Zipping Again in Peachland...

Today's zip-line adventures did not require a harness or safety line...just a desire to have fun and get wet.  We spent the day in Peachland, enjoying a beach park that included a zip-line, rope swing and diving boards. 

A storm blew in late afternoon, complete with thunder and lightening.. haven't heard/seen that in a long time!  Click here for photos.

Comfort Zone v. Zip Zone

We tried zip-lining today at Zip Zone in Peachland, BC, which claims to have the highest ziplines in North America (350 feet up).  Our adventure included over a mile of zipping on 6 lines running back and forth through a deep canyon at up to 40 mph.  Click here to see photos.

One line offered the opportunity to "dangle" upside down, which the boys were happy to do.  From any perspective, the canyon was gorgeous and the zipping was crazy fun!
 

Water Play

Great weather, great lake... click here to see photos of everyone enjoying Lake Okanagan (and the many great water toys that came along with our home exchange).  Yesterday we kayaked across the lake for breakfast, visited Fintry Provincial Park, and took a drive to the farm community of Vernon at the north end of the lake.  Today, we just hung out in the water. 

Riding the Waves...

We posed as power-boaters today.  Click here to see photos.  

The kids got to try out tubing, water skiing and knee-boarding on Lake Okanagan.  The lake is so vast it felt as if we had the whole place to ourselves.

Riding the Rails...

Hi from Kelowna, BC!  

Today, we took a ride on the Kettle Valley Railway Trail:  22 km, 18 railroad trestles, 5 happy bikers, 2 tunnels and 1 amazing bike ride!  Click here for photos. 

The Okanagan Valley is gorgeous... more photos coming soon.

Another Fun Day with Mona

Today we did a loop of the Portland waterfront by surrey with our exchange student Mona, then visited Saturday Market.  Drew is hard at work again today at the sailing club, where he is helping the club host its annual wooden boat show.  Click here for photos.  High 80s and sunny this weekend... so nice of summer to finally arrive!

 

Summer Snow Day & More

We are hosting Mona, a lovely, college-age exchange student from Saudi Arabia, this weekend, so we decided to show her around the Columbia Gorge and Mt. Hood.  She had never seen snow until yesterday, and it was a gorgeous, warm day to check it out.  We also took her for her first sail on Friday night and are having a great time getting to know her.  Click here for photos.

Happy 4th of July

It had been a few years since we spent 4th of July on the water, so we decided to sail downtown and raft-up near Waterfront Park yesterday afternoon, after taking in a 4th of July parade and pot-luck picnic with our friends in Wilcox.  

It was the 25th Anniversary of the Portland Waterfront Blues Festival, not to mention a gorgeous day, so the river was extra crowded, but the firework show was also extra spectacular!  Click here for photos.   When the fireworks barge pulled up just across from us and the full moon came out to serve as a backdrop, we knew it was going to be an amazing show!

Over the Edge

Our friend Lars had the opportunity to repel off the US Bank Building - Portland's tallest - as part of an Over the Edge fundraiser for the Boy Scouts last week.  Here are some photos we took while watching his descent.