Things to Do in East Wenatchee

Having grown weary of the Texas tropes of football and heavy-handed competition, James Moore sought some kind of escape. At the advice of his father, he enrolled in Prescott College in Arizona for its unorthodox and outdoorsy approach to education. The school's recreation program lured James to Moab, Utah, where he received his first taste of whitewater rafting. After 30 days hiking the red-rock country, rafting the Green River, and living off peanut butter and freeze-dried dinners, James was not convinced the outdoors were his calling. He struggled to develop survival skills or cultivate an innate sense of how to navigate the wilderness. After one year at Prescott, he found himself returning to Texas.

It was a three-day kayaking trip with his father and brother-in-law on the Guadalupe River that showed James that working together and challenging themselves in such exhilarating conditions could bring people closer to each other and to nature. It wasn't long before he was off again, cramming all his earthly possessions into his pastel-blue '74 Ford Pinto and departing for Western Washington University in Bellingham. Once there, his love affair with the outdoors came to fruition while hiking the lush forests and rafting the bucking rapids of the Pacific Northwest. He was finally at ease in his surroundings.

Orion River Expeditions is the living continuation of James's journey and how he has ultimately solidified his relationship with the great outdoors and his community. He and his team lead explorers down seven of the Pacific Northwest's most scenic and adventuresome rivers, from the Wenatchee in Washington to the Deschutes in Oregon. Each trip strives to bring participants closer to their fellow passengers and their natural surroundings.

Though the tranquil, Bavarian-style village of Leavenworth is usually quiet, today it is abuzz with the sound of scooters supplied by Uber Scooter Rentals. Honda Metropolitan and Ruckus scooters meander through the nearby hills and mountain passes, ferrying passengers to scenic areas and pastoral photo ops. The Metropolitan turns heads with its classic European-inspired design, and the Ruckus sports oversized tires to navigate dirt and gravel roads with ease. Uber Scooter Rentals even gives adventurous guests an extra gas can if they desire, allowing them to fuel up for a few more miles or set fire to any rusty tin men who ask to hitch a ride.

[[m:####Adventure Aviation Trike Flights The duo of Robe “Bedo” Lyons and John “Wink” Winkenwader founded Adventure Aviation Trike Flights in 2007 to share their love of small-scale aviation with first-time fliers and those looking to get certified. The piloting pals take to the skies in light sport-weight trikes, which are open-air vehicles with glider wings that can make safe takeoffs and landings on three wheels or on pontoons. Instructional discovery flights take visitors up for jaunts over Lake Chelan, where they can take in scenic vistas and verify the cotton count of passing clouds. Those wishing to take on a solo career can opt for complete flight-certification courses, including expert ground-school and one-on-one flight instruction.:m]]

In the calm waters around the grassy shores of Waterfront Park and Blackbird Island, people glide on standup paddleboards as experienced staff guides their paddles and trajectory, and help them balance. Elsewhere on the river, groups float by in durable tubes outfitted with hammock seats and backrests, or churn the river currents in inflatable kayaks. Tube Leavenworth's staffers oversee all of these excursions on a shallow stretch of the Wenatchee River. Guides also direct many of their customers to the warm interiors of Der Hinterhof, where local and traveling artists fill the courtyard with live music. At the Gypsy Café, casual fare mingles with craft draughts, and representatives from Washington breweries often visit to explain the secrets of their craft and debunk anti-beer propaganda spread by martini lobbyists.

The Wenatchee River winds along 85-year-old Leavenworth Golf Club’s 18-hole, par 71 course, which features a sculpted landscape of arboreal alleyways and a backdrop of mountain peaks. The river runs the length of holes 6 and 11, forcing golf balls to choose between finishing at the hole or fulfilling dreams of becoming fishing bobbers. Two ponds come into play on five other holes, and stately pines line most of the course’s emerald fairways.

Golfers looking to improve their swing mechanics can enroll in lessons with a PGA professional or PGA and LPGA assistant professionals. Before jump-starting their day on the course, club guests can fuel up with a hearty country-style meal at The Wild Huckleberry.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 71 course
• Length of 5,711 yards from the farthest set of tees
• Course rating of 67.0 from the farthest set of tees
• Slope rating of 116 from the farthest set of tees
• See the scorecard