Superior Hiking Trail - Overnight Solo from Lutsen to Poplar River

So the plan evolved to a one-night solo on a small portion of the Superior Hiking Trail in Northern Minnesota. My focus went from a long backpacking trip to the idea of solo backpacking, which was terrifying to me. 👀 I tightened up my gear to make it more appropriate for such a short trip and started focusing on the mental aspects of backpacking alone. Enough people were telling me I was crazy for wanting to try this that defending my choice gave me the opportunity to focus on the positives of the challenge. The main positive was just the idea of knowing I could be out there on my own if need be. I also believed doing so would improve my backpacking confidence overall.

I chose to start at the Lutsen Mountains Recreation Area and to camp approximately 1.5 miles north at the West Poplar River campsite. The hiking distance was important because I also had to drive approximately five hours, without stops, that day. I got a bit of a late start and didn't end up leaving until about noon. That's not so abnormal for me. But I also know I was putzing around because I felt nervous about being out overnight on my own in bear country.

I had promised those concerned that I would stop to pick up bear spray on my way there. Turns out bear spray (along with fuel canisters) are in short supply as people are heading into the backcountry in droves during COVID19. So I had to drive about 45 minutes out of my way to pick it up (Thanks to Greg at REI Maple Grove for setting the spray and holster aside for me!). Everything went very smoothly and it was beautiful out, but it was a long drive.

I arrived in Lutsen around 6:00pm and parked in the very small gravel parking area right at the trailhead spur. There's a larger parking area down by the Lutsen mountain/gondola. It certainly wasn't dark at that point, but it was close enough to dusk that I was feeling pretty nervous. I considered sleeping in my car and getting started first thing in the morning. But the goal was to face my fears... and here they were, right in my face. So I got my backpack packed up, arranged things in my car so it was clear there was nothing of value in there, and headed out.

The first bit is on gravel road, which took me to the turn toward Mystery Mountain and a bit further to the turn I needed toward Poplar River. I'm not sure how far the gravel road goes but from the map, it doesn't look like it goes much further. So I turned onto the actual Superior Hiking Trail toward North Caribou Trail, which passes Poplar River.

I was immediately enveloped in the dark forest. I knew there was plenty of daylight to walk 1.5-ish miles. But my mind immediately went on hyperdrive and I became afraid of getting caught in the dark and afraid of a potential bear encounter. The first bit is sharply upward, so my mind also went into questioning my ability. Honestly, it was the scariest hike I've ever been on. It felt VERY long! I kept checking my watch to see how far I'd gone and then I'd double check on my Earthmate/inReach to see how far I'd gone. Doing that, of course, added time. lol But I just felt like I needed to know where I was and how much further I needed to go. I assume, with more soloing experience, these thoughts quiet and I would not have to check so often.

I made myself stop at a couple overlooks, partly just to take some deep calming breaths and partly to break out of the suffocating forest. Note: I love suffocating forest usually, but my fears did not allow me to enjoy it this time.

Back on the trail, I powerwalked the rest of the way with a constant string of "Hey bear! Hey bear!" and a periodic "Just coming through!" Honestly... I was scared sh*tless. lol I kept asking myself why I was choosing to do this on my own. Then I thought I could turn around and sleep in the car. Until I went downhill and then decided there was no way I was going to climb again just to get back to the car.

I heard some small cracks and other noises. I stopped once in awhile to listen more closely. It was nothing. Then I went around a curve and heard "THE BIG CRACK." Oh hell. I stopped and heard it again. "Hey Bear!" I kept walking and heard it again. Do bears follow? I thought they turned tail when they heard humans. Then another crack... close. I turned and saw...

The cracking sounds were from a fire a couple people had started in the campsite. lol I was SO relieved to be there. I'm afraid I might have passed by it had they not had a fire going. The sign was not clear going north, I had to turn to see it.

I was also glad there were a couple people there before me. It would have been a "pure" solo if I'd camped alone. But the hike offered enough fears to face.

Got my camp all set up... on an angle. There were no flat spots that I could find. Maybe the two people who got there before me had the only flat spots. Who knows.

Once everything was set up, organized, and having a bit of food, the bugs started to come out. I was in my tent by 9pm. It was a near full moon, so it was pretty bright all night long. I kept sliding down sideways and had to reposition myself many times. With the sliding, hearing every single noise, and generally not sleeping well my first night in a new place, I slept approximately one (1) hour the whole night. I did expect that so I had downloaded some shows on my phone to watch. Not something I would usually do while backpacking, but I'm very glad I did this time!

I was up early the next morning and enjoyed my morning couscous on a lookout over Poplar River. That was relaxing!

Then I packed up and headed back to my car. I was still pretty scared walking in the woods. That part surprised me. I can only attribute it to how close in the forest was and how easily a bear could have just popped out of the woods for us to surprise each other. I ran into a couple women and their dog, which was a comfort... except that they didn't have masks and didn't seem concerned with physical distancing. So I moved aside and put my mask on. They asked how long I'd been out and I shared that it had been one night but it was my first solo and they were very encouraging... "You got this woman!" 😁

I made it back to the car without incident and had several other people ask about my trip. Each of them congratulated me on my first solo night in the woods. That helped me feel more pride in the accomplishment as I had been downplaying it in my head the entire time... "It's just a short hike and just one night." But, it was a big deal to me and it felt awesome to have others acknowledge that.

I drove to Grand Marais (there's a detour right now, so be aware) to get some S&O pizza. But they were CLOSED! That's why I'm not putting their whole name. Grr! So I ended up where it seems I always end up when in Grand Marais and got Walleye fingers from Blue Water Cafe, which hit the spot.

After sleeping an hour and all the fear coursing through my body the previous day, I was very tired! So instead of driving all day, I decided to stop at a KOA to get some rest.

I then drove well-rested back home the next day. Overall, a successful trip in which I met the goals I set and managed the mental difficulties and fear of backpacking solo. It was certainly different than the plan for 2 weeks along the TRT. But that will come in the future and I'm happy to have experienced some growth in my backcountry comfort.

Back and Forth, Back and Forth, and a Decision

Back and forth, back and forth! With COVID19 in the mix, my friends decided a couple month ago they would not be doing the TRT. They didn't feel safe flying. I didn't either, so I began planning a drive, which I would do with only stops for gas and for camping. But recently, with California getting worse regarding COVID-19, that didn't seem like the best idea. And now California is basicallly shut down again, so I made a good choice not to go.

So I was looking for multi-day hikes near me. There are many! Everything was up in the air for weeks. I'm pretty comfortable with that overall, but it's starting to get to the point where I need to make a decision. So here it is!

I've continued to work on my fitness. But with everything closed for so long, most of that has been through the Peloton app. I've been spinning, doing body weight strength training, lots of stretching, and walks. I've gotten a few hikes in, but probably not as many as I should have.

I still plan to do the entirety of the TRT... hopefully next year. That'll give me more time to plan and be really ready for some big days. Hopefully, my friends would then be able to join me. But this year I'm planning to do a small portion of the Superior Hiking Trail in Northern Minnesota. I don't have time this year to do the complete 310 miles so I'll likely do a very short section and focus on the fact that it'll be my first time backpacking solo. Which section is still to be determined. This will also allow me to spend some of my vacation time with family.

We'll be taking a road trip to get there. We'll have our food with us so no need to stop for that on the way. We're also camping, so no interactions with people. The only stops that may involve people will be gas. We're still figuring out the bathroom, but are comfortable with copping a squat wherever we can while leaving no trace.

Northern State Recreation Area aka Northern State Mental Hospital

Another relatively easy hike with some potential bad weather that didn't show itself until just after we were settled for our post-hike lunch. Northern State Recretion Area used to be a State Hospital. Some of the buildings are still there, some are still intact and being used by other organizations and some are in serious disrepair with falling walls and roofs.




We ended up walking mainly amongst the buildings because the trail around the more forested area was mostly under water. In 2 hours, we wandered around approximately 2 miles with lots of stops to look at the surroundings.




There is also a disc golf course there and some people were out playing. I think it would be more fun without so much water. Also seems like a great place for some flat running.

Afterwards we headed to Sedro-Woolley for some lunch. Just after we ordered, a hard rain started falling. Great timing!

Squires Lake Trail

Went for a walk with some friends today. It was described as a level hike, which should have been described as a decent climb to the flat section. It was a short hike (approx 2 miles) and we were each of different fitness levels. One other person and I took an upper loop  with a bit more climbing, but then we met up with the rest of the group and a half mile in.

So, aside from my weekly spinning, this begins my official training for the TRT.

Announcement - Tahoe Rim Trail

I've committed to backpacking the Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT) during Summer 2020. The TRT is 165 miles and I'll plan to take a couple weeks. Some people can do it in a week or less, but I'm not there at this point. So I'll do 11-12 miles/day at least with the hope that I'll be in good enough shape to do longer days so I can take 1-2 rest days in Tahoe City and/or South Lake Tahoe.

I've already got most of my gear and am currently shopping for an ultralight sleeping bag. I bought a tent recently that I haven't gotten to try yet. I did try to put it up in the family room, but it's supported by hiking poles so I could not get it completely erected without damaging the floors. I'll share a review of it once I get a chance to use it.

So now, it's time to get back into backpacking shape.

Town Loop - 3 mile section

Today was mainly for training purposes. It helps to know if you can walk 6 miles before you put yourself in a position to snowshoe 6 miles. So we walked half the loop around our town and saw a few areas that we'd never been before. The Arboretum is always very pretty to walk through. With the more recent significant rain, it was more green and there was more water for the ducks to swim around in. With that rain also came some downed trees. One in particular was a large redwood, which was pretty sad to see. The middle portion of the walk was behind some businesses and along a creek/slough. So it was beautiful on one side and buildings on the other. But still nice. Then into a more residential area behind apartments. With a farm on the other side... some cows were lounging and watching what was going on. About that time it was three miles so we turned around to head back. We stopped for a snack (crunchy sweet potato fries) and ate those as we walked toward home.

All in all a successful training walk. I need to loosen up my hip flexors again so that's good to know. Get to stretching!

Matterhorn Loop - August 2016

(53 miles) Trailhead at Twin Lakes, parking at Mono Village Resort, "nine strong women."

Day 1 (~7 miles) - We started out in Crags Campground where we each grabbed a bear can and either a stove or fuel canister. We had to drive to Annett's Mono Village where the trailhead is, register the cars, and then start out through the RV park.  So the start was nice and gentle through the RV park. We got a few comments, questions, and encouragements. Then it started out gradually up and I'm thinking, oh yeah, I can do this. And then it got real... quick. We passed Barney Lake and then it was up and it was rocky. This was billed as our most difficult day so no surprise that it just kept going up with lots of rock steps. One mule train passed us going the opposite direction. As they were coming toward us, we all looked at the leaders for advice about where to go on the single track with a pretty good drop and mules coming at us. Basically we just pressed ourselves against the upward rock and one of the leaders told us to hold on. lol No incidents. I did struggle with how I felt about the mules traveling over that terrain with all the weight of humans' gear. Everyone else seemed to think they enjoy the work and that they enjoy the 8 months of the year vacation.

We made it to the top of the lollipop stick and "hung a right" toward Peeler Lake. It would have been helpful to know that "Hey! We're at the lake!" does not mean we're done hiking yet. To find camp, we had to continue up and down the rocky edge of the lake... probably another mile. But we found a great site with an obvious kitchen right on a creek. I camped on the granite with a nice granite shelf next to me and a tree for hanging things. Views in every direction!

My campsite

The view from my tent

Day 2 - A "recovery" day through Kerrick Meadow with a bit of a non-recovery climb up Seavey Pass. The meadow was incredible! The trail was about 8 inches wide so we really had to watch our steps. That was difficult since I wanted to look around all the time. As the day progressed, it did get very hot in the wide open space. At some point we crossed a river that was low but still enough to get our feet wet. But one of the group fell on her butt in the water and then couldn't get up because of her pack. Not too dangerous in this situation but a reminder for those harder river crossings to disconnect the waist belt. I think she actually ended up being grateful for the wet pants because of the heat. lol

Eventually we began climbing up Seavey Pass. At that point, another member started feeling sick with gastrointestinal issues. She climbed Seavey like a trooper and we took it a bit slower. We passed a lake, whose name I don't know, where there were a few campsites but they were too small for our group. So we kept climbing just over the pass to a hidden campsite that would fit us. As we started getting settled, the leaders came by and said there was a better site just on the other side of some rocks. So we picked everything up and moved to the new site. I just carried my tent with the poles in it. lol The lake next to the site was pretty sludgy so we had water to cook with but no one swam in it. I did take the opportunity to wash my shirt but it didn't help much. I and another member of the group set up just to the side of the kitchen. That was good for less distance walking while there. BUT... at night I realized that the kitchen is where the bears will likely go first. Oops! But, aside from getting up to go to the bathroom 3 times in the first two hours of the night, all was well.

View from the campsite over the sludgy water

Day 3 - A downhill off Seavey Pass for about 3 miles before taking a .4 mile detour for some swimming, relaxation, and lunch at Benson Lake. While there, a mule/horse train went through with two wranglers(?) and one customer. It was my day to serve lunch and PB&J on tortillas it was. After lunch and some foot maintenance, we headed off for Smedburg Lake where we would spend two nights. It was flat coming out from the lake but then began to climb for a couple miles. The climbing intensified the last 1.5 miles. I was not feeling well by this point so those last miles, including the climbs, were torture. Others did not struggle nearly as much so it was not likely "that" difficult. It was just my day to struggle apparently. At Smedburg Lake, we made camp on the granite on the southwest side with a high kitchen overlooking the lake. Our neighbor was a young man named Seth who asked if he could cook us some fish. Uh. Yeah! About six of us shared a trout but even with just one bite, I could tell it was scrumptious! Dinner was tomato soup and polenta stew.

Day 4 - A rest day for four of us while the other five did a dayhike to Surprise Lake. We made pancakes for breakfast and then my time cooking was over for a few days. The dayhikers said it was awesome and beautiful but I enjoyed hanging out at the lake swimming, doing laundry, and reading. When the other five returned, three of us were doing yoga. Volunteer Peak watched over us and was a beautiful site at every stage of the day.

Volunteer Peak

Day 5 - After a rest day, it was not too easy to get up and get going. But I definitely felt rested. Off we went to finally make our way into Matterhorn Canyon. Wow! We made our way over Benson Pass, which did not seem too much. As we traveled through Matterhorn Canyon, we were approaching Burro Pass, our main goal for the day. We stopped for lunch at the headwaters of Matterhorn Creek. A few drank directly from the creek since there is no crossover above that point. No one got sick so must be okay. I didn't risk it. After a good lunch (hummus and crackers), we headed out toward Burro Pass, which we'd had trouble pointing out while sitting for lunch. It was not where we thought it was but we were close. It was a hot dry climb up numerous switchbacks for about 45-minutes. When we reached the top, there was a snow drift that we were able to play in to cool off. The 360 degree views were amazing! Totally worth the work it took to get to that point. Aside from dropping from aircraft, there is no other way a person could get there and that felt incredible. This was the only day we saw no other people. All day. Just us! About 1.5 miles down from the pass and through a meadow, we made camp on the river in a beautiful granite and wooded site. I found a wonderful freezing cold "bathtub" in the river to sit in.

Matterhorn Canyon

Day 6 - Another day, another pass. This time Mule Pass. Not much creativity in naming these passes. Ha! Another hike through a meadow with a bit of minor ups and downs and a build up to the pass. It was much less elevation increase and we planned to eat lunch at the top. But once we got there, it didn't seem like a great place to stay. So we continued on a bit further and found a rock overhang with some rock fall and snow where we ate lunch. We crawled under the rock and found a great place to sit, soak our feet and eat lunch. I had the most comfortable chair during this time that I had the entire trip! Ha! Over Mule Pass and on to Crown Lake. All gradual downhill. Ahh! We could see Crown Lake from a ways off and could see that there were people on the northeast side where it looked like the best sites were. When we finally got to the lake ourselves, seven of us waited until the two leaders ran around the entire wilderness looking for a place to camp. We ended up staying put where we were. The walk to the lake was about .5 miles but worth it for the cold relief. The night was cool and clear with lots of shooting stars and we stayed up a little later than usual talking and playing cards. Our last night out. 

Day 7 - We got up early and started out a bit slow. I don't think any of us wanted to be done with the trip. Even though we also wanted to be done with the trip! Off we went toward Barney Lake. The first part of the trail was pretty gentle up and down but then the rocks and boulders took over. Another mule train passed by going up. And before I knew it, I could see the beach on Barney Lake where we were heading. And then... we were there. Sitting on the sand eating lunch... Babybell cheese, crackers, and some nuts. Some swimming and some feet soaking. Then other groups starting showing up and it seemed like it was time to get out. It was through meadows with ongoing "just one more look" at the scenery we were leaving. But, as one of the leaders said, "we can smell the barn!" and were hiking faster than we had the entire trip. Despite our speed, the trail seemed to keep going on and on. Several of us had to go to the bathroom so that didn't help matters. The trail basically ends at an RV Resort at Mono Village Resort so there were bathrooms... with toilets... available. Wahoo! Back at the parking lot, we got our boots off asap before sharing any last thoughts, feelings, etc. Then it was time for some food and drink before heading home.

An incredible adventure with some incredible women! I would totally recommend the Matterhorn Loop to anyone wanting to disconnect from electronics and the rush of life.

Snowshoeing Sierra-at-Tahoe

While our friends were downhill skiing, we had planned to cross-country ski. But the snow is a little slushy and the trail was quite short so it didn't seem worth taking out the equipment. Instead we donned our snowshoes and went tromping around near the snowshoe trail provided at Sierra-at-Tahoe. It is a lollipop loop that passes a tubing hill that seemed mostly for kids.

It was a nice area and it felt like we were in the middle of nowhere... until a car drove past on a road that we could see from the trail but didn't know we could see. lol

So if you find yourself in the area and you just want a quick get out, this is a pretty good place to go, particularly if you have children who might want to take advantage of the tubing hill.

Stebbins Cold Creek Canyon

Ah those stairs! Love them. The trail starts off Highway 128 where the parking is pretty limited. It's a pretty gentle hike for the first mile or so and then... the stairs. But, once up the stairs, it's a more gradual ascent. There's a nice place to stop for a rest where three trails intersect. We went right, up the spine. It's a pretty steep climb but the trail is well maintained. Any time you want to stop for a rest, there's a beautiful view any way you look. Lake Berryessa is the most obvious scenery that you'll see. Once you make your way over the spine, it's down down down via several switchbacks. It's also where you'll run into more people coming up the opposite direction.

Once you get down, the traffic will probably be worse so be careful walking along the road to your car. Then head down for a bite and/or drink in Winters. Lots of cute places to check out.

Cross Country Skiing & Snowshoeing - Big Sky, Montana

I went snowshoeing yesterday and cross-country skiing at about 7000 feet today. I got to Big Sky, Montana yesterday and haven't had any issues with headaches or any other altitude issues. I've been drinking water like crazy so I'm sure that is helping. I'm also not drinking coffee after my usual one. In the past when I've been here. I've had coffee all day. Uhh… why?

Anyway, the snow has been great. I could definitely feel the lack of oxygen but I haven't really feel limited at all. I was pleasantly surprised!

Snowshoeing takes off from Big Sky Resort and crosses over the ski hill into the woods where the Zip Line then flies overhead. The trail is easy to follow as it goes in and out of the woods, sometimes paralleling a ski run. At the top of the trail, you can go right or left. I went left, which took me to a Yurt where they apparently host dinners for people who are carted up there in some kind of motor drawn sleigh. The trail is back the same way but with more familiarity, it was more comfortable to go off trail a bit.

Skiing was at the Long Mountain Ranch where the trails were very well groomed. About 10 of us took the shuttle from the resort. We climbed pretty consistently for about 3 miles and then realized that we wouldn't be able to make the entire loop we were trying to complete and we needed to catch the shuttle. The downhill was pretty interesting after not cross-country skiing for two years. I snowplowed a lot of the way down and then tried the groomed tracks. My body didn't remember what to do on a corner and my mind wasn't quick enough to adjust. So the skis went out of the track and I slid across the skate ski track and fell into the powder. POOF! Didn't get hurt at all but I couldn't get out. lol Gary, one of the two men I was skiing with, was waiting for me to come around the corner to get a photo of me. He said he didn't take a picture of me when I fell but then teased that maybe it would show up randomly somewhere. I hope he did!! He also had to pull me out of the powder. About 2 minutes later, Marshall came around a different corner and he fell too. We continued down toward the ranch and ran into the 7 other people in our party who had been taking a lesson. So we all got to finish together.

A great few hours out in the cold fresh air of Montana getting some exercise. Awesome!

Cold New Year in the Redwoods

We spent New Year's Eve at Samuel P. Taylor State Park hidden from the sun. There weren't many people there on December 30th but it seemed pretty populated for December 31st. Most people seem to have celebrated New Year from a different time zone, us included. But there was a bit of noise at midnight for a few seconds… and then silence.

We had a couple visits from raccoons while we were still finishing dinner. We learned from last time to put food away right immediately but they didn't even have the manners to wait until we were done eating. One of them actually got away with a box of crackers! Bugger! I don't know if it was the same one or not, but we had another visit later after all the food was put away. It walked up on the table and seemed to look at us like we were not following protocol by having put our food away. We made noise and, of course, it took off. But with our headlamps, we could see its beady little eyes looking at us from a tree with his bandit mask on.

We also used our Dutch Oven for the first time and I followed a very easy recipe for Monkey Bread…. basically cinnamon buns. I burned the bottom in the fire a little but the rest was baked perfectly and tasted awesome. I just need to learn some of the finer points of Dutch Oven cooking. Good first effort though!

For future reference, camping in the redwoods in the winter is just a tad cold. The sun doesn't penetrate the cover so the ground never warms up and the air is always chilled and humid. Even Jambo was cold! Can't complain too much with what the midwest is going through with their constant below 0 temps. But I can comment anyway.

Finally, we were in Site 14, which we did not reserve. It was right next to Site 16, which we had last time. Site 14 was a good site with just enough space for our tent with garage attached. The car was able to block us from people driving by and there was good tree cover between sites so it was pretty private. I would stay in that site again at SPT SP.

Endnote: Just an FYI that we spent Christmas in Las Vegas. So we had the full spectrum of celebrations this season!

Honeymoon - Newport, OR - Day 5

Last day of our honeymoon. We both woke up very early and noticed that it was raining. Apparently Bozo had been up for a little while and couldn't get back to sleep. Then we opened the sliding glass door to hear the rain and the waves and she was out! lol How are we ever going to sleep at home again??

Up around 9am for breakfast, which wasn't too bad for a larger hotel. They had square egg patties that Bozo made into a little sandwich. The rest was the usual bread, cereal, yogurt, and oatmeal fare with a waffle maker to boot.

During our breakfast we also saw the news about the LAX shooting. We had seen bits and pieces here and there but chose not to listen further until today. We just didn't want to disturb our minds with the information. Our flight today was not impacted and it seems like only flights from home that may connect with LA are impacted. So, we were on schedule. Until there was a mechanical issue and we needed to change planes. But it was only about half an hour delay so that was okay.

Our drive from Newport to the Portland Airport was beautiful. It alternated from sunny to foggy to rainy and back again. We were going through forest much of the time and took a bit longer route through Salem to avoid getting on I-5 quite as quickly. We stopped at a Country Pride restaurant at a truck stop and had a good fried lunch. The server was awesome! Apparently we looked like we were in a hurry so she rushed us along. We weren't in as much of a hurry as we apparently looked. But it was good to have fast service! When we got off at the last exit before the airport for gas, it was raining and started to hail just slightly. I yelled, "NOOOO! We have to get under the gas station cover!" We hadn't gotten any extra insurance for the rental car. lol The last thing we needed was hail in our last 10 minutes with the car! No worries. The hail ended quickly.

No trouble returning the car and the shuttle from Alamo Car Rentals to the Portland International Airport departures was about half the time as it was to get to the car rental. That was a nice surprise! We had planned for at least 20 minutes since that's what it took to get there.

Nothing much different at the airport except TSA had black bands on their badges. There may have been more security but it wasn't overwhelming and getting through was just as fast. Though I have to acknowledge that we are both middle aged white women and have the privilege of not generally being the ones profiled. So others' experiences may have been different during this time particularly.

The flight was mostly uneventful. Just a bit of turbulence that made the flight attendants sit. I kept saying that as long as he was handling coffee, we were okay. Then he sat. Arrgh! Didn't last long though. Because of the plane switch, we missed our city bus and had to wait an extra 45 minutes. No big deal in general but the waiting time was beginning to add up and we were ready to just be home.

Finally home, all was intact… with the pungent smell of burlap still in the air! lol We made a quick trip to the post office and picked up a package…. a gift… from REI! Yes!

The Honeymoon was exactly as a Honeymoon should be! And now we settle back in to our lives!

Remember to move the clocks back an hour tonight!!

View from our room at the Elizabeth Street Inn

Honeymoon - Depoe Bay, OR - Day 4

Started the day in our usual fashion… breakfast with an ocean view. Then back up to our room to relax a little and make plans for the rest of our time in Oregon. Bozo found a great walk-in price for a hotel in Newport, OR, which is slightly closer to Portland International Airport, so we decided to head that direction. On our way out of town we stopped to take a few more photos of places we had been in Depoe Bay.

There is construction between Depoe Bay and Newport so it took us awhile to get here. It also made us change our plans because a couple of beaches we were considering were right where the construction and the long waits were happening.

We checked into the Elizabeth Street Inn with an awesome view of the ocean and then headed out to explore. We ended up at Nye Beach area and walked around looking at the little shops. We met a book seller at Books on Beach who recommended we check out the Sylvia Beach Hotel, which has all its rooms named after different authors with the appropriate decor to boot. It was great! No Karouac for me but there was Steinbeck. The best room was Agatha Christie with a wrap-a-round porch overlooking the ocean and a huge room.

We then followed the advice of the innkeeper at Channel House and headed to the Bay Blvd where we got a great view of the Yaquina Bay Bridge while enjoying seared tuna and grilled calamari at Local Ocean. Great atmosphere right across the street from the marina where they get much of their food and with garage doors that were open for some fresh, albeit fishy, air. We both realized that we'd not had grilled calamari before, only fried, and it was so so so good! It was served with poblano peppers so we also each got a little surprise burn in our first bite.

After dinner, a walk along the boulevard, and then a quick crossing of Yaquina Bay Bridge I finally got my Tillamook Ice Cream at Nye Beach Sweets. Not that I needed it or even that I really wanted it at that time. But if I was going to get Tillamook near Tillamook it had to be today. Creamy coconut with mudslide… yummy! Bozo got a children's sized mudslide. Wuss!

That's when the gluttony started. It continued when we folded to trying out the salmon chowder provided by the hotel as an appetizer. For us it was an evening snack I suppose. Then a few hours later they provided chocolate chip cookies and some coffee… decaf for us! I think there is something to our Honeymoon ending that is making us splurge in many ways. We're trying to make it last longer and we want to squeeze out every pleasure possible from our remaining time here.

We have tomorrow to make our way slowly from here to Portland and catch our plane at 5:30pm. It's nice not to have to rush!

Marina directly across the street from Local Ocean

Honeymoon - Depoe Bay, OR - Day 3

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Everything is starting to sink in and dissipate at the same time. We are both relaxed and well-recovered. We started the day with the usual breakfast in the BandB… hard-boiled eggs, granola, fruit, yogurt Afterwards I went back to bed for a little while and Bozo went out and called her parents. Around 1:00pm we went out. It was a good thing but really we only went so they would clean our room. lol

We were going to do a drive but where we wanted to go was a little further than we'd wanted to travel and it was raining so we started in Depoe Bay. They have quite a few shops for such a small town but most of them are cheapie souvenir shops. There was one that sold local artists' work so that's where we spent the most money. We also made a stop at the Whale Watching Center where we found out that 0 whales have been spotted in the past 2 weeks. Phew! I was glad we hadn't missed seeing any during our stay so far.

Then we decided to have a seafood lunch. The original plan was to go out for a nice seafood dinner. But once we went back, it was unlikely we'd be willing to go out again! lol So this was a very good compromise. We went to Tidal Raves and had a great ocean view table. Bozo had Red Curry BBQd Shrimp and I had Pacific Snapper. Both were delicious!

From our view in the restaurant we could see a little beach cove and four people were down there. We went to explore and found a rope that you're supposed to follow and use to keep you from falling. I assumed there was probably a safer way but off Bozo went and, of course, I followed. The rope ended a little before we got to the bottom and with the drizzle, it was a little slippery. But we made it… and it was beautiful. A ton of slick black rocks and some shells along with some garbage, of course. I think I've been pretty clear in previous entries that I am not a huge fan of water and even less a fan of being in place where I could easily be trapped by water. So I explored in unease. The other four people down there were all over 70-years-old and were studying bugs. Apparently one of the men was a well-regarded entomologist who studies the chromosomes of bugs to learn more about evolution. One of the women had been his college student about 50 years ago. They teased us about coming down the rope, "I can't believe you came down that rope!" and Bozo laughed and asked if there is another way. The former student said, "No! But I can't believe WE came down that rope either!" and then showed us her dirty butt. lol We headed back up before they did.

Back in the room again. We puttered around, took another jacuzzi, looked at all the wedding photos we have so far, and then watched our annual scary Halloween movie. But Bozo was being a big baby about how scary the fog rolling in was and that we are basically alone in this Inn. I took pity and chose one I didn't think would be quite as scary. But then it just turned out to be cheesy. Darn! One time a year I get a chance to scare the bejeezus out of her and I blew it for the second time in a row. We saw "The Amityville Haunting." I do not recommend it!

Not a bad way to spend Halloween at all! Next year she's getting "Saw" though!

The fog, the swirling ocean below, and some rocks just to complete the Halloween effect!

Honeymoon - Depoe Bay, OR - Day 2

Today was all about relaxation and recovery. We were asleep by 9:00pm last night and up around 8:30am for breakfast. That felt great! The sound of the ocean outside our room and the total darkness from their window covers… the perfect combination for solid sleep.

We jacuzzied (I'm making it a word!) late in the morning then watched some tv and movies most of the day. We did have to make a little trip to Newport for a couple things I forgot and that apparently they don't have in tiny Depoe Bay.

We grabbed some coffee and did some more relaxing. Then, out of pure relaxation and laziness, Bozo went back to Bonepile BBQ again for chicken and pulled pork. Good… again. I like their cole slaw a lot! We also added potato salad this time, which was good too but not as good as the cole slaw. These were the kind of deep conversations we were having today!

We finished Amazing Race Season 16. Not represented well by "the mean lesbians." I'm also working on finding my scary Halloween movie… Bozo will only watch once each year so I gotta make it good!

Once it was dark we jacuzzied again with bath salts. It's so incredibly relaxing to be outside in the cold on the balcony in a jacuzzi with the ocean sounds all around.

I know this is a boring blog entry but it was definitely the down day that we both needed after the few months that we've had!

The breakfast spread with an up close and personal view of the ocean at the end of the room:

Honeymoon - Depoe Bay, OR - Day 1

Up early again… 4:15am. Out the door by 5:00am for gas and to return the rental car. Everything went very smoothly and we were on our plane and flying toward Portland by 7:00am. Soon… time to relax! We arrived on time at 8:30am and got the next rental car. We used National for the wedding guests but this time found a great price on Alamo. But it was quite a ways from the airport on a shuttle (gotta remember that when we return!) and the clerk was in some competition for up selling that did not sit well with two overtired women who who still had their receipts from a very smooth rental the previous 5 days. She just kept arguing that we were wrong when we had our receipts. lol Moving on.

I brought my GPS to help us get where we needed to go. But we also needed some breakfast… preferably from a funky little Portlandish cafe. It's hard to look those up specifically so we were just going to settle for whatever we found in an area full of breakfast places. On our drive we ended up in the Montavilla Neighborhood and decided to stop at a place that looked like it fit the bill. And it did! The Country Cat Dinnerhouse and Bar was great! The food was great and there was plenty of it. But one of the servers also took time with us to look at a map (you know, that paper thing with lines representing roads!) of where we were heading and gave us some excellent suggestions where to stop along the way. On the same street (SE Stark St), was Bipartisan Cafe where we got coffee. Also a funky little place and some pretty good coffee.

We headed out of Portland toward Highway 26, which we took us up toward the coast. This is a much longer way to Channel House in Depoe Bay, OR where we'll be spending the rest of the week. But we thought we'd take the scenic route now in case we don't have time on our way back to the airport. Turns out we were both  a little more tired that we thought and needed to stop at a rest area for a little nap. That worked! Refreshed (sort of), we were definitely safe to drive and ready to move on. We basically circled around the Tillamook State Forest and headed south on Highway 53 toward Highway 101. This was definitely less along the ocean than I expected. But I really love driving through forest as well so it was totally fine. We went through Wheeler and then found a little Mexican Bakery Lunch Stop where we had an excellent burrito and Bozo bought a small loaf of jalapeño bread. I have no idea the name of the place. I took a photo of it but there's no name. Weird! I'd recommend it though! lol

We met a couple at the Mexican Bakery who recommended that we stop in Tillamook at the Cheese Factory for some samples. He said they also make ice cream that is to die for. But when we got there it was SO crowded that we decided to pass it up. We are planning on possibly going back up that direction for a couple different scenic stops during the week so maybe it'll be less crowded at that time.

By this point we were both ready just to be in Depoe Bay. We arrived around 4:30pm and got somewhat settled before heading back out to get some food and snacks to have in the room since we do not plan to leave at all tomorrow. Aside from it being our Honeymoon and that we're both exhausted from planning and having our wedding, I'll put up a photo that will show you why we have no intention of leaving for a day. We went to the little corner store and then got some dinner at BonePile BBQ, which was awesome. I don't know if we're just hungry or if the food we have been finding has actually been consistently excellent. I don't feel that hungry so I think we've just gotten really lucky with our choices and timing!

Back in the room for dinner and a movie, "So This is 40," while we waited for sunset over the ocean. At 8:30pm the movie was over and we were exhausted. So off to bed we went…

This is the view from our jacuzzi and one of the reasons we have no intention of leaving the room tomorrow:

Stebbins Cold Canyon - Hiking

We got up early to be at Stebbins by 7:30am to beat the heat and the crowd. We succeeded at both! We had most of the front side to ourselves, which made climbing the stairs a little easier. Then we encountered a few more people on the backside. The trail is well-marked and very easy to follow. It was also very dry and, as usual, lots of rock hopping. We decreased the amount of time it took us to complete the loop by nearly an hour. Neither of us believed the time on my phone was accurate when we finished. lol

I took my hiking poles and wore my Asolo boots to see if my knees would be in better shape for the descent. Nope! Maybe the boots are too heavy or perhaps it was because I haven't worn them hiking in awhile as I've opted for lighter weight most of the time. The scar I have on my foot was protected by mole skin but I also thinking the more solid boot helped with that. It's all about finding the balance. Speaking of balance, I think yoga has helped me with the rock hopping a lot. But now I need a little more strength to protect my knees.

Here's the route:

Casini Ranch - DD-l - Day 3

Bozo got up early to take Satoko kayaking with Rachel and Natacha. There were out for awhile along the Russian River and it sounded like they had a good time and that Satoko did well paddling for the first time. I got to have some alone time to read and tend the fire. I made eggs over the fire, which were awesome. I'm getting better and better at making those! Then others started getting up and bringing their breakfast foods to our campsite. The peach cobbler from last night seemed to be the favorite breakfast item. lol

After breakfast, Bozo took me kayaking on the river. We thought the current was going the "wrong" way. Turns out there was a strong enough head wind to make the current nearly moot. We went in a couple circles trying to figure it out. ha! But we're new to kayaking and neither of us have been in an inflatable kayak so we get some slack. After we got the kayak back on shore, I went for a little swim. The water was like a bathtub where I was already wet. Then took my breath away as I dipped in deeper. Eventually it was all just warm and refreshing.

We spent a little more time at the campsite then Bozo took the bike to ask for our late check out. Turns out we needed to leave the campsite but we could stay in the park on the beach. Pressure packing is not the best way to end a camping trip. But we all got everything packed up. Bozo and Natacha went to get the kayaks to paddle them to the beach. I ran along the shore to find them in case they beached and needed a pull. Once they got the kayaks back to the beach, Natacha took Margaret-Rose for a paddle while Bozo and I packed up the other kayak. Heather went for a swim, a real swim like with laps. I went for a swim, a fake swim like playing around in the water just to cool off. Then we folded up the second kayak and off we went toward home.

A quick stop at Bubba's BBQ for a quick chicken BBQ sandwich and then home through just a little traffic and no median fires.

Casini Ranch - DD-l - Day 2

We all got up pretty slowly this morning. The night had not been as cold as we expected. But there was that one lone snorer who seems to follow me wherever I camp. Otherwise, it was a pretty good sleep. Bozo started a fire. I made eggs in a paper bag over the fire while Lorrie and Satoko had cereal. Rachel and Natacha showed up late morning and we made plans to visit the ocean. Early afternoon Margaret-Rose showed up with Kai and decided to stay at the campsite to relax while we headed toward Goat Rock to see baby seals and face the sand throwing wind. By the time we got back Susie and Heather had arrived and were getting setting up.

Soon, of course, food started becoming the focus. Saturday night camping is potluck night. We brought 2 kinds of chicken brats, veggie brats, and some veggies to cook in the fire. There were also potatoes cooked in the fire, many different salads, some turkey burgers, corn on the cob cooked in the fire, avocados, random chips, and I'm sure some other items that I'm forgetting. Susie made peach cobbler and gluten free peach cobbler for Natacha's birthday. SO good!!

The evening was spent around the fire chatting. Although there was a point when it started getting dark that Satoko had gone for a walk and not returned yet. Bozo and I weren't too worried until others started talking about their experiences getting lost in campgrounds. Bozo went out on the bike to search then came back without her. So I took off on the bike, Bozo walked, and all but Margaret-Rose went out to look for her. I wasn't sure who found her but she said she wasn't lost so we had worried for nothing.

Casini Ranch - DD-l - Day 1

Bozo, Satoko, and I were on the road by about 3pm today. Along the way, along the interstate, there was a brush fire right next to traffic. Scary! Things went pretty well most of the way but traffic got horrible at Hwy 37 and then again along the 101. After about an hour longer than expected we made it to Casini Ranch. Another line up... to get in this time. Finally to the campsite, we got both tents set up and at some dinner. I thought Rachel and Natacha might show up tonight but we eventually got a text that they would be here tomorrow morning. So we sat by the fire and relaxed.

We gave Satoko the option of sleeping in our big tent or having her own smaller tent. She opted for the privacy. So we gave a walkie talkie, showed her how to use it, and off she went.