THE DALLES
A New Era for Hood River’s Largest Toy Store
New ownership at powersports and bikes store
also joined the team to provide even better support and service for these exciting outdoor sports.
Post Canyon Bikes, located right next door, focuses on e-bike sales and service, featuring the largest and most capable manufacturer of e-bikes in the world: Yamaha. Most people
PHOOD RIVER POWERSPORTS & MARINE POST CANYON BIKES
are not aware that Yamaha has built more e-bikes than any other manufacturer in the world, and just recently began to focus on the US market with the introduction of the very best e-bikes available. Post Canyon Bikes also sells RFN and RAWRR (similar to Surron), with even more brands coming soon!
Story and Photos by HRP
lease welcome Hood River Powersports & Marine and Post Canyon Bikes to Hood River! Established in 2024 and owned and operated by Jamie Hull of Mt. Hood & Parkdale, they are bringing a new kind of adventure and community to the Gorge.
At HRP and Post Canyon Bikes, they’re here to help families and folks make the most of their time outdoors, whether you’re enjoying the outdoors solo, with friends, or exploring with loved ones. Everything they offer is designed to help you enjoy life, build your skills, and recharge — while always delivering the best service and support to keep the adventure going.
In just a few months of ownership, Jamie has already made huge changes to the dealership, including a major rebrand (with new signage coming soon!). They are also carrying even more world-class brands, such as RH Fishing boats, G3 Boats, Kawasaki, Sherco offroad and trail bikes, Kove Adventure and Rally bikes, CFMOTO UTVs, ATVs & motorcycles, Arctic Leopard Electric motorbikes, and Kayo pit bikes and ATVs.
For all you boaters and fisherman out there, they have big plans in the works, bringing 20+ years of boat design and building experience to ensure HRP becomes the go-to store in the Portland and Gorge areas. The Big Fishing store launches early 2025! New staff from the Hood River area — with professional expertise in moto and mountain biking — have
Jamie Hull is a Mechanical and Marine Engineer, lifelong gearhead and outdoorsman. So naturally, he saw this opportunity as the holy grail of combining many of his outdoor activities and passions under one roof, as well as to build a venue and share this experience with the Hood River community he loves so much.
Formerly MidColumbia Marine & MotorSports (MCM), this company has been in the Hood River’s boating, fishing and powersports culture for more than 30 years, and HRP & Post Canyon Bikes is excited to continue this legacy! A big shout out to Jim Drennen for making this possible!
HRP and Post Canyon Bikes provides sales, service and parts support for powersports, MTB and road bikes, e-bikes, marine and fishing. Hood River PowerSports & Marine and Post Canyon Bikes are located at 3335 Cascade Ave. in Hood River. For more info, visit our website at www. hoodriverpowersports.com/ or give us a call at (541) 386-2477.
Jamie Hull, Owner
Big Medicare Legislative Changes to Come
Make sure you’re covered by the deadline
By Kelly Romo, Contributing Writer
According to Shanon Saldivar, a trusted health insurance expert with over twenty-two years of experience, this year’s Medicare open enrollment brings the most significant changes since 2006. If you rely on Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage, now is the perfect time to review your coverage. With a major provider leaving the Medicare Advantage market and critical legislative changes to Part D, it’s essential to act before the December 7th deadline.
Starting in 2025, a new $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs will be introduced for medications on your plan’s formulary. However, this change may also result in narrower formularies, so ensuring your medications are still covered is crucial. With many different plans to choose from, navigating these options can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone.
In addition to the changes for Medicare Part D, a major Medicare Advantage provider is leaving the market. If you are
affected, you’ll need to find a new plan. While this may seem daunting, it’s also an opportunity to choose a plan that better fits your needs, whether that’s another Medicare Advantage plan or a Medicare Supplement/Medigap plan. Medicare open enrollment runs from October 15th through December 7th. If you don’t make a change by December 31st, your current plan will end, potentially leaving you without essential coverage.
For over twenty-two years, Shanon Saldivar and her team at Saldivar Insurance have been dedicated to helping their community navigate the complexities of health insurance. They’re here to provide free personalized guidance to help you find the right plan, ensuring you feel confident and covered without the stress of figuring it out on your own. In addition to Medicare, they also help with Healthcare.gov and direct individual plans. Contact Saldivar Insurance today to secure the best plan for your needs. They’re here to help you navigate these changes and find the coverage that’s right for you, all at no cost to you — their services are paid for by the plan, not the customer. Call 541-506-3773 or book an appointment online at www.saldivar-insurance.com.
Según, Shanon Saldivar, una experta confiable en seguros de salud con mas de veintidós años de experiencia, el periodo de inscripción abierta de Medicare de este año trae los cambios más significativos desde 2006. Si depende de Medicare Part D o Medicare Advantage, ahora es el momento perfecto para revisar su cobertura. Con un importante proveedor saliendo del mercado de Medicare Advantage y cambios legislativos importantes en la Parte D, es crucial actuar antes del 7 de diciembre.
A partir de 2025, se implementará un nuevo límite de $2,000 en los gastos de bolsillo para medicamentos recetados que están en el nuevo formulario de tu plan. Sin embargo, este cambio podría llevar a formularios más limitados, por lo que es fundamental verificar
que sus medicamentos sigan cubiertos. Con tantas opciones de planes disponibles, elegir el adecuado puede ser significativo, pero no tienes que hacerlo solo.
Además de los cambios en Medicare Parte D, un importante proveedor de Medicare Advantage está saliendo del mercado. Si esto aplica con usted, necesitará encontrar un nuevo plan. Aunque esto pueda parecer desalentador, también es una oportunidad para elegir un plan que se adapte mejor a sus necesidades, ya sea otro plan de Medicare Advantage o un plan de Suplemento/Medigap de Medicare. La inscripción abierta de Medicare es del 15 de octubre al 7 de diciembre. Si no hace un cambio antes del 31 de diciembre, su plan actual terminará, lo que podría dejarlo sin la cobertura esencial.
Durante más de veintidós años, Shanon Saldivar y su equipo en Saldivar Insurance se han dedicado a ayudar a su comunidad a navegar por las complejidades del seguro de salud. Están aquí para ofrecerle orientación gratuita y personalizada para ayudarle a encontrar el plan adecuado, asegurándose de que se sienta seguro y cubierto sin elestrés de tener que resolverlo por su cuenta. Además de Medicare, también te ayudan con Healthcare.gov y planes individuales directos.
Contacte a Saldivar Insurance hoy para asegurar el mejor plan para sus necesidades. Están aquí para ayudarle a navegar estos cambios y encontrar la cobertura adecuada para usted, todo sin costo: sus servicios son pagados por el plan, no por el cliente. Llame al 541-506-3773 o programa una cita en línea en www.saldivar insurance.com.
Bounty Brilliance
Celebrating local farms and artisans
By Angie Helvey, Contributing Writer
Celebrating Oregon’s magnificent bounty each autumn is a tradition that dates back to the mid-1800s. Celebrating its 39th anniversary this year, the Hood River Valley Harvest Fest is one of the longest-running festivals in the Columbia Gorge and promises a spectacular lineup of farms and orchards, arts and crafts vendors, delicious food, local beer and wine, live music and more!
Presented by Toyota, the festival will take place Friday, Oct. 11–Sunday, Oct. 13, at the Hood River Event Site on the Columbia River. Comparable to a giant farmer’s market, the event features an abundant selection of farm vendors selling everything from pears and pumpkins to flower bouquets and potted plants. It’s a great place to pick up a crate of fresh, crispy apples for eating fresh or baking pies.
The roster, subject to change, includes local vendors like Dancing Light Ranch, a lavender farm, and Secret Valley Produce, which offers a variety of fresh veggies. To add to the party, between 12 and 14 food vendors will be onsite, slinging tacos, corn dogs, barbecue, crepes, ice cream and more! Check out the bar to pair your snacks with seasonal cocktails, a cold beer or a glass of wine.
The arts and crafts vendors are some of the best in the region, having been vetted through a juried acceptance process. With 80 participating businesses, there’s something for everyone, whether you’re interested in paintings and pottery or candles and jewelry.
It’s an impressive showcase of the talented artists and makers in the Columbia Gorge and beyond!
True West produces the Harvest Fest, and a fantastic live music schedule is planned, so wear comfortable shoes and come prepared to groove! Shireen Amini kicks off the party on Friday with a soulful blend of rock, Latin, hip-hop and roots, followed by the June Bug Boys, an old-time string band local to Hood River.
The tunes continue on Saturday, starting with Tallulah’s Daddy, a fun, interactive musical performance perfect for kids and families. Mikey the Rad Scientist will take the stage next with a unique science and nature-themed musical performance. Rounding out the afternoon, JoAnna Lee will perform her acoustic-based blend of pop, rock and soul, and Tony Smiley will conclude the day with his captivating talent for live looping, the art of recording multiple layers of sound simultaneously to create complex and engaging melodies.
Mikey the Rad Scientist will make a second appearance on Sunday, followed by Americana soul artist Megan Alter. Indie rock band Blue Willow will perform the grand finale.
Proud to be a treasured event for the whole family, the festival will offer plenty of fun activities for kids. The dedicated Kids Zone offers games and bouncy houses, and littles can get their faces painted or even paint a pumpkin! The kid-specific acts in the performance lineup are also new this year.
Celebrating and sharing the region’s fall harvest brings people together and helps to support local growers and businesses. “The festival draws, on average, 10,000 people over the weekend at a normally slow time for the community,” says Lee Perry of True West. “Hotels are typically sold out, and not only is Hood River booming, but so are the surrounding communities.”
For more information, including pricing and ticket purchases, visit the website at hoodriverharvestfestival.com.
CARVE THE PERFECT PUMPKI N
Believe it or not, everyone can be an artist when it comes to pumpkin carving, but it is harder than it looks. Follow the following eleven tips, and your gourds will look and smell good the entire trick-or-treating season. Get carving!
Start with the right pumpkin.
Choose one that’s fresh, with a sturdy stem, no bruises, and a flat bottom so it won’t roll while you carve.
Cut from the bottom, not the top. Cutting your “lid” from the bottom of the pumpkin helps prevent the sides from caving in later.
If you carve from the top, cut lid on an angle. This way it won’t drop inside the pumpkin when you replace it, like it would with a straight up-and-down cut. A boning knife should work well for this.
Scoop out all the pulp (and then some).
You can buy a special “claw” for pumpkin gutting, but an ice cream scoop will do just fine. Thin the inner wall of the “face” area to 1¼-inch thick, so it will be easier to pierce the shell.
Sketch your design to size on paper first. Tape it to the front of your pumpkin. Using a fork or pencil, poke holes along the lines you want to carve.
Try holding the pumpkin in your lap.
It’s easier to create features when the face is gazing up at you. It is suggested to use a serrated kitchen knife or an X-Acto knife.
Start by making simple rough cuts.
If you get the big pieces of pumpkin out of the way first, you can go back and clean up the edges of your design later.
Use your scraps creatively.
Make a tongue, pipe, or hair accessories out of discarded pieces of pumpkin shell, for example.
Keep your pumpkin fresh.
Spread petroleum jelly on the cut edges to seal in moisture. If your pumpkin still shrivels a few days later, revive it with a facedown soak in cold water for up to eight hours.
Create a chimney.
First, leave the lid on for a few minutes while the candle burns. Cut a small hole where the pumpkin has blackened up top. Or, save yourself the stress and opt for a battery-operated votive.
Sprinkle cinnamon inside.
That way, when you light the candle, your jack-o’-lantern will smell like a pumpkin pie. Yum.
Gourmet Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Satisfy your post-carving cravings
Spicy-Sweet
2 cups raw pumpkin seeds
3 tablespoons butter, melted (or olive oil)
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
* pinch of cayenne pepper
* freshly ground black pepper
Preheat to 325°. In medium bowl, combine butter, syrup, 3/4 teaspoon salt, cinnamon, ginger, pinch of cayenne pepper and few grinds of black pepper. Add seeds and toss to coat. Transfer to parchment-
lined baking sheet. Bake — stirring halfway through — until browned and fragrant, about 20 to 30 minutes. Season with pinch of salt.
Garlic-Parmesan
2 cups raw pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or butter)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 325°F. In medium bowl, combine oil, cheese, garlic powder and salt. Add seeds and toss to coat. Transfer
to parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake — stirring halfway through — until golden brown and fragrant, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Roasting Tips
Use the oven’s center rack.
Don’t crowd the pan.
Watch seeds to ensure they don’t burn.
