Champoeg State Park is only about 25 minutes south of Portland and as a family, we love to walk or bike the trails on great Sunday weather days like today. This park is also home to one of my wife’s favorite road races, The Hippie Chick Marathon which 900 women signed-up for in less than 1 hour this year.

Start of Champoeg State Park Walk.

Besides, what Dad doesn’t think it’s funny to tell his kids, “after we finish, I’ll take you to the Butteville (pronounced Butt-Ville by Dads trying to be funny) Country Store for ice cream.”

Butteville Country Store Just Ahead

We walked the 8 mile route as our bikes are at REI for our Spring tune-up. Along the way, I saw this leaf, seemingly suspended in mid-air in the middle of our walking path. I thought it was iPhone photo worthy, so I’ll share it with you.

How did the spider suspend the leaf in mid-air?

If you’re on the same path as me, make sure and say hello unless you allowed your dog to poop on my path and not clean it up and then don’t worry about it because I have nothing nice to say to you:)

I also recommend you go to the small farmer’s market outside the front gate of Champoeg State Park entrance. I discovered last year that the gentlemen and his lovely wife who own the farm are originally from Arkansas. So I’m able to bust out my misspent Arkansas youth accent and enjoy the fresh seasonal variety of fruits and vegetables.

Taken w/my iPhone

Sierra, our youngest daughter, sings a new song she learned and now it’s time to have our traditional Italian food Sunday afternoon. Scott, our principal partner, and resident pub- make the young girls cry musician- smiles as Sierra learns to play the guitar like him and not me. Sauce is on low. Can’t you just smell it. Needs more basil…