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! – Fairview Wetlands Scenic Trail
Welcome! If you missed the inaugural post (Issue? Episode? Volume?) of Outings!, then please pop on over and give that a read. Today’s post is going to be very similar, although maybe not as long? But the gist is this: Each Sunday I’m visiting a trail or park in my city, reviewing it (along with reviews from my companions), and breaking down gear used vs gear I wished I used, etc., etc. Fairview Wetlands Scenic Trail This trail truly lives up to the #urbanoutdoors vibe. Back in the 90s, when the Fairview Industrial Park was built, the City decided that it wanted to offset all of that industrialization by replacing some of the lost habitat with a man-made, urban wetland. Honestly? Pretty dope of them. The trailhead is directly across the street from the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, and I’m guessing that has a bit to do with…
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…