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Day 1: Point Reyes National Seashore.
The sea is vast and amazing. We enjoyed summitting the high point in the park, Mt. Wittenberg, on a 7 mile loop through tall trees and soft ground. Some of the forest was so thick it was hauntingly dark during the day. My Honeybun mentioned that if all the trails I ran on were like that one she would run with me more often. We also got to see where the Elephant seals hang out and an amazingly beautiful sunset before camping for the night.
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| Can you find me? |
Day 2: McClures Beach, Glass Beach, Avenue of the Giants
McClures Beach is just below the Point Reyes Peninsula. It was fun to be on the sandy beach that is located below some cliffs. Any other time I've been to the beach it was flat land. Afterward we hiked a bit trying to spot some of the many elk on the peninsula, without much luck.
Drive, drive, drive...up the coast along the amazing Redwood Forests. We drove through a tree and hiked among the towering giants at the Rockefeller Loop. I cannot even begin to express how spiritual and peaceful it was to walk among the redwoods. It was surreal and reverent. I want to go back.
Drive, drive, drive. Glass beaches are interesting. Take some glass and dump it in the ocean and after time the power of the water and waves will dash it to pieces and polish it for you. They were cool to see but not necessarily a pleasant area overall.
Day 3: More Redwood Forest, Thor's well, Canon BeachWe camped at the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. Maybe we heard a bear during the night... maybe. It kind of sounded like a deep pig snort with a throaty growl. I heard it grumble off into the distance and rolled over. My Sugar Momma was a bit more worried about it. This was day two of camping. Our first night we observed that there were pay-with-quarter showers on the outside of the bathrooms but didn't have any so we made sure to get some for night two. Hiking, driving and humidity don't always leave me smelling the best. Unfortunately, the second campsite we were at had the showers inside the bathrooms. So...we woke up early and shared a shower in the boys restroom. I'm pretty sure the two people that came in to relieve themselves didn't notice I had a companion sharing the stall, if they did they were probably just jealous.
We hiked the Boy Scout Tree Trail about 6 miles out and back. Once again, I cannot even begin to express with words the majesty and reverence these forests invoke. The trail was rather easygoing, in fact, my Baby Doll actually ran almost all of the way back. We talked about ultra running and the possibility of sharing trails more often in the future...distant future. I love spending time with people on trails. I enjoy getting to know them. There's something about spending hours with people traversing a mountain that creates a bond. I rarely get the chance to do this with my Dear Heart. Sharing what I love doing with the person I love most in one of the most sacred places I've ever been left a profound and lasting imprint on my soul.
Along the Oregon coast you'll find several treasures. Among these are Thor's well and Canon Beach. Thor's well is a spot where the incoming waves go under a rock and spew out a hole like a geyser. The wind was fierce and it was colder than it seemed but I was mesmerized by it. Drive, drive, drive. Canon beach is just amazing. We strolled along and watched the sunset and fell deeply and madly in love with each other.
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| Thor's well. |
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| Canon Beach |
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| Falls at Oneonta Gorge. |
We met up with some friends in Portland and rented some bikes for a few hours. It was fun smelling the rose gardens, riding along the river and eating some Voodoo Donuts. Afterward we went to an amazingly beautiful place called the Oneonta Gorge. Everyone else went too. It's a short 1/2 mile hike through the river to a waterfall. The river doesn't get deeper than a foot or so except for that bottleneck part where it was almost to my chest. Swimming in the pool under the waterfall was cool. I was happy to outdo Aaron Williams on this waterfall. There's only one catch to this place. Right at the entrance to the gorge there's an enormous log jam. Wood is slippery when wet. It caused a lot of traffic with less than stable people trying to get across, over and around the tangle of logs. But don't let that stop you. This is a must do if you're in Portland.
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| Log Jam entrance to Oneonta Gorge. |
Along the Colombia River there are several waterfalls near the Portland area. We drove literally a mile down the road and hiked to Multnomah Falls, which can be seen from the road. It's a short climb to the bridge underneath the falls, but if you continue on to the top it's a bit more than a mile and over a 1000' climb. These places were breathtakingly beautiful but overcrowded.
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| Multnomah Falls. |
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| View from the top of Multnomah. |
Day 5: Crater Lake, Lava Beds Caves
Crater Lake is a wonder. From down below it looks like a bunch of peaks at the top of a mountain range. If you never ventured to the ridge you'd never know there was an enormous lake full of the prettiest, clearest blue water you ever saw. My little Buttercup and I attempted to climb Watchman peak but there was too much snow on the trail. I was bummed and frustrated. I could've gone by myself but didn't. I'm a peak bagger and I've got peak fever, so I was in a bad way after missing a summit. It took me a while to cool down.
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| Crater Lake |
On the northern border of California and Oregon is the Lava Beds National Monument. It's a rather drab area that actually looks a lot like Central Utah. The fields of lava rock are pretty in their own way. What's fun are the caves. We arrived just as the park was closing, but we could still walk into the park and visit the caves, just not drive right up to them. It was a hot day and it always amazes me how dropping 10' underground is so much colder. If you've never been spelunking you don't really know what kind of limits you may have. My Chickadee found a new limit. Going underground into a dark mysterious area is somewhat disquieting and eerie. Coming to terms with it can be difficult. It's somewhat like running through the dark by yourself for the first time. Except, I'm unfamiliar with the creatures that may be lurking in caves. Anyway, it was like a teenage dream for me. My Heartthrob was a bit scared so she was hanging onto me for protection as I guided her through the caves. We went down into a few different caves but the coolest was the Sentinel Cave because it has two entrances. So we were able to go in one way and out another.
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| Lava Rock Fields. |
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| Lower Sentinel Cave entrance. |
It's not very often I get to share the trails with my Sweetheart. This trip was the best way to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Juggling work, church, kids and a marriage is hard enough, throw in the mix an insatiable desire to run trails and summit peaks and you may have a hard thing to swallow. That's why my Sweetie Pie is the best for me. My running accomplishments are all impossible without her support. I love mountains. I love trails. I love running. But I'd give it all up for her in a heartbeat. Luckily, I haven't had to do that.
