One of the advantages of residing in Portland, Oregon is its central location from many interesting parks, preserves, and natural curiosities. A couple of weeks ago, amidst a break in the clouds, I made a weekend gateway for the Painted Hills Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in central Oregon. Located about 75 miles east of Bend, “Painted Hills is named after […]
It has been a year since my hitchhiking and backpacking trip with Chelsea to the Humboldt Redwoods State Park and the Lost Coast trail. We emerged in Shelter Cove, tired and hungry, from backpacking along the trail, and spent the last night of the trip camping on a bluff above a beautiful black beach. That trip was the catalyst for my move from Juneau, Alaska
One of the perks of my California Department of Fish and Game job is that I get sent from Arcata to Crescent City, California several times a week. It’s an hour and a half drive one way, which takes me through several Redwood State and National Parks. On those days, I often get up at 4 am, just so I could spend a couple of
The sheer expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Thirty percent of the Earth’s surface. So properly christened Peaceful by Magellan. The incredible coastline of the East Pacific, stretching from the northern tip of Western Alaska to the southern tip of Chile. Inviting and soothing at times and places, like a kitten. Crushing and spewing and hissing and boiling at its mightiest. Dotted with coves and lagoons
OK, so it’s actually the Pacific Northeast, from the Pacific point of view, you know, but I’ll leave that for another discourse. There is something about lighthouses and waterfalls that stand out as destinations for so many people. Personally, waterfalls have never been a draw for me. I would rather have a trail end at a tree – or a so much more useful tree