This past weekend 32 members of my family from Portland, Yamhill, McMinnville, Corvallis, Albany, Redmond, Vale, and Nampa, Idaho make the trek to Fort Rock and the Cowboy Dinner Tree. One of the many things I love about my family is we genuinely love spending time together, whether its for family gatherings at grandma’s house, playing games, celebrating a life event, or taking a road trip.

Growing up, our parents took us all over the place, and my favorite memories as a kid are from these adventures they took us on. My family’s love of travel and adventure is something I will forever be grateful for, and is something deeply instilled in me. One thing I have learned is that tomorrow is never guaranteed, so if there is something I want to see or a place I want to visit, I’m just going to do it. And what makes these journeys even more memorable are the people we share them with.

Our first stop this weekend was at Fort Rock, Oregon. Fort Rock is a geological beauty that was once a volcano. All that is left now is the volcanic rim which you can hike around. It is also home to a lot of critters my nephews were more than excited about such as scorpions, lizards, bugs and wild rabbits.

FORT ROCK STATE PARK

Lucian found a lizard!

Janae, Katrina and Jared Wilson

Janae, Katrina and Jared Wilson

Erin, Jason, Devin and Amber

Jason, Erin, Devin and Melissa Whitney

Erin and Melissa Whitney

Darla and Darcy

Darla and Darcy

Darla and Darcy

Darcy and Don

Darcy and Don

Erin, Amber and Melissa

Erin, Amber and Melissa

Charlie’s Angels – Erin, Amber and Melissa

Charlie’s Angels – Erin, Amber and Melissa

Darcy and Don

Fort Rock, Oregon 4

Darla Bair

Grant Bair

Cousins – Nate and Lucian Whitney

Cousins and second cousins

Allie Whitney

The Wilson Clan!

My grandma and her brother Kenneth

Great Uncle Kenneth

My grandma and her brother Kenneth

Marley, Carol and Keven Nelson

Levi Whitney

Carol, Marley and Keven Nelson

Our next stop was at the Fort Rock Homestead Village which is a really cool museum. It is only open May – October, but we were still able to get some really cool photos.

FORT ROCK HOMESTEAD VILLAGE

My beautiful, adventurous, incredible grandma

Little Buckaroo – Levi Whitney

The Whitney-Wilson Clan!

The Whitney-Wilson Clan

Fort Rock, Oregon 1

Fort Rock, Oregon 3

Fort Rock, Oregon 2

And our final destination was the Cowboy Dinner Tree! Back in the day ranchers would herd their cattle through Sycan trail to the lush meadows of Sycan Marsh. Ranchers would come from Paisley, Summer Lake and Silver Lake, and the Dinner Tree was considered a half-way point to Sycan. Here they could stop for a meal of buckaroo beans and biscuits.

Today they serve up a delicious salad with homemade honey mustard or buttermilk ranch, old-fashioned rolls that seriously taste like heaven, cowboy bean or vegetable beef barley soup, a baked potato and your choice of a whole chicken or a 32 oz steak, and dessert. I am the only one who had been to the Cowboy Dinner Tree, and I knew my family would absolutely love it. It is a truly unique dining experience and the food is incredible.

THE COWBOY DINNER TREE

Jon Whitney

A motley crew!

Amy Wilson and Chase and Levi Whitney

Levi and Chase Whitney

Levi and Chase Whitney

Jared & Katrina Wilson

Jared & Katrina Wilson

Amy and Katrina Wilson

Amy, Katrina, Jared, Janae and Tanner Wilson

Amy Wilson

Melissa, Erin, Devin and Jason Whitney

The Whitney-Wilson Clan!

You can hear the angels singing in this photo!

All 32 of us that made the trek to the Cowboy Dinner Tree: Don Davis, Darcy Davis, Carol Nelson, Marley, Ken Payne, Fern Seward, Brogan Bair, Robb Bair, Bella Parin-Davis, Grant Bair, Lucian Whitney, Amber McAlary, Darla Bair, Devin Whitney, Levi Whitney, Jason Whitney, Allie Whitney, Thea Whitney, Jon Whitney, Nate Whitney, Erin Whitney, Keven Nelson, Chase Whitney, Charles Whitney, London Parin-Davis, Amy Wilson, Robin Wilson-Whitney, Janae Wilson, Katrina Wilson, Jared Wilson, Tanner Wilson and Melissa Whitney

Devin’s face says it all!

Devin Whitney

Jon and Nate Whitney

Great Uncle Kenneth Payne

Uncle Kenneth Payne and Amy Wilson

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

My dad Charles Whitney and his 32 0z steak!

The most divine rolls on the planet – I’m convinced

Our super awesome waitress!

All 32 of us that made the trek to the Cowboy Dinner Tree: Don Davis, Darcy Davis, Carol Nelson, Marley, Ken Payne, Fern Seward, Brogan Bair, Robb Bair, Bella Parin-Davis, Grant Bair, Lucian Whitney, Amber McAlary, Darla Bair, Devin Whitney, Levi Whitney, Jason Whitney, Allie Whitney, Thea Whitney, Jon Whitney, Nate Whitney, Erin Whitney, Keven Nelson, Chase Whitney, Charles Whitney, London Parin-Davis, Amy Wilson, Robin Wilson-Whitney, Janae Wilson, Katrina Wilson, Jared Wilson, Tanner Wilson and Melissa Whitney

It was such a fun weekend, and I’m so glad I got to share it with some of my most favorite people.