Jet boat excursions and George Rogers park

Matt surprised me this weekend with reservations for a 2 hour jet boat excursion on the Willamette River in Portland!!!

The jet boat we rode in!

Matt before the ride....

The view from the Willamette River of downtown Portland

Train crossing the river on the lower portion of the Steel Bridge

Portland Condos on the river

More Condos

The movie "Maverick" was filmed on this boat. It is now part of the Oregon Maritime museum. The museum has decided they want to offer river tours with the boat, so they fixed it up, and on the trial run, the Captain ran it into some rocks. The boat had to be repaired and is under the process of beginning the procedure to offer river tours.

The white tents are along Waterfront Park in Portland. They are setting up for the Bite of Oregon next weekend (unfortunately we'll be out of town at a "treesort" and won't be able to attend).

Bald eagle that is nesting on Ross Island

By this time in the trip, Matt has gotten partially drenched

Osprey and its nest

Madonna filmed the movie "Body of Evidence" in this houseboat and fell from the 2nd story window on the left that doesn't have curtains

Our favorite houseboat

This houseboat is made from grain silos from the midwest

Another view of the silo house

Our destination was Willamette Falls. Unfortunately the rubber bladders were filled (general electric has turbines that generate power above the falls) and no water was coming over the falls when we were there.

Largest house along the river. It is 40,000 square feet. Just past this house, was Tom Seleck's home. I wasn't able to get my camera out fast enough to take a photo of his home.

House on stilts on the hill, it is supposed to look like a UFO has landed in the woods.

At the base of the river is an OLD early 1900s pump house that has been sealed off. A gentleman bought the property and built this house on the river in 2003, and the home has remained unoccupied to date.

Portland Fire Boat out on the river today

The Sellwood Bridge which has been deemed unsafe for any vehicle over 10,000 pounds. City buses, Semis and RVs are no longer allowed to cross this bridge. There is a project in place to replace the bridge, but if that were to happen, all the condos along the river and Staff Jennings Boat sales would have to relocate and they are putting up quite the fight to avoid replacing the bridge.

Building with the purple metal roof is the restaurant "The Old Spaghetti Factory" in downtown Portland.

Matt after the ride

This evening with the temperatures still in the mid 80s, we took a road trip to Lake Oswego and spent the evening at George Rogers Park!!

Ryley and Tori on the funky flower petal chairs

Heading down to the beach on the Willamette River

The kids heading out to swim in the river

A mama duck and her babies that came to visit Matt and I on the beach

Sarah LOVES the water

Ryan hanging out near the shore

Ryley who doesn't float because there isn't an ounce of fat on him

My fabulous hubby!!!

Sweet Tori after swimming the evening away!