Cape Lookout State Park

We headed down 101 to the Cape Lookout. Due to the weather, we were behind schedule and it continued to be ugly weather. I'm sure it is a very pretty hike during the peak season but we had your normal ugly hike along the coast.

Cape Meares State Park - Tillamook Oregon

Our first leg of the Thanksgiving trip was down I5 to Portland, take 26 East, take 6 East and then follow that all the way through to Cape Meares State Park. Got on the road about 5:30 AM and it started getting ugly right way.


We normally don't get bad weather for Thanksgiving but this year was an exception.




It was kind of fun however, I haven't been on the coast during bad weather since the Navy days in the early 1980s.

This is the first lighthouse we visited on the trip and it was a short and squat. It would have been very cool if it had been working at the moment but no such luck.

Thanksgiving Week Mini Vacation

For about six years now, I've been trading visits with my cousin Michael and his family in Redding California. One year I come down there to visit and one year they make the trip up to Seattle to see me. Keeping an eye on the weather up to the last minute, the wonder dog and I started our little four day adventure.

We wanted to do some hiking (of course) but almost every trail we could find east of I5 was closed after October. Decided to give the Oregon coast a try on the way down to Redding. This late in the year isn't recommended for those hikes either but decided to roll the dice.

The evolving plan included leaving Seattle early Monday morning and make it to Lincoln City Oregon and crash at a hotel right on the coast. Had picked out a little walk to a lighthouse and a five mile trail on the coast itself. Then planned on another lighthouse visit, two more trail before stopping somewhere in the Eugene Oregon area. Then over to the Oberlanders Wednesday, Thursday and then see how weather looks before making any firms plans in regards to heading back.

First Snow Of The Season

Rainy Weekends Preventing Our Hikes

A little bummed out that every weekend we have had ugly rainy days and not really worth going out into yet. I hate to push it for ugly hikes when I know we have an entire winter for that. So we have been chilling out, doing Centennial Trail and I've been trying to reduce my stuff overhead with numerous Craig's List postings.


Snapped this picture last night as Bogie was enjoying a chew.

Cloudless Sky Saturday Hike Of Mount Dickerman

I haven't been able to hike much lately due to the combination of the day job (with a daily 2 hour commute), crappy weekend weather and a ongoing plantar fasciitis. When Friday turned out so gorgeous and practically cloudless, I had Mount Dickerman on the brain. Although the view from the summit is always worth the trip, cloud cover has been an issue for every excursion this year.



We left about 8 AM and it was very foggy on the drive through Snohomish to Mountain Loop highway. The nippy temperature of 37 degrees at the trail head had me don on a sweat shirt, however I doubted I would need it with the plethora of switchbacks for the few couple miles. I was correct and it ended up hanging from my belt for all but 20 minutes of the hike.

I was quite surprised to see snow cover towards the summit. but someone else was certainly into it. It seemed to cling to sides of the trail as a decoration and prelude of things to come ... soon.








Great shots with the cloudless blue sky.

Bogie rarely climbs into the back seat of the truck but he did after this hike. He stayed back there until we pulled into the driveway. Love those hikes that feed the body and and soul.

Lake 22 On A Saturday Morning

Seems like ages since the wonder dog and I have been on a hike. Yesterday morning looked like our opportunity so we got an early start. Was happy to see just a few cars in the parking lot at the trailhead but it sure didn’t stay that way. On our way back down, we met at least a dozen hiking teams and on easily had over a dozen members.



It was a very nice hike up to the lake and the views were quite beautiful.


There was just a little bit of the winters ice flow left and some hikers made the trek up to check out one of its ice caves. I decided it wasn’t worth the effort on this trip and we continued our way around the lake.