The Oregon Trail

Currently my obsession is planning our big trip to Oregon this summer.  Hubby and I haven't had more than a long weekend without kids since..... since going to Ukraine to get another child.  I'm excited for it and while Oregon wasn't my first choice I'm beginning to see why families packed up their covered wagons and feared the great unknown to get there.  Thankfully I only have get on an airplane.

This is "use up all your miles / points travel" at it's best.  I wiped my frequent flyer account that had been hoarding miles since going to Ukraine.  I don't fly that much, but much of the adoption expenses were paid for with a mileage credit card.  Honestly I'm surprised the miles were still there.  Alas with all the flying around Hubby does, he for some reason doesn't have frequent flyer miles and he flies somewhere at least once every two - three months.  I have a sneaking suspicion that he just hasn't signed up for all the frequent flyer things as he bounces around airlines a lot.

The other wipeout the rewards is with Hilton.  Hubby does tend to stay at Hilton properties when traveling for work and has earned enough to pay for a good chunk of our trip.  We will have to cough up one possibly two nights lodging as there are no Hilton properties within a reasonable drive of where we will be.  I'm eyeballing a couple of kitchey little motels that look like something from 1955.  I can't decide if I should do that or go with a chain that might have more quality control and bigger prices.  I guess I'll flip a coin.  It won't the first time I've stayed in divey joint so I'm kind of leaning toward the mom and pop place.  We will also stay at some relatives homes while there too.

The hardest part has been figuring the rental car conundrum.  If I get a car at the airport it's $55 a day.  If I get a car in downtown Portland it's $25 a day.  Sounds like an easy figure out, however cab fare from downtown to the airport runs about $40 and returning the car would be a major pain in the butt.  Last night I did figure out we can take the light rail system to downtown and walk only half a block that cost a whopping $5 for both of us.  The worst will be schlepping luggage onto public transportation.  We still have the car return problem though, but I'm hoping the relatives will help us out with that and we can return it a day early and bum a ride to the airport from them.  (Probably not a problem)  But I need to contact them and confirm before I book the rental car.

Activities planned while there is a trip to Crater Lake National Park, whitewater rafting the Umpqua River, a leisurely drive up the Oregon coast, visits to two cousins and an uncle (Hubby's), Multnomah Falls, Mt. Hood (from afar - not going to climb it of course) and general oohing and ahing over the scenery from a girl born in a place that is table top flat.

I wish it would hurry up and get here!