Oregon City, Oregon - Week 29 - July 18 - July 26, 2020

One Day Warren called and said, "Wanna go to a train museum...Holland likes trains"  So we did!  It was a fun no stressful activity.  The kids had a great time, and we enjoyed talking to the old guys who volunteer there.





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I did some more ivy removal in the woods.



And now the pesky ivy is gone gone gone.



This week we decided to take Abby and Ruby on their birthday camping trip (in this case, a camper trip).  We took them to the Long Beach Peninsula in Washington which is a destination that both Dad and I went to when we were kids - but not together - with our childhood families.

First had to go over the Astoria Bridge





Found our spot on Klipsan Beach amidst the throngs of people












When we were beached out, we headed for the Dismal Nitch which is where Lewis and Clark spent their first week on the Columbia near its mouth.  It is a rest area now and a great place to park for the night.

The girls had bunnies to play with - Jack and Cinnamon.



A monument to Lewis and Clark which they did not note the importance thereof.



Breakfast the next morning



Playtime with the bunnies.



Off to the big city of Long Beach with our first visit to the Cottage Bakery











No visit to Long Beach can be complete without a visit to Marsh's which is an old time curio shop and antique shop and junk shop. A wondrous place, indeed.  I loved it as a kid....but the pinball machines don't work anymore.







The two headed cow....still there on the shelf after all these years.





Went to the beach again-  Not crowded.









We had a fun time with the girls.

July 24 was Pioneer Day which we really didn't notice because of Covid-%@$*&, but we did notice it was Beverly's birthday.  We went to Hunnymilk for brunch--surprise surprise





Food was really good - really good and unusual






I've spent a lot of time this week preparing for The Sisters.  We have maps, descriptions, a schedule----and lots of endurance :-)



My pack weighs 26.1 pounds



Sunday evening was the 'family party' to celebrate Bev's birthday.  Dinner and cake and ice cream.

The Enchantments - Week 28 - July 13 - July 27, 2020

Four years ago, when our group went to The Enchantments, I thought that the hike in and back was the hardest one I have ever done.  This year's hike emphasized the truth of that conclusion, and this year will be the last time I attempt it.....just too long, too steep, too treacherous, too rocky, too many roots......yep - too hard.

But the friends were great!



On the way to Leavenworth we stopped for lunch - maybe in Yakima - at a very yummy place and had delicious food







We stayed in this hotel and then walked around the cutie town of Leavenworth and finally ate dinner somewhere.






Finally we're getting serious and are at the trailhead - only eight miles to Snow Lake for our first night.



Up we go







Lunch on the trail



Yes, we're still cute





Nada Lake



Whoops - a goat in view!!



The dam between Snow Lake and Nada Lake was overflowing so our boots tested their waterproofing.



Our first campsite was a terrible one----it felt like the trail was going right thought our site - because, in fact, it was!  Bev and her tent were on one side of the trail and the other two tents were on the opposite side.  It was challenging for me and Olga as we pitched out tent on quite a slope....our friendship was tested during the night when she kept sliding on top of me.

Here are some campsite photos













Next morning (Wednesday) we headed out early to make the accent to Lake Vivien which begins the enchanting part of this wilderness area.  We'd gone, maybe a tenth of a mile, when we came upon a vacant lakeside campsite which did not share any space with strangers.  We plopped down our stuff and did a forced marched back to camp and made quick work of changing our spot.

The distance to Lake Vivien is about a mile and a half, but it is almost all bouldering - hand over hand--and remember one must come back down.




















And Finally!!!!!-Lake Vivien





Next stop....Lake Perfection.  Now, I have already reached perfection (four years ago), and as I was thinking about continuing for another two miles through absolutely fantastic scenery, these lyrics came to my mind

You've got to know when to hold 'em 
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run

You guessed it, I decided to wait in the shade of a scraggly pine as the others crawled to perfection once again.  Bev did take a lot of photos which she dropped to me so I'll post some here.





Snow



And Perfection



Goats everywhere!





We headed back down - posing for a photo - everyone is in this photo.



Found a big buck right next to our campsite



and Bev found a moonlit lake when when got up late in the night "to go see a man about a horse"



Next morning we headed down to Nada Lake where we relaxed and spent the night.  Some younger people even went swimming.





Friday morning we started out early to try to avoid the sun on the trail.

Lots of goats again





And -- wait for it ----a mama bear and two cubs.  The mama is hard to see, but look for the brown spot on the log.  The babies-both of them- crawled up a tree and by the time I got to the area, I couldn't see them.  The bear story provided lots of talking points.



And we're back to Leavenworth.  Went to our favorite hamburger place for some "non trail" food.



I washed my hands before I ate....the trail can be a dirty place.





The burgers were really good!



Five hours later we were back in Oregon City.

The next backpacking adventure will be in two weeks.  Bev and Paul and Olga and I will be circumnavigating the Three Sisters.  Four nights/five days/48 miles.  I've checked - - none of the trails are as steep as those we have just experienced and I hope there are no boulders or tree roots in the middle of the trail.