tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69794405656623692102024-02-07T10:34:54.258-08:00Justus In The WorldJustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.comBlogger503125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-17681302257904436632020-09-15T21:24:00.002-07:002020-09-15T21:24:07.876-07:00Days 6 and 7<p> After relaxing by Top Lake for a couple nights, it was time to push on. I'd stayed around to give the legs a break and to soak up some lake and relaxing time, eating huckleberries and settling in for a little bit. A nice breather, but the trail mindset was calling. The legs could've used more time off, having done those 50 miles in the first 3, but the way out was ahead and Mt Jefferson was in the distance.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_8af2_cf6f_572b_90c2" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/inUjG_Zo8hI2gYwL3slBFT2opDOxLhqLlDaSfjI-UdsdvIUSq3j5q5hBs7VR3AQ" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p> Heading up from Top Lake, I passed several other lakes, an open meadow that just made me smile and then an awesome outcropping with views of Mt Hood and Olallie Lake below. Talk about a great rear view mirror shot, capturing the distance I'd traveled so far. Pushing 60 miles from Hood to get this view, and more to go!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_d186_a026_a9e3_8b7f" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/CAAT2loXooBFexEmrk6rtkNi3h5eLxgJyeLW1sh4HEH2SnTwf9BhZhki8_RcXps" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>To get into Jefferson Park, my overnight spot under the mountain, you have to head up, up and up to 7000 feet to get over a ridge, to then go down and down to the meadows and lakes. My legs were feeling pretty shot on the way up, but the thought of swimming, relaxing and watching the sun set on Jefferson kept me going. That, and, there really is no stopping when you're on a trail and not at your destination. Only one way to go, and that is right foot, left foot. With some stopping for views of course. On the ridge I could see a couple fires burning in the distance. Too close for comfort, but safe for this hike. Sadly having seen what has happened afterwards, this whole area would get closed down and be in danger of fire, and most likely burnt.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_3b63_c864_2750_2b2b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jfqYzOf9SZDF1FY-mfFtlV5vSWwzaVQmgCr8cXpFZQqeuuLNHQ6_NRKe6Ln47dY" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Looking down at the lakes just brings a smile to your face. It's like walking into a postcard. Well, a postcard that takes a couple miles to get into. Having just been in this area a couple months ago, I had a couple spots in my mind for where to camp by the lakes. I scored a winner with a great view of the mountain. Prime for sunset watching from the tent. Swim, dinner and relaxing on the last night on the trail. A great finish to a great trip.</p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_3706_e9e6_74d8_c607" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/qFQUR2H--_-z2ZrXuzgfSKB0gf4PAA9Q1Ydz13XqsEb0rAoOBfx1qI7vadHou0I" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_6e34_cceb_c73b_c6da" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Cxqq3EVOEUJTkrWeS7-bTq6Mbx1D83hGk-4aKH48Q6b_SnSlscgR4uAidbCc_gM" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_609e_51b6_be9_8ec4" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_RoQIfGE2U9UfmqkAJkDFJpMkcV2KjXltTA5M4HKNa4Q0W5XxpIKfLWBbiejtso" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_fd91_51e9_cf2a_9f85" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/jV-JYkZP47yjefHG5VvHqD3IU77aYta7Yn2NGiaZbHHUxncrOcEUoEk_uyvVyUI" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classic sunset on a mountain. So Good!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_56d_e822_74f1_2793" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/WWTUoQeFGIErnMkqtSUPdlgEOcmPsxdMJ5DtyhCcf27KmngewgsVfAESoAI3iU8" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moonrise over Mt Jefferson<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p> The next morning was all smiles on the way out. Good times on the PCT, pushing the body and mind, getting 70 miles in and becoming one with nature, yet again.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_36b8_cb38_a76a_7186" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/hZVXFxkY-bKG8YX7NiyPM1IerJAdmC89WlvMWrMfYUgAi6NzOxbWKwf4qvqmv5I" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_9da2_fd69_254d_1e2c" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/nq9I5Tu6Ywn7I77YjHAWlJ-lwizyXRwbed3dzod50nBIGIrOo7Sk35VSf4iQ76A" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_6b75_a39d_8005_41f2" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/P-DdveYtEqMVOumDLI3NWw1LWUWAx2yLz1ka1AT0i1qZKOdXdipUmQS8F1XIbac" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p>Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-84492592945900754172020-09-03T20:25:00.002-07:002020-09-15T20:53:53.036-07:00Days 4-5 Top Lake<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="480" id="id_170d_c6ec_764b_789e" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/SK9TDZ0A1W3CP_csHZ2B3jzTZHwP95X-7VHJn801dVLAcwfE1fnvw-L4MlyM61g=w640-h480" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" tooltip="" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My campsite at Top Lake, all to myself<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br />This is my campsite, the pay off for the next two days of hiking. After feeling my legs get beat up along the first 3 days of doing 50 miles, it was time to take a breather and have some time reading and relaxing by a lake. What better place better than an alpine lake all by myself with views all around, swimming when I want and huckleberries all around? Can't beat that. But how'd I get there?</p><p><br /> </p><p>On trails like the below. Well, actually that is just the same trail, as the PCT goes over 2000 miles and this is it. Just straight cruising. Every now and then you look behind and you see Mt Hood in the distance, way back, getting farther and farther away. A feat to still be on my feet. <br /> </p><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" height="589" id="id_2b09_6d5e_7105_2396" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/c0XNDDHkTqiRpUOG_yIzgD-VykcEKk_R15byP0F8qbxMW3K6VaoL3-LzRQEMjA0=w441-h589" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" width="441" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_3832_e1e1_edcb_eabc" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/XrGjW0xg1bOpgOB1iukB44Jc7vB_sHm8wuwz-xirAQBg-AZHdviVw_dD7nXl7fo" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt Hood way in the back. I started there!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_a25a_b497_61d7_d8c3" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/vfQnjuDr7H4NGVLCp9VBcEqY4bvYNWDatJN3Ki8F2GbXVVepPqmXrJSZ1gOdfjI" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fairly straight, easy to just keep moving without even thinking about the miles.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />After hiking multiple hours, I came to Ollalie Lake, the main hub for the area I would stay in. There is a resort made up of cabins, drop toilets and a store. Yes, a place selling backpacker food that you can stock up at and get your feast on. After dehydrated food for days now, this was amazing to be able to get a variety of products, with the highlight being cinnamon raisin peanut butter. Really darn amazing, with a sugary kick that was just what I was going for. Following other PCT hikers, I got some tortillas to wrap it in and was in pure bliss after 50+ miles on the trail.<br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_bb93_ba84_206f_ca2a" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/oGL7DExVAEuWHwAbXRQr4c1eFPOtoYqsS6_i6vnwl6MhhZIQJVqiFcqU2sZL4os" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olallie Lake has an amazing view of Mt Jefferson<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_2cbd_3e3e_c85b_bf19" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/G4DnsUzumOWmYtDexA9ni382pR6k9eBFwgljhoCtRn7nCAKcr5mXO0JaRMuENGc" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The perfect distance from two countries to buy food at :)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />After a refill on food and one heck of a view of Mt Jefferson, I headed up the PCT to find a lake to call my own and rest up at. Top Lake turned out to be the winner. Views of Ollalie Butte, no other people and a great spot with logs to sit on. That's right, I was sitting on the ground and logs for the whole trip, not affording myself a chair as a luxury. Brought a book to read, but no chair. The backpacking life for me!<br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_d46c_a770_ebbc_ed66" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Umeoz64no_91IkC71AWGxR78mtfJXojTfp1jlKwMydC0eu4mLrc-XPr0idOYH4w" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from my tent, facing east, with sunrise<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_d856_4114_72a7_1467" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/mrGQsh0dFvDTMY722dHoYBsBsM_qcXsaE6Bz8TTkhL4MEZVmjD-r5GHbSfFsdv8" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Letting gravity help out with my water filter. Pour into the pot and the pot into the bottle and clean amazing water to drink, easy as.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_5b91_f2d0_934b_393b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/4fr-I_1ndYgfMJ1IdOScJm4Ssrr4qzauZJbNpC1l1m4sa3M4t__5GphusAUSTIw" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Huckleberries everywhere around the campsite! Kinda like blueberries mixed with acai berries. Or more like a huckleberry. Be a hound, eat some!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-36273544951441686572020-08-30T20:41:00.002-07:002020-08-30T20:41:28.482-07:00Days 2-3 on the trail<img alt="" id="id_912_b096_a303_4b9c" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/hF3pQ_2ycKoygFmak-08Y5HwAJojRI17KyZvYW7q4eok0yN9aC5ksnHC-fGPkq4" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /> The above shows a typical Northwest scene. Pine and for trees, often rock fall and a trail leading the way somewhere. As I got further away from Mount Hood, I could really see how far I’d gone. On day two I did 14 miles. Day three was 15 miles. And that up with they won, and that’s an even 50 miles over three days. So much scenery, so many trees, so many miles, and some tired legs. But the payoff was to come the next day when I got to the lakes by Ollalie Lake. Alpine Lakes for days…<div><br /></div><div>Photos from day 2 and 3:</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_298f_f760_60ce_bcbd" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/mNIeSbItOI_YfDk39l8oUsR07109oySt2G0nWD-MCMsQAKiiQRfpf0Q5gRnp8Bo" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good old trail markers leading the way </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_efea_9e28_5b1b_bc47" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/kP66sRfBzh8Zdub-pdJJKd77R5MuZCYg5ZpLUsM8r2koZCqdJlGJe5Iblq00Zrg" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy hiker on his way To Warm Springs River, really a creek right now</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><img alt="" id="id_8a53_8122_42bb_ad31" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Aj8HDbph3WV51pyMGskOusCCh4nejzJd4xpgslSMF51hGTKnLJNc1IgYERTPZEQ" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Follow the trail they say...<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_744e_bba0_ebb9_962a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/XZMCqkpL-OhfDlj-EIDYbR0id_5XbNq0Os2kRAjd6c5KpjB7j0uEZOfDfScNPWs" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My pack and newly acquired walking stick. Knees already feeling the miles</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_3d28_f7a3_5f0b_a16" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/ljFKgQwedzG8_MB7Ksqp7OoNyI9iogKYgJ5fcuN8-ujjWzRPAdJVK1AZMWqPA0Y" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dehydrated stew and a river ice bath on night two </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_6881_ca5b_ac9a_a35d" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/tr_xlL9MmjJ0_dG3cmwIVkm2c1OQzcoRPa1hbNGKd3KV56spDe9ozPC_fNR4Eoo" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hood getting further away, 30+ miles away now from where started hiking </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_2e9a_5bfe_c54_aaac" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/CU2YkJfX_9BxKnoK3TWLhp6nYaP03bmtGjfbetGb994S0ntbwPSQwP5CcXiMrmU" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Out of the forest with cascade views behind and my su hat on setting the trends</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_4b43_8867_6911_9753" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2GLGQ97tApBR3DelzhJAFLC1GgdV8F9FgR1T9OpAIe8eythlkW2NzV2H1eQVcBc" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nicely maintained trails </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_67f6_c01b_491_f3b0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/TTRx5CTmKCAyvCiyqYSEcPhzxOZORs4rMQa4LzpSPkA3AOVt6y9Y2OYXi30BT6g" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Out whooping it up!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-14959970501123061172020-08-30T20:36:00.004-07:002020-08-30T20:36:41.393-07:00Days hiking the wilderness<img alt="" id="id_c33f_cbcb_aaa2_3311" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/mcmISPMOYhdg8UC6xWw_CqfdCKKniV2R4WOjguHsojnYbbHYIsqMw6249esOa1s" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /> <div>For quite a while now, I have wanted to do part of the Pacific crest Trail. It is one of the most iconic trails in the West, going from Mexico to Canada, and it runs right through Oregon, often where I have been hiking. To me, it sounded fun to put some miles on the trail, testing out the through hiking where are you bring all your food and gear and just hit the trail. Quite the test of endurance of both body and mind. Plus the scenery would be amazing. So with 2020 being such a wild year, and my European trip postponed, what better time to set off on an isolated hike for a week through the wilderness?</div><div><br /></div><div>The plan was to hike from Mount Hood nearby me in Portland 100 miles south over a week of blissful hiking. I planned it out and rides to and from the trails, and set out last Saturday for the adventure. So cool to be on the trail at last, Ready to go as far as I wanted and run the show. I set out with Timothy lake as my end destination just over 20 miles away, feeling ambitious from the start. I would get water once along the way, and right before the lake, meaning I had to carry a decent amount of water with me, as often on this trail water would be spread out with miles between chances to fill up. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here are some highlights from day 1:</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_7839_8e9c_88eb_cf46" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/5R8Bxob_Qmp38YirOb4o68F5ZnXzmKzsCjAYXc1Wu2v7gd8QWW99cOJchoMuPXU" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All packed and ready to go and set out from Mt Hood<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_7f97_95ce_3229_932b" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/eeaYg3w1CC9kY4iksYoT1OWZNx1DJwthUmCddoGyVu216rZx71IOyPvk1xZ96Hs" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First trail crossing. Still headed south with Hood behind</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_57e0_b4af_683c_3450" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/xN3K0X7qcM_z8MzcWS9n2j-Izderv_T-SbwSC-sgJybuUAWFDkUsAJNYgc1QAxA" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">11 miles in and Hood looks pretty far away</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_77ac_d78d_f887_72b2" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/tEtgkO-0L6zrXalJpm8juQAi9YcJ6dHxfHAUkOKaZvqHJyhQvT8bv8Df3fbPn_k" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old PCT logo is still out there as a marker sometimes</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_3f9e_9765_e4d8_9744" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/sNFPbTqUmPo-O35McC2SEEatA4FrxsMfMy0XTBGJf_KBDX641hO36s_ETcg39sc" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Crater Lake, known for its clarity and taste. I can attest to both </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_1b6a_f2c7_8769_b8a1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/rIkLIp2mGzNnApPcKAy0RNtYzc9D7GbpXReK5Uhg5BUkQXr4GHUIDW-sR7IF8io" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First night campsite overlooking the se set over Timothy Lake</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_badb_a05a_c778_2c37" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/S_QM5VaXxxxJXR77HajSRqDph-lPecHVEUBur6XSkgk07Joz1uwONnY2DYABgw8" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">20 + miles deserves a dip!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-16394555013151467182020-08-10T21:44:00.002-07:002020-08-10T21:45:18.942-07:00The Mighty North<div class="separator"><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" height="827" id="id_1ba1_2a10_efed_9888" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/YeCky9NeqFClT5HtcWx7O6GNCXhTvRiLahk5n9cpDjUq6Ii9VZ9GeBqgXKnIWQc" title="" tooltip="" width="621" /><br /><br /><br /></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_1b9d_df3c_92f1_21c9" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/zoD8-GON5aTO_gDj5FTYk6d-lBwuj4YjfTuOR_mMkIw3orSfG1EnT6y2uaLoaas" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /></div><br /><p>As the NW explorations continue, I'm enjoying finding new places and seeing new landscapes. Last year my uncle gave me a book entitled "The Seven Summits" of which there was one I didn't know. Mt Shuksan. I had to look it up last year, saw it was way up almost to Canada and a ways east of Seattle. Figured it probably wouldn't happen anytime soon, and yet there I was on the train up to Seattle last weekend with hiking plans for Mt Shuksan. Low and behold, some Seattle friends knew of a great hike to the base of the mountain that they wanted to try out and it sounded perfect for me.</p><p>The drive from Seattle early Saturday morning was great. Leaving the cityscapes behind we turned off the 5 freeway and drove a couple hours on country roads, through small towns with names like Acme and Glacier, with great views of towering snow-covered peaks in the distance. So nice and exciting to look at, knowing our end goal might be one of those mountains in the distance. We were seeing a lot of the North Cascades National Park, which is full of all sorts of glorious peaks.</p><p>Parking by a closed visitor center and passing many masked day hikers, we headed up 800 feet, to get to the Lake Ann trailhead, our end goal. From there it was another 800 feet down to the valley floor, full of open meadows, creeks and some good views all around. Kind of like a Yosemite Valley vibe, minus the large rock monoliths. Pretty soon we could see parts of the jagged Shuksan and cloudy bits of Mt Baker.</p><p><img alt="" id="id_2424_2295_1920_d048" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/8s-Uz1sq_qKUAPElXv-3Qaw2vS2zbSru6Ys-T_2uHM3NXs12bEzaUkjl7elJhUg" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><img alt="" id="id_e584_1c4c_968c_5" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/sZ_RzGjMCCoIUWf9ewwuTafEmeYv_npily5so91GaOOc1OvJYIIau-MJyH97xkM" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><br /></p><p>Zig zagging up snowy rockfall, we made it to the lake which was almost as frozen as an ice cube. Snow and ice all over, but the best part was the view of Shuksun from there. Just an open expanse of a view, which a half mile from the lake, we made our view, as we set up camp in an open flat spot overlooking the mountain, hills, valleys and peaks in the distance. A winner of a spot with a creek nearby as well.</p><p><img alt="" id="id_85c3_59ae_a1c7_8ef8" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/wm9NMKF9ZrXA3cHZBKOlRRFVNuM4jOaKvWfG1JazJ5CRxnxB7FQnbfrybWTU2Ck" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><br /></p><p>The rest of the time was spent exploring the climbers trail and talking to those who were coming down/heading up to climb the 9100ft mountain. We turned around at the spot where you needed ropes, but got a great view of Baker from up high. Hiking around Lake Ann and above it, offered new perspectives and entertainment. Just an all around good spot for an overnighter and day trips.<br /></p><p><img alt="" id="id_75ab_28e7_c3b7_dac7" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/0oezhGOyIK7u_fsnKP_m89NFtXUX-AwJyGlJmAS_hhEFqW_M9qC3zm_oEyhUIW4" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><br /></p><p>In the night, we were treated to two planets, multiple stars and an epic moonrise that was so bright it cast shadows. <br /></p><p><img alt="" id="id_c152_e931_8648_4520" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ifH7m4O0kMj53jg3y7kHPCfgeKszvMd4WMacVR0fTlCu7kYdDbbks8_HZy8KT8g" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><img alt="" id="id_91f7_6a2c_4161_9c56" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/EppTVUsla1mjX75NMFtLXQsAmAO1nw7f0IHfculzhSU8hCUSKa0JqMyDW5bQc8s" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><img alt="" id="id_39f9_9660_c736_b76e" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/3_bNcJ7H7C_0XSEiv-98w6GkLINJBO7_yRgDvByAERCM00HQQuU5bBhDst4UfrM" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><img alt="" id="id_3241_a713_7414_8525" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/WT_WDqrZlCKQjbA3TRMX9lkcYjbZtTjrRGvopLANxGo1JD3e7eAFiGEMYm8ZgIg" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img alt="" id="id_fac9_b160_1c99_8676" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/LaP_8zmgnvIcMWmvwJ35RwF3y-SWLgauhEM_M3wf4XaCaum7Xy6rK5sGV9CjlKg" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><br /></p>Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-85869270788859518042020-07-30T22:11:00.002-07:002020-07-30T22:11:28.087-07:00Jefferson Explorations<div>
Hi everyone! The adventures have been grand this summer so far as I keep exploring the Pacific Northwest. Recently, two friends and myself headed to Jefferson Park to explore. It's been high on the list for a while and is renown for its lakes, views and meadows. Which makes it a popular spot, although it is a couple hour drive to most cities.<br />
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We were definitely not the first to the parking lot and passed multiple people on the hike in. It's about 6 miles up to the lakes, and due to a recent forest fire, we had some epic views on the way up. All smiles going in, due to excitement, nature and some fun stories being passed around. Something about hiking with good friends that gets you laughing a lot more. <br />
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You get up towards the lakes and are rewarded with views that are
straight from postcards. How can you top a trail curling along
hillsides with lakes and mountain views all around?<br />
<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/JUJ6VeA3TXecZhOVOQ2-VFABu4GkNJ2ft9obGbtFyIO2N5g44Auuqsk_u-SZXiQ" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="id_eb88_3004_ad9c_7c54" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/JUJ6VeA3TXecZhOVOQ2-VFABu4GkNJ2ft9obGbtFyIO2N5g44Auuqsk_u-SZXiQ" style="cursor: move; height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></a><img alt="" id="id_45f2_51ae_ffdb_52cc" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/snwfsjAT9_cgi96Yc6ZG-g87Om2mDy2AO7yNR-MhLjVTkkxhgILgSLlkfCIVVKI" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />
Wildflowers were still in full effect all over, with multiple colors booming in different patches.<br />
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Mt Jefferson is the 2nd highest mountain in Oregon, and stands mighty fine.<br />
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Little ponds dotted the landscape on the valley floor. Pretty much wherever you are down there, the view is fantastic and you are close to a lake for swimming. Or a pond for catching reflections.<br />
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One of the 8 or so lakes that you could hike around, find campsites at and relax. Loads of people with hammocks out enjoying the vibes, and swatting the ever present mosquito population. Was it super beautiful? yes. Were the mosquitoes horrible? Understatement of the century.<br />
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We did a day hike up part of Mt Jefferson and were rewarded with the valley floor below and Mt Hood in the distance. I'm a happy man whenever I have a view of Mt Hood, and being up on Jefferson made it even better. So much grandeur all around!<br />
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Here is our campsite, right next to a running stream, with a mountain view. Can't beat that setup. <br />
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Loads of creeks around to drink from as I'm partial to river or stream water. Lake water just has a certain taste to it that makes me look for running water.<br />
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Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-55600996499859598382020-07-30T21:47:00.001-07:002020-07-30T21:47:28.941-07:00Hello!<div>
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Hi everyone! Here are some fun pictures from a recent hike on Mount Jefferson. We blazed the trail up, found a spot with amazing views of Mount Hood in the distance, and soaked it up. Down below in the Jefferson Park wilderness, lakes, ponds, meadows and mosquitoes awaited us. Wait, the mosquitoes came up the hike with us. Apart from the mosquitoes, this was one of the most beautiful places in the NW. </div>
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Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-17659161061132594932019-08-08T20:26:00.001-07:002019-08-08T20:26:17.879-07:00Back to nature<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, it's summertime and that means I'm normally out backpacking around the mountains nearby Portland. I got up this past weekend for the first time in 6 weeks, due to multiple adventures outside of Portland. Two separate week+ long trips to the San Juan Islands/Olympic National Park and to the Grand Tetons in Wyoming were mixed in with camping trip in Central Washington. It's been a great summer so far, full of adventures and it felt so good to be back on Mt Hood.<br />
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I hiked up around a reflective lake to a mountain spot perfect for hammock camping (see above) and enjoying the fine views of Mt Hood. A perfect spot that was idyllic in it's view, silence and bountiful nature. The mosquitoes did their bit to keep me awake all throughout the night, but waking up to the sunrise two mornings in a row was well worth it. Here's how the sun progressed to rise over Mt Hood in the mornings:<br />
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And if I walked 10 feet, I was able to see the lake down below. Pretty damn good:<br />
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Another fine backpacking trip in the books. More to come this summer as I keep exploring the NW and living the good life.<br />
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I hope the summer is going well with everyone!Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-56723579094755006832019-05-02T22:20:00.000-07:002019-05-02T22:20:49.477-07:00What's that? It's been a long while with no blog posts? Has there been a white out? Well, it's been winter and I've been out playing in the mountains, exploring the amazing city of Portland and catching up on my basketball. Early summer is in full effect here, so expect more posts to come soon! Here's a shot of me having fun while staying at a hut 5000 feet up on Mount Hood. Always good times up on the mountain!<br />
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<br />Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-37195632395546092632018-09-03T11:31:00.000-07:002018-09-03T11:31:10.366-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Some say that one baseball game is too long. Some would say that 3 in a row is way too many. I differ on both fronts. As noted in the below post, I went to Seattle to catch my beloved Dodger play the Mariners for 3 whole games. You bet I was there for that series! This Ian just the third time the Dodgers have played at Safeco afield and I was at the last series as well. Can’t pass up a good weekend in Seattle, just a few hours north with my Dodgers in town.<br />
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Games 1 and 3 were huge Dodger wins. Felt like home run city as we scored 11 and 12 runs. The middle game was definitely the most entertaining, a quality baseball game from start to finish and had a great Dodgers comeback in the 8th inning to be down two runs. And then after the Mariners closer came out to a thunderous standing ovation, full of bumping music, Max Muncy hit a game tying homer. Epic! Sadly we lost on a balk off, which was ridiculous, but Arnold least we all were entertained.<br />
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It felt like Seattle was taken over by Dodgers fans. People all over the city wearing Dodger Blue. High fives up and down the streets and then, inside the stadium, it was nuts. Almost felt like a home game in there with all the celebrating. Damn, it felt good. Amazing experience in there. Can’t beat that feeling and I’ll be sure to come back whenever the next time is.<br />
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Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-76425292297705994222018-08-21T21:51:00.002-07:002018-08-21T21:51:38.951-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just got back from a trip to Seattle to watch my Dodgers play the Mariners and we had some fun up there. Dodgers fans took over the entire city, made for an entertaining visit and kept the cheers up the entire time. We even celebrated with some gatorade upon winning the series. Good times!Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-46092765962325995052018-08-07T20:12:00.002-07:002018-08-07T20:12:20.749-07:00Hiking up to an epic lake<br />
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The hiking fiesta on Mt Hood does not stop. Back to back weekends up there, soaking up time in the high altitude, surrounded by pine trees and that gorgeous mountain. This time, we decided to toss in some lakeside living to balance out the hike. It was my buddy Mike's idea to bring our rafts/inner tubes up with us on the backpacks, to float around in the lake. Despite going straight uphill for the first 55 minutes with this extra rubber weight, it ended up being way worth it. Nothing finer than just floating around and enjoying the view, relaxing, resting the legs and enjoying life. Nice twist to my average hikes of long distances and resting in the shade. One drawback was that lake water does not taste as good as river/glacier water.<br />
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The start of the hike was weird to me, as we walked uphill, pretty much with no turns. Literally just 2 small switchbacks in a straight ascent; no turns or deviations. Meaning, just keep moving upwards and keep that head straight ahead. Not many trails just keep going up, with all the hills, slopes and trees out there causing turns. This one just kept going, uninterrupted. <br />
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On top of the hike was a flat meadow, surrounded by trees, with sweet views of Mt Hood, plus a little creek going through it. Can't beat that, just picture perfect and well worth the hike up. After, was straight down, again without many switchbacks for another couple miles to the lake below. Decent sized, there were some day trippers there and a few campsites already set up. We set up our tents nearby the lake, and found a perfect grassy meadow along the shore to rest at and eat lunch at. Turned out to be the perfect place to cook, relax, watch stars and enjoy the ambiance. Awesome one night trip out there, with a good hike out the next day, followed by exploring the funky town of Hood River. Great trip outside of Portland as always, beating the heat, and continuing my exploration of Mt Hood. Here's some pictures:<br />
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<br />Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-67910024882051735592018-08-02T22:17:00.000-07:002018-08-02T22:17:12.105-07:00Mtn + H2O + Flowers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Pure Mother Nature at Her finest on Mt HoodJustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-75359710368238538392018-08-02T22:15:00.001-07:002018-08-02T22:15:04.190-07:00Spot o' Paradise<span id="goog_705966337"></span><span id="goog_705966338"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQgQMd24M71-YHzBHUgjoCS-kuk_1_KLDPdRnZwINwHIHl5H05V5d1BmsI5oEAohv-QFPFAbRUhCLguerr72FMivzfwiPbhEmEb9Uz_MKB2SKvCwkavn94LUt0ftdTtraN1BV-d5svENc/s1600/IMG_4340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQgQMd24M71-YHzBHUgjoCS-kuk_1_KLDPdRnZwINwHIHl5H05V5d1BmsI5oEAohv-QFPFAbRUhCLguerr72FMivzfwiPbhEmEb9Uz_MKB2SKvCwkavn94LUt0ftdTtraN1BV-d5svENc/s640/IMG_4340.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span id="goog_705966337">Such an amazing 2 night backpacking trip on Mt Hood last weekend. I took off early Friday afternoon to head to the mountain to explore, relax and soak up the good mountain vibes. Truly amazing up there, and with a hot weekend, and blue skies upon us, it was a perfect weekend.</span><br />
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<span id="goog_705966337">I started at Timberline Lodge, full of life, mixed with hikers, adventurers, skiiers and people staying at the Lodge. Heading west along the PCT, I worked my way through some ups and downs, then a major down at the ZigZag Canyon, before going way back up the other side. Hundreds of feet over many switchbacks down, and then the same to go back up. Well worth it to get to Paradise Park, meadows in full bloom of wildflowers, with the Mountain right above, and the rolling hills and other Cascade Mountains in the distance. Truly magical up there and a great spot to hike around, explore and spend a couple nights. Here are a few pictures:</span><br />
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<span id="goog_705966337"> </span>Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-21568671986928229582018-07-10T21:50:00.001-07:002018-07-10T21:50:42.453-07:00Hiking around Mt Hood<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt Hood in reflection at 4:45am</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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One of the perks of getting out early on Fridays in the summer is that I get more time to explore the wilderness all around Portland. This past weekend, I decided to head back to one of my favorite places, Mt Hood and hike around and up part of the mountain. The goal was to get to McNeil Point, a small stone resting hut at 6100 feet. Along the way, epic views of Mt Hood were expected, and yet, it was definitely darkly cloudy straight ahead, not the best omen for camping out overnight up top. Still, the hike was glorious and the views around by the stone hut were awesome. It was a steep climb up there, which was great to get the legs moving and the blood pumping. Here are some first few pictures from the hike: <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking up and looking across a ravine at the base of Mt Hood sloping up to the left</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loving the hike, full of epic views all around</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">McNeil Point, with views of Mt St Helens and Mt Adams, and oh so close to Mt Hood, with no peak visibility</td></tr>
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I waited around for the mountain to show itself, teasing me among the clouds:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt Hood starting to break through</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt Adams in the distance</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great views looking down from 6100 feet</td></tr>
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From McNeil Point, I hiked down to a couple of ponds to camp for the night, angling the tent opening towards the mountain to wake up to great views. And man, did that happen! I first peaked out at 4:45am and as you can see, it was amazing. Plenty of light already, and a perfect reflection in the pond right outside my tent. Amazing!</div>
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<br />Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-6371226892465976942018-07-09T21:42:00.000-07:002018-07-09T21:42:05.199-07:00Out in the wildernessHere's a video from my latest adventure up around Mt Hood. You get to see 3 of the major Cascade Mountains, complete with epic forests and blue skies. Pure amazingness up there!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxYqPVKMU-oXhnLQ1Td_SqsE_qaO4NMl9YcXb6E4t13qI2Bqk232zPKdDco1lJ-nUBfjO91vnkd83BZGx8NRw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-10754661276478353012018-06-10T19:58:00.002-07:002018-06-10T19:58:17.552-07:00Weekend trip to Astoria<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking out at the wide Columbia River headed towards the Pacific Ocean</td></tr>
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A few weeks back me and some friends headed to Astoria out on the Oregon coast to explore and get some history. Such a fun, eclectic and interesting town, which was founded as the primary settlement for a fur enterprise by John Jacob Astor. This was to be the NYC of the west coast, the major port where business flowed through. A recent booked entitled Astoria, by Peter Stark, details the two expeditions (land and sea) that set out to conquer and begin the business here. It was a rough voyage by both parties and they couldn't make a go of it. The War of 1812 had something to do with that as well. Definitely a great read, full of adventure, history, comedy and life in the early 1800s. Think you had a rough day? Think again.<br />
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Anyways, we stayed at the Norblad Hostel, a classy spot right in the heart of town, most likely a former brothel as that was the type of town this used to be. Perfect location for exploring the town from the cafes, to the breweries, to the local trolley. That's right, we went on a trolley tour, a historical trolley tour, serving bloody mary's. Can't beat that.<br />
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From the canning industry, to the logging industry to the filming industry (The Goonies, Kindergarten Cop), this town has been lots of things. As they like to tell you, one thing they aren't, is quaint. They prefer the rough and tumble approach, and seem to get along just fine with that. It's a great town for a weekend visit, with great fish and chips, steady microbreweries all around (try Buoy Beer!) and a fun vibe all around. Live it up!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridge over the Columbia, with Washington 4 miles away on the other side</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best fish and chips in Astoria, hands down.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the Astoria Column (130+ stairs high)</td></tr>
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<br />Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-48703619838126156522018-06-03T19:42:00.000-07:002018-06-03T19:42:18.985-07:00Gorge-ousWell, the pun above has been well used, but man, is the Columbia Gorge gorgeous. Simply amazing. Lots of natural beauty out there, just over a half hour away. Can't pass up mountain views, good hikes, sharp hills coming down to the huge Columbia. Although there was a large forest fire last year that caused lots of trail closures, there are still some great hikes available, and my dad and I headed there early Saturday morning. Portland is an outdoorsy town, so when we got to the trailhead before 9am, there were just 2 parking spots left. Booted up, we started the incline, working our way up through switchbacks for the next 1.5 miles, to our first viewpoint:<br />
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From there, we soon reached a plateau and then another awesome viewpoint, with complimentary wildflowers in full bloom. Can't beat that:<br />
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Here are some other good shots from the day, perfect for an early summer day where the sun was out, and the temperature was perfect in the trees. Great to get out and move those legs, with my dad and I doing around 8.5 miles, full of good movement and sunny vibes.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Awesome trail!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Columbia Gorge on the drive</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mount Hood shining through on the drive</td></tr>
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<br />Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-16644525291051973772018-02-26T21:03:00.003-08:002018-02-26T21:03:43.205-08:00Late winter is upon us<br />
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Waking up to a proper dusting of snow outside is amazing. We finally have some winter here in Portland and although it shuts down some of the city, there is still fun to be had. Here are some pictures from walking around the neighborhood with the dog, enjoying the stillness of empty, white streets.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clover checking out the sledding attempters in the distance</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How bout our white house?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8cJaFfu1rUNf2-lJzLY7p6xrwVW_7IhtfVPhpcFkLgi-3Z4Nul2oorO8rS2vZWfeUSctgn8FW5cM59YF_bADzlIjJGxBIzuF1QbYxr1TwEemOVx2GAEwze-tOfgkKHUaNsZtAu6ReAY/s1600/IMG_2791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8cJaFfu1rUNf2-lJzLY7p6xrwVW_7IhtfVPhpcFkLgi-3Z4Nul2oorO8rS2vZWfeUSctgn8FW5cM59YF_bADzlIjJGxBIzuF1QbYxr1TwEemOVx2GAEwze-tOfgkKHUaNsZtAu6ReAY/s400/IMG_2791.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bamboo bending with pressure</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS8k1bMTNzaXWz5AgG1L1OvLYVp3y5XOKDMSVvtD9gi0KxHWaAUfQvSl9kEWYqDDwpuzw-Dz-lQpAzYeBXbA2pCUUK8QeEIIuQxau0plZ6dkkmCmaaZ_2cpdt0c3UjKMAFQu2jNBjQFQ8/s1600/IMG_2770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS8k1bMTNzaXWz5AgG1L1OvLYVp3y5XOKDMSVvtD9gi0KxHWaAUfQvSl9kEWYqDDwpuzw-Dz-lQpAzYeBXbA2pCUUK8QeEIIuQxau0plZ6dkkmCmaaZ_2cpdt0c3UjKMAFQu2jNBjQFQ8/s400/IMG_2770.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even the Virgin got snowy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTLhyphenhyphenWEhRnQhb-8xVQqQwetrnPQi7VIkEIAoih3GI_KVZ1IPYf2jSQ904pcrk1_HKDP16K1IgcyS7Q6mxNakyOytVnq7y7jHE8shsA8cova346OxKsXkLcf3W__3HCv_SOIt-iQNO0yJY/s1600/IMG_2762.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTLhyphenhyphenWEhRnQhb-8xVQqQwetrnPQi7VIkEIAoih3GI_KVZ1IPYf2jSQ904pcrk1_HKDP16K1IgcyS7Q6mxNakyOytVnq7y7jHE8shsA8cova346OxKsXkLcf3W__3HCv_SOIt-iQNO0yJY/s400/IMG_2762.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iced over bamboo in the backyard<br />
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<br />Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-57838988013893175302018-02-22T19:09:00.002-08:002018-02-22T19:09:43.753-08:00A day at the races<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZU9J4PPPavWhSIsEsFcXsMJD3MW9Omafnqal_Ya8gSl-CRuX-63a1rQjckLRWe9tWr4fr4T-GwjSkb9-xZRBQHGoDs16umcul2Wpg0pEq4f15nsM-tx1TuhVasDEhP6hb7U55hg8gS0/s1600/IMG_2608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZU9J4PPPavWhSIsEsFcXsMJD3MW9Omafnqal_Ya8gSl-CRuX-63a1rQjckLRWe9tWr4fr4T-GwjSkb9-xZRBQHGoDs16umcul2Wpg0pEq4f15nsM-tx1TuhVasDEhP6hb7U55hg8gS0/s640/IMG_2608.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A couple weeks ago (before this winter snow hit Portland) some friends and I went on a sunny day to Portland Meadows, aka the race track. Not many cities can boast a race track with a picture perfect snow capped mountain as the backdrop to the finish line. Mount Hood stands in the background, and the horses put on quite a show in the foreground. Those horses can fly! <br />
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From checking out the horses before they head out to the track, to laughing at the horse names, it's a jolly good time at the track. The place was buzzing with people, not dressed up like at the big races sadly, just a few dapper gentlemen and stylishly dressed women. Pretty much an average Portland crowd, out for a good time, trying to get their bets right and eat some $2 tacos. I ended up coming out ahead on the betting front, feeling pretty good, and getting a strategy down. Nothing's foolproof, but it sure does feel good to choose a winner.<br />
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Here's a video of a fun finish, with the crowd pumping and cheering away:<br />
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<br />Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-87054355767284726412018-01-29T11:44:00.000-08:002018-01-29T11:44:13.312-08:00Out exploring the coast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivruD6vi30CiunO53PaOWP1jgRPisC6f0UP8tcdN0TgJ0jzXPHFPve4NKqoFA8x6L88RL0KVAoCTgbKuvm2a1YUua61hVWAI73kDCd4Ns7ZMAboKtOjNciEFB6LjBn4XFybj7CPdY-eMo/s1600/IMG_2544%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivruD6vi30CiunO53PaOWP1jgRPisC6f0UP8tcdN0TgJ0jzXPHFPve4NKqoFA8x6L88RL0KVAoCTgbKuvm2a1YUua61hVWAI73kDCd4Ns7ZMAboKtOjNciEFB6LjBn4XFybj7CPdY-eMo/s640/IMG_2544%255B1%255D.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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One of the best parts of living in Portland is the proximity to nature. The mountains and ocean are both just over an hour away, and there are countless hikes, excursions and fun to be had within an hour. Recently I joined up with some friends for an all day winter road trip to the coast. I say a winter road trip, as with less daylight than in the summer, there really is only so far you can go before it's time to head back. We made it all the way down to Florence, Oregon, a couple hundred miles away. Man, it was good to see the Pacific Ocean again, smell the salt air and explore some new territory. <br />
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It was my first time at Cape Meares, a well maintained spot with epic ocean views. We took the hard way to get there, running into a dead end on the road, parking the car and walking the 1.5 miles to the parking lot (access via a different route), and it was well worth it. On a winter day in the NW when it wasn't raining, stretching those legs amongst the tall trees was perfect. <br />
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The Oregon Coast is dotted with small fishing towns, a couple small cities, and massive amounts of open road surrounded by nature. It's a great drive on the scenic 101, slow, full of turnoffs and places to explore. Pretty much anywhere has a good view and something worthwhile to check out. One of the highlights was at a place called Devil's Churn, where the ocean has forced itself through the land over time, churning inwards, creating a canal of frothy, powerful waves several hundred feet towards the road. Here's a video from there:<br />
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Yachats is the coolest of the small towns, full of charm and great old western architecture right there on the beach. South of there was pretty amazing as well, great ocean views and a good place to watch the sunset. We had it timed perfectly, and yet it was mighty cloudy and didn't get a visual on the sun or any good colors. Still, a perfect 180 degree view of the ocean was worth it. We got into Florence just before dark and then headed inland to get to the I-5 and head back to Portland, around 3 hours away (and yes, that was the fast way). A solid day out and about exploring!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vEL5mVGzrY_MjENcNq36K6s2GOr415JnzQRMfEYWlqDepbI7_Oeplw79IiWAsAu9M1bg0rbY_C4Q4gxKY4VAxBZv7dGdiDAZh16qEPpZymK6hpvmYvBOmBQm-UWMA35vAgtV0XWDrm0/s1600/IMG_2582%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1340" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vEL5mVGzrY_MjENcNq36K6s2GOr415JnzQRMfEYWlqDepbI7_Oeplw79IiWAsAu9M1bg0rbY_C4Q4gxKY4VAxBZv7dGdiDAZh16qEPpZymK6hpvmYvBOmBQm-UWMA35vAgtV0XWDrm0/s320/IMG_2582%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching the sunset</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feel the power!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colorful driftwood at dusk</td></tr>
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<br />Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-73256184579992232972018-01-07T10:35:00.002-08:002018-01-07T11:02:48.706-08:00Uncle time with Lulu<br />
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One of the perks of being back in the US after lots of travels is time with my niece, Lulu. It's been a blast to see her change and grow in her 9 months. She's full of life, pretty darn active and is smiling like a queen. Pretty amazing to have her light up when you walk into the room. We've been having a great time together and here are a few photos from the last weeks together celebrating life and smiling.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRSqvyKyQgwmVr6Jy4ZqNZA4RA2R46koPbINWjW-9i4pZjpJZgZsiKoG1lmyh7imCqFSLjqvmOOl9Kuy3SZvXvVGXgIR7Uc5kVz15duz3I64okA5jBpyCx3jrjJpXwwFqeh0AfzpzaJ5A/s1600/IMG_2268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="887" data-original-width="887" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRSqvyKyQgwmVr6Jy4ZqNZA4RA2R46koPbINWjW-9i4pZjpJZgZsiKoG1lmyh7imCqFSLjqvmOOl9Kuy3SZvXvVGXgIR7Uc5kVz15duz3I64okA5jBpyCx3jrjJpXwwFqeh0AfzpzaJ5A/s320/IMG_2268.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lulu learns about the iPhone!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhki-eyDQExfCV4unHr6NCgyBnBOh8YApC7H4r_C3HQawBhnJNhGks5xIlpWI26_-6lL_cP2Kgm7PInDgfJFrs0gJ5mUVc4c-rw1cnNCqvGER6yy-0P1uEQaU0uxjvBn-HnG-gwX7DXmbw/s1600/IMG_2382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhki-eyDQExfCV4unHr6NCgyBnBOh8YApC7H4r_C3HQawBhnJNhGks5xIlpWI26_-6lL_cP2Kgm7PInDgfJFrs0gJ5mUVc4c-rw1cnNCqvGER6yy-0P1uEQaU0uxjvBn-HnG-gwX7DXmbw/s320/IMG_2382.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas shirt from Lulu: Uncle, The Man, The Myth, The Legend</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun times on Christmas morning</td></tr>
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<br />Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-27140075442504461822017-12-22T10:38:00.000-08:002018-01-07T10:39:19.009-08:00Santa Time!<br />
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With real life Santas around at all the shops, why not switch things up with switching on a Santa light?Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-53079479638789290672017-10-26T11:01:00.000-07:002018-01-07T11:01:31.174-08:00Harvest time for apples in the PNWIt's that time again when the apple crops are booming and varieties you've never heard of are out and about. I love it. So much flavor, texture, coloring and sweetness to get into, and it's always worth trying out new apples that you've never heard of before. From past trips to Kygyzstan to research apples with my friend Eliza, to working on an apple farm in Virginia, I've had some great times with apples in the past, and one of the best parts of currently living in the Pacific Northwest is the Apple Festival at Portland Nursery every October. I've been a few times in the past, and went recently with some friends to get our taste on.<br />
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Imagine 60+ varieties of apples with names like Hampshire Beauty, Arkansas Black, Mutsu and Northern Spy, all cut up, ready for you to work your way through, tasting each one, making notes on sweet vs. bitter, texture, etc. It's an awesome time, and it's free. Can't beat that. And you can't beat that the apples are on sale for .99 cents, mainly from local/regional farms. Simply amazing. Life is good when you get to hang out with Mother Nature in the form of apple tasting.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look who was farming for apples along with us!</td></tr>
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<br />Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979440565662369210.post-76805804950002123592017-10-02T19:51:00.000-07:002017-10-30T19:51:44.368-07:00Sunny baseball end of summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On the end of a great trip to visit friends in Santa Cruz, several of us cruised over the hill to Oakland to catch an A's game. 3rd year in a row for this group and it was just as amazing as always. Great weather, barbecuing out in the parking lot before the game, bleacher seats where you can sit wherever you want and a A's win made for a grand trip. For such a large concrete monstrosity surrounded by parking lots, I'm a fan of the Oakland Coliseum. Quite a fun crowd despite the top seats covered off, you always have a good view of the baseball diamond and can get pretty close to the fielders.<br />
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A highlight is of course the classic mascots racing around the track. Ricky Henderson, Dennis Eckersley and Rollie Fingers, with their ginormous heads, race from left field underneath us, out around the bases to right field. We had prime seats for the start of the race, and Eckersley gave me a shout out as seen in this picture. I didn't tell him that Kirk Gibson hitting that infamous World Series home run over him is one of my favorite moments in Dodgers history.<br />
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And you know we went to In N Out after. California!<br />
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<br />Justushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17072740558243173720noreply@blogger.com0