RELAX

The only good reason I can find to constantly nag people to get out and "take a hike" exists purely because I want to share what I experience while I do just that. Knowing it's not for everyone, I will give that a rest. My new mandate to myself includes the nag "relax" so that will start tomorrow.

My latest trip was a three day camp-out next to the glorious crystal clear Metolius River. To follow up on my "relax" mandate I actually pulled my camp chair up within three feet of the rushing water in the shade and watched the river flow, as the old song said. A cool breeze blew over the water providing me with a rare and delicious moment of coolness not experienced in this month of the Willamette Valley heat wave. Every once in a while a warm patch of air would blow across my face bringing with it the aroma of warm pine. Yum!

Each evening and morning I took my camera for the "river walk" which is a two mile trail up one side of the river and down the other. The morning and evening light presents a different picture with each passing step. The top pix below was taken late as the evening sun was setting. Sun light filtered through the Ponderosa Pine needles and glittered off the river ripples creating diamonds rivaling a jewelry store display in June. The bottom pix came out of the morning light as it hit the far river bank while the shade formed upon the water to provide a perfect canvas.

So, there you have it: My reasons for being such a nag. I hope you all find your perfect place to relax and enjoy the light. 

CLEAR LAKE REFLECTIONS

Our morning sun had not shown its face over the horizon as I started off to take my morning hike on the Clear Lake trail. Clear Lake is an icy cold spring lake that becomes the headwaters of the McKenzie River in the Cascade Range of Oregon.  

About 3,000 years ago, give or take a day or two, Sand Mountain erupted. The resulting lava flowed toward a cold river right where it "sprung" out of the earth. While sliding toward the ice cold river the molten hot lava burned forests growing in its path. Upon hot lava reaching the icy water it stopped thereby causing a wall of lava that back-filled the river to create a lake. It happened so fast that the existing forest still stands beneath the cold lake preserved in the icy waters we now call Clear Lake.

Much of the trail surrounding Clear Lake crosses these ancient lava flows. Vine Maple and numerous other plants dot the lava bed with an occasional old growth fir thrown in. Interspersed with the lava between flows the Douglas Fir lives to create dense old growth forests making for a varied path. 

All along the trail views of the lake avail themselves making for very slow going. I don't know about you, but I cannot walk and "gawk off" at the same time without toxic results. While my book “Tripping On a Shoestring” is not about ‘tripping’ I have been known to take a few disastrous spills. So it's walk a few steps, stop and gawk off, take a few more steps, ooh photo op, snap, snap, few more steps...well you get the idea. Since it's such slow going, I only made it half way and back in two hours. But the side I walked on gave me the best photo light for pix of the lake. I hiked on the east edge with the rising sun striking the west side highlighting the reflective beauty of tall pines perfectly reproduced in the calm waters of the lake. The brilliant blue sky reflected with a bit of white puffs here and there for the back-drop.

It’s an easy trail, each step filled with eye-popping sites. Shallow coves hold turquoise water reflecting lime blades of water-loving grasses. Why would any of us want to miss out on this? Please take a day or two to pause and “reflect” in the icy water of Clear Lake. It will give you one more treasure for your Memory Treasure Chest. Here in Oregon, you can "get rich quick" by just stopping to reflect.

TAKING STEPS

On this old planet, we all must take steps. Even a river as it leaves it's source takes steps to reach the ocean. Those of us humans who wish to view such a river must take steps to get there. Steps! Whether coming up or going down it gets us to where we want to be. As we advance in the direction of our dreams we can only do so "one step at a time" so why not start now? The sooner that first step is taken the sooner the journey begins. While the destination is the supposed goal, I contend that the actual journey is more satisfying. Maybe I say that since the illusive goal is yet to be reached. But one foot in front of the other advances me one step closer to attaining new views, arriving at new conclusions, and feeling compelled to continue on. My hope is that as this summer progresses you and I can continue this progress while "Tripping On a Shoestring". Go WILD!

POETRY ABOUNDS

From time to time, it just so happens that a poet crosses our path. He may be long gone but his poetry lives on in our hearts. Such an event occurred recently while I read e. e. cummings. One of his poems ended thus: "...the sweet small clumsy feet of April came

                       into the ragged meadow of my soul."

I have never heard April so well described. This and that spring are past. Summer is here. Don't miss a moment of it. You don't get it back.

MIST & MOSS ON THE MC KENZIE RIVER

My last outing was up the McKenzie River on Highway 126. This being summer, it was in the 90's when I drove up the Cascade foothills to an old campground located in an old-growth forest. Some of the Douglas Fir trees are 10' in diameter and are said to have been old when Columbus set sail. 

The McKenzie River emits a mist rising into the surrounding trees allowing moss to grow on every surface. The camp host informed me of a special spot to view the river. Once there, I nearly fell over in a heap.  The first pix below is what I saw. The rocks are all coated with chartreuse moss. Trees that had taken root on rocks now leaned out over the river with their roots exposed from soil but covered with this same chartreuse moss. The entire surface of "non-river"substance is coated with the same beautiful moss. But the moss wasn't the show. The "SHOW" was the river. For a stretch of about 80' long and about 15' wide the river is a "Windex-Blue" in the most vibrant way possible. To accentuate that blue, the surrounding water takes on a translucent emerald green. The entire scene is breath taking in the real sense of these words.

Then came the thunder, then came the rain. It thundered down on the camp for about seven hours. The rain only fell for an hour or so but the dripping continued on throughout the day. I loved the little circles it made in the creek that ran through the campground. What a beautiful spot to spend a hot summer's day. We were all born wet so no worries with a bit of drizzle. Mist hung in the air like moss hung from the trees. The aroma of the sizzle from rain on warm forest could make a person light headed. I hope you don't miss it.