ATTENTION ALL AMERICAN PENSTEMON SOCIETY MEMBERS-TRAVEL PLANS TO THE NORTHWEST ARE UNDERWAY FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING/TOUR, JUNE 14-16, 2004 (This is a repeat from the APS letter, but please reread as some details have been changed or added)

Arrive in Portland, Oregon on June 13, Sunday evening. If you have enough daylight come out to my penstemon garden in Sherwood (a 30 minute trip from downtown).

Early the next morning, June 14th, we’ll meet at the Leach Botanical Garden for a quick tour, going on to Edgefield Manor’s “largest troughs in the world” (about 20 x 6” each!). Then we’ll enter the (National Scenic Area) Columbia Gorge stopping at two waterfalls, then lunch at a 50 sq. mile lava flow on the Washington side of the river. This place is loaded with penstemons! We’ll travel on to a nursery specializing in native seed-grown flora and stay the night in The Dalles, OR. The evening meeting will likely feature Jerry Igo, Gorge flower specialist and Lewis and Clark historian at a local museum.

The next day, June 15th, we’ll see more Gorge pents, and then take the Mt. Hood highway, stopping for flowers of course. Lunch will be at historic Timberline Lodge at 6000’ with a five mountain view south into the Cascades. An easy, 2-mile round trip hike on the famous Pacific Crest Trail should net us more species in bloom. Alternately, you could stroll around near the trailhead, enjoying the montane flora and wild rhodies in bloom. At about 3500’, we would enjoy the flora on a marvelous cliff face (after only skirting a few snow banks). After a quick buffet dinner on the way back to Portland, we’ll meet at the Berry Botanic Garden. We’ll tour through largest rock garden in Oregon, seeing rare species, the carnivorous plant collection and original woodland on 6 acres. We can conduct a business meeting and share members’ slides of more penstemons in the lovely Visitor’s Center.

For those with one more day to spend, early on June 16, we’ll stop at Joy Creek Nursery on the Columbia River (amazing perennial collection, with over 40 varieties of penstemon, including many named hybrids), Chris Ebrahimi’s garden, and then drive on to Mt. St. Helen’s Volcano Monument. The rest of the day will be spent wandering the trails and museums. It may be too early (and high) for penstemon bloom, but at least 3 species are there. We’ll catch dinner along I-5 on the return to Portland, and then go to David and Donna Hale’s home. Their unusual garden will be open, consisting primarily of South American seed-grown species from their many trips to 12-15,000’ elevations.

That will conclude our APS tour for 2003, but don’t rush home! See a description of attractions below. Plants we hope to catch in bloom are Penstemon ovatus, serrulatus, richardsonii, barrettiae, cardwellii (and color forms), fruticosus var. fruticosus, rupicola, davidsonii var. davidsonii, subserratus, procerus var. tolmei, glandulosus and hopefully P. humilies, speciosus and Nothechelone nemerosa. Many more, not necessarily NW natives, will be blooming in the 2 botanic gardens and several private gardens because of the lower elevations.

CAR AND MOTEL RENTAL SUGGESTIONS Motels: These listed are near the Portland International Airport because it is at the mouth of the Columbia Gorge and I-84 going east. I-205 is accessed right at the airport exit and will take you south to my home on Sunday, the 13th and north to Mt. St. Helen’s on Wednesday, June 16. The motels are clustered just south of the airport, most with free shuttle service. Since you’ll need to share a vehicle (and the rental too?), the proximity will make pickup/delivery easier, I hope. Their 800 numbers will be in your phone books. Since we’ll be returning to Portland for the 3rd and 4th nights, you might inquire if they would store extra luggage, or give you a 3 night deal, anyway!

Of course, there are 100’s of motels in Portland, with the Hilton and Marriott right downtown and easily accessible to airport by light rail. Portland Airport vicinity: Days Inn 503-253-1151 Comfort Suites 503-261-9000 Courtesy Inn 503-252-3200 Holiday Inn 503-256-5000 Ramada Inn 503-252-0007 Rodeway Inn 1-800-228-2000 with free shuttle Super 8 503-257-8988 with free shuttle

CAR RENTALS AT THE AIRPORT: ALL SUPPLY MAPS OF PORTLAND, OREGON AND WASHINGTON, SO I WON’T. I WILL GIVE DRIVING DIRECTIONS TO VARIOUS STOPS. HERE ARE JUST A FEW: Alamo 503-252-1039 1-800-327-9633 Enterprise 1-800-325-8007 Thrifty 1-800-847-4389 Budget 1-800-527-7000 The Dalles (90 miles east of Portland): some many have a view of the Columbia River. Days Inn 541-296-1191 Cousins Country Inn 541-298-5161 (3 AAA stars) Super 8 541-296-6888 Best Western River City Inn 541-296-9107 Comfort Inn 541-298-2800 Shilo Inn Suites 541-298-5502

We will have a speaker at the Discovery Center Museum in The Dalles at 7 p.m. A no host dinner can be catered there for us if we have a minimum of 20 diners. The advantage would be a quicker meal and one less group move, if we want to eat together. Price is $11 including beverage and dessert. I’ll ask for sign-ups in the registration form. We can see the exhibits from 5-6, and eat at 6 (outdoors if weather allows). The Cousins Inn also has a restaurant and Spooky’s Pizza is a landmark. The Dalles is a very compact town tucked into a bend in the Columbia River. Type into a search engine: The Dalles, OR for more information and maps.

FEES: A sign-up fee of $25 will be charged for each attendee covering museum charges and administrative costs. Please make checks out to Virginia Maffitt. To expedite driving and parking in both metropolitan and wilderness areas, we need to limit ourselves to 20 vehicles, so carpooling is a necessity-we can then accommodate about 80 folks. A minimum of 2 registered attendees is needed per car.

Northwest Forest Passes are required at Mt. St. Helens (your entry fee) on June 16 and Pacific Crest Trail hike (June 15). They are $5 daily per car or $30 for the year. They may be purchased at Nature of the Northwest, an information-loaded page with maps and many other goodies! and Mt. St. Helens National Volcano Monument that day.

Risks: There are inherent risks involved in a trip of this nature, including but not limited to car problems, accidents and medical difficulties. Each participant registering must be responsible for his or her own well-being and belongings. Keep in mind that at times, you may be hours away from a hospital during the trip. If you have any health issues that are of concern, you should discuss them with your health professional before you sign up for the tour. Information provided by the APS is believed to be from reliable sources, but each participant is encouraged to verify it himself. Each participant agrees by registering to hold the APS, its officers, agents and members harmless for any and all problems that may occur during the Annual Meeting and tour.

You must be a current member of the American Penstemon Society ($10 annual fee). Each car will be responsible for entry fee at Mt. St. Helens area and trail parking pass. Attendees are also responsible for their meals and accommodations. Registration will open January 1, 2004, on a first-registration in/ first accommodated basis. When you’re registered, I’ll send localized maps and driving directions.

WEATHER AND APPAREL: June in Portland is usually mild, with weather in the mid-70’s. Drizzly weather can happen, so bring something waterproof. East in the Gorge should be sunny and in the low 80’s. Up on Mt. Hood, hiking at 5-6000’, temps should be in the mid-60’s or warmer. I dress in layers, carrying a pack with camera, water, snacks, first aid stuff, sunscreen, sunglasses, and hat. Lightweight boots would be great as we may cross snow on a trail, plus lava underfoot in Washington. A small cooler to hold lunches (bought at a grocery store) will let us eat more quickly and where we wish, although food is served at Mt. St. Helen’s and Timberline Lodge.

PLANNING TO STAY LONGER? Portland is the ‘Rose City’ and its International Rose Test Gardens will be at their peak, along with the enchanting Japanese Gardens, all in Washington Park. A forested ten-mile park through the West Hills includes a huge naturalistic Hoyt Arboretum and the Pittock Mansion, connected by miles of trails. The Crystal Springs Rhododendron Gardens are east across the Willamette River with acres of flowers in bloom in June. Downtown is the Chinese Garden, an authentic scholar’s garden with ornate structures, lake and imported lake stone and Chinese plantings all in one city block. ‘Portlandia’ on Fifth Avenue is the 2nd largest copper statue in the world next to the Statue of Liberty. A 1 ½ hour drive to the west is the Oregon coast with sugar white, ‘squeaky’ sand, rock stacks with nesting sea birds and great seafood restaurants! A 1½-hour drive east takes you back up to Mt. Hood, if you wish to stay overnight at Timberline Lodge. If your taste for waterfalls and miles of trails was whetted in the Columbia Gorge, it begins only 20 minutes east of Portland and continues to The Dalles with over 100 waterfalls near the road or a trail. Try the many Portland, OR websites for other ideas.

I’m accepting reservations beginning January 1st, 2004. Please write if you have further questions. Here’s hoping for wonderful weather and a great tour! Ginny Maffitt, 265 SE Sunset Blvd, Sherwood, OR 97140, Phone: 503-625-6384 Email: Maffitt@hevanet.com

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DETACH AND RETURN WITH $25 CHECK MADE OUT TO GINNY MAFFITT

REGISTRATION FORM, APS TOUR NAME_________________________________________PHONE__________________ ADDRESS_______________________________________EMAIL_________________ CITY, STATE, ZIPCODE__________________________________________________ NUMBER IN PARTY ATTENDING____________ NUMBER OF RIDERS YOU CAN ACCOMMODATE____________________ NUMBER NEEDING RIDES___________________________ CATERED DINNER SIGN-UP AT DISCOVERY CENTER MUSEUM. IF YOU SIGN UP, YOU ARE OBLIGATED FOR PAYMENT THAT EVENING, UNLESS YOU LET ME KNOW BY JUNE 1. Mango chutney chicken_____ Smoked salmon Alfredo____ Vegetarian entrée______ No reservation______