A Chance Encounter With A Beautiful Site

We'd long been drawn to the raw, dramatic beauty of the Columbia River Gorge. 

Its gravitational pull all started with Joe Irwin purchasing a “Windsurfer 1” in 1979, kicking off a legacy of wind sports for his son, Kristof as well as the extended family and many friends. The geology and climate of the Columbia River Gorge create a natural playground for wind sports in a stunningly beautiful setting. Kristof dreamed of moving to the Gorge for the past few decades. Instead he found himself landlocked in Austin, running a building science business with Diane. 

Most people would have seen the obstacles and walked away. We saw potential instead. Perhaps because we are overly optimistic, but more likely because we felt a sense of belonging there. 

From the highest point of the property, the world fell away, revealing a breathtaking, uninterrupted panorama of a beautiful forest along a winding creek. And there, holding court in the distance, was Wy'east (Mt. Hood), majestic and snow-capped. It was a million-dollar view on a "good luck with that" piece of land.

Nevertheless, our annual  visits to the Gorge became longer and longer and included more friends and family every year. It started feeling more like home and though we weren't actively looking for property, we were always looking, hoping something we could afford would pop up.

As it would turn out, a property we could afford did pop up one day. The price was a reflection of the fact that it was steep and rocky, with no guarantee that it could even accommodate a house. It was a precipitous slope, tricky access, and a tangle of native oaks and firs. There was no driveway, and no clear path forward. Add a nice clump of poison oak and we were looking at what could have been a big mess. Although, there were some wild blackberries growing that were quite tasty.

We stood there, imagining morning coffee with the sunrise painting the mountain, and we knew we had to try. This wasn't just a site; it was the beginning of an adventure. We decided to take the leap.