5 Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon | www.plso.org From the PLSO Office continues taking work calls. Be sure to set an out-of-office reply for your emails. 3. Maintain a Vacation Mindset: Be present in your experience and treat your staycation like a real vacation. 4. Be a Tourist in Your Own Town: Have you ever noticed that the longer we live somewhere, the less likely we are to visit areas that tourists go? Start by visiting the local museum that you haven’t been to since middle school. Chances are it’s changed a little. Enjoy a meal at a restaurant you’ve never tried before and then go to a separate place for dessert. And don’t forget that it is farmers market season! 5. Indulge in Your Interests: Take an afternoon to just indulge in something that makes you happy. The grass will still be there to cut the next day. Go fishing. Learn to paint. Knit a sweater for your dog. Make model ships in a bottle. Just decompress. 6. Pamper Yourself: Whether you are a man or a woman—it really is okay to take care of yourself. In fact, it’s doing other people a favor. Go get a pedicure for your sore feet. Pay extra for the paraffin wax and say yes to the free glass of wine. Really. It’s okay. 7. Reconnect with Loved Ones: Plan fun activities with your family such as board games, movie nights, or backyard camping. 8. Take Day Trips: Explore nearby towns or cities you haven’t visited before—be sure to take the scenic route or stop and see that odd attraction you never made time for like the Peterson Rock Garden & Museum in Redmond. 9. Relax and Enjoy: Allow yourself to relax and enjoy the break without feeling guilty. It will give you a second wind for the busy summer season. With all that in mind, if you still can’t shake the feeling that you should be DOING something, may I suggest some ideas, that could maybe, if you squint really hard, be a write off because it’s sort of related to land surveying, but you should probably not take my word on it? I thought you’d never ask. Northwest Willamette Stone State Heritage Site • Location: Portland, near Skyline Boulevard. • Significance: This site marks the initial point of the Willamette Meridian and Baseline, established in 1851, which is crucial for all land surveys in Oregon and Washington. • Features: Interpretive signs explaining the historical and surveying significance. Fort Clatsop • Location: Near Astoria. • Significance: Fort Clatsop was the winter encampment for the Lewis and Clark Expedition from December 1805 to March 1806. • Features: Replica fort, interpretive programs, and visitor center. • Recommended Stop: Get yourself some coffee art and a pastry at Coffee Girl, located along the Columbia River, inside the building housing the West’s oldest cannery, Pier 39 in Astoria. Oregon Historical Society • Location: Portland. • Significance: The museum houses extensive archives and exhibits on the history of surveying in Oregon. • Features: Maps, documents, and artifacts related to the surveying and development of Oregon. The Barlow Trail • Location: To drive the Barlow Road’s path, take Highway 197 south from The Dalles to Tygh Valley. • Significance: Crucial segment of the Oregon Trail, providing a passage for pioneers heading across the Cascade Range to the Willamette Valley. The trail provides an excellent case study for applying GIS and remote sensing to analyze and visualize historic routes, conditions, and changes over time. • Features: Short hikes to pioneer graves, wagon wheel ruts, replica of the old wagon tollgate, and the Laurel Hill Chute. • Recommended stop: Eat at the Barlow Trail Roadhouse,100year-old establishment, known for their breakfast style food and halibut and chips. Southwest Oregon Caves National Monument • Location: Near Cave Junction. • Significance: Offers an opportunity to study the karst topography and the challenges it presents to surveyors. Summer vacation season is soon upon us. Of course, to the land surveyor, this really means things are going from busy to busier.
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