By Julia

I'm still behind schedule on this blogging thing, but I'm trying to get better! So Cherie and I were lucky enough to have some great site tours last week, and I wanted to share some of the highlights with you all. Tuesday we visited the Bamboo Garden which is a great spot for you if you (a) love bamboo - they have over 300 varieties! - or if you (b) love the outdoors. In addition to bamboo, the property is filled with an interesting variety of fruit trees and flowers which attract hummingbirds. Schedule a tour in advance and someone will be available to show you around; it's definitely worth planning ahead. Oh, and be prepared, because the last mile or so to the property is unpaved, though the road is still perfectly passable. On the way back, we stopped in North Plains at the Rogue Brew Pub & Eatery for some sandwiches (though unfortunately not for a brew - being on the clock as we were). The place isn't fancy, but it was good, and the service was great.

Now, hold onto your hats, because I know some of you are going to be really excited about this one! After lunch, we got a special tour at Roloff Farms! For all of you who aren't familiar with the TLC show Little People, Big World, I'll clue you in. The Roloffs are a family of six, four of whom are Little People. They run a farm here in Washington County, and they open to the public during pumpkin season when they offer tours and pumpkin picking. They've expanded their season this year and will be open Wednesdays through Sundays from 10am-6pm, September 27 through October 26. Matt Roloff was kind enough to take us on a tour in the Mule, and I'll just bet that the place is a whole lot of fun when the big orange pumpkins are dotting the fields and kids are hopped up on pre-Halloween candy. If you're a fan of the show, definitely plan a trip that falls within their open dates.

Friday we got to visit the new and coming-soon properties of Old Recreation B&B in Forest Grove. One of two houses is open, and it's a beautiful craftsman that's been remodeled into a 5-bedroom B&B. The other property, just around the block, will be a 6-bedroom. Either, or both, of the properties is ideal for a group get-away like a wedding or family reunion, and the Forest Grove location makes it a perfect jumping-off point for wine tours and outdoor adventure. I can't wait to plan a visit myself!

Last but not least was my Saturday adventure. After rolling straight out of bed and to Cedar Hills Crossing, I went to see The Dark Knight (along with 15 million other people). It was so great that I was all revved up and raring to go, so I ran home, changed into some biking gear, loaded up the new mountain bike, and headed off to Hagg Lake in western Washington County. I'd heard tell of the 15-mile single track trail surrounding the lake, and in my post-TDK euphoria, I though "oh, I can do 15 miles at 3pm." Now, in post-euphoria, I would not recommend such an undertaking. Luckily, Cherie called and invited me over for a barbecue, so I cut the ride short. Next time, I'll be starting early! The trail is serious single track, lined in many places by blackberry brambles, and it features (from the southeastern portion that I rode) quite a few switchbacks and steep inclines/declines. Definitely check it out, but be prepared! The trail is multi-use, non-motorized, so be sure to keep an eye out for pedestrians, horses AND bikes!

Note: To celebrate our new blog, our writers will be sharing what a perfect weekend in Washington County would look like for them. Stay tuned! There will be a chance for you to tell us yours, and maybe even win something in the process.

After making it through my first gray Northwest winter, I can't wait to get outside! After loading up a couple of friends and our mountain bikes, my ideal Saturday would start in Beaverton where we'd pop into AVA Roasteria for an Oregon Chai latte and one of their yummy pastries. Then it would be time to head west on Sunset Highway for the scenic drive out to L.L. "Stub" Stewart State Park. It's $3 to park at the Hilltop Day Use Area, which is the perfect starting point for a big loop ride. We'd curve our way down to the Banks-Vernonia State Trail, where we'd experience the only paved trail riding to be seen in the park. From there, we'd have to decide whether to brave a muddy ride down Bumping Knots Trail, or make the climb up Hare's Canyon Trail which loops all the way back up to Hilltop. No matter which route you take, it's a beautiful new park with awesome facilities.

After a morning of mountain biking, we'd be starving, so we'd head south to Forest Grove to grab a picnic lunch at Maggie's Buns. I might even be tempted to get one of their gigantic cinnamon buns - I burned a lot of calories, right?! Then we'd take our food out to Scoggins Valley Park and Henry Hagg Lake for a picnic followed by a round on the 18-basket Sain Scoggins Disc Golf course. After some lolling about on the lakeshore, it would be time to head back to civilization.

After this active day, we'd have worked up quite a thirst! Next stop would be the SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Hillsboro, where we'd wash off the mud from our day outdoors. After we got prettied up for a night out, we'd head right down the road to the Cornelius Pass Roadhouse for live music and McMenamins beers brewed right on site. It would be the perfect spot for a relaxing evening with good food, good brews and good friends.