Outrageous Octobers

This October was the cherry on top of our crazy year... and it seems to be continuing into November and December. It's hard to believe almost 12 months ago we were getting on a plane to go to Costa Rica. We sure haven't slowed down at all. I am thankful for the home we have made in Oregon and the winter we are about to spend here!

Umpqua Hot Springs // 35mm Film

Toketee Falls // 35mm Film

In my last post, we were just returning from Phish for Kyle's birthday. We had high hopes of making a home for ourselves in Hood River, OR, so that's where we headed. But first, we checked out Umpqua Hot Springs, because our friends recommended it. We camped nearby and checked out the springs that evening. The pools are on the steep hill leading down to a river. The path there is steep and rooty, so bring a flashlight if you're going to be walking in the dark. The springs were pretty crowded and I questioned the cleanliness of them. They were a good stop, but not my most favorite hot springs I've been to. I'm looking forward to checking out more hot springs around these parts!  I really enjoyed the short hike nearby that leads Toketee Falls. I'll never get over how the water has carved gorges in the rock formations, like this waterfall. The real estate market turned out to be quite tough in Hood River. We camped out for 2.5 weeks at a nearby campground, Wyeth. Wyeth Campground has saved our skin on more than one occasion. There is an overflow lot where you can camp for free for 14 days in a row. We used all 14. This campsite doesn't have drinking water either, which made practically living there interesting. We bathed in the icy rivers and made our meals on the camp stove, which had to be retired after that stint. That was a faithful camping stove.

You spend a lot of time at the library when you're homeless... at least there's a view!

Of course one day, mid-house search, my car broke down. It broke down right next to a bakery, Knead, and the lady working there brought me out some treats because she could tell I was having a bad day. It was really sweet, literally. We got stranded in town, so we caved and booked a room at the Hood River Hostel. For a hostel, this place is kind of pricey... but it's brand new and in Hood River, so that's to be expected. There's also a recreational store connected to the hostel, so all the youngins can buy marijuana conveniently during their stay (as of October 1st). We ended up being really thankful for the bed and showers at the hostel, so we didn't mind spending the money. We got my car fixed at River's Edge Automotive and I just have to take a second to praise them. After getting completely screwed by the VW service department a few months before, I found this team's helpful attitude refreshing. They didn't price gouge me, they knew exactly what was wrong with my car, and had it back to me in a timely manner. They have earned a loyal customer. The days we spent camping blurred together in ways to entertain ourselves, which is easy around the Gorge. We became fixtures at Dog River Coffee, where we'd sip our coffees slowly and use their internet. We hiked to Punchbowl Falls and impressed a bachelor party by jumping into the fairly cold waters. We even convinced one guy to do it with us! We hiked to some new places too. One of them being Spirit Falls, which is right across the Columbia River in Washington. We had a little difficulty finding these falls, because there is no trail and all the directions I found online were a little iffy. The "trail" is off Cook-Underwood Road, park at mile marker 2, cross to the right side of the road, and use your common sense to find your way down to the Little Salmon River. We decided to tackle Mt. Defiance one day, which is the hardest day hike and highest recognized point in the Columbia River Gorge. Starting at 130 ft. above sea level, you are left with a 4,830 foot elevation gain, summiting at 4,959 ft. We climbed a mountain!!!! This hike was definitely challenging, an over 10 mile round-trip. Early on, you pass three waterfalls. One is called Hole in the Wall Falls, where water literally spills out of a hole that was blasted by the crew building the highway back in the 30s. They were having a problem with flooding, so they redirected the water through the tunnel. From the top of Mt. Defiance, you have an amazing vantage point where you have the opportunity to see a variety of mountains including, Rainier, Hood, Adams, St. Helens, etc. This hike needs to be done on a clear day so the visibility isn't messed up. We were lucky to do it on a beautiful blue skies kind of day. I will say, at the top there is a radio tower, which really ruins the serenity. You hiked all that way through the woods and you turn the corner and see all these cables and metal. Wah wah wah... I thought getting up was hard, but I would hike up that mountain 10 times before I would walk down it. The tight switchbacks we encountered coming up, were now steep switchbacks going down. Our legs were exhausted and a few times the dirt gave way beneath my feet. I thought I was going to tumble all the way down. The views of the Columbia River are incredible on the way back!! All in all, the hike made me feel very accomplished and I got to see this place from a new perspective. That being said, I'm not sure I'd do it again!

This park was just opened this summer!

Between open houses, we hung out at the skateparks around here for hours on end. The two closest to us are Rotary Skatepark, right here in town, and Daubenspeck Park, right across the bridge in Bingen, WA. We managed to catch two skate competitions while we were bumming it. The 6th Annual Grominator was hosted at Rotary. It was fun to watch all the groms shred and receive awards, which were hooked up (snowboards, fresh decks, skate shoes, the works!). The Huckleberry Festival, which was going on over in Washington, hosted a skate competition at Daubenspeck. Kyle was going to enter, but not enough people in his age group showed, so they gave him a free pair of Vans just 'cause. This place know how to hook it up with the prizes! In between all this, we were still house searching and getting turned down. Everything happens for a reason though and our dreams came true: we signed a month-to-month lease on the most lovely barn that was converted into a house. It's a duplex and we have the top. It's more than we could have asked for.

Out spot!

Of course, we didn't get too settled in our new home before we had to go down to California for some work. We worked on an organic farm for a month, taking trips to San Francisco for time off. Our first break just happened to coincide with Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. This is a completely free festival that takes place in Golden Gate Park. It's "hardly strictly" bluegrass because there are all types of music. A few acts we caught were folk singer Conor Oberst, Leftover Salmon, and an Old & In The Way contributor, Peter Rowan. Honestly, this festival is way too crowded to enjoy the music. We spent most of our time walking around Golden Gate Park, which we discovered is HUGE! Neither us had ever walked around the entire park and we still probably haven't--- but we did cover a large majority of the grounds. It's nice because the park is centrally located, close to shops and not too far away from the beach. We ventured out of the park one evening to eat at an Indian restaurant called Noori. If you're in Golden Gate and hungry for some delicious naan and curry, this place is worth the walk!! We had a bunch of friends in town too. Our friend, Zach, was working for a vendor called Homeslice Pizza, where we visited often to grab a slice or two. Our friends, Dana and Logan, who are on a trip around the world, just happened to be in SF that weekend. Another friend, Dom, was in town too! All of these people are from our old stomping grounds, St. Augustine, FL... how miraculous is that? No matter how far you are from home, home will find you. I made a new friend too: Elsa. We first connected on Instagram about a year ago (the internet is crazy), through a Ween related hashtag. She loves the boognish too. Elsa lives in Hawaii, but spent this summer on the mainland. We have been at many of the same events over the summer--- multiple Phish shows, Fare the Well in Santa Clara, the list goes on. We FINALLY met at Hardly Strictly and I know this is the beginning to a lifelong friendship.

Beach bonfires with friends from all around!

Since we had such a crew of old and new friends, we had a bonfire on Ocean Beach after the festival ended. Beach fires get shut down if you have them out in the open, so we walked all the way to the north end of the beach where some rock outcroppings mask the flames. This became our spot. Of course, a San Francisco trip is not complete without a trip to Haight Street to buy a record at Amoeba or some novelty smoke accessory, found in almost every store in the area. We got a new bowl, but I can't remember where, because all the head shops blue together. The bowl was beautiful, resembling an Alex Grey piece. It was so beautiful one of our friends offered to buy it off us for triple what we paid, because it was "worth that much!" He loved it and it was the right price, so we let it go only a few days after buying with an extra hundo in our pockets.

Elsa and I, front and center!

For our next time off, we went to three Dean Ween Group shows. I have seen the Dean Ween Group 8 times, but THIS was going to be different. Since the Dean Ween Group's beginning in March of 2014, they have hosted a rotating cast of members. Originally, the only members from Ween were Deaner and the bassist, Dave. This West coast run they were doing was to consist of 4 of the 5 members of Ween. Gene Ween, that final 1/5th of the band hadn't come around... yet. That was until, the keyboardist, Glenn, had to back out due to a prior commitment. They replaced him with Harry Waters, the bassist of Pink Floyd's son. He killed it and so did the other 3/5ths of Ween: Mickey Melchiondo a.k.a. Dean Ween, Dave Dreiwitz, and Claude Coleman. I had never seen it this close to Ween before!! Claude was also the last member of Ween I haven't seen live. He's a beast. The first show was in San Francisco, at The Independent, the same place we saw the Meat Puppets a couple months earlier. It was waaay more crowded than the Meat Puppets. We got there early, so had a front row spot. I almost regretted that later because it was so packed. I love being close enough to see everything unfold before you though! They are all so talented. Unlike other Dean Ween Group shows I had seen, they play almost entirely from their Ween catalog. I honestly shed a tear during "She Fucks Me." That song is haunting and I never expected to hear it live. They played "Hey Fat Boy" and set the mood perfectly with all red, murderous lighting. I heard so many songs I've never heard. I got really butt-hurt at the end of the show. I had been waiting to ask for the setlist for awhile and no one was paying attention to me, so I just hopped on stage to grab it. I did the same thing at the first ever DWG show in Baltimore that I drove 12 hours to attend, so I didn't think it was a big deal. Anyways, the stage security like freaked out on me and ran over and stomped on it so I couldn't have it, THEN gave it to someone else. Like jeeze, this is supposed to be rock 'n roll and I can't even get a setlist off stage. I was bummed, to say the least, but on the way out of the venue someone we had talked to in line stopped me and gave one of Dave's (the bassist) picks he got. He said he saw what happened and thought it was L-A-M-E too. That random act of kindness really turned my night around. Ween fam! <3 The next night, I was extra excited because my new friend Elsa, sister in Boognish, was meeting us there. This show was at Sweetwater Music Hall (Bob Weir's bar) in Mill Valley, CA. It was super intimate venue. Elsa just happened to have sung with Deaner one night in New Hope at his hometown bar, John and Peter's. So, he gave her a head nod when he came on stage. I felt like a celeb!! I will say I was a little disappointed in the redundancy of the set lists from the three nights, but it made me appreciate when they did switch it up. For instance, they played a super jammed out, creepy version of "I Play it Off Legit."

Ladies and gentlemen, Les Claypool and Mickey Melchiondo sharing one stage!

THEN, Les Claypool, of Primus, came out on stage. It was a complete surprise. Deaner then taught him the riff for "The Mollusk" and he played Dave's bass. Over a year ago, we had gone to a show in NJ where Dean Ween Group was opening for Primus, because we were sure the two would collab. We were shocked when they never did, but it happened when we least expected it. Elsa and I both got the set lists from this venue because the stage managers were not mean! The final show was at the Crystal Bay Casino in Lake Tahoe, CA and we got a cheap hotel within walking distance. This venue was really weird because it is literally inside a casino, you can gamble before, during, or after the shoe. Casinos are weird... Our friend, Sadie, met up with us and so did Zach, from Homeslice Pizza. Concerts are always more fun with your friends. We had made a few friends from the shows who went to all three nights, so we hung out with them too. We didn't rage very hard after the show like we had expected, because we were pretty worn out from the previous nights. Overall, the three day run was amazing. I heard songs I never have before, saw Claude kill the drums, met new friends, danced with old ones, got a pick and a setlist... Just gets me pumped for the next 3-day run I'll be doing: the Ween reunion in Broomfield, CO at the 1st Center Bank. Yes, that's right!! Ween just announced they will reunite for a 3-day run over President's Day weekend and Valentine's Day. I never thought this day would come and I'm counting down the days till it gets here!

Chillin' in the VIP area.

We worked on the farm until our plane left out of Portland. We had gotten one-way plane tickets to my house in Georgia awhile back for many reasons: we had to get Kyle's truck from my house for the Oregon winter, get new tires, drive it across the country, go to Hulaween with our friends in Florida, and see our families. You could say we like to kill two birds with one stone! We immediately went down to Florida after we flew in, because the campground for the festival was already open and some of our friends had set up camp. You have to get to Suwannee Music Park early to get a good spot around the lake! We were shocked to see how crowded it already was. We didn't even get a lake front spot and Kyle's sister, Shannon, had gotten there Sunday! Our spot was still in an ideal location, I just couldn't believe how fast it filled up!! This Hulaween was the biggest festival Suwannee has ever put on. I've been to all the Hulaweens and it's crazy how much it has grown. Last year, Kyle and I were working long hours as food vendors. Kyle didn't get off once to see music and I only got off to see the Dean Ween Group, who were randomly played last year. I obviously WAS NOT going to miss it... Needless to say, we were thankful to get to play this year. Since they canceled my favorite festival, Bear Creek, I am happy to settle with Hulaween as a tradition. Suwannee is the most magical place and I want to always go back. For starters, you still feel like you are camping at Suwannee unlike many venues that hold festivals. The campground feels like a swamp, with huge Cyprus trees, cloaked in Spanish moss. During Hulaween, these trees are lit up with color changing lights. Suwannee is a huge expanse of land, something like 300 acres. Kyle and I walked farther and explored more than we ever have this festival. I gained a new appreciation for the park. There's a bat cave, where you can watch the bats leave at night and return in the morning. There's an enu. There's a river you can swim in. It's truly a farm! Then you also just happen to get see some of the most mind-blowing shows of your life in the exact same place! Since Suwannee is a campground in operation all year long they have all sorts of other amenities, like a general store, a pool, an arcade room, and a little diner. I just can't explain how incredible this place is. If you've never been to Suwannee go, even if it's just camping and a festival isn't going on (but really try and make it for a fest). You will not be disappointed. Hulaween is on Halloween weekend. You think people dress crazy at festivals? EVERYONE is in a costume the whole festival. I will say that this year was 20 degrees warmer than last year, so Kyle and I did not pack accordingly. Most of our costumes were waaaay too hot, but we still dressed as silly as possible. One unique thing about Hulaween is the effort that goes into "Spirit Lake," which is a giant art installation around half of the lake (camping is usually allowed around the whole lake, except for this festival). It is a playground for adults. There are interactive exhibits, swings and things you tap to make lights go off. There are giant sculptures you can climb on. The whole lake is a laser show, lit up like a nebula. Everything is glowing and beautiful and unexplainable inside Spirit Lake. You can get lost for hours in there.

My mom and her boyfriend in the Hulaween spirit!

This year was going to be special because my mom was attending! My mom and her boyfriend did it right and got us all V.I.P. Being young kiddos, we didn't really think V.I.P was that special. With the package, you got a cabin (we still camped with our friends), 2 meals a day, and special viewing areas for the shows. We did take advantage of the viewing areas a few times. My mom and her boyfriend were in heaven though! They are now officially Cheese heads too! The lineup was on point this year. The pre-party was amazing. It started off with a local Jacksonville band, Herd of Watts. I've seen them a few times around St. Augustine and loved it every time. They did not disappoint, especially when they covered a Ween song, "Voodoo Lady." I knew immediately it was going to be a good weekend. Dumpstaphunk, one of my favorite funk bands from New Orleans, took the stage next. They covered a Funkadelic song I love, "Red Hot Mama." I literally heard every cover that weekend I could have asked for. The stars were aligned. We saw Joe Russo's Almost Dead (the bassist from Ween plays in this band) end the pre-party night on a high note. Friday night was probably the wildest night of the festival. I mean, come on, Primus was playing on my favorite stage in the park, the amphitheater. Usually, the amphitheater, which is a natural depression in the ground with railroad ties as the stairs descending to the stage, is littered with hammocks in the trees. That's another cool thing about Suwannee--- you can hang your hammock anywhere and lay in anybody's! Since this festival was so big and Primus was playing at this little stage, they weren't allowing hammocks this year to free up some room. We both love Primus, but they kind of play the same catalog and Les even uses a similar banter at every show. It's a little disappointing. This show was incredible though, based on location alone! We met this gypsy girl in the crowd who gave us a piece of black tourmaline that I will treasure. I love little momentos acquired at shows from kind strangers. Other bands that blew us away throughout the weekend were Earphunk and Lettuce. In fact, Lettuce's set at Hulaween this year was probably my favorite performance by them. AND I finally got to meet Baby Jesus, the bassist, whom I have been manifesting meeting for a while now. We just ran into him walking around. We also ran into Bill Nershi, of String Cheese in the V.I.P. booth. Kyle and I honestly spent a lot of this festival wandering, hanging with friends, intermittently catching sets... Of course, we did boogie at every single set of The String Cheese Incident. Halloween night was incredible, where they did a "Ghoul Train" themed set. GZA from Wu-Tang Clan was the M.C.A. They played hits like "Carwash," "Brick House," "Dancing in September," and "We Are Family." My mom loved the set, especially when they busted out Sly and the Family Stone, one of her favorite bands. On the last day, Cheese played an extra bluegrass-y set where Sam Bush and members of Elephant Revival sat in with them. I couldn't believe it when they played, Birdland, a Weather Report cover I've been wanting to hear for over a year!! I just don't have enough good things to say about the weekend. We had one of the biggest groups this year at our campsite. Suwannee is home--- it is a place where I see my family and friends, have the most fun possible, see my favorite bands perform, and enjoy Mother Nature. It doesn't get any better than that. I'm going to have a serious case of the festie blues when I get home.

Hulaween officially marked the beginning of November, but not the end of our journey... YET! We still had some family to see and then a cross country road trip with a few friendly stops.

Deserts and Dick's

We said our goodbyes to Tahoe and hit the road for Kyle's birthday weekend celebration: Phish at Dick's Sporting Goods Park!! We took our sweet time getting there, leaving about a week in advance so we could explore Utah on our way. There are so many national parks and monuments clustered together in Utah, it's hard to decide where to visit! Of course I would say them all, if you have the time! We fit in Bryce Canyon National Park, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and Arches National Park.

Photos don't do it justice!

We weren't even planning on going to Bryce Canyon, but we passed right by it and couldn't resist. I am really glad we went! In my opinion Bryce Canyon is more spectacular than the Grand Canyon. What's nice about Bryce is that the trail into the canyon is short enough to do in a day, unlike the Grand Canyon, which is better made into an overnight trip. When we went to the Grand Canyon (read about that trip here), we only had time to descend 3 miles into the canyon, leaving about 3.5 more to get to the bottom. You could do that in a day but it would be grueling and wouldn't leave you much time to appreciate your surroundings. At Bryce Canyon, you can experience much of the geological formations in only 4 miles. When we got there, we set up camp at Sunset Campground. This campground is in an ideal location, as it is walking distance to many points of interest. For interagency pass holders, the cost of a tent site is $10, without the pass it's $20. The interagency pass has saved us so much money, I highly recommend getting one!! Once we were all settled, we walked to Sunset Point, which is the best place to get a panorama view of the formations, called hoodoos. The hoodoos are ombre: fading from burnt orange, to baby pink, and then bone colored. The color variations has to do with different mineral deposits that occurred with changing water levels. We hopped on the Navajo Loop Trail, which led us down into the canyon, around hoodoos and Douglas-firs that have grown miraculously in the primarily limestone soil. Instead of continuing on the loop, we veered off to extend our trip to Queen's Garden. There is a hoodoo in the "garden" of hoodoos that looks like Queen Victoria! It really does! After we hiked the trails, we came back later to Sunset Point. It's not really that great of a place to watch the sunset, considering that the sun was to our backs. We also arrived a little late and I think if we had been a little earlier the sun would have cast magnificent colors on the hoodoos. We did, however, wake up early the next day to catch the sunrise at Sunrise Point, which gives you a beautiful view to the east over Bryce Canyon. The sky was a bit cloudy, blocking the sunrise's true potential, but it was beautiful nonetheless.

A photo of the Grand Staircase from Hole-in-the-Rock Road, as far a we got. 

We didn't stick around too long, because we had a big day ahead of us. Our plan was to explore some slot canyons in Grand-Staircase-Escalante National Monument, particularly Zebra Slot and Spooky Gulch. It is very important to stop at the information center beforehand and check the conditions of the slots and the weather forecast. If it starts to rain, the slots can fill up very fast. Plus, the information center gives you great directions on how to get to the slots. We were especially glad that we stopped at the information center, because they told us Zebra was impassable due to it's water levels. Spooky was accessible, but the road might not be in my little VW Jetta. It had rained the previous night, leaving Zebra Slot filled and the roads questionable for a compact car. We came all that way though, so we navigated to Hole-in-the-Rock Road anyways, which is the 26 mile dirt road that leads to the slots. We drove about 7 miles down the bumpy road, before we reached a muddy patch that we decided not to test (the park ranger told us towing was VERY expensive out there). We were disappointed, but not defeated, resolving we'd just have to come back! The whole drive was rewarded with spectacular views of hills that must have been the inspiration behind the name "Grand Staircase," as they had clear layers of different sediments, alternating beige and brown, like stairs.

The swimming hole on Mill Creek.

Since the slots didn't work out that morning (it was still early since we had gotten up for sunrise), we made it Moab with time to kill... but it was SO HOT! We quickly made plans to find the only swimming spot in Moab (other than the Colorado River, which is very swift and silty and not very fun for leisure swimming), Mill Creek. The trailhead is at the end of Powerhouse Lane and there is a gravel parking lot, with plenty of space. There are many foot paths that lead immediately to the water's edge, but take the path near the information sign and keep walking, past the dammed waterfall, where some people may be swimming. This isn't "the spot." Continue behind the metal barrier that says "no bikes." This path will cross the river in three places before you either clamber up the slickrock (petrified sand dunes) on the left, which leads to the top of the waterfall. You can jump, but use caution as it is pretty shallow. We enjoyed the pools at the top of the falls, but if you don't want to climb, you can simply walk up the river to the base of the falls. We were so thankful for the cool water. The river is a miracle in itself, flowing in the middle of the desert around pink-toned slickrock. We enjoyed this spot so much we came back the next day. It was half out of necessity though! It's the best way to cool off in Moab and only about 10 minutes from downtown. We had planned to camp in Arches, but by that time in the afternoon all the campsites were booked. We had a big day planned in Arches the next morning, so we wanted to be close to the park.

The calm after the storm.

We ended up staying at Slickrock Campground, which was expensive for what it was. At around $30, it's the cheapest we could find in town, but their wifi didn't work and their hot tub was cold. Literally cold. And of course right as we started to set up our tent one of those freak desert storms rolled through. We had to tie ropes to our tent poles, then to trees, to add extra support so the wind wouldn't flatten our it completely. The rain was just as brutal as the wind and we were fully drenched by the time we got the tent up. We headed into town to get some dinner, because cooking was not a possibility in that weather. Of course, once we ate the storm had cleared leaving us a beautiful rainbow. On our way back to Slickrock Campground, we stopped at Lin Ottinger's Moab Rock Shop. I've been curious about rocks lately and really want to try rockhounding! Lin Ottinger is a famous rockhounder, whose discoveries and knowledge of rocks have led to published works. The shop is littered with rocks, minerals, and fossils. I left the store with a septarian nodule (because they are so dang cool looking) and a book to teach me more about rocks! It's only the beginning of a super cool hobby!

We ended up being happy with our decision to stay near the park. We got up just after sunrise to get to Delicate Arch, which is the iconic 65-foot arch that decorates Utah's license plate: a must-see if visiting Arches. Parking is located at the Wolfe Ranch site, which was a homestead built in 1898 by John Wesley Wolfe. A lot of people bypass the tiny one-room cabin altogether, but go peak in the windows and imagine getting to that spot when there were no roads or maps! The trail starts by the Wolfe Ranch cabin and then continues 1.5 miles until you round the bend and see the arch. Not far from the cabin, is a short spur trail, where you can view Ute petroglyphs depicting bighorn sheep and horses. The trail is well-defined until you come to a slickrock bank. From here, the trial blurs in the smoothed hill, but there are cairns (rock stacks) to lead you the rest of the way. As you begin to ascend, the landscape becomes more and more foreign, till you are surrounded by nothing but orangey-pink slickrock formations. Welcome to Mars!! When Delicate Arch finally comes into view, you realized it is much bigger than you imagined. The ground beneath the arch forms a funnel, like water pooled there for many centuries or a U.F.O left a saucer-like mark. It's a weird place. We got there just in time, too. Early morning is the best time to visit Delicate Arch, before it gets over-run by loads of tourists delivered by Greyhound buses. We managed to snap a few photos as people started to trickle in. Our next stop was the Firey Furnace. We had to do a little backtracking, because we got to the park before the visitor's center opened and a permit is required for this hike. The permit cost $6, again unless you have the interagency pass it's only $2!! It's a wise idea to get your permit in the morning, as they only allow 50 people a day to enter the furnace. In order to obtain the permit, you have to watch a short video explaining how to leave no trace while in the Firey Furnace. It's pretty self-explanatory stuff. The most important is staying in the sandy washes, where the water flows, or on the slickrock. Walking on the soil crust can reverse a lot of hard, slow-moving work done by nature. One thing that might deter someone from hiking this area of Arches, is there are no trail markers inside the furnace. We used the hoodoo formations as landmarks, remembering some as looking like Buddha, a middle finger, a butt crack... You have to be creative, because it is very easy to get turned around down there!!

Natural bridge inside the Firey Furnace. 

The Firey Furnance was a good trade off for missing out on the slot canyons, because there are many tight slots and places you get to scramble around inside the Firey Furnance. We loved the aspect of unmarked trails. We only ran into 4 or 5 other people during the 4 hours we spent wandering around in the magnificent structures. It's a place where you can truly be in awe of the power and creativity of nature, with no one around to disturb the peace. The Firey Furnance is a hike you can do multiple times and never see the same thing twice! The last thing we wanted to do in Arches, was to see Landscape Arch--- the longest arch on the planet at 209 feet!! Landscape Arch is along the Devil's Garden Trail, which is the longest trail in the park at around 7 miles. Landscape Arch is only about 1.5 miles down the trail and there is a short spur trail before you reach big papa that leads to two other arches: Pine Tree and Tunnel Arch. The trail is very well-maintained and suitable for all ages and at less than 3 miles round-trip, you are silly if you don't go see this behemoth! Landscape Arch, like all the arches, have changed throughout the years. The arch is very thin at the top thanks to large chunks (as big as 75 feet) collapsing in 1991 and 1995. All the arches are formed by elements of weather and will continue to erode. Landscape Arch is getting skinny, who knows how much longer it will retain the title as longest arch. Go see it while you can!

We booked it from Moab the next morning to Avon, Colorado to chill with our friend Emma for the day in preparation for the crazy weekend we had ahead of us. When we got to Emma's house, we walked to the Eagle-Vail Trail and breathed some of that moist mountain air, which we were grateful for after spending so much time in Utah. She took us to a really cool spot she found--- a platform built in the trees. We hung out there, eye-level with the tops of the forest. We could have kept going much farther on the trail, but Emma had to rehearse for a gig she was signing at later and we had to fill our bellies. She told us about a sweet deal at Nozawa's: 1/2 off every roll for the entire summer (their slow season)! We didn't believe it, but alas it was true. You know those 14 dollar rolls you always want to try, but don't want to spend that much? They are now a reality!! After we had our fill, we went to Emma's gig at a new brewery called Vail Brewing Company. Emma was just singing with a couple of her friends, super informal, two guitars and a cajon. I had no idea what a voice she had! They had the bars' full attention. We didn't get any drinks, 'cause we're on a budget, but I do recommend this place! I believe the brewery was converted from a mechanic business, because they had roller garage doors that made for a nice alfresco setting. It's connected to a gas station and weed store, so you can essentially fulfill all your needs in one stop!

He's 23!!

We got up early the next morning to get to Dick's Sporting Goods Park and claim our campsite. What Phish does at Dick's is really unique. Unlike a festival, Phish only played two sets each night (in exception to the last night), a typical concert. Unlike most concerts, you are allowed to camp on-site with the purchase of a camping pass. Now, Phish must pay off Dick's, because they have that place locked down (in a good way): they completely transform a soccer stadium into a giant stage, the security guards are all super cool, there's music late night in the campground, Shakedown Street is huge, and Phish played waaaay past curfew on the last night. The campground is located on the practice fields. The only rule is no glass in the campground, which is understandable considering people place sports in the same location. You have to park in a lot and lug your stuff in. It's not a very far walk and the worst part of the whole endeavor is you have to get checked every time, which really holds up the line. Once everyone's all settled, there isn't a line to get in and security is so laid back. It's a breeze for the rest of the weekend. We had seat tickets, instead of floor, for the whole weekend. I was a little perturbed by this, because we did the lottery. I feel like if you plan to go to an event 3 months in advance, you deserve floor tickets. They later release floor tickets, making you wish you had just waited!! I don't think it's a very fair or efficient system. As we were going in the first night, we had decided we would sneak in to meet up with friends who had floor tickets. I was kind of surprised by the scene that awaited me past the entrance gates of the stadium. I am the kind of dancer who likes bare feet in a field. The soccer field was completely covered by thick plastic (obviously to not damage the grass) and the rest of the seats encircled the once-field were filling up quick. We started to get nervous as we waited for our opening to sneak in. Kyle was the one who was really chickening out! We finally just went for it and it was a piece of cake! If you are dismayed about having seats, do not worry. Sprint past the guards and get quickly in the crowd--- they can't abandon their post or the masses would rush in!! We got about halfway into the crowd, Page Side Rage Side. We had completely given up on finding our friends, when one of them miraculously past by us on his way back from getting drinks. He grabbed our hands and led us even deeper into the crowd, enraging many people who had been waiting near the stage (sorry!), until we were about 5 rows from the stage. It's awesome being so close to these musical magicians and watching their every, calculated move. Kyle and I wrote a list of all the songs we wanted to hear during the weekend and I believe out of 30 or so, we got about 7. Of course, Phish played songs we didn't even think to put on our list and new songs that we will add to our list next time!! Never disappointed! The first night, I was especially excited to cross Ghost and Roses Are Free off the list. I hadn't heard Roses are Free since my first Phish show, where I bought a Roses Are Free shirt on lot. This night, I had bought a Roses Are Free pin on lot. I swear Phish played it for me both times! They always know... Check out this article recapping the night. After the show, our gang of friends got a taxi and went to the Bluebird Theater to see Pigeons Playing Ping Pong late night. I was pretty exhausted at the show, so I wasn't getting my maximum groove on. This was my first time seeing Pigeons and I loved their renditions of James Brown's Sex Machine and RHCP's Suck My Kiss. They killed 'em.

We spent the night at our friend's Air BnB, but made it back to the campsite fairly early to recuperate for tonight's show. We ventured around the campground, meeting our neighbors. A group a couple tents down from us ended up being our dance buddies at Phish show earlier this summer in Mountain View, CA. They drove from Tahoe too! Phish Phamily is a small one: it's crazy how many people you start running into all over the country! I'm only on my 13th show and I've already made so many friends. I know some people who are on their 500+ show! I can't imagine what it's like for them. As we were wandering, we noticed a band was setting up in the RV lot for an after party gig. We got stoked when we saw their drums said The Malai Llama. We saw them over a year ago in Breckenridge, CO at three20south, opening for Toubab Krewe. They are a local Colorado band, who rips it! We went into the show around the same time we did the night before, in case we needed to sneak in again. We ended up finding an awesome spot on the highest rail, giving us an amazing panorama view. The best part is there are speakers set up towards the back to amplify and provide good sound quality for everyone! The only problem is I have such bad vision and it was pretty blurry. I thought that's how it was for Kyle too, until we were talking about it later and he could see way more than I could. Next time, I'm bringing binoculars. There were things I missed like the key-tar solo, that I really wish I had! Good thing they film these things! The light show was still spectacular, making up for what I couldn't see. We enjoyed this spot and the people around us so much, that we all agreed to meet there again for the last night and Kyle's birthday. More friends!! You can read in more detail about tonight's show here. They pulled out a song they created for their Halloween show in 2014, Martian Monster, that is so funky!! They played Split Open and Melt and Character Zero, which were on our list as well. Even once Phish was done playing, the party wasn't over! We immediately headed to the parking lot to catch The Malai Llama. They were so cool, getting into and participating with the crowd!!! They've been a band for awhile, but their first album comes out in October. I'm definitely buying it once it drops and you should too! Here's a link to their store.

It's the last day and KYLE'S BIRTHDAY!!! We were anxious for what the night would hold, as Phish was clearly going to end it right. They love Dick's. Kyle made tons of friends today, sharing his bucket of margarita and it being his birthday. When we got back to our spot that night, all our buddies were there from the night before. It was a reunion filled with hugs, birthday wishes, and anticipation for the face-melting we were about to undergo. They played Backwards Down the Number Line, which was the perfect birthday song for Kyle. Tons of people hate on this song, but it doesn't deserve a bad reputation. In fact, everyone should smile when they hear this song and be thankful that Phish is still alive and well, playing for US! This song is on one of Phish's more recent albums, Joy, which was the first thing they released when they got back together after their 2nd break up (Phish 3.0). Trey became sober during this time apart from the band. When they reunited, they were so happy to be back together and you can hear it throughout this whole album. My favorite line in Backwards Down the Number Line [talking about friendship] is "you decide what it contains, how long it goes but this remains, the only rule is it begins, happy happy oh my friend." I really relate to this line and song in general. It's very touching, so give it a chance. Close your eyes, listen to the words, hugs your friends, be happy!! 2nd set was retarded, opening with Wilson > Down With Disease > Carini > Steam... mind blown!!! It didn't stop there. The encore was a set in itself, they played an hour over their curfew of midnight. Keeping with tradition, the encore songs spelled T-H-A-N-K Y-O-U. Phish likes to throw in little surprises like that at Dick's, previous years they have spelled "Most Shows Spell Something" and "Fuck Your Face." What silly, clever dudes! I love them!! They said "see you next year" and Kyle and I definitely want to make Dick's a tradition. There's nothing else like it! We didn't catch another late night show, but we wandered around the campground late night, chatting with people (mostly about Phish). I'd say Kyle had a pretty amazing 23rd birthday. To top it all off, we stopped at a recreational store called Lightshade on our way out, who just happened to have an amazing deal for Phish attendees. We got 5 loaded joints for $40, that normally retail for around $70! The bud tenders (that's what the employees are called, love it) said they were more busy this weekend of Phish then they were on 4/20. Typical...

And we're off again, to hopefully make Hood River, Oregon our home. Wish us luck!

A Tahoe Summer

Even though we were all over the place during the 3 months we had a studio in South Lake Tahoe, CA, we still did plenty of exploring. The amount of natural beauty and free entertainment that surrounds Lake Tahoe is astonishing. Anyone who comes here and only sees Lake Tahoe is truly missing out. There are a multitude of tarns (mountain lakes carved by glaciers) to find, tucked away in the hills. We have explored Lake Tahoe, Fallen Leaf Lake, Angora Lakes, Lower Echo Lake, Echo Lake, Upper Echo Lake, Lake Aloha, Tamarack Lake, and Lake of the Woods. <--- And we didn't even scratch the surface! Many hikes feature multiple lakes, so putting in the extra effort to get there is worth it. Besides getting lost in nature, Tahoe has awesome music, food, and casinos (if you're into that)! We rented an open-floor plan studio for the summer at the Tahoe Pines Lodge, which is recently under new management. Three dudes just bought the lodge and it wasn't in the greatest shape. Let's just say improvements are a slow process.. Most of the other residents of the Tahoe Pines Lodge are definitely "on one" and occasional skirmishes at any hour were not uncommon. The landlords all clearly drink in excess most nights and they can't seem to keep on top of their responsibilities. For instance, the apartment came with an oven that wasn't working, but they got us to sign the lease by saying they'd have it fixed that evening... Try a month later after we had to withhold the rent! People are lazy. Despite the lackluster efforts of the landlords and the seedy, but harmless neighbors, living here was not all bad. The location is really unbeatable: we could walk to the lake, library, skate park, restaurants, bars, a movie store, and our bikes allowed us to avoid taking the car more often than not! Every Thursday, literally a 2 minute walk from our apartment, was a summer series called Live at Lakeview. From June to August, on Thursday evenings there is a beer garden, food, vendors, and of course live music! We moseyed on down there a few times throughout the summer. It's definitely a good place to socialize! Tahoe Bowl is also a quick walk away and they have $2 Tuesday, with $2 shoe rentals and $2 games per person. It's a great Tuesday night activity. It is always busy, but you can't beat cheap bowling (even though I am really, really bad).

Buttermuffin
purchases!

Our first day in South Lake was absolutely perfect! We biked to the South Lake Tahoe Skatepark, a park that is no stranger to us, to get our first session in. We popped in a shop called The Buttermuffin Smoke Shop, which isn't just a head shop, but also a skate shop! What a cool combo. We have made a few purchases in both departments. :) On the way back, we passed one of Kyle's favorite Mexican restaurants, Jalisco Grill. This place is super authentic and has a salsa bar! Chips come with every meal and you can load them up with their assortment of homemade salsas. The restaurant is in a shopping complex with a cool used book and record store called Keynote Used Records & Books. You could find any book you wanted in there, every wall is covered in shelves. As for the records, there are some great titles ranging from Frank Zappa, The Growlers, to Funkadelic, just use caution and check the records for damage. If you're feeling like spending a bit more, the dankest sushi place is also in this complex, Off the Hook. Kyle's mom, Gussie, got me a gift certificate for my birthday and it was soooooo delicious. My favorite roll is their Fire in the Sky roll, which has spicy tuna, avocado, cream cheese, and is then fried. I love any sushi with cream cheese in it. I ordered one of my first legal drinks there, the Sho Chiku Bai Creme de Saki, which was a chilled, sweeter saki. We enjoyed it so much, we have since ordered it again! Our waitress was so sweet and brought me a piece of Pina Colada Cheesecake on the house for my birthday. Pina Colada is my FAVORITE and I swear they made that just for me!! On that first day, we went to the public library, which is right across the street from our apartment, to get cards. Our place doesn't have internet and we like books too! Getting a card is free, so if you're going to be in the area for any period of time, consider getting one. By the time the sun was setting, Kyle hit up his friend Josh, who lives here. Our first friend in town!! We biked to his house, which is a few miles along a path that goes right past the lake. That night as were were biking back by the lake, the moon was framed by the mountains on the water's glassy surface, I felt very lucky to be spending a whole summer in this town.

Gettin' up the nerve to jump of the big guy.

The first trail we did was to Angora Lakes. Although, you can drive straight to the lake and park for $7, we preferred the 2 mile hike in. The parking lot is oftentimes full in the summer anyways and you don't have to pay to park at the trailhead, which is near Fallen Leaf Chapel. The hike in is definitely challenging, the majority being steep and rocky. However, the workout gets you hot and ready for the cool waters of Angora Lakes. We actually didn't know you could drive in the first time we hiked it, so you can imagine our surprise when we stumbled into the parking lot. Once you reach the parking lot, the lake is a little farther on a very wide and well maintained trail. You pass the smaller of Angora Lakes first, but keep going and you will be rewarded with a lake surrounded by sheer granite walls. We were even more surprised when we found out there were cabins you can rent, boat rentals on the lake, and a snack shack with "world famous lemonade." We definitely thought we were going somewhere a bit more remote, haha. We brought money the next time we came and tried the lemonade. I will vouch for it's deliciousness. There are multiple cliff jumps along the shore of Angora Lake, ranging in height from 15 ft. to 70 ft. I am comfortable sticking with the 35 ft. jump, but Kyle insists upon the 70 footer. I'm just thankful he doesn't try to gainer off of it like we saw some kids doing. To get to the top of the rocks, you either have to swim and climb up or take a bushwhacked path on the right side of the lake. We usually take the path so we can bring our stuff up there--- perfect spot for a joint or a brew! We met some kids there one of the times we went and got invited back to a house party, so it's a great place to make friends!! We have hiked to Angora Lakes 3 times this summer and despite it being a popular spot, it is still one of our favorite places that we visited and we will always return.

Lake Aloha

The hike we did to Lake Aloha was more of what I was expecting in terms of it's remoteness. This was a 12 mile round trip hike, that lead through a variety of landscapes. The trailhead is at Echo Lake. There is a great lookout to see the California-Nevada border and Lake Tahoe in the very beginning. The trail then continues along a footpath worn in the sloping granite surfaces that make up the shore of the lake. You pass insane houses that are only accessible via boat or the trail we were walking. You then pass Lower and Upper Echo Lakes, which you can tell were once part of Echo Lake, but evaporation has left small slivers of land dividing them. A short spur trail takes you to Tamarack Lake, which we ventured to for our lunch spot. There are parts of the trail that are rocky, steep, and exposed, but then the next thing you know you'll be ambling through a covered forest or a flowery meadow. We were pretty tired as we were reaching 6 miles, which meant we had to be close to Aloha Lake, right?! We ended up taking the optional route to Lake of the Woods, before finally stumbling onto Lake Aloha. Lake of the Woods and Lake Aloha make you feel like you took a trip to the moon. The white granite rocks look like craters from another planet. There are rock outcroppings in the middle of the lake, forming islands. You are allowed to camp here, but you must obtain a permit because the sites do fill up. We made it back to the shore of Echo Lake right as the sun was setting and we drove home to purple skies.

Pretty emerald...

One day we drove about an hour north to hunt for Emerald Pools, along the Yuba River. This spot isn't as well known and I had to read comments of forums to figure out where it is, but the directions in the link I provided are pretty good. We found a cliff to jump off, but I don't think we found THE spot. That's the thing, the whole river is pretty emerald... I would definitely like to go back and explore farther. After clambering along the rocky bank of the Yuba River, we settled at an especially green looking pool, with a small 10 ft. jump. It looked like the spot we found may have been a campsite. There was definitely a fire ring and someone had made a chair out of river stones! It was too cool. I didn't enjoy swimming very much because the water was so cold. Colder than any of the other water we've been swimming in... We caught the cliff jumping bug, so we are always looking for spots to jump. We heard of one called Mohawk Rock on Lake Tahoe, so off we went. You can get there by boat, but since we don't have a boat, we took the land route. The rock is inside D. L. Bliss State Park. It cost $10 to park inside, or you can walk in which doesn't take too long. You hop on the Rubicon Trail and walk less than a mile. Hopefully there will be people jumping, because the rock might be easy to miss. There is a clear area off the trail where people have gone down, so keep your eyes peeled. The rock really does look exactly like a face with a mohawk!! I decided not to jump off this one after I realized you have to climb completely vertical over this sketchy hump using a rope... no thanks.  Of course Kyle participated. There is a huge rock nearby that is unusually square that all ages can jump off 'cause it's not too insane. I did that one! Not too much farther down the trail is a tiiiiiny lighthouse that at the time of it's construction (1908) had the record for lighthouse at the highest elevation!

Lake Tahoe's east shore in Nevada is especially beautiful. There are some terrific places to watch the sunset since the sun sets on the west shore. Two well-known sunsets spots are Party Rock and Cave Rock. We were taken to these spots by locals. I can't find any great links with directions and I certainly can't give them to you, so just ask around! Cave Rock is easier to find because it's part of a state park. The east shore also offers a few nude beaches, which you should most definitely take advantage of. We fell in love with Secret Cove. It feels secluded from the rest of the lake because of the large boulders on its shore, creating a lagoon and giving you privacy. The water is crystal clear. More than half the people on the beach are naked, making it easy to join the masses! There is no better feeling than basking on a rock, letting the sun hit every inch of your body. We visited quite a few times. There are more nude beaches in the vicinity, but we stuck to this one.

On the main road leading to our apartment is a strip of wonderful restaurants and businesses. We used Sno-Flake Drive-In as our landmark for where to turn to get to our place. It's a really quaint, turquoise diner, so it's hard to miss. My friend, Rachel, said the food wasn't good there, but all I ever got was their soft-serve swirl cones. You can't really mess that up! Farther down the strip is a sandwich shop called Port Of Subs, which has a Subway feel, but is WAAAY better. They offer picnic packs, that come with a huge sandwich, chips, and drinks for a group. It would be perfect for a hike. Keep going and you'll get to Rojo's, which I feel like oddly always has karaoke. Our neighbor worked there, so we hit it up a few times. Video Library is my favorite place along this section, because it's a dying breed. It's not a cooperate Blockbuster, it's a mom-and-pop video shop for true movie lovers. Like old times, you get a membership and rent movies for 5 days at a time. If you don't get the new releases it's 5 movies, 5 nights for $8. Then every 10 movies you rent, you receive a free rental. It took me back to being a kid, going to the movie store, browsing all the titles, reading the backs. You just don't get that through Netflix! We watched so many movies we probably wouldn't have if we didn't visit this store. They have a staff favorites section, which has a lot of good recommendations, 'cause hey, who knows movies better than movie buffs themselves? Keep in mind that the library does $1 movie rentals for THREE WEEKS! They don't have that great of a selection, but I definitely rented some cool ones. There are some sport businesses mixed in with the bars and eateries. Kyle got his biked fixed at the bike shop and you can rent all sorts of fun equipment for the lake or the land nearby. Speaking of bikes, Lake Tahoe is surrounded by awesome bike trails to get you from Point A to Point B without getting on the road at all. You can take it to the casinos or take it to the West, which leads to a quaint town called Camp Richardson.

Looking back over the summer makes me see how much we left undone!! I really wanted to paddle out to the tea house that's on the only island in Lake Tahoe in Emerald Bay. We never checked out the Vikingsholm Estate! There was still a handful of hikes we didn't get around to (Five Lakes Hike and hikes near Donner Summit to name a couple). So much to do, so little time! I am thankful for what we did squeeze in the two and half months we called Tahoe our home. This just means will have to go back and we have no problem with that!

Cross Country 2015 Video Montage

So four months after we get back from our road trip and after many technical difficulties later, I have finally put together a video!! Enjoy. :)

Oh Boy, Oregon

When Rachel got to town, we wasted no time. We picked her up at the airport in Reno, NV, "the biggest little city." Her mother generously booked us a room at the Circus Circus for the night, because her flight got in late. We took advantage of our casino surroundings and tried out the free drinks, the slots, and Kyle got on the Blackjack table for a little bit. We all came out with less than we arrived with... as usual. We had a slow start leaving the hotel the next morning and were in no rush to make the hour drive back to Tahoe. We passed an unique looking vintage store called Junkee, who's front display lured us as we drove by with colorful J-U-N-K-E-E letters and a giant clothing hanger. We went back to check it out and it did not disappoint. With racks and racks of decently priced vintage clothes, to antiques in glass displays, and new costume attire, this store could keep you busy for a while! We didn't make it far before our second stop--- In-N-Out. It's the perfect way to welcome a burger-lover to the West coast. Of course we got our burgers animal style and our fries animal style as well, but hold the spread. In-N-Out has a very simple menu, but there is a "secret" menu so to say. Better go with someone who's in the know, or order what I just said because that is the way to go!! Rachel was in burger heaven, but apparently she's eaten too many burgers since she's been out here so she's taking a break.

Redwood chillin'.

Our road trip through the Pacific Northwest began soon after Rachel's arrival. We left from Tahoe and drove around 8 hours to the Redwood National Forest. We were going to camp at the same place we stayed at on our road trip, but we kept going a little farther. As we were cruising along Freeway 101, we saw a scenic route for old Highway 101, a 31 mile stretch known as "Avenue of the Giants," so we hopped off and enjoyed the sights. Imagine a road literally surrounded by the tallest trees you can imagine! It's surreal! At the beginning of the scenic route, there is a brochure you can pick up that explains the important stops along the way. We didn't think the points of interest were very clearly marked, but we did manage to stop at one: the Mahan Plaque. This plaque is dedicated to the Mahans, who in 1924 took a stand when the surrounding Redwoods were going to be logged. If it weren't for them, this beautiful forest around us might not be here. This is also the start of a short .8 mile loop trail, where there has been an alleged Big Foot sighting. We ended up snagging a campsite at state park called Van Duzen: Swimmer's Delight, along the Van Duzen River. It was late when we arrived and we rolled out early, so we evaded the $20 camping fee. Many official Redwood campsites are completely booked in the summer, so it is important to either book ahead or be flexible! There was another campsite not too far up the road from Van Duzen, but it was a bit more expensive if I recall. Both of these campsites have river access, but we didn't stay long enough to explore. A great place to rest for the night though! Kyle cooked us a delightful veggie pasta and we went to bed all carbed up for our hikes tomorrow. 

A great photo spot along the Tall Trees Trail.

Fern Canyon in the summer.

Since the two hikes we did with Rachel are the same ones we did on our road trip, I won't go into too much detail. Just know they are amazing and obviously worth doing more than once! We did the 4 mile roundtrip Tall Trees Grove and the short stroll through Fern Canyon. It is interesting to see a trail in different seasons. For instance, last time we were here it was Easter and raining. The spring made the forest look rich and green, the rain making the moss heavy with moisture. It was definitely drier in July on these trails. I was especially excited to see Fern Canyon again, because many of the ferns had not recovered from winter and were still brown when we were here last. This area was more alive than in the spring. The walls were covered with thriving ferns! I can see why they would film clips of Jurassic Park here! After our hikes, we were off to Oregon! The drive along the most northern of California's coast is absolutely breathtaking. The rocky cliff shoreline makes you feel like you are in a foreign land like Portugal or Ireland. It was foggy as we were driving through, giving the coast an eerie, ancient look. We stopped in Crescent City, CA for dinner at The Good Harvest Cafe, which was one of about 4 restaurant choices in this quaint seaside town. Our meals were all over the top--- Rachel's 16 oz. steak, my chicken cordon bleu, and Kyle's seafood pasta. Definitely recommend stopping through this gem if you are ever passing through. We made it to Grant's Pass for the night and stayed at another campsite that we stumbled across late and left early... gotta love a free place to crash! 

Cloudy day at Crater Lake.

Crater Lake was our plan for the day, but the weather wasn't complying. It started storming soon after we arrived. We had planned to hike up Garfield's Peak, which is a short, but strenuous hike that rewards you with awesome views of Crater Lake and it's two major features, Wizard's Island and Phantom Ship. We didn't get to do the hike, but maybe next time! Instead, we waited out the weather and drove up to the only "legal" access to the shore of Crater Lake, Cleetwood Cove. The hike down is short, but steep!! The cool waters of Crater Lake are refreshing and rewarding (and also still cold) when you make it down. Cleetwood Cove is the location of the only dock on Crater Lake and where you go if you want to take a boat tour. Crater Lake is a captivating place. The lake is bluer than blue and from a good vantage point, you can see all the varying shades where the lake changes depths. Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States at 1,943 feet. The water fills a volcanic depression (known as a caldera) that formed when Mount Mazama erupted thousands of years ago. That night, we camped in the park at the Mazama Village Campground, where I had booked a reservation. For $23 a night, this campsite was a steal! It was centrally located near the park and there were trails and rivers within walking distance. Plus a camp store with local craft brews, coin-operated showers, and plenty of wood already at the campsite! 

Tamolitch Pool.

Our next stop was the Willamette National Forest to camp near the McKenzie River. We snagged our spot at the Ollalie @ McKenzie Bridge Campground, where I had reserved a site for less than $20. It was a nice campground with composting toilets and a well for pumping water. After we got settled, we set off to find Tamolitch Pool, which is also known simply as Blue Pool for it's astonishingly blue water. Tamolitch is a Chinook word for "tub" or "bucket," which is a fitting name. The hike round trip is only 4 miles, but the 2 in felt longer as we anticipated Tamolitch Pool. The hike along the way passes through a dense forest, covered in moss (that seems to be a theme out here), over a wooden bridge, and past basalt lava flows that look like the ruins of a forgotten civilization. Even though the water is a staggering 37 degrees, we all hopped in because how can you resist that water?!

Too bad it looks like the Caribbean, but doesn't feel like it. Tamolitch Pool is actually the point where the McKenzie River "reappears" after it's course was disrupted by a volcanic eruption. The basalt lava flow that remains in the wake of the eruption is very porous and prevents the river from following it's original course unless there is plenty of rainfall or snowfall. So instead, during drier months, the river flows beneath the surface for approximately 3.5 miles, disappearing at the Carmen Resevoir and reappearing here at Tamolitch Pool. During times of heavy flow, there is a waterfall flowing into the pool called Tamolitch Falls. Since we were visiting in July, there was no sign of a waterfall other than the smooth river rocks it usually runs over. I learned about the history of the pool through another blog written by Steven Michael, called Oregon - Like No Other. It's really educational and awesome. Check it out here, if you want more about Oregon! We made some friends by the pool and hung out, enjoying the stillness of the perfectly reflective surface of Tamolitch Pool. We had planned to visit a hot spring later that evening, but were all pretty pooped. There are a few springs in the area. I believe you have to pay to access Belknap Hot Springs, but I believe there are some free, natural ones such as Bigelow (Deer Creek) Hot Springs. Go find them and let me know how they are!!

A Leprechaun's dream. 

The next day was probably my favorite spot on the trip, the Opal Creek Wilderness. We had to have a wilderness pass ($5) for this trail, which can either be filled out at the trailhead or obtained at a ranger's station. Oregon has some of the most insanely blue and crystal clear water I have ever seen. I mean Crater Lake, Tamolitch Pool, Opal Creek, Eagle Creek, the list goes on!! We did a 7 mile round trip along the Little North Fork of the Santiam River to the ghost town of Jawbone Flats. For the majority of the trial, you are walking along a gravel road, which is the original road to Jawbone Flats. There are 12 people who live in Jawbone Flats to maintain the town and they still use the road today. Some of the old cabins are available for rent. Along the trail, we couldn't walk 5 feet without wanting to stop for a quick dip in the glistening water. In the very beginning of the trail, you go over a 60 ft. bridge that crosses Gold Creek and a pool so emerald green a Leprechaun must live there. We stopped to swim and played in the natural water slides. We saw the coolest bright orange salamander or newt, I've been trying to ID it, but many of them look similar. The next point of interest along the trail is the Merten Mill, a sawmill that was built in 1943 with parts of the U.S.S. Battleship Oregon. This area was going to be logged, but it turned out to be unprofitable, so now it's just a bunch of forgotten mining and logging equipment rusting in the forest.

Cascada de los Ninos

Close by is Cascada de los Ninos or Waterfall of the Children. This was my favorite swim spot along the trail. The pool beneath the waterfall has a sandy bottom and rocks to bask on. I brought my Scuba goggles and explored beneath the surface, chasing the juvenile Chinook Salmon. Closer to the town of Jawbone Flats, we passed another alluring pool with a long natural slide. We strolled through the ghost town, where there wasn't much going on (obviously). Opal Pool is the swimming hole that the 12 residents of Jawbone Flats frequent, so we went to check it out. The river has cut a deep ravine through the rocky banks. I absolutely love gorges: something about the power of water, winding and cutting it's route through stone. From abandoned mines, a mill, a ghost town, so many swim spots, and an old growth forest this is a trail for the books!

South Falls.

Since the campsite we planned to stay at next, Silver Falls State Park, was booked, we splurged on a hotel with a hot tub!! We had to pamper ourselves for our longest hike yet, the Trail of Ten Falls. It's a little less than 10 miles and has 10 waterfalls along the trail: South Falls (177 ft.), Lower South Falls (93 ft.), Lower North Falls (30 ft.), Double Falls (178 ft.), Drake Falls (27 ft.), Middle North Falls (106 ft.), Winter Falls (134 ft.), Twin Falls (31 ft.), North Falls (136 ft.), and Upper North Falls (65 ft.). We discovered that Winter Falls only falls in the winter when there is more precipitation, hence the name... Don't expect to see that one if you come in the summer. The trail is inside Silver Falls State Park and is very popular, which is why the state park was booked. If you plan on camping here, BOOK AHEAD!! There is a five dollar pass you have to purchase for day access to the park, so be aware. All the waterfalls were spectacular, but when you are seeing so many they all kind of blur together! Especially when the names aren't too creative... I mean Upper North Falls, Middle North Falls, North Falls!! How am I supposed to remember which is which?! We stopped at swim spots and ate lunch under a waterfall. Along the trail, we met a furry rodent friend who was gathering ferns and clovers for his home under a log. We got some great footage of him foraging! We did the trail much faster than we predicted and headed to Portland for the night. I found us a place to couch surf through a Ween fan page I am a member of on Facebook called the Ween Appreciation Site (or WAS). Again, if you haven't listened to the band, Ween, check them out now! The guy we stayed with is named Nate and he was asking the members of the Ween Appreciation Site to send him a dollar to his house in Portland if they wanted to help him see Rush, who are doing their 40th anniversary tour this year. I messaged him telling him how we needed a place to stay in Portland and we'd throw him some cash for his tickets. He agreed and boom! A place to stay in Portland! Our experience was that the hostels fill up on the weekends, so if you are looking for a reasonably priced place to stay in Portland, book ahead. Nate took us to a hip downtown area of Portland, where we were passing stores like Poplandia (that sells gourmet popcorn) and the Salt & Straw (which was an ice cream place with a line down the block). We got beers with his roommates at a place called 21st Avenue Bar and Grill. They had a nice outdoor patio where I enjoyed the best beef stroganoff I've ever had. What do you call a masturbating cow? Beef strokin' off, hehe. Someone at Phish told me that joke when I was telling them about the amazing meal I had in Portland. After the beers on the patio, we went back Nate's and played a video drinking game called Drunk Driving on Nintendo 64. It's a Mario Kart game where you have to finish your beer before you cross the finish line, BUT you can't drive your race car while you drink. Thus making you pause every sip you take. And a beer per race gets ya quick! Nate ended up getting all the money for the Rush tickets before we arrived, so he didn't ask us for anything. He even gave up his bed for us! What an awesome dude. We bought him some beers to thank him for all his hospitality. I love my Ween family. <3

In the morning, we couldn't resist driving across the border into Washington to visit a recreational marijuana store. We found one in downtown Vancouver, WA called High End Market Place. That just happens to stand for hemp. Going into a shop is definitely an experience: there is a "barista" to help you with your purchases (we had a lovely lady named Morgan help us), a menu of strains, pre-rolled joints, edibles, pieces, deals of the day, AND you can smell anything you want! We left the store with 2 pre-rolls of a strain called Allen Wrench (which was the deal of a day for only $10!!), an 1/8th of Purple Kush, a 420 Bar, and some brownies. We noticed some commotion downtown as we were leaving the store. It happened to be a car show called Cruisin' the Gut! The sun was out and making all those classic bodies sparkle. We left Washington en route to our campsite near Hood River, OR. The summer in the Columbia River Gorge can get pretty busy. Two nearby sites, Wyeth Campground and Eagle Creek Campground, were both booked for the nights we needed to stay! Luckily, Wyeth Campground had an overflow lot where you are allowed to set up your tent. You can't have fires there, but we didn't mind 'cause we have the camp stove. We would have loved to have stayed at Eagle Creek Campground, because it's literally a stone's throw from the Eagle Creek trailhead, which was the hike we would be doing the next day. If you plan on doing this trail, camping here would be ideal, so book ahead in the summer if you want to secure a spot. Wyeth was a good alternative and we were thankful for the place to rest. Kyle was eager to get to Rotary Skatepark in Hood River, so we headed that way. Along the way, we stopped at The Juicy Blue, a u-pick berry farm. Berry picking was so lovely! The farm was down a dead end road. The air smelled of lavender and sun ripened berries. The picking is based on the honor system and you leave your money in a deposit box (it's $3 a pound, bring cash or check). They had three types of berries available when we were there: currants, haskaps, and blueberries. We came just at the right time because the berries were at the end of their growth season. The next morning we made blueberry pancakes and they were delicious!! Did you know that Oregon is one the leading producers of berries? While Kyle was at the skatepark, Rachel and I went and took a dip in the Columbia River. I hadn't swam in the river yet because it was so cold last time we were here. The water was perfect on that hot July day. We got iced coffees afterwards at Doppio, a coffee shop I've blogged about before! It's THAT good. We got Kona Mocha smoothies and an Oregon Berry one for Kyle. I highly recommend ordering both of those. 

My favorite place, view of Punchbowl Falls in the distance.

In the morning, I drove to Portland to pick up an old friend, Brittany, so we could all hike the Eagle Creek Trail together. We hadn't seen each other since 9th grade! We hiked 12 miles round trip to get to Tunnel Falls. Kyle and I did some of this trail on our road trip, but only 2 miles in. There is so much more to see! Keep going!! The first sight along the trail is Metlako Falls (240 ft.), which is only visible from a vista on a short side trail. About 2 miles in, you reach my favorite part of the trail: Punchbowl Falls (35 ft.). Although there are signs that say no jumping, there are multiple spots to jump off of Lower Punchbowl Falls (15 ft.) and one off of Punchbowl (35 ft.). Rach and I jumped off the smallest one and Kyle did the biggest one off Lower Punchbowl. It's crazy last time we were here, we were in wetsuits and it was pins and needles cold. It wasn't enjoyable to be in the water. The heat of July allowed me to float, belly up, in the refreshing water in only a bikini! I swam up the gorge into the punchbowl that gives Punchbowl Falls it's name. The water is crystal clear, perfect for seeing the colorful river stones along the bottom. It feels like a place out of a fairy tale. Next you pass the most beautiful view of all time: Loowit Falls (90 ft.). The water flows down a smooth rock face into a perfectly circle pool carved in the stone by water. It is on my to-do list to swim in that pool!! 

Kyle in the tunnel at Tunnel Falls.

We ate lunch at Skoonichuk Falls before making it all the way to Tunnel Falls (160 ft.). Apparently, there is another waterfall along the trail that is only visible during the wetter months. We were all exhausted and out of water when we reached our destination. We resorted to drinking water from the fresh waterfall trickles. It tasted great!! We rested in the damp shade of the tunnel, which felt like AC compared to being out in the sun. Trail builders in the early 1900s blasted this hole through the rock behind the falls so that you could walk through, hence why it's called Tunnel Falls. We hiked quickly on the way back because we could hear our tummies starting to growl. We dropped Brittany off at a bus station so she could get back to Portland. On our way back, along the Historic Columbia River Highway, we stopped at a restaurant called Shirley's Tippy Canoe. We ordered a beer and realized it was way out of our price range, so we paid and continued the search for food. If you don't have a budget, Shirley's looked really delicious and was along a river. The outside seating had tables completely made of stone. Impressive... Our food hunt brought us to Double Mountain Brewery and Taproom, which specializes in pizza and beer. We ordered the Truffle Shuffle, a pizza featuring goat cheese, mozzarella, and portobello mushrooms marinated in truffle oil. We ordered another pizza and wished we had gotten two of the first, so I highly recommend it! As for the beer, I'm not really a connoisseur, so I can't speak on that. Did you know Oregon has the most breweries per capita in the United States? Beer lovers, get out here!

We left for Bend and got settled at our spot by the creek for the next three nights at Sisters Creekside Campground. Even though the site was 30 minutes from the venue where we'd be seeing Phish the next two nights, for $15 a night, we couldn't beat it. They had hot showers and we had a creek-front spot! We made Jell-O shots on our camping stove that night, so we could sell them on lot. That's dedication. We were nervous how the congealing would turn out in just a cooler with ice versus a refrigerator, but it worked great in case you ever need to make Jell-O shots while camping in the future. We only made a hundred compared to our usual three hundred, because we weren't sure what the lot scene would be like. Actually, no one did. This was the first time Phish played at the Les Schwab Amphitheater, let alone in the town of Bend. The next day, we parked in a lot that looked like it was part of a Hampton Inn and Suites, but was actually event parking. It ended up turning into the smallest Shakedown I've ever seen, but it was a Shakedown none-the-less. I picked up a couple Ween pins off my friends, Sage and Michelle, who I originally met in Colorado at show and have since seen them around the country! You can find some of their work on the Boognish Rising Pin Group on Facebook. Music is incredible in the way it brings people together! I love running into the same faces over and over. The venue was super small and everyone was looking for tickets. Once we heard how good soundcheck sounded from the parking lot we were hanging out in, we stopped looking for tickets. We ended up raging both nights in a gravel overflow lot right behind the hotel. If you ever want to see a show here and it's sold out, GO ANYWAY! It was so much fun dancing with 100+ other people who didn't have tickets. The first night, we got a Sample in a Jar, Sand, 555, Ghost, Birds of a Feather, Mike's Song, Weekapaug Groove, and Boogie on Reggae Woman, + more. The second night, we got a Stash, Simple, First Tube, Bathtub Gin, + more. What a run!!

Hanging out with Curt Kirkwood, the guitarist
from Meat Puppets.

We had one night to chill before Phish's next show at Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, CA. We had to drive 8 hours home from Bend and then make 300 Jell-O shots for lot the next day, so we didn't get to chill that much. It was still nice to sleep in a bed after our extending camping trip. Our friends who had been to Shoreline before assured us we'd have no problem getting rid of 300 shots, and they were right! Shoreline was a rager!! It was even more fun because we had a crew! Our friends had seat tickets though and we had lawn, so we parted ways once we got inside. We got an amazing spot on the lawn though, right on the rail. Phish proceeded to SLAY it, opening with a Moma Dance and proceeding with songs like Yarmouth Road, 46 Days, Reba, Twist, a jammed out Light, and a Harry Hood encore. Check out the full setlist here. After the show, we got to go rage at our friend's mansion in San Francisco. We stayed up till the wee hours of the morning listening to records in a room with vaulted ceilings and luxurious, lacy draperies. It was dreamy. Even though our friend was continuing on Phish tour to LA, he let us stay at his house so we could see the Meat Puppets the next day at The Independent. The Meat Puppets are an 80s band, who never received much recognition despite Nirvana covering three Meat Puppets' songs on their MTV Unplugged album. Seriously, if you jam out to Nirvana's versions of Plateau, Oh Me, and Lake of Fire then you have to listen to the original!! Meat Puppets kill it and they did not disappoint the night we saw them. They played some of my favorites, including Aurora Borealis II, Lake of Fire, Up on the Sun, Plateau, and Maiden's Milk. Unfortunately, they were the opening band. The next band that came on was called Soul Asylum and we were not feeling it... You can't put something so boy-band after something so psychedelic. Total mood killer. Since we left early, we happened to run into the band. They are all such cool dudes. Curt (the guitarist) was shredding in pajamas the whole time!! The guitarist and bassist are brothers, and now the guitarist's son plays rhythm guitar. I love how they are doing a family thing. We snagged some souvenirs and a quick picture before we headed back to rage the mansion again. 

Thus ends our crazy whirlwind trip and we are settled back in Tahoe! My next post will be about all the spots we've explored around this magnificent lake. Rachel is an excellent photographer and we've been taking a ton of film pictures. I wish I had them developed so they could go along with this blog, but I can't find anywhere reasonably priced! I will post them as soon as I get them developed. Stay tuned!