Hike #14 South Breitenbush Gorge

This hike is #21 in the new Sullivan book if you want to find more information about it. It was a pretty easy 6 miles to Roaring Creek and back again. I started at the lower trail head and took a quick side trek on the Emerald Trail to plant the box. I went as far as the log bridges known for washing out. A couple of the old bridges were torn up and unusable but the new one was pretty sturdy. This is a more popular hike I think so I put a special box here.

Hike #13 Shellburg Falls

At the State Fair this year I bought Sullivan's new Central Oregon Cascades book for 2012-2013. So from now on I'll be using this book to plant boxes. Over this last weekend I spent 5 days up in the Mill City and Detroit area to check on some boxes and plant some more.

While checking on my Shellburg box (Hike #6 - #3 in the Sullivan book) I decided to plant another box there because I discovered another trail to get down to the falls that was so much better. The first time I went there I took the longer trail that was mostly on gravel roads from the lower trail head. This time I started at the upper trail head where there is even a fairly new campground. I guess there had been campsites there before but it's been developed a bit more now, although there is still no camp host and appears to be on the honor system. Right next to the campground is the entrance to the trail head and it's a really easy hike on a wonderful forest trail. Expect to drive a lot further on gravel roads but your hike to the falls will be shorter by about half a mile, and definitely more scenic. Near the end there is a lot of climbing down to get to the falls but it's mostly railed stairs. This time of year the falls is pretty small but the hike was worth it anyway with so much forest to awe at on the way.

Hitting 500 finds

I've had my eye on my approaching 500 milestone for a few months now. I even considered choosing a special box to become that #500. I didn't though, I let it fall where it landed so my 500th find was "Fish Stories" by Gales Creek Diggers in Odell Lake, OR, and a cute stamp it was! It came during a trip to Waldo Lake, where I also nabbed a few of FORAYCH's Waldo's Treasure Hunting Adventure boxes, which I can highly recommend. I wish I could have done the whole loop to get them all, but I'm still recovering from some back and neck problems that make hiking more difficult. I did get about 6 miles of hiking in to get the 3 boxes I did find. Waldo Lake is pretty perfect this time of year. The mosquitoes were minimal, the water, though still cold, was as warm as it ever gets, and it wasn't too hot or too cool even at night. My only complaint was the cost of camping there. $20 a night for a regular 1-tent campsite, same price as John Neal Memorial Campground in Lyons only there are no showers or flush toilets at Waldo like there are at John Neal. I don't mind the more "primitive" camping at Waldo, the facilities are actually pretty clean for non-flush types, but it should cost less than more upscale camping with amenities. It was an enjoyable 2-night camping trip.

Coastal Buddyboxing

Me and Kuku at the Tillamook Cheese factory, Tillamook Oregon. June 2012

Boxing alone is fun, but boxing with friends is better. Last weekend started with a boxing in the park trip to introduce a new boxer, Barley, and her super sweet puppy to the craft. If there is anything better than being a first finder it might be watching a friend find their first box and find that they are the first finder of that box, AND that there is a first finder prize. Great way to hook a newbie boxer if she wasn't hooked already. Then I had an opportunity to go letterboxing with some wonderful seasoned letterboxers, including my letterboxing "mom", Kuku (who introduced me to boxing), and Waves. In our group was also a magical muggle who went along with us for fun. She was magical because even though she was not a letterboxer she had a knack for finding boxes that were eluding us. We were up in the Canon Beach area, where I haven't been since I was in high school, and camped out at the Nehalem Bay State Park Campground. The weekend started out wet and windy but we still managed to nab some boxes in the rain. Saturday was better and Sunday was gorgeous, thank you Oregon! We found quite a few letterboxes that weekend, among them some really fabulous carves. We also got to enjoy a sand castle competition held at Canon Beach.

The best thing about boxing with Waves is you are sure to get a ton of boxes, "Just one more?" The best thing about boxing with Kuku is you never know what she'll come up with for a cover when muggles show up unexpectedly, "I don't think those ferns up there are any different than the ones down here, they look the same." The best thing about boxing with a muggle, other than having a great finder with you, is the laughs, "Is this it?" *really loud and waving it in the air.* (She did learn quickly though)

Letterboxing is a hobby of art. I've have 4 journals filled up now of all shapes and sizes, some hard bound books like the one above and some spiral bound. The one above is my current journal that I got at the Art Supply store in Salem. I liked that it looks like a regular book but didn't like that for an art book it was sure boring. So I decided to decorate it using some stamps I've carved that I haven't planted yet and this was the result. Maybe I'll get these from now on. It was fun decorating it and I could do it differently each time I get a new book.

Hike #12 Little North Santiam Trail

This was a fun hike along the little north fork. If you have Sullivan's green hiking book, 100 Hikes in the Central Oregon Cascades from 05-06, it's #4 in that book. http://www.amazon.com/100-Hikes-Central-Oregon-Cascades/dp/0967783062/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335302099&sr=1-1

We parked at the Elkhorn Drive parking lot and were surprised to find no fee was asked of us.  To get there from Salem take hwy 22 east and turn onto Little North Fork Rd at the Swiss Villiage. Pass Gates Hill Rd and Turn right on Elkhorn Dr. which is a gravel road. You'll see the parking lot on your left across from a sign about Opal Creek Scenic Area. This is not a loop trail so you have to come back the way you came or park a second car at the other end of the trail. If you hike to the end and back it's about 9 miles with 900 ft. elevation gain. The water was still fairly high and we could see evidence of earlier flooding on the hike but the trail was was in good condition if a bit muddy in places. Superpup was ecstatic about being in his element again and really soaked up the woodsy atmosphere. There is something about old trees that I really love. It's hard to describe but it's as if they have absorbed time itself into their woody tissue and you can feel it emanate from the bark all around you demanding respect. I am in awe in these forests, as if it is a rare privilege to be there and I should be silent and let the forest speak. Lots of stories in those woods, if you look for them. 
http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gBoxId=195799