January 13, 2008 in Travel

Here & There: You decide: Salish Lodge or grass hair

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If my friend Ben shows up at your house – as he did at my family’s post-Christmas celebration, to everyone’s delight – prepare to laugh some portion of your anatomy off.

And it’s not outside the realm of possibility that he might. He’s nothing if not unpredictable. For instance, he once asked his students to wrestle with this great question of the ages: Would you rather walk backward for the rest of your life or have grass for hair?

Think about it.

His holiday visit featured another tale out of school, this one about an assignment to create a promotional travel brochure for the planet of the student’s choice.

You’ll have to fill in the blanks for yourself here with the appropriately comical moniker, but the star of Ben’s story came up with this headline: “What happens in (planet name) stays in (planet name).”

I have to say, that is a lot more clever than most of the destination information that crosses my desk. But I’ll gladly tell you about some of the latest pedestrian happenings in Inland and Pacific Northwest Earth travel nevertheless.

Here goes:

Thirty miles outside Seattle, the Salish Lodge and Spa offers the “Rainy Day Romance” package.

Apparently an attempt to lure West side residents away from inclement weather, the package certainly isn’t short on water. The resort overlooks the 268-foot Snoqualmie Falls and a nearby trail will lead you into the falls’ destination in the river canyon below.

Besides the views, the package includes one night in a rose petal-strewn room with a wood-burning fireplace and your very own bottle of sparkling wine; breakfast for two in the dining room; and all-weather protection for your hike in the form of umbrellas and sunscreen.

Rates start at $399; you can upgrade with two 50-minute spa treatments, bumping the cost up to at least $479.

To make a reservation, try www.salishlodge.com or (425) 831-6591.

Go for the snow

In another attempt to work with what you’ve got, Anchorage will host the 2008 U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Cross Country Junior Olympic Championships, March 9 to 15.

More than $6 million in upgrades to event venue Kincaid Park should pay off for non-Olympians, too. According to the Anchorage Parks and Recreation Department, more than a million visitors take to the park’s 1,500 acres and 50 kilometers of trails each year.

For information about Junior Olympics events, visit www.anchoragenordicski.com/jo2008 or call (907) 276-7609.

You can learn about Anchorage’s less competitive Nordic skiing opportunities at www.anchorage.net or (907) 276-4118.

Breitenbush Hot Springs in Detroit, Ore, has the same idea: So there’s rain or snow. So deal with it.

Its answer is a snowshoeing weekend, Feb. 1 to 3. Guides from Portland Parks and Recreation will take you into a different Mount Jefferson landscape each day, and you’ll wrap things up in the evening with hot springs and a hot vegetarian dinner.

The experience runs $260 for lodging, guide and transportation from Portland, plus a 30 percent surcharge if you’re not a Portland resident.

A similar adventure takes place from Feb. 22 to 24, this time on cross-country skis instead of snowshoes. The price is the same.

To learn more, go to www.breitenbush.com or call (503) 854-3320.

Soar with the dinos

The Portland Zoo, on the other hand, insists on working with what it hasn’t got.

This summer, 20 animatronic dinosaurs will join the zoo’s collection as part of an exhibit set to open in May.

Each is built on a steel frame covered with foam-rubber skin, electronics and air pistons, yielding them – according to the zoo – “remarkably lifelike.”

Lifelike mechanical representations of things that no longer exist. That would seem to require suspension of several levels of disbelief. I bet your kids are up to it.

To keep up to date on the dinosaur exhibit’s progress, check www.oregonzoo.org or call (503) 226-1561.

Regional events

“Montana Winter Fair, Jan. 24-27, Lewistown. It’s just like a regular state fair – only colder. You’ll find a livestock show, fiddling contest, farm forum, quilts, farm equipment, bull expo, art swap and more. I can’t speak for the elephant ears or cotton candy. ( www.visitmt.com/406-538-3007)

“Spirit of the West Cowboy Gathering, Feb. 14-17, Ellensburg, Wash. They’re coming for gear, an art show, workshops, an autograph session, dancing and more. (www.ellensburgcowboygathering. com/888-925-2204)

“Irish Week Festival, March 15-17, Seattle. Part of Seattle Center’s yearlong Festal, a series of cultural events reflecting the region’s diversity, Irish Week includes step dancing, music, children’s activities, language lessons, Irish history, Irish films, cultural exhibits and demonstration, and more.( www.visitseattle.org/206-684-7200)

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