2020 #52HikeChallenge

Here it is, the complete list of my #52HikeChallenge for 2020!

 1.  January 1, 2020  Azalea Nature Trail Lufkin TX

 2.  January 19, 2020 Golden Bloom Trail, Baytown Nature Center Baytown, TX

 3.  February 9, 2020  Row River Trail  Cottage Grove, OR

 4.  February 16, 2020  Mt. Pisgah Arboretum Eugene OR

 5.  February 23, 2020 Wolf Creek Falls Glide, OR

 6.  February 29, 2020  Toketee, Watson, and Fall Creek Falls Glide OR

 7.  March 1, 2020 Wild Iris Ridge, Ridgeline Trail System Eugene, OR

 8.  March 7, 2020 Drift Creek Falls Lincoln City, OR

 9.  March 10, 2020 Cathedral Hills Grants Pass, OR

10. March 21, 2020 Myrtle Creek 1 Social Distance Hike Myrtle Creek, OR

11.  March 29, 2020 Myrtle Creek 2 Lockdown Hike Myrtle Creek, OR

12.  April 9, 2020  Myrtle Creek 3 Exploring Oregon Myrtle Creek, OR

13.  April 11, 2020 Chasm Creek, North Bank Habitat Eugene, OR

14.  April 14, 2020  Cougar Canyon Golf Course Trails Myrtle Creek, OR

15.  April 28, 2020  North Umpqua Trail  Tioga Segment Glide, OR

16.  May 9, 2020  Susan Arlie Park  Creswell, OR

17.  May 31, 2020 Susan Creek Falls  Glide, OR 

18.  June 14, 2020 Sahalie and Koosah Falls McKenzie River, OR

19.  June 30, 2020 Wolf Creek Falls (repeat) Glide, OR

20.  July 5, 2020 Shadow and Grotto Falls Glide, OR

21.  July 12, 2020  Spirt, Moon, & Pinard Falls  Cottage Grove, OR

22.  July 19, 2020  Fall Creek Falls  Glide, OR

23.  July 25, 2020  Two Lakes Trail Florence, OR

24.  July 26, 2020  Lake Woahink Trail Florence, OR

25.  August 5, 2020 Walker Road, Jedidiah Smith State Park Redwoods, CA

26,  August 6, 2020 Chetco Point  Brookings, OR   

27.  August 7, 2020  Shrader Old Growth & Myrtle Tree Trail  Gold Beach, OR

28.  August 8, 2020  Sisters Rocks Trail  Port Orford, OR

29.  August 24, 2020 Wright Creek Trail Gold Beach, OR

30.  August 31, 2020 Cooper Creek Reservoir  Sutherlin, OR

31.   October 5, 2020 Silver Falls State Park Silverton, OR

32.   October 18, 2020 Ribbon Falls Segment, Ridgeline Trail Eugene, OR

33.   October 24, 2020 Upper Table Rock Central Point OR

34.   October 26, 2020  River Loop Trail  Central Point, OR  

35,   October 30, 2020  Ford Pond Trail  Sutherlin, OR

36.   October 31, 2020  Mildred Kanipe Park/ Underwood Hill Trail Oakland, OR

37.   November 1, 2020  Eel Lake Trail Reedsport, OR

38.   November 15, 2020  Sunshine Park  Roseburg, OR

39.   November 22, 2020  Old Hwy 101/Fern Trail Humbug State Park  Port Orford, OR 

40.   November 23, 2020  Blacklock Trail Port Orford, OR

41.   November 23,2020  Cape Blanco  Port Orford, OR

42.   November 26, 2020  Gold Lake Sno Park  Oakridge, OR

43.   November 26, 2020  Riverfront Trail  Roseburg, OR

44.   November 30, 2020  Soggy Bottom Trail, North Bank Habitat  Roseburg, OR

45.   December 5, 2020  Blacktail Ridge, North Bank Habitat  Roseburg, OR 

46.   December 6, 2020  Days Creek Cutoff Road Sutherlin, OR

47.   December 14, 2020   Chasm Creek to Blacktail, North Bank Habitat Glide, OR

48.   December 18, 2020  West Barn to Thistle, North Bank Habitat Glide, OR

49.   December 19, 2020   Hendricks Park, Ridgeline Trail System  Eugene, OR

50.   December 24, 2020  Lower Table Rock Central Point, OR

51.   December 27, 2020  Rogue River Trail to Whiskey Creek Cabin  Graves Creek, OR

52.   December 28, 2020   Oregon Coast Trail, Sunset Bay to Shore Acres Charleston, OR

Dear 2021,

 Dear 2021, 

2020 was rough. Can you be a little kinder to us all individually and collectively as a nation, country, species this year? We could use a little break! Seriously, let's cultivate kindness and grace this year. 

So, what's the plan for this year, 2021?  At the beginning of 2020--prior to Covid-19, raging wildfires, record numbers of hurricanes, and an insane election-- I set some goals, habits, and commitments for myself.  Let's see how I did!

Commitments:

1. Learn Spanish-- DONE...well, still doing. I started working with the Duolingo app in January 2020 and have continued to work on it faithfully since then.  This is an ongoing journey and I will be bringing it with me into 2021. 

2. Complete the #52HikeChallenge-- DONE! Not gonna lie, this was a tough one. The Corona lockdowns and restrictions definitely put some limitations on me and I had to get creative a few times, but I DID IT! Grateful for all the friends and family who joined me along the way!  For 2021, I am going to focus on the #52HikeAdventureChallenge (more on that to come).

3. Embrace Creativity-- So-So. I am going to call this one a partial success. I worked on this blog for about 1/2 the year and then lost motivation. I took some courses on photography and bought some paint stuff. I painted once.  Not great. But something. I will continue this commitment into 2021 as well. 

Habits:

1. Creating a supportive morning routine consisting of yoga and mediation.  I have created a routine of consistently meditating and doing yoga. I don't always do it first thing in the morning, but it is a priority in my life. I will call this a win and will continue these habits into the new year.

2. Move every day for 30 minutes. I would consider this a success as well. I can't say that I move every single day for 30 minutes, but I can say that it is a priority in my life and I am aware of it. I walk, do yoga, and look for other opportunities to be active when I can.  I will continue to work on it this for the new year.  I am currently doing a 55 Day Challenge that will require 55 minutes of activity.  

3. Eliminate Alcohol was the original habit, which I then changed to reduce alcohol. I have reduced my alcohol intake and am still working towards eliminating it completely. Let's call this a work in progress. 

Goals:

1. Generate a second income stream--No. I researched options such as renting out my guest room on AirBnB, starting an AirBnB experience, driving for Uber or Lyft, and teaching with VIP Kids. For various reasons, I chose not to follow through on them. VIP Kids required WAY too early mornings and I just didn't feel like it would work with my FT job.  Uber and AirBnb--Corona. I took a pause on this and will revisit it a later time. 

2. Take Control of my Health-- In Progress. I found out I had high cholesterol in June and made a commitment to get it under control. Through that process I have focused on my eating and am following a "flexetarian" model that is primarily vegetarian and increasing the "healthy" aspects as I go. I have lost 23 pounds which helped me get my numbers back to a manageable place. I am still working on this and will continue to do so in order to keep from ending up in that position again.

3. Travel Solo-- Again CORONA.  I did go on a couple of camping trips, but not alone. For 2021, though, I already have two camping trips planned and am looking at buying a camper so I can do more! Let's see what 2021 brings!

So, what is instore for us, 2021?

Let's focus on some consolidated commitments that build on 2020's growth. 

1. Continue to learn Spanish--maybe sign up for a conversational course if the opportunity presents itself? What do you think? 

2. Complete the #52AdventureHikeChallenge

3.Incorporate Creativity & Mindfulness into my life through mediation, journaling, photography, and service to to others.

4. Get at least 50 minutes of physical activity a day including yoga, weight training, and cardio activities. 

5. Focus on my health through reducing alcohol, eating healthy, and managing stress.

6. Travel-- alone or with others. Just getting out and exploring this world. 

What do you think, 2021? Challenge accepted? Remember though, our overall goal is to embrace kindness and grace!

Let the games begin!

#18 Sahalie & Koosah Falls

HIKE #18 Sahalie and Koosah Fall on the McKenzie River

#52HikeChallenge for 2020.

June 14, 2020

No filters used just so you can see the amazing blue of the water!

My friends Jennifer and Erik joined me on this adventure. And once again I don't have a lot to say about it because it was several months ago! This took place during the lockdown and during my complete lack of creativity phase.

iI mean clearly I was taking pictures but I wasn't doing anything with them. It was a LONG year. This is such a beautiful area and the hike is wonderful. We started at Sahalie and walked down to Koosah, spent some time at the reservoir and then back on the other side of the river.

We did get a little concerned that we might have missed the cut off somewhere along the way. Fortunately, we eventually found the bridge to cross back over the river and made our way back to Erik's truck. Definitely an adventure!

#everyday adventures

#thingsthatmakehappy

#iloveoregon

#17 "Susan Creek Falls Glide, Oregon May 31, 2020

Hike #17 Susan Creek Falls, Glide, OR

#52HikeChallenge

May 31, 2020

Spent the day exploring and playing with my camera. Figuring out shutter speed by trying to freeze water, playing with the self-timer, and checking out different pre-set modes. Crowded at the falls but the rest of the trails were pretty isolated.

It was an extremely crowded day at Susan Creek. I had to get pretty creative with cropping and focused shots in order to get shots with out random teenagers and posing couples.  All though to be fair, I did my own solo posing while playing with the timer on my camera (see pic below)!

It's been about 7 months since I took this hike. Since then, our area was devastated by a forest fire and this beautiful and amazing spot was in the fire zone.  

I haven't seen it yet. I tried. I did.  I had to stop before I got there though...too much destruction. Too many tears. Another day. 

On a lighter note....Is it just me or is that an alligator growing out of the side of a tree?   These forests are weird! Never sure what you are going to find out there. 

And on a creepier note...Look at me all posey and shit.   It's a little weird to be honest.  But, you know, it is what it is!  

 

Writing a Book

March 28, 2020-- I think it would be cool to write a book. Not saying I need to have it published. Just that it would be cool to do. I love to write. I write ridiculous things in my blog all the time but it might be fun to write an actual story. Something that fits together with a beginning, middle, and end.  I did some research on how to write a book. There is a lot of stuff out there about setting daily word counts, committing to a set time and location each day, setting weekly and monthly chapter or word count goals, etc.  But it ALL starts with step 1. What is step 1 you ask? Great question. Step 1 for writing a book is coming up with a topic for the book. What the heck are you going to write about? Let's work on that. What do I know enough about to write about?

Idea 1: I used to want to write a book about incorporating assessment into our daily teaching practices. I did a lot of research on this when I took the Assessment Coordinator position with a former employer and I came up with my own take on this behemoth of a subject. I tried to strip it down, eliminate all the high level clutter, and get to the heart of what teachers could do everyday and how they could use the information.  I loved it. But I was unsuccessful in getting buy in from my fellow faculty and was constantly at war with administration.  I love the topic. I am still very interested in. But maybe I am not the person who should write the book. Or maybe I am just what the field needs.

Idea 2: I LOVE adult learning theories and am constantly pushing the differences between adult and children learners on my coworkers and am trying--sometimes in vain--to encourage people to shift their focus, re-frame their ideas, and loosen the reigns a bit. I could write about that. I can go on for days about andragogy. 

Idea 3: I have worked deliberately over the last 8 years to rebuild---no that is not true, I wasn't rebuilding, I was CREATING a life.  It is hard when you are in 40's and then 50's to make new friends, build new hobbies, do things on your own, be responsible for everything, and manage to enjoy and learn from it all.  I faced some hard challenges---crazy things that no one should have to go through but many of us do...like a mass shooting, health scares with family members, dating--OMG, loosing friends, finding new friends, finding my voice, taking a stand, buying a house, changing jobs, a lot.   I could write about that. 

Idea 4: I always have alternate story lines going on in my head--always. I see someone or something and some part of my brain starts creating a whole backstory for them. I can be lost for hours chasing some weird fantasy life I created for someone else. Not usually me--it is usually sparked by someone else I see and wonder what led them to where they are. I could write those down.

Idea 5: I could write the story of me for my grandkids.  Nana #EverydayAdventures

That is all I have for now. Step 1 for writing a book--come up with an idea.  In progress.

UPDATED December 23, 2020

Idea 6: The Socially Distant Life. AKA Like in Quarantine

It's been a minute...

Today is December 22, 2020 and it has been a minute since I worked on a post.  Somewhere after March I just let it go...the blogging that is.  I continue to work on my Duolingo App learning Spanish and have completed 49 of my #52hikechallenge!  3 to go, baby!

Unfortunately the creative side just didn't hold up. I am going to give that another go next year. Bring it on 2021.

So where are we...still in Covid-19 pandemic mode.  Still on some variation of lock down. Schools closed for awhile, masks in public, limited gatherings, no in door dining, and even more of the SOCIAL DISTANCING! Sadly our country is at 18,684,628 cases and 330,824 deaths. That is a far cry from the last time I wrote about this when we had just topped 2,000. Now we are at 330,824 lives lost in the US alone. What?! How is this still happening?

Worldwide we are at 1,723,915 fellow humans lost to this pandemic.  2021 will be here soon and while there are now 2 vaccines in distribution the road ahead still looks grim. 78,364,099 MILLION cases around the world.  

So, yeah...I will stay in lockdown and keep as save as I can be in my little town. Not that Oregon is excluded from the loss. We have 104,950 cases and 1,362 deaths to date.  Douglas County has 1327 cases and 38 losses. It is a lot to deal with.  

Wow. That is depressing. And scary. And so unreal. It's like we are living in an end times movie! I don't like it.

These are not the types of #everydayadventures I want to be part of and these are definitely NOT #thingsthatmakemehappy. 

Overall 2020 sucked. Flat out.  Between the coronavirus and the elections (Trump v Biden--Biden confirmed winner but Trump refuses to conceed) this has been a year!  There have definitely been moments of good.  People have shown up for one another and reminded us all that we are in this together...while socially distant.  Hopefully. And PLEASE for goodness sake -- wearing a freaking mask. It is NOT a violation of your personal freedom. It IS a caring act to take for your fellow human beings!

So what I have done this year? Hiked  a lot. Worked on Spanish. Read. Binge watched a lot of crappy TV and sappy shows. Yoga. Started practicing Qi Jong. Meditated. Spent precious time with my kids and grands. Safely interacted with my friends when possible. Spent a lot of time on self-reflection. Worked on lowering my cholesterol. Drank--more than I should but not out of control. Stayed home most of the time but did manage a couple of camping trips. Camping is the essence of social distancing!  No judging.

Cried. Laughed. Prayed. Loved. Lived.

#16 Suzanne Arlie Park Eugene, OR

Hike 16 Suzanne Arlie Park Eugene, OR

#52HikeChallege

Date:  May 9, 2020

Distance: 4sh mile

Weather: Sunny and HOT!
Type: Old road to some home ruins
Company: Broke the rules today and met up with my friends for a socially distant hike and picnic! MUCH needed friend time was on the menu for this lovely spring day. 

Such a fun hike.  Thanks to our friend Melissa for the heads up. We started out the day by all meeting up at the trail head...in separate cars, of course. Traci and Sue brought their puppy pals to join in on the fun!  While Traci and I were waiting on the others, a gentleman from the neighborhood pulled up on his tractor and let us know that their had been some cougar sitings in the area so to be sure to make lots of noise on the trail. Sue pulled up a few minutes later, so it looks like the concerned neighbor was correct ! :)

For the first part of the hike we headed up the old road towards the home site. We should all know by now that I a bit of a wimp, so I was a touch skittish and on the lookout for cougar sightings!  The pups were all happy and content though so I took that as a good sign that we were safe.  The house ruins consist of an old chimney and a small room---maybe a storage room of sorts.  Some fun loving youths (or the local wiccan group) had decorated the chimney with an assortment of animal bones and some wood. Not sure what they were going for, but it looked kind of cool!  There was a little room tucked up in the trees behind the chimney that was simply delightful! Would have been the perfect place for a picnic....had we been forward thinking enough to bring out picnic stuff with us! 

Unfortunately, it was still at the cars! We hung out there for a bit to cool off and try to get some Insta-Worthy shots and then headed back to the cars for a quick bit to eat and some bevies.  While I am all about the hiking..this was by far the best part of the day. Hanging out with my friends, chatting laughing, and enjoying each other's company. It had been a minute since we were able to get together in person and we were soaking in all the time we could get!   

Eventually, we drug ourselves up and finished the rest of the hike. This time we headed up the hill and followed another abandoned road past a lovely clearing, through some fields and around to intersect with the road leading to the old house site.  We salvaged some plants, studied an animal corpse, discussed the characteristics of poison oak, talked, laughed, breathed.   Bliss.

In the end we had walked around 10,000 steps, spent 5 hours together, and made the most of a beautiful spring day!  Grateful for firends who are willing to waste away the days together.   

#everydayadventures #thingsthatmakemehappy #badasses #52hikechallenge