Summer in Oregon

I can't say anything bad about Oregon. It was an incredible trip.

Some highlights:
+ Our first daytime drive through the Columbia River Gorge--top down, sun on your snoot, all smiles.

+ Working up a summer sweat hiking the Eagle Creek Trail to the Punchbowl Falls in the Columbia River Gorge (moderate 4.2 miles). The trail is incredible. The ultimate payoff was an icy dip in the huge, mossy rock bowl. I want to go back and do this as a 2-3 day backpacking trip to Wahtum Lake (27-mile loop).

+ Secret tips from a new friend unlocked a gate to an awesome day of backcountry exploring in the Mount Hood wilderness (see photos at top). The tip we received allowed us to begin our day very close to the Cloud Cap Inn, which was built in 1889 at 6,000 feet on Mount Hood's northeast shoulder--a great starting point for the day. I originally wanted to do the Cooper Spur Trail, which I read about on trails.com. We did start on Cooper Spur, but the trail was covered in snow and unmarked, so we had to scamper around off-trail, which was super-fun. The terrain varied from creek-side snow piles and steep tree-covered inclines to thickly-forested areas and hot, loose, volcanic ash. AWESOME! We climbed up a large hill of ash/sand to a wicked view of Mount Hood. We hiked along a ridge while looking down into the huge glacier-carved gash and up at breathtaking views of Mt. Hoood, Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams, all the while keeping Cloud Cap Inn in sight. Of course, Tom insisted on throwing a boulder over the side, which of course, created a rock slide and a large cloud of dust and ash that we choked on for 5 minutes. I COULDN'T EVEN OPEN MY LITTE EYES! We carefully slid down into the gully to avoid a rock slide. At the bottom...SNOW! After de-rocking them, we used our hiking boots to ski down the "mashed potato" snow on the perfect decline to make it fun and keep us from taking diggers. We boulder-hopped to avoid being swept away by the swiftly-flowing glacial melt. FUN & FUN! I especially liked what I called the "puppydog trees"--very cool, moss-covered friends.

+ Lots of GREAT beer. My favorite was Henry Weinhard's Summer Wheat Ale--A crisp and refreshing beer with natural coriander orange--a limited release.

+ Glow-stix. Ridiculous. There's photographic evidence.

+ Our campsite at Mount Hood! We drove through a few campgrounds at the foot of the mountain, which were all full and none had showers. After a six-mile drive to the Mount Hood Ski Resort and Timberline Lodge, we spoke to some locals who told us we could just camp right there in some trees! Perfect! Stone campfire ring, privacy, good dry wood for burning and the Timberline Lodge a short walk away for water or potty. I'd call that my favorite night. Only a shower after that long, dirty day could have made this any better. It's hard to sleep when you're that filthy. I did, however, take a whore's bath in the ladies' room at a pub at the base of the mountain in Government Camp. nice.

+ The Oregon Coast. The Cannon Beach area was really beautiful. I'd like to take more time exploring that part of the state--the state parks, trails, food, beer. The homes here were really cool--obviously great craftmanship, a lot of detail in the woodwork, NO GAUDY EXTRA SHIT--a lot of time, not even paint, just simple weathered wood.

+ Seeing some friendly faces in a new place! My aunt rose, her husband nathan and my cousin victoria met up with us in Portland for the fourth of july. :) They live in Port Orchard, WA.

Bottom line--for me, Oregon beats the HELL out of Pennsylvania. My tent is smiling! The spaceship isn't crying yet, but i know she knows something is up (she's not going to cut it in the Pacific NW--she screams on the hills in Shenandoah).

Smell ya later. See a couple more photos.