off we went Saturday morning..........It far exceeded my expectations!  The weather was perfect..........white dogwoods in full bloom could be seen hanging onto the hillsides overlooking the North Umpqua river.  Beautiful!

Much to the utter annoyance of the men, we stopped a few times here and there for me to take some photos......And the landscapes just kept getting better and better.  I think my preference is the mountains compared to other surroundings and I was so in awe!!

 Our lunch at Steamboat......actually we ordered breakfast since they serve either up until the dinner hours........was delicious!  and a very nice selection..........Loved the young waitress so friendly and in a natural way........nothing artificial about her.   Our table looked out onto the beautiful garden pictured above.  That path you can see in that photo leads down to their cottages and they also look over the river.  Steamboat does have dinner open to the public and reservations are a 'must'.  They have local chef guests that change every weekend.  Guests get first chance at the reservations.  The cottages rent run generally in the $200+ per night.  It is a destination site and really calls for the time to look around and appreciate all that it has to offer even if just for a meal.  Inside the lobby there are photos of some of the more famous guests of t he past. (Jimmy Carter for all you Democrats, Hemmingway for those fans of his)......

 After lunch was when I picked up my camera and started wandering..  It just got better and better and truly, the photos don't do any justice at all to the enormity and grandeur of the view.  You follow a path down and then onto a rock overhang.  The sound of the rushing of spring water pouring downstream and bubbling and bouncing over all the rocks, little islands and brave little trees that stand tight against the force of the river just kept my camera snapping a mile a minute.  I wish I could have

been able to post more but time and space won't allow that.  Do yourself a favor, though, and if possible take a trip to Steamboat Inn.  You won't be sorry.

an after thought..........walking down the path over the river, watch out for the fresh, healthy poison oak.........