“Why something instead of nothing?” A hiker named Late Night asked, as we lounged on the sidewalk, in the shade, in front of the grocery store. He was drinking a six pack of beer, I was working on my second half gallon of milk. And because of that, I missed my bus to Portland, and […]
Author: cleanshave
Timberline Lodge, Government Camp, Oregon
Hiking with no socks slowed me down, but only slightly. I was taking my time, laying around, trying to catch Scrub Jay’s in my hand that thought maybe I’d fallen asleep with snacks left out in the open. The trail was starting to get crowded. Northbounder’s mixing with southbounder’s. Nobo’s slowing down, trying to figure […]
Olallie Lake Resort, Mount Hood, Oregon
Having worn significant holes in every pair of socks, my feet had seen better days. I found snow fields lingering in the shadow of Mount Jefferson, and walked across them barefoot. It was perfect sledding snow. Solid underneath, soft and wet at the surface. I sat down and let gravity take its course. Sledding until […]
Hitchhiking into Sisters, Oregon
Milk run into town. From Santiam Pass it’s an easy hitch into and out of the town of Sister’s… except for the news. Two people that I cared about had passed away. My Mom’s husband, Fred, and a good hiking friend named Spider. It will take a while to sink in, that they aren’t there […]
Obsidian Falls, Blue River, Oregon
Back on trail, devouring homemade mac ‘n’ cheese, and burning through socks. From Elk Lake to Obsidian Falls on the PCT. Meadows covered in smoke, my home for the night. Drinking from the headwaters of Glacier Creek after a night spent somewhere on the side of North Sister, one of the volcanic peaks making up […]
Getting on the PCT, Elk Lake, Oregon
Summer vibes permeate lazy days… until your family decides that you need a couple of training hikes before you jump on the Pacific Crest Trail. Our first hike took us up Mount Bachelor, standing majestically in the Cascade Range at 9,068 feet. Then we explored Tamolitch Falls, also known as Blue Pool. Despite the falls’ […]
Family Time, La Pine, Oregon
In the vortex of family, I’ve found the perfect refuge to ride out the stormy tides of market uncertainty that have me questioning my own situational awareness. Here, in a trailer hidden among whispering pine, down by the river, running with dogs, and happily getting fat. These lazy days, filled with stillness, allow me to […]
Little Deschutes River (Oregon)
Dog Day Afternoon… #RuffDay #Dawg
Amtrak North
It was too early in the season to migrate north, yet I found myself on a train, tracing the California coast towards Oregon. The Pacific Northwest is my Summerland, a sanctuary between worlds, where I can rest and rejuvenate my weary soul, and find direction for the years ahead. When my sister and her husband […]
Lingering in Los Angeles, California
The stories we tell ourselves are the illusions that shape our reality and steer our destiny. I found myself on the second floor of a converted motorcourt on Hollywood Blvd, wondering how many people knew the difference between a motel and a hotel? How many understood economics without money? One of my best friends had […]