Rogue Wilderness Adventure

Memorial day weekend usually means someone is getting married. Or having a BBQ. Or a frisbee tournament. But this year, memorial day meant Beck, Duke and I were headed out into the wilderness to backpack for three days for the first time since we moved here almost 2 and a half years ago. Needless to say, the weather report for the weekend showed green (rain) covering the entire pacific northwest. Even in the desert. Lasting all weekend long.

We were determined though, and after some thought over night conditions, (below freezing) elevation, (trails still covered with snow) and distance, (spending 2/3 of the time in a car) we decided on the Rogue wilderness area in southwestern Oregon.

Google maps gave us 6 hours to the trailhead. So off we went on Friday afternoon through the rain, over some very windy mountain roads (some of which were closed due to rockslides...but they don't tell you that until you're a few miles down them) and into a campground near the trailhead for the night.

Saturday morning was cloudy and overcast, but not raining, and so we started out on the trailhead with high hopes of a dry weekend, and nice views of the canyon.

Got on the trail close to 9 and found it amazingingly well kept. Even with 50lb packs on it was easily hiked, and constant breaks kept us motivated to keep going all the way to Blossom bar, approximately 15 miles in from the trailhead.

We decided to camp here as it is the last point on the river that jetboats are allowed on. So from here on out, it was nice and quiet. We got to watch a few folks come down the rapids and cheered them on before taking a rest for the night.

Duke's second experience in the tent was great and he slept at our feet with the sound of the rapids outside all night.

The next morning we woke up and decided to do a day hike rather than pack everything up and mosey on up to Marial. So we packed a lunch, camelback, and a camera and headed up to Marial to visit the historic ranch and do some relaxed hiking through the canyon.

Similar to the other areas we already saw in the wilderness, Mule canyon was incredible. It's steep, narrow, and jagged. And watching boaters navigate the churning waters near coffee pot is really cool to see. Alas, no one tipped.

We visited the lodge and read stories of crazy river settlers and their kids, and then took a relaxing hike up towards Buck point. Unfortunately we were tired, it was hot, and pushing on to Buck point would mean getting back to camp much later than we wanted, so we ate lunch and decided to head back.

By the time we got back it was 4:00 and we quickly packed everything up and started hiking back to Brushy bar to revisit with our friends at the forest service cabin that we met the day before. They offered us a space to pitch a tent even though their camp was full, and after a quick meal and some cleanup, we were off to sleep again. (Note to self: They have the best job ever. Maintain the trail, get all your supplies boated in, and spend the summer months secluded in the woods with only hikers and animals to interact with. Hellooooo retirement dream.)

The cool thing about Brushy Bar is it's in a dense forest and isolated from the trail. The bad thing is bears are ever present. So having Duke wake us up at 2am growling at something outside the tent was not the most reassuring of feelings. Either way, no bears got our packs so we were fine.
We packed up, and hiked out a few hours later on a beautifully sunny day. See, weather in the NW is witch science afterall! Rain. Pshaw.

Check out more photos here.

Arkan-Sass

Welcome to Arkansas. After a bruising sleep on the floor of the Dallas-Fort Worth airport from 5AM to 8AM, we arrived in sunny Little Rock. I will never forget my parents' utter astonishment at paying 50 cents for the airport parking. (What costs 50 cents?) I immediately dragged everyone to a corner of Little Rock with a bakery I'd read about - a European bakery inside a Kroger's, right next to the Kroger's bakery - for some breakfast.


My cousin's wedding was the couple's personal creation, making the affair touching, familiar, welcoming, and fun. Maybe it was my baby cousin's red face or just the bride's father's kareoked belting. Maybe it was the several glasses of wine, which slowed me down by 1am but not my family, who yakked it up in the hotel until at least 4am. (Grandma, we missed you.)


Lesson 1: you cannot recycle a THING in Little Rock.
Lesson 2: there is much skepticism around whether the ivory billed woodpecker truly exists in Brinkley AR
Lesson 3: "Petit Jean" is pronounced "pettyjohn."

Jenny, Nick and I headed up to Petit Jean State Park, a beautiful spot on a hill you can see for miles, in what the locals call "the mountains." Here's Jenny, looking out into the flattest mountains ever.

We took what was described on paper and a huge red sign as a rigorous hike warning WARNING, but didn't find much to twist an ankle on, let alone get us out of breath.

Naturally we disobeyed the caution and the prohibition. The sight at the end of the tunnel was worth it - a durn pretty waterfall. We soaked in it. How could you resist?

From there we booked it down to Hot Springs, pausing only to stare at rock collection that was difficult to pass up. In Hot Springs, our Happy Hollow Motel had all the amenities we needed. Nick had his hair straightened. Would you look at that?!




The next morning, we toured old bathhouses. This is my favorite piece of decadence, a window, next to an extreme oddity, chiropody.