October??

Yeah, we all have that feeling.... October?? What happened? Did this summer fall short, ... was it not so hot or is an Indian summer on it's way? Either way, the kids are back in school and the salmon are spawning. It must be that fall is around the corner. Yes, July was colder and more wet than June and business was slow, but here came August. Some of the highlights: - the Reppert/Weinberg bi-annual family reunion took place with even more participants then before, but even that week with Bocce ball, rafting, golf and great food was over before we knew it. Came September. Sure we had a great rafting adventure with a group of people from the Leatherman company from Portland which was awesome, because I met again with James Schmidt and his family and I hooked up with some great people, Tanya and Tim Moomey, relatively new guides on the river, from TnT White Water Rafting and what a blast we had going through Martin Rapids four times in succession.
So here we are, August and September made up for July regarding over night bookings and October is just a couple of days shy from changing the calendar.

Earlier this week I heard on the radio, I 'm sure it was on OPB, that scientists discovered 'new' sub-atomic particles that can travel faster than light. Although this need to be verified by the scientific community it would make a big impact since it would throw over Einstein's theory that nothing can travel faster than light and therefore time travel is not possible. But if this is true and scientifically established and those particles are faster than light, ....well, ...can we than go back to June 2011?  For I just loved this summer with all its weather idiosyncrasies and those many guests we saw coming back to our spot on the river and all those rafting and fishing trips I have been doing with so many people, young and less young, familiar and new!

Many people are thinking this spring in the Pacific North West has been cold and wet. I don't blame them, yes, ...but there have been years that set a record and I don't think this was one of them. Actually I would say this spring made our garden incredible lush and green and full of colors of blooming flowers. The rhododendrons , azalea's, lilacs, snowballs are so voluminous and big and with so many flowers it looks like our yard is on fire.

With weddings coming up next week and summer we called in some help us to get the whole property to look at it's best. Ellie, my innkeeper and sister in law, has made together with Yvette and my wife a tremendous effort to get all the flowerbeds, pathways, sitting area's, trails etc. ready, and it looks fantastic. There's still work to be done, but for now the blend of the manicured and natural area's make this Bed and Breakfast stand out in it's own way.

Last weekend it was gorgeous weather and guests enjoyed the property sitting in lounge chairs watching the river flow by and by walking the river trail that starts at the waterfront. With fresh wood chips on top it will take you into the forest and meanders towards the entrance bypassing many indigenous plants and trees. There's even an old trunk covered with lichens (see picture below: a combination of a fungus and algae) some of them in bloom. It is beautiful and the McKenzie River Inn is shaping up for summer.

Now here is a thought. March and April 2011 is the month to start your McKenzie River Inn savings account. Stay for “ two nights in March & April and we'll deposit a $100 credit in your account for any return visit. When you stay with us in March and/or April and return again for any two night stay during 2011, even in the summer, you'll have a $100 credit waiting for you. It's like getting paid to enjoy yourself. There is limited space available for this special offer, so make your reservations soon."

Nice weather and a spring garden

Nice weather and a beautiful spring garden have drawn many guests to our spot on the McKenzie river these first five Months. January and February gave us many sunny day's to bridge the change of seasons from winter into spring. After the first week May was warm and gave us the stunning view on the blooming Azalea's, Camellia's and Rhododendrons.

We are very content with having so many returning guests. Some are coming back every year, others several times a year and other guests return after they stayed with us at the McKenzie River Inn years ago. The connection and contacts we have with our guests is for us unique and is one of the reasons we appreciate being in the hospitality industry. It also means we can rely on a strong following even if this industry is hit hard by the economic decline and accommodation reports are showing 50 to 54% less bookings. So, thank you all for coming back to our spot in the Cascade mountains, it means a lot to us and are always looking forward to your stay with us.

This year we welcome back the Weinberg/Reppert family who have their biannual reunion week in July. We are all excited to see you playing Bacchi ball again in our orchard and having fun going down the river rafting with us. We love to show you the improvements we have made to our facilities and above all the new paint-job.

In the meantime we prepare for our annual BBQ and wine tasting. This year Bert will perform acoustic songs along side with Rachel Barton-Russell on cello and vocals and the latest news is that Hubertina's and Ellie's brother Alphonse will do the honor of introducing a variety of wines. Alphonse is a winemaker for over twenty years and recently opened his own winery with partner David Verwolf on Bainbridge Island called "Rolling Bay Winery". His dedication has lead him to several award winning wines over the last four years. He still follow

classes in wine making to achieve that edge that is needed to make outstanding wines. For guests at the McKenzie River Inn having a taste of the several kinds of fermented grapes is complementary on the days we are having wine tasting and till so far we received raving comments about the Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.

Alphonse told me the other day that his blend of Pinot Gris and Chardonnay left him with quite some satisfied customers and the "Pinonnay", as I call it, sold out pretty quick. I'm looking forward to our tenth annual BBQ and to see colleagues, guests, friends and family again.

The river levels are dropping as we speak and this will tremendously improve the (fly-) fishing over the coming weeks. So wade out to cast out a line, or climb in my boat and start fishing. Life is good!

Summerfun

Early this morning swarms of Mayflies above the grapes danced their way into reproduction. At the waterfront guests sipping their coffee at one of the picnic tables while enjoying the river view. I walk around with my point and shoot camera trying to capture the new paint job on the lodge and cabins. After all I like to show off the results on this blog. Hubertina did a fabulous job putting the color combination together and the feedback from guests has been great so far. So has been the quality and flexibility of our paint contractor who went the extra mile adding trim pieces and doing shingle repair. Thanks Virgil (www.OpusInc.us)), also for being creative with the shop doors and your help putting up gutters! It really shows!
After yesterdays hot weather we are in for a new one. Over a hundred degrees! Last time I wrote a posting about our annual BBQ party I reported something similar. Today we experience a nice breeze though, making it more bearable.
I'm making my way into the orchard. A sweet fruity smell welcomes me. I disturb a black tail deer, munching on apples that lay on the ground. We make eye contact and she takes of into the forest. It's going to be later than last year, but we are going to have a huge harvest, the fruit tree's are loaded. Ellie told me a few day's ago she's on her last jar of plum jam for our guests breakfast, reminding me at the same time that we lost two plum tree's this year. Hopefully pressing for apple cider won't be at the same time as the wine crush on Bainbridge island. You have to keep them separated!
I walk past the canopy and take a peek at my drift boat. There is some wear and tear on the chines, but the hull let the under layer of green paint shine and make this old timer look great. This summer I started guiding for myself and James, our web master (www.bigapplewebdesign.net) did a great job putting a web site together for my guide service (check out: www.bertsguideservice.com). In June there was some big water in the McKenzie and it was tough getting that nymph to the bottom. I have been enjoying it tremendously and always look forward to the next trip. Alright, with this hot weather we are calling it the "dog days" for a reason, making the fishing really slow, but we also know this weather won't last and can go out and hook a few!
I'm making it back to the drive way and follow the path to the river front. After a two hundred feet I stand in front of the lodge. The darker green paint on the shingles gives it a more distinguished look especially with the white trim, ..I like it, ....one more picture!

Hot Party

When it comes down to parties you do want to have good weather. In previous years we could rely on ideal weather conditions, not to warm not to cold. As far as I can remember only 2004 gave us some drizzle in the morning. This years annual BBQ and commemorating the Inn's being in business for 30 years was the hottest party on record. With 98 degrees (37 Celsius) and a high humidity our guests were in for a challenge. Although people showed up at four PM, most came in later, as was the five man's band just when the temperature dropped to more desirable conditions. Friends from Idaho and Portland Oregon, family from California, some arriving the day before, joined the festivities. The Olympic Trials in Eugene added excitement to the conversations especially for those who just came back from a day spend at Hayward Field. A variety of courses and side dishes where available in a buffet style set up close to the rivers edge. Later in the evening the temperature dropped as a breeze introduced some thunder clouds. With a smaller crowd, but bigger topics, the setting was compromised to the canopy when sprinkles fell and a showcase of lightning behind the butte lighted up the sky and the roaring river. With just a handful of people left we decided it to call it a day after it was said that it was an other great party and anniversary at the McKenzie River Inn. Next day many enjoyed the cooler temperatures as they were floating down the river in an original wooden McKenzie drift boat bringing an end to an weekend full of socializing and interaction. We are very appreciative of all guests showing up and especially the persons attending to the chicken, ribs and salmon as well the man and women who help preparing the side dishes and setting the tables to make this event an other success. Also many thanks for the musicians entertaining us with songs from the sixties to present. See you all next year!

Spring preparation

Well, here we are! A shipload of snow in the mountains, a weather change for the better, and a lot of work to do. Fisherman's weekend (April 26th) coming up with hobnobbing at the boat show next door at the Eagle Rock Lodge, as a kick off for the fishing season. It looks like we have a bigger draw to guided fly-fishing on the river this year, since many of the lakes are snow blocked and inaccessible for fisherman.

In the meantime we prepare ourselves for a new paint job on the Lodge and cabins. We are looking forward to new colors on the cedar shakes and fresh painted eve's and trim. Hopefully the weather helps us out to have this done before our annual BBQ party on Saturday the 28th of June. The preparations are in full swing. We are celebrating and commemorating the Inn's being in business for 30 years, it will be a big event. It all starts around 4.00 PM. The McKenzie River inn will be providing gifts, music, salmon, ribs & chicken as well our usual wine tasting featuring award winning wines by Al de Klerk. If you are interested in joining make sure you RSVP at 541 822 6260.

Law conference

For a second year in a row the McKenzie River Inn hosted a wealth of people from March 4th to march 7th. This time for the 26th annual Public Interest Environmental Law Conference. The three day event was as spectacular as the people themselves. We had the pleasure to share idea's and gather the long lost wisdom from elder Americans about the many topics that concern so many of us. From compelling a climate of change to the reduction of our carbon footprint, workshops, panels, scientists, activists and other participants yielded an abundance of energy, innovation and inspiration for all who attended.
On a personal note I have learned these four days a great deal about the implications of the destruction, pollution and the vast changing of the ancestral lands of the indigenous people (who are and have been living in harmony with their natural surroundings with respect for all forms of life) and how they have to deal with the protection of their communities from these environmental changes.

With contributions of the Native Forest Council (thanks Tim ) and Infraspect (thanks William) a salmon dinner was prepared by Ellie, our innkeeper, and myself at the main lodge on the day of our guests arrival. We all could enjoy each others company while exchanging expertise and insights not only within the political realm of climate change but also in conjunction with finding solutions from the social and ecological angle. Despite that the perception of developments in environment law is no light material it was obvious that our guests were able to enjoy our facilities and setting at the river. We found ourselves fortunate enough to have such great guests and to host and meet people from all over the country. The overall sound of all the different voices was for us as pleasing as an overstuffed pillow.

Winter spell

January started out with a winter chill. Nearly 10 feet (3 meters) of winter snow has accumulated already in parts of the Cascades and guests have been skiing at Hoodoo in excellent snow powder and taken beautiful pictures of a winter wonderland on the McKenzie which lasted at our place for a day or five. Fortunately the elevation of the McKenzie River Inn is about a thousand feet and the snow mostly doesn't stick so the road stays clear.
It is also the time of year that people start making plans for their summer travels and for couples with wedding plans to check for available dates. Fishing season is just a couple of months ahead of us and equipment is being checked. Drift boats are getting a fresh coat of varnish and the rafts inspected and washed for the fishing and rafting season. It's a great time of the year!