Wild Horse Golf

Tuesday - 20 April 2004 - On the Umatilla Reservation near Pendleton, Oregon:  What? Are we still in Pendleton? Only four hours from home? Well, duh! Yeah! They have a golf course!

What a night we had! It poured and the wind howled! A really, really big storm here in Eastern Oregon. Our heavy motorhome was rocking in the wind. It kept us awake half the night. When the sun came up and we finally got out of bed, I checked my email and learned Portland had quite a storm last night too.

One nice thing about having your house with you is that you can stick to your usual morning routine. Newspaper and Starbuck's French Roast. Check your email. Listen to NPR. And another nice thing about being on the road? When I look at my TO DO list, it is EMPTY! 

The weather was looking better, so we went golfing. They had just aerated the front greens yesterday and were aerating the back nine today, so they would only put us out for 9 holes. They didn't charge us much and said to come back if we wanted to play the front 9 again. (Those of you who know of my 10,000 steps per day pedometer obsession will know I was upset at only being able to play nine holes.) After the first two holes, I didn't even putt. Too lumpy. I imagine the storm from last night must have really helped get all that sand down into the green though, but it was still too rough to make any sense of a putt... especially the way I putt. We were lucky to see (and hear) many Red Winged Black Birds. We also witnessed the mating rituals of busy Mallards and Coots. DT had just purchased a new set of clubs for me - the hot NIKE Slingshots. They don't seem to have improved my game... but it will take some time to get used to them. They sure are pretty!  New and shiny!

 
Wild Horse Golf Club - with and without golfer.  This is wheat country.

We met a guy on the course who was on his 80th hole in 3 days. He lives about one mile from our house and was on a Quest to play every course in Oregon and the Wild Horse course was his 107th. I have no idea where that puts him towards his Goal, but he was playing like a Mad Man... like speed golf or something. Just as we finished the ninth hole, it started to sprinkle and I walked back to the camper. DT went to the driving range.

Pretty tulips on the golf course - guess they don't have deer here

Later in the afternoon, we drove into Pendleton and looked at the Woolen Mill and shopped at their outlet. We didn't buy a thing, and I commented to DT that we didn't "do very well."  He thought we had done very well indeed. 

Back at the campground we had very interesting neighbors. Traveling with SEVENTEEN dogs, our neighbors were on their way to a dog show. They were only showing some of the dogs, the others were along for socialization and, I suspect, for sale. They show Boston Terriers and won 4th place a few years ago at Westminster. Their luxury motorhome is customized with floor-to-ceiling crates for use when they travel to shows, and they also have the outdoor cages seen below. They are on their way to a big show in Walla Walla (I think). What a sight! I tell you, there is nothing cuter than a long haired Chihuahua! 

DT chats up the Dog Lady

RV Park: Wild Horse Casino & RV Park - near Pendleton, Oregon