The Oregon Trail to Mt. Adams, WA

It's been too long since my last post father and these are my sins ......

Much has happened since Boise. Shawn and I decided to part ways and I headed north into Oregon while he headed south to Utah. My first night I stayed outside the Oregon Trail Interpretative Park mainly because it isn't open on Monday's and I wanted to see inside. Luckily there were some woods beside I-84, providing quiet and privacy. Fall weather has begun in this part of the country. There was actually ice on my windshield when I awoke. Needless to say, I stayed in bed for a few extra minutes before braving it. The trail center is very interesting. So many covered wagons came through this area in the 1830's and 40's that the ruts they created in the earth still show quite clearly. It's amazing how that plus the informational signs really let you inagine what it must have been like - very tough people.

As I headed away up I-84 toward Portland, I decided to give a call to the parents of an ex-girlfriend who lived in the area. They were so welcoming that I drove up to their place in Goldendale, WA and spent the night. They have a nice little mini-farm outside town. It was great to catch up and hear about their family. Summer is doing well with her new family as are her brothers and their various kids. Funny how both nothing changes and everything changes at the same time. The tough part about breaking up is the extraneous people you lose in the fallout.

After Goldendale, my plans changed somewhat. Rather than just heading into Portland, it seemed just too close to miss the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and Mt. Adams, a particular favorite from when I spent the summer in the area back in 2004. I also recall with great fondness the twisty roads in the area; they haven't changed. A great drive up to Middle Falls on the Lewis river, it was to be my home for the next 4 days. Perched right on the river, it was a great taking off point for hikes in all directions. The next morning I took off on the motorcycle to hit those twisty roads. Nearly 200 miles later the day was gone and it had become quite cold. The mountains here are tall and although down in the valley was hot, by the time I got back up to around 6000ft my hands were numb. Staying in my motorcycle gear for extra warmth, some hot chocolate and boiled fresh corn made a difference. In bed and under the covers by 7.30pm made it warmer still. Even though the camp spot was right on the road, there are very few cars in this area after dark, due mostly to it being very tight and bumpy. All the better for getting 12 hours sleep - it's a tough life, I know.

This morning, Fri 29th, everything was covered in dew, particularly the motorcycle. I've started doing a hike before breakfast. It does wonders for waking you up and some of the best photo shots are only available in the early morning. The Lewis river runs very swiftly and is very cold. The salmon spawn in the area. It's mostly created from run-off from Mount Adams, a glacial mountain, half of which is an Indian reservation. It's incredibly quiet and peaceful, particularly at 7am. Even though there are quite a few people camped around the area, there are none where I camp (no amenities dissuade tourists) and they rarely get up before 9am - bonus to me!

After breakfast, I came across some people on dirt bikes and asked where they were riding. They showed me the trails and to my suprise, in this incredible wilderness area there are ORV trails all over the place. That was enough for me, I was off to explore. Even though the tires on the KTM are mostly street they stick incredibly well on dirt and rough terrain. These trails go deep into the woods and are VERY challenging. They're steep, rutted, covered in large tree roots and often perched precariously onto the side of a mountain. After about 2 hours, I eventually found the top of what is known as Craggy Peak. I was quite nervous about coming back down as the ride up had involved long drops down deep valleys. As is usually the case, you get used to the most challenging terrain and by the time I got back to camp I was ready for more. On my way up the mountain I passed a group of people, one of whom was on a rather old 70's model Yamaha. I pulled off to allow them to pass and as I came to find out later, the girl on the Yamaha nearly hit me. She hadn't ridden since she was a kid and her father took her on this trail to reignite for fun of bikes. I think it made her never want to ride again but at least she got herself back to camp in one piece, and without taking out any unsuspecting Australians. After my ride I happened across the camp of that large group and they invited me by for a drink. A couple of families had come to spend the Labor Day long weekend. They had all variety of motorcycles, ATV's, bicycles, giant RV's, animals and small children. It was great to visit but not as quiet as I generally enjoy. Back at camp in the late afternoon, I enjoyed an easy meal of last night's left overs. When I bought ice from a small store they were predicting rain and colder weather (highs in the 50's) for the weekend. Cold I don't mind, rain is fine but not when you're camping and riding dirt bikes. If that happens I'll head toward Portland or Seattle.