Outings! – Calloway Intensive Loop Trail
Welcome It’s another beautiful spring week here in Oregon, which means we made outdoors again! Calloway Intensive Loop Trail This trail is one of many in the McDonald-Dunn Forest, an Oregon State University Research Forest at the outskirts of Corvallis. I think we could have walked all day and not set foot on every available trail. What makes this trail extra interesting is that, as part of the OSU Forestry program’s research, there are several different “forests” that the trail winds through. In about four miles we experienced coastal ferns and trilliums, valley oaks and cottonwoods, and then the sprawl of high desert ponderosa pines. If you’re visiting Oregon, or have a visitor with limited time, this trail is a great way to show off several different ecosystems at once. The Calloway Intensive Loop Trail is, well, a loop trail (my favorite). Finding which trailhead to start from was a…
Outings! – Howard Creek Loop Trail
Welcome! We’re back and for the first time in a long time, we actually made it out of town and into the woods! The hiking season has officially begun! Howard Creek Loop Trail This trail is one of many in Silver Falls State Park. Most folks who visit the park go for The Trail of Ten Falls, an ~8 mile loop that legitimately visits ten different waterfalls. I’ve never done the loop all in one go, but I’ve done it in bits and pieces. It’s understandably the show stopper of the park, and where everyone wants to go, no matter the weather. But on the other side of the road from the falls are even more trails! Some wind through muddy, marshy areas, others climb up into the wooded hills, and still others meander through campgrounds and recreational “villages”. I’ve done a handful of these less popular trails (including that…
Goals Summary 2023 – Wk #18
Well, will you look at that! A blog post? On time? Last Week Write at least 1k words of the novel Send Newsletter Edit and Schedule Podcast Timberline Review Edits How’d I Do? Write at least 1k words of the novel Lol, no. Send Newsletter Yes! The April Newsletter is in your inbox! Unless… I mean. You’re signed up, right? Edit and Schedule Podcast Yep! The newest episode of Top Shelf Librarians is out now! Timberline Review Edits Yep! Weekly Word Count: 455 Considering that I didn’t even set my goals until Thursday, I am not mad about this. Operating amid renovation chaos is a new, not-so-fun challenge, but I think I’m beginning to adapt. The good news is that there is power in my office once again! Because, lemme tell ya, it is damn near impossible to get any work done in the dark. So, What’s Next? Write at least 2x…
Goals Summary 2023 – Wk #3
I haven’t had any ADHD meds since Thursday and I am in full-blown inattentive mode, so let’s get to this while I can still (sorta) focus! Last Week Write 3x this week Edit and post podcast episode Read a book Queries How’d I Do? Write 3x this week No, but I did write twice. Which is nice. Edit and post podcast episode Yes! The new episode is out now, have you listened in yet? Read a book Yes. Actually I read three books this week… Queries Yep! I had submitted to some agents with quick turnaround times, so I had some housekeeping to keep up on this week. Weekly Word Count: 2,034 Looking at these bullet points, I’d say this was a productive week. I did a LOT of reading, finishing Tombstone: The Earp Brothers, Doc Holliday, and the Vendetta Ride from Hell, and then starting (and finishing) both The…
Outings! – Alsea Falls and Green Peak Falls
Welcome! For the first time, Outings! will cover an actual hike! Usually this series has reviewed a city or county park, but with Monday being a holiday I used it as an excuse to get out into the woods. I also managed to drag my spouse, our best friend Bolt, and her dog Yuki along for the ride! Alsea Falls and Green Peak Falls About an hour southwest of our house is an entire recreational site I’d never even heard of before. The Alsea Falls Recreational Area is located in the eastern side of the Coast Range, and follows the South Fork of the Alsea River. There’s a network of biking and running trails, hiking trails near the falls (which this post is about), as well as campgrounds. Swimming and fishing holes abound in the warmer months, but cold, wet weather doesn’t keep Oregonians from spending time in the park. …
Outings! – Steam Donkey Trail
Welcome Welcome to the… fourth(?) installment of Outings! I wasn’t able to walk at home this week due to some serious time commitments, but I managed to sneak in a short walk on the drive out to the coast. For better or worse. Steam Donkey Trail The Steam Donkey Trail was an unexpected delight on my journey Northwest to Seaside, Oregon this weekend. Equally unexpected was the snow in the mountains, which was the whole reason I stopped at the Sunset Rest Stop in the first place. Everywhere I looked was a dirt road or trailhead that had me absolutely salivating to explore, but I was on the clock, didn’t have any gear with me, and I was alone. So when the sign for the rest stop came up, I decided to pull in and take a couple pictures of the winter wonderland, and then be on my way. But, in…
Outings! – Croisan Scenic Trail
Welcome! To the first installment of an all new blog series, Outings! You can read the full series introduction here, but the gist is this: Each Sunday I’m going to visit a park or trail in my town, and then write up a review to share every Wednesday (basically, I needed an excuse to get outdoors consistently this off-season and I need more photographs for the blog.). The review will include my rating and insights, as well as those of any companions, including my dog, Simon. So buckle up, because this inaugural Outing has set the bar pretty damn high. Croisan Scenic Trail This “pocket” trail is maintained by the Salem Area Trail Alliance, which is a super cool thing I didn’t know existed until just now. This volunteer organization builds, maintains, and advocates for trails in and around our city. Pretty dope. Now, back to the trail itself. According…
Introducing: Outings!
Outings! is an all-new blog series where I explore the (mostly urban) outdoors and report back to you! I know I’ve talked a lot about hiking on the blog before, and particularly about how I didn’t do enough of it this summer, so this is my way to make up for it. I’ve also talked a little bit about needing to up my activity levels, especially on the weekends, so I thought this might be a good way to do that. So, what is Outings! exactly? Outings! Is… A weekly blog post where I share my thoughts and experiences with the outdoors here in my town. Salem has a lot of parks and some trails and wilderness areas nearby, and despite living here for over 10 years, I haven’t been to most of them. In an effort to be more active, give myself some weekend structure, and reconnect with my…