Issuu

Eugene, OR

Hello, Neighbors!

A Letter from the Editor

-BETH WEHLING

This edition is sliding across the ﬁnish line on the very last day of June because our family has been focused on milestone after milestone this spring. We've bounced from graduations to weddings with gifts in hand and smiles on our faces.

Most recently, we attended our nephew's wedding in Washington State. I kind of feel bad for Washington because it's the only state that requires an extra level of labeling: Washington State, not D.C. Anyway, I digress.

Rather than simply popping in for the wedding weekend, we ﬂew into the San Francisco Bay Area eight days early, rented a Class C RV, and wandered our way through the Paciﬁc Northwest. Four of us piled into the 24' motor home: myself, Chris, Garrett, and Debra. We had a great time! Aside from Garrett declaring the RV was a prison because let's go ahead and acknowledge that, when you're 18, traveling with your parents and aunt might not be your dream vacay.

We introduced ourselves to new-to-us corners of this great country we're blessed to call home. We're a wandering family. We like to roam, explore, peek around a bit, eat new foods, and visit with the locals. We've wandered near and far over the years, but with our nation's semiquincentennial upon us (and no, I can't actually pronounce semiquincentennial), we decided to keep this year's adventures within the United States.

And what a glorious United States they are! If you're looking to escape the summer heat for a few days, we can wholeheartedly recommend the California redwoods, the Columbia River Gorge, Bainbridge Island, and oh mylanta all of Oregon.

Until our next sojourn, though, we'll be happily settled back at the lake, enjoying our own beautiful little slice of America.

See you lakeside,

Beth

President's Corner

by Andy Farl

Building on Beth's theme of exploring America. With our nation's 250th anniversary being celebrated this year, it seemed like a good time to appreciate the incredible variety our country has to offer.

As a fun experiment, I asked our IVHA Board members a simple question: How many U.S. states have you visited?

The answers were all over the map, ranging from Sara with the lowest at 20 states, she's also the youngest so we're sure she'll catch up, to me with the highest state count at 49. Chuck Alcedo is right behind me with 42. I may be the oldest board member!

Of course, visiting all 50 comes with a badge of honor and I'll need to get an Oregon trip scheduled so I can earn my badge. Every state has something worth discovering, whether it's the rocky coast of Maine, the deserts of Arizona, the forests of the Paciﬁc Northwest, or the small-town charm found right here in Oklahoma.

So here's a summer challenge: Count how many states you've visited and go to the community Facebook page, ﬁnd the 50 states post and add your count. Then see if you can add one more this year. It doesn't have to be a cross-country adventure. Maybe it's a weekend road trip to Arkansas, Kansas, or New Mexico. Maybe it's ﬁnally checking a state off your bucket list that you've always meant to see.

Happy travels, and I'll see you at the lake!