Also, I'm kind of obsessed with banana slugs at this point. I like to count how many I see on the trail. My record is only 3, but still. I mean, they are GIANT out here.
Saddle Mountain is known to have breathtaking views...but I wouldn't know, seeing as when I went it was like walking through a fluffy (and somewhat humid) cloud. It was rainy when I headed to the coast and I knew that conditions were not good to see much of anything, but I wanted to cross this one off of the list because I have been eying it for a grip. Wildflowers were blooming, and it was all misty and a bit spooky. You could hear people in the distance, but visibility was not optimal, so that lent itself to me imagining hiking with ghosts. It didn't help when the sidekick started barking at blurry rocks in the distance. Is that a coyote? Nope, just a boulder. Also, I'm kind of obsessed with banana slugs at this point. I like to count how many I see on the trail. My record is only 3, but still. I mean, they are GIANT out here. The trail is steep in places, but they've got it covered...literally...in chicken wire. Tupes hates walking on it so that was fun. When you reach the top there is a big overlook. Nothin' but cloud bank. But this hike was not boring, and I got to bomb all of the way back down...which I'm sure was terrifying for the people in front of me. You know, not being able to see much but hearing someone running behind you. Not a long jaunt, but interesting. I would totally do it again. I met a friend in Seaside afterwards and she informed me that there have been a lot of break ins lately in the parking lot, so watch yo' stuff!
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The flowers are out y'all. You better get to the Gorge while the gettin' is good. I went on a hike without Tupelo. And she knows. And I feel so guilty. But it's not like I had a choice...no pups allowed at Rowena Crest. That didn't stop a couple of folks that I assume had no idea from bringing their four legged friends along. Tupes gave me a full sniff down when I came home. It was terrible. BUT, in my defense, I think she was still a little sore from the Clackamas River Trail the day before and needed the rest. Our muscle relaxant store is dwindling... Sometimes I wonder if she has developed a little "problem." Like, she isn't so much sore as she is drug-seeking. My pal, Lisa, and I attacked this trail a couple of Sundays ago. It was packed. I would try to go during the week for those of you lucky enough to be able to do so. It was just a short 3.4 miles up hill with glorious views of the Gorge and a bazillion wildflowers.
And stop by one of the many breweries in Hood River when you're done. It was swell. After 2 failed attempts...we did it! If you've been following previous blogs, you are well aware that I have attempted this on 2 other occasions, and it was CLOSED. It was obvious on the 10 mile hike (it was supposed to be 8 but sometimes those guide books are funky) why...tons of slides and giant trees down everywhere. A grip-load of peeps raft down the Clackamas River, so as you are hiking you can view their vessels through the trees. This spot is popular in the summer for the swimming possibilities it offers, and there were a few hiking campers on the trail. The tree situation makes it a bit hairy on a couple of occasions when I had to straddle them and dump the dog on the other side to get past the obstacles...but it is passable. Pup Creek Falls was a bit difficult to get to which enabled the pup and I to have a peaceful and solitary lunch.
There were some mushies, a stinky bog, a stepping stone crossing, some interesting trees that had been hit by lightening, a few wildflowers, and some slugs. I've had more difficult hikes, and more visually interesting hikes, but it was a'ight. Like whoa. If you are a fan of the OR side of the Columbia River Gorge, let me tell you, you HAVE GOT to check out the WA side. This is my 2nd stop that way and I have been exceedingly impressed by Washington. I feel like the tree cover and set up on my side of the river lends itself to less picturesque views. I usually have to crop pics to get rid of the highway and stuff. But over here near Bingen, views for days!!! Just look at that. The entire 8 1/2 miles is like this. Just spot after spot of gorgeousness. The area is sandwiched between the valley and the high desert, so you've got crazy rock formations, waterfalls, wildflower fields, forests, streams, all the things...including critters. I saw a couple of bull snakes and some alligator lizards. You can catch the videos on my Facebook page (Pdxperfection). The trail was not congested, although you do have to beware of mountain bikers that can bomb through the area. I don't really get mountain biking...it is challenging at times to hike parts of the trail, and imagining biking up them or getting my bike stuck in one of the deep ruts or hitting a giant boulder is terrifying. But, you do you mountain bikers. The trail has had several changes to restore areas, so be careful if you are using a hiking book. (Mine almost sent me over a hill to my death.) There is also a section of the hike that goes past private property so you have to continue on the correct trail. I seriously couldn't figure out how the hell these people could get supplies to their place. Also, I'm super jealous that someone gets to freaking live in the middle of this! I would check sites for the latest hiking/trail info. You can also just try to follow people that seem to know where they are going. At the bottom is when it seems most difficult due to the many biking trail tributaries that lead back towards the lot. You can go up past the waterfall first and come back around the area like I did, or go the opposite direction. I sometimes find it more motivating to leave the waterfalls for last, but this hike has fantastic stuff around every bend, so either way will be amazing I hiked through a couple of weeks ago, and a ton of wildflowers hadn't even started to bloom. My suggestion would be to get out there soonish if you are hunting flowers. The gorge is awash with color right now...as you'll be able to see in following posts. TEASE! As usual, this busted beagle needed plenty of breaks, but I must say, she has been doing SO well this year. I continue to dose her with muscle relaxants after hikes over 5 miles and she has yet to have a flare up. She hasn't needed to be carried out in I don't remember how long. Her behavior on the other hand...stubborn...marking everything...rolling all over the ground...whining when we stop for more than a min...typical beag.
I have been collecting rocks for about 4 months. I have used books and websites to attempt to identify them, and have tried to find decent ones because everything you read specifies, "garbage in garbage out." This means, if you find crap rocks, and polish them, you will have polished shit. In addition, your crappy rocks can break and damage any desirable rocks that you have in the tumbler with them. Other people may not need such a long period of time to find these lovely treasures, but for me it took awhile to fill the tumbler. There are a variety of sites that will tell you about the proper way to polish, but in general, you need good stones and you need enough to fill the tumbler 1/2 to 2/3 of the way full. Now, this is misleading. By the time you are done with the first round, you lose a bit of rock, so I had to do 2 separate batches on the coarsest grit to then end up with 2/3 of the way full for the next step. It also depends on how big of a tumbler you have. I needed about 10 lbs of rock per load. You can purchase other material to help you fill the tumbler...ceramic bits and whatnot. Each step takes about a week. Step 1: Coarse grit Step 2: Finer than coarse grit Step 3: Even finer grit Step 4: Finest grit So basically you load up your tumbler, add about 2 tablespoons of grit per lb of rock, and let it do it's thang. Then at the end of each week, you clean the shit out of the tumbler and the rocks, because if there is even 1 grain of grit left, it will scratch the dickens out of your rocks at the following step. Here's the thing, I think I actually like stones rough better than I like them polished. Also, I ran out of patience and frustration tolerance at step 3... I think I'll keep collecting stones. The polishing by tumbler thing is not for me. It is super expensive (tumbler, grit, electricity, etc). There are some places localish that teach you how to polish each rock by hand. Now, that could be interesting.
Holy shit! This hike is super hard. I got a new book. It's called 60 Hikes in 60 Miles: Portland, but really, it should be called, hikes to kill yourself on. Now, if you read my last blog you know that I have been sick for a bit. I tend to down play things...I was sweating, feverish, and basically thought I was dying for about 2 months...and after numerous tests and scary possible diagnoses we realized its just mono (yay!). I was doing some relatively low key hikes before, and then my energy returned and I was all like, "I'm totally ready to get back into this," but then this hike... From the onset it is pretty advanced. If you're like me, you will just lie to yourself and promise that it gets easier. It does get a bit less punishing after the first mile, but then it just goes back to being insane. The worst parts are the very beginning and then the summit. In the middle is unpleasant as well. This hike is really popular during the summer when all of the wild flowers are in bloom. We went a bit early because I was being all optimistic that possibly the flowers would be out in full force due to our unseasonably warm weather. Here's a pic of Tupes. I am imagine she is thinking something like, "Bitch, are you crazy?!" About half a mile from this outlook I came to the realization that my water bottle was gone. At some point, maybe seconds before I took this pic, that bottle must have rolled down the damn hill. Also of note, I was taking some pics at this spot when a nice gentleman noticed and tried to corral his fellow hikers as they walked into the frame. Not too big of a deal, you just assume this will happen when you hike in lovely places with tons of people. What I was not expecting was one of his friends to tell him, "I don't give a shit" while walking and standing directly in front of me. Ack! The dude was obviously embarrassed by his friend, and I feel bad for that person...your life must be pretty shitty if you have to be a complete dickhead while enjoying nature.
We were only 2 miles in, with at least 4 and a half to go (depends on the trail you take), straight uphill. So, you know, I chanced not having the water. I was thinking that I had done 15 mile hikes with limited water and would be fine. Just to note, about 2 hours later I saw someone faint from heat stroke and a teenager being half carried down the mountain. We all know how this ends. Tupelo gives up on the downhill leaving me to carry her half of the way. I beg water for the dog off of a really nice lady at Puppy Point. I drink about a gallon of water when I get to the first store after completing the hike. I am laid up in bed all of Sunday. This hike was beautiful. I both can't wait to go back, and want to promise myself that I will never make myself do that again. Naked Beach. There. Let's get it out of the way. There is a naked beach on Sauvie Island. When you say "Sauvie" to Portlanders, they either think of produce or nakedness...there are also a ton of farm stands out here. Mostly they think of nudies. This post is NOT about the naked beach. It's about the 6 mile hike to a lighthouse that I had no idea actually existed and some pretty special cows. -Here is one of the cows. There were 2...2 cows that were making super-creepy-intense-telepathy-type-eye contact and shit. The second cow (not pictured) was right by the fence. We locked eyes. It moved towards me. I moved towards it. It angled its wet nose towards me while staring me down with those big, dewy eyes and as I reached towards its muzzle with my hand, Tupelo ruined everything by barking and scaring the crap out of me and the heifer. She is such a jealous bitch. So yeah, now I can't each beef. If I ever share a special moment with a chicken I am going to starve to death. And for everyone that's all like, vegetarianism! Veganism! Nope. I did it for 11 years, so I gave it a good try. Didn't stick. We have been enjoying really sunny and warm weather In Oregon, and the wild flowers are starting to bloom. After several months of testing the doctor has assured me that I am not actually dying...I just have mono. I mean, I thought teenagers caught mono when making out with strangers in the closet, but apparently 36 year-old adults that have ALREADY had mono can actually get it again. So lucky. This hike was the first "real" hike I have been able to go on in months...because I just don't really count anything under 3 miles as a hike these days. When I first began, it all counted. But I think with time, unless I am continuing to challenge myself or see new things, it doesn't feel as gratifying. So there is this 6 mile hike to a lighthouse. You get to it by driving past the nudie beach. You basically just take the same road until it ends. Maybe you'll share a special moment with a cow, maybe not. There were a ton of people fishing on the waterway, which I didn't really know was a thing...and I also don't really know if I want to eat the things that come out of the Willamette. The city is still launching a clean up that should have happened a long, LONG, time ago. There are yummy contaminants and toxic sludge and what not. I mean, I think most rivers have this sort of crud in them at this point because, humans, but I'm just sayin'. And know that I have concerns, but that this doesn't keep me from swimming in it. Although, if I had an open wound I wouldn't chance it.
The hike itself was a bit muddy, but well marked and completely flat. There was a lot of sap from trees and these weird shell/flower part things kept covering the beasts feet, at which point she would prance around like a diva and refuse to walk until I had removed them. For all 6 miles. Stopping, every 100 ft... The lighthouse is adorbs, and incidentally, is the smallest lighthouse I have ever seen. Don't forget to stop off at the store (you will see signs as you drive) to purchase a parking permit. You will need one to park anywhere on the island. While you're at it, swing by one of the farms for some fresh produce for a picnic by the lighthouse. Here's my fav; they also have a stand on Hawthorne, so you don't have to make the trek for your fruits and veg if you are in the city and have a hankering. At different times of the year you will find farm-to-table dinners, haunted mazes, lavender picking, and pick-your-own berries so Google search that shit before you make a trip. I got to go to Yosemite. I bought a shirt. I wear the shit out of that shirt every chance I get. I realize that all of my photos are overexposed. What I did not know, was that light bouncing off of granite is like looking into the damn sun. It is blindingly gorgeous and disorienting, especially after a Portland winter of straight overcast days and rain. So, in reality, the pictures really do illustrate how my sensitive NW eyeballs experienced the beautiful Spring sunshine in this glorious park. If I had it to do over again, I would go early, early in the morning or late in the afternoon. And I would bring a real camera and not just the cell phone.
My pal, Serena, and her 2 beasts spent a day in the park. (Unbeknownst to us, dogs are only allowed in some places in the park.) I was on doctor's orders to go mellow with my activity (stupid body being stupid, stupid)...so I just sneaked a measly 3 mile hike...and we are just going to keep that on the down low. I'm hoping to get back this summer so that I can fully experience some of the more challenging hikes. The area reminded me a bit of the gorge, if the gorge was sunny. The rock formations here were really impressive and less hidden by trees. We saw a ton of really spectacular things, and probably ended up doing about 5 miles. It was the perfect time of year. Not too crowded, temperate, no snow, etc. I noticed that there were a lot of selfie sticks, but probably because there are more people in California so it would follow that there would be more right? There also seems to be a culture that stopping in the middle of a trail or bridge, crowding together with your 10 friends and blocking everyone else's path while you take 15 photos is cool. I have a hard time understanding people taking selfies in nature. I guess it's since I am always trying to eliminate people from my nature pics, I can't fathom why these individuals are purposely ruining their photos by putting people in them. I want to be the type of person that is like, "you do you." Part of me is happy that they are happy taking their 14th picture in front of Half Dome with a different pose, but most of me is just judging them. I am a work in progress. *Yawn* Just go somewhere else. Trees. I mean, not even a lot of trees. There are a lot more in Forest Park. There was 1 rhododendron where the map marked, "rhododendron." I laughed when I got there and realized that they have put this one special existing rhododendron of the effing map. I assumed it was a grove or something.
Parking sucked. Lots of noise because it is in the city. Would possibly be a nice place to spend your lunch if you work at the zoo or the children's museum. The "connector" trails were not marked on the map...so you would just assume that you were on the trail and then realize, nope, that's not the trail at all. If you are hankering for roses, go to the Rose Garden. Culture? Go to the Japanese Garden. Flowering plants and fowl? Go to the Rhododendron Garden. I can't think of any reasons to go to the Arboretum. Sorry. Not sorry. I work pretty crazy hours Mon-Fri, and y'all know that my weekends are spent adventuring which doesn't leave a whole lotta time to seek out city stuff. Basically the only day that I have daylight hours are on Tuesdays. The weather has been unseasonably warm and sunny over the past week, which prob doesn't bode well for summer (PDX'ers don't have A/C and last summer we were in the high 90's -100's for 2 months straight). The Rhodie Garden is super close to my hood, so I made a quick stop. Fun fact, they only charge entry from 10-4ish so anytime before or after that you can put a donation in the box or just swing through for free. I've been here once before. It was last year mid summer, and everything was dying. Because of the heat and stuff. Spring is definitely the time to visit. You walk through the gates...and into an effing fairy tale...with lots of ducks and geese. The geese are a bit aggressive, which make it only slightly less like moving through a nursery rhyme and a bit like a reality challenge show where you are moving through the maze of trails attempting not to piss one of by just existing. But hey, I saw several ducks fully dunk themselves under the water while feasting on who-knows-what on the bottom. Did anyone know that happens? I am used to seeing little duck butts bobbing above the water, but the fully submerged mermaid duck was super impressive! On a weeknight, it was not crowded and absolutely lovely. I just drove past it over the weekend and cars were parked around the block. You should go to there. Quickly while everything is blooming.
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August 2016
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