All the outdoor time has been on two bicycle wheels. Pavement. Nothing slick. Limited still by the healing shoulder, and limiting my outdoor fun to the permission from the physician. Crossing the river into the evergreen state: Walking the neighborhood as well. This is just great — the third big mac attack in the neighborhood … More My refurbished shoulder and second-hand third eye
Headed out to national forest. It’s curious that a wilderness area so close to a popular spot is always empty. It’s wonderful. I intended to spend two nights in it, but stayed only one because of the forecast and the desire to have another lunch time diner breakfast. I don’t usually have pre-trip excitement while … More Sounds in Woods, Speakers and Audiences
Another hop to the woods. I tend to schedule my hiking and other exercise around locations of diners. I like other types of restaurants too, but seem to have really narrowed in on diners recently. And burger joints. This may be because I don’t hike and bike for exercise, but for experiencing through senses, which … More Wilderness and Burger Baskets
…Drift Creek is where I ended up a couple of weeks ago, after looking at the real-time wildfire map and air quality forecast, and road conditions. Not all that far from the coast. Near the trailhead there was a glimpse of the river meeting the ocean. After gaining that elevation on the drive to the … More In wilderness again…
…by a second force this summer, the smoke. For now I just look at backpack contents until it makes sense to pack again. Early in the summer the pandemic had many trailheads closed. The smoke and fire risk now have a lot of federal lands in my area closed. Some state forest is open though, … More Thwarted from visiting public woods for now…
…for me in national forest. I was near water on some stretches of the trail. It was nice to sleep in the deep woods again. I awoke to temperatures in the high 30s F on this August morning at about 4500 ft., then warmed myself with a hot brew. But the ongoing political unrest. I … More A nice overnight backpack…
…the floor of my living room for the first time. It’s because since working primarly from home, my stretching and exercises are done at home on my mat instead of on the floor of the gym at work. Being on the floor is giving me a glimpse into my dog’s perspective. Dog rest her beautiful … More I’ve been spending time on…
…last weekend that the reason progressives are going to cast the fear vote in November (vote for the “lesser of two evils”) is that they are trained to think just in four-year spans or less. And by thinking ahead by only four years at most, they’ve maintained decades of Democrat-Republican office holders taking us to … More It occurred to me on the trail…
Podcast in Quotes – Episode 2: I (Ben) talk to Kurt about when and how spending time camping and on trails started in his life and what purpose it’s served.
Still just looking at backpacking equipment. Checking fuel cans’ weight. Seems I have everything to hike into national forest but permission. It’s odd; we don’t have much resembling authoritarian authority on these restrictions; we probably wouldn’t even be cited for breaking rules. But I’m home until this all “flattens”, as they’re saying. But I’m certainly … More Woods, cars and bikes
Thoughts on Trails 