Category: Outdoors

Backpacking the Oregon Coast Trail

~ Crystle ~ Leave a comment

Over the Fourth of July weekend, my family and I went on a short backpacking trip on the Oregon Coast Trail, starting in Downtown Seaside, and ending in Cannon Beach. We spend one night at a hiker camp, and another night at a campground close to town. Guided by the Far Out app, with the Oregon Coast Trail downloaded, we were able to see real-time availability of amenities, check for trail warnings, and plan our trip with precision. It also helped us to gauge the distances between to locations with altitude and distance calculated, making break planning a breeze. The Oregon Coast Trail spans the entire length of the state of Oregon, so we hope to use the map for southern segment exploration later.

This momentous hike marks our first family backpacking trip, and the kids crushed it! We covered 15 miles, and 2500’+ in elevation gain along the Coastal Trail where we took in the salty ocean air, and through the trees along the ridge line, caught glimpses of the famous Northern Oregon Coast rock formations. At times the trails were muddy and overgrown, but most of the route was clear and lined with ferns. And to our delight and disgust, we saw a few enormous banana slugs.

In the evening we were mostly left alone by the mosquitos (thanks, Sawyer Picaridin Insect Repellent Lotion), but the hiker huts were a rodent hot spot with lots of mice scurrying around all night. It was gross and unnerving, but ultimately we were also a little too tired to care. We would have pitched tents the first night but there were so many dead trees around the tent pads, and as we were plotting our evening, we heard a tree fall not too far from our camp site. On that windy night, the huts made more sense.

The incubation period of the bubonic plague has passed without infection, thankfully. As you can imagine an anxious person would, I read everything I could find about the plague in Oregon after we connected to a cell signal — it was a serious concern for us when we lived and camped in Arizona, but not so much in Oregon. A relief.

This stretch of coast line really is world class, I encourage anyone with the time and means to visit the area! The Coastal Highway 101 offers many of the same views from the road, with many small towns to stop and enjoy coffee, souvenirs, or fish and chips.

After we collected our car from Seaside (a short bus ride away from Cannon Beach) we followed the 101 to the Tillamook Cheese Factory and enjoyed some tasty samples while taking in a self-guided tour. We grabbed a meal from their food court and then meandered down the 101 back toward Eugene, stopping here and there to take in some sights and sounds. Upon returning to Eugene, we talked about how enjoyable it is to return from a camping trip to a neighborhood that looks only slightly different from the woods we visited, and appreciated once again the duty assignment we’ve been handed this time around. We love Oregon.

Thanksgiving at the Redwood National & State Parks

~ Crystle ~ 1 Comment

This Thanksgiving, rather impulsively, we booked a cabin with a river view in Northern California and invited some Army friends along. Original plans involved camping, but weather reports were shaping up to be very cold. A pivot to a VRBO rental was the right move for a gaggle of kids and some dogs. Our riverfront accommodations weren’t exactly close to the National Park, but it had a big kitchen, space for two families and two dogs. And a hot tub. Driving a little further out to the Redwoods was worth it.

Meeting equidistantly with our Southern California friends made the most sense, and how lucky we all are to have the most beautiful National Park between our respective cities.

Thanksgiving cooking was a breeze in the fully stocked kitchen, and kids were never underfoot with 5 acres to explore. Imagination led them to build their own fortress out of found wood and mossy materials. Eating, walking, talking and relaxing filled the day.

Black Friday was spent outdoors exploring the Grove of the Titans. I am still falling short on words to describe the sense of awe brought on by Redwoods the size of 10 school buses standing end-to-end (we estimated as much). Growth beyond any reasonable expectations, these trees towered over the forest, blanketing and darkening the forest floor. Ferns sprawled across the ground like the prairie grass of the Plains States. Green beyond imagination, with sagging moss and fallen trees, the Grove of the Titans (aptly named) showed us the truest grandeur the Earth offers.

Words cannot describe, and photos cannot capture the scope and magnanimity of this forest. Though I tried. I implore one and all to visit this incredible place to restore your sense of wonder and appreciation for the vastness of the world around us.

When in doubt, go to Arizona

~ Crystle ~ 2 Comments

I knew I missed Arizona, but I didn’t realize how much I missed Arizona. Our first stop after leaving the Phoenix airport was to head to Filibertos for a breakfast burrito, but forgetting their monstrous size was a wasteful, rookie mistake. Full, and tired from the early morning journey from Austin, we made the sluggish commute in an unfamiliar rental car through the desert, then ponderosa forest, enjoying the changing biodiversity en route to Flagstaff.

After moving to Texas almost three years ago our environment has been limited to humid hill country, with sprawling live oak trees and oppressive heat, lacking in the sharp peaks and valleys that we had grown accustomed to in Washington, Alaska, and Arizona. I’ve grown fond of my life in Texas, with friends and neighborhood familiarity, a good library job and routine, but I’m out of contact with the outdoors and it pains me. I feel unmoored. We try to get out of town to neighboring cities for concerts, festivals and outings, but overcompensating with cultural activities isn’t grounding in any meaningful way. So we’ve traveled further away to inspire awe.

While living in Texas we have had the privilege of visiting London, Dublin and New York City, and none of them, with all their treasures, heritage, and architectural mastery, have matched the natural beauty of Arizona. As much as I love a good museum in a major city, nothing beats gawking at a 1 mile-wide meteor crater with friends, or a gondola ride to the top of a mountain in Flagstaff with the sweet, excited children you’ve known since birth. A hot trek around Sedona for an aura reading with your best girls is sometimes exactly what is needed to achieve balance. Clutching selenite in a mineral shop to clear blocked energy sometimes works!!

Perhaps what I’ve been missing most are the deep connections we’ve built with dear friends over the years, connections that are severed when we receive orders. As a military spouse, I’ve quietly grieved the loss of roots and long-term community for nearly 12 years. I surrendered my stability to support a service member and the consequences of that decision continue to challenge my concept of place and belonging, and they’re beginning to do the same to my children. It can be very painful. But in a period of doubt and insecurity for us all, there is no better way to restore balance than to return to a place that brings joy, inspires awe, and fosters connection to dear friends. Even if just for a four-day. Thank you Arizona, and Austins!