First Signs of Spring

I thought it might be fun to every once and a while deviate from book blogging. Besides reading, I also enjoy the outdoors, so expect a post now and then about my wilderness explorations.

Today my boyfriend Tony and I went for a walk in Hendricks Park in Eugene, Oregon. It was a gray day, with some slight drizzle and it was a little chilly, but over all very nice. We walked along some paths through both natural forested areas and the landscaped Rhododendron Garden. Just as we were nearing our car we had a small encounter with a flock of wild turkey, and briefly I wondered if one of the giant puffed-up male turkeys was going to attack us, but then suddenly I realized it was almost spring and he was just trying to impress the ladies.

Now I know spring is still a long way off, especially here in the Pacific Northwest, and it might seem really far away to those getting bombarded with snow on the east coast, but the evidence that spring is coming is really starting to show. Daffodils are popping up, the flowering plum trees are budding and beginning to bloom and little green leaves are coming out on the trees. And all these signs of spring are getting me really excited for summer and the hiking and backpacking I'm going to do.

As much as I enjoy sitting inside curled up with a good book, I also love being outside in the wilderness, the more remote the better. That's why I'm so lucky to live in Oregon on Mt. Hood, where I have endless outdoor opportunities. Below are some of my trips from last summer, and hopefully I'll be able to post about new adventures in the coming months as a slight break from book reviews and challenges...

This is my boyfriend Tony and I at McNeil Point on Mt. Hood. It's a pretty extreme 3 or 4 mile hike to get to the top, but that makes it worth it because so few people get to see this view.

This picture was taken by my friend Renee when we backpacked into Jefferson Park. That's Mt. Jefferson behind me. We camped by a lake down in that valley, and it was one of the most beautiful hikes I've ever done.

This picture was taken by my friend Rachel when we decided to road trip around Oregon. Most of the population in the state is west of the Cascade Mountains, and the least populated area is in the southeast corner, so that's where we decided to head. This is me in front of the Alvord Desert, a dry lake bed that's now a vast mud flat.

This last picture is up the road from the Alvord Desert, and this is were we camped for the night. Mann Lake is about 40 miles up a gravel road from any civilization, and by civilization I mean a town with the population of ten people and a single gas station. It was beautiful there.