It was time to begin retracing his steps southward. Each footfall carried an air of determination as he followed the Discovery Trail along the rugged coast. He trekked, a solitary figure tracing his destiny upon the sands, the ceaseless waves his only companion. His stride brought him to a point where further coastal advance was […]
Tag: Hiking Journal
Discovery Trail, Long Beach, WA
Banished to a summer purgatory, to get fat, lazy and tan. Amongst vacationing families and prosperous retirees, he found himself exiled, a recluse at the dune’s edge. Amidst the rhythmic surge of the surf’s white noise, he dozed, wondering how many tides he’d witnessed. How many sunsets. Lost in the embrace of timelessness that the […]
Long Beach Peninsula , Washington
He emerged from the dense thicket of trees, following the Discovery Trail north towards the expanse of Willapa Bay, a realm that dictated a quarter of the United States’ oyster yield. His journey was destined for the northern tip of the North Head Discovery Trail in Long Beach, Washington. There, a 20-foot-tall bronze statue stood, […]
Tramily, PNW
“Tramily,” a fusion of trail and family, isn’t a term that resonates with most folks. But in the untamed realm of long-distance hiking, it’s a melody of companionship that echoes with sincerity. In this community, one doesn’t select their fellow journeyers; instead, a tramily emerges organically as the trail winds on, interweaving bonds destined to […]
Stealth Camping Warrenton, OR
Write a caption… Instagram says. I fixate on that sentence, its weight heavy as a cold case file, gripping me for an eternity as I wait for elusive words that seem to have abandoned me. I’m trapped in this limbo, sifting through a maze of conjectures, each pathway a potential solution to unravel the enigma […]
Oregon Coast Trail, Astoria, OR
Cars raced past him, mere inches from the narrow bicycle lane, as he strode across New Young’s Bay Bridge into the labyrinthine streets of Astoria. He was denied refuge from the rain by an eatery that couldn’t muster enough workforce to open its doors. Along the coast, job openings were plentiful, but paltry wages offered […]
Stealth Camping Warrenton, OR
Startled awake by the irritated snorts of deer, their hooves drumming the earth, he grudgingly relinquished their territory, awakening in a clearing that wasn’t his alone. Blacktail deer were masters of the edges, ensconced in the cover of the dense forest during daylight hours. A mere stone’s throw from the bank parking lot, he might […]
Seaside to Warrenton, OR
After two nights of relentless cabin isolation, his garments clung to him, drenched as if he had never escaped the ocean’s icy embrace. Those coastal woods, ancient and shrouded, were like sponges, hoarding the sea’s moisture. Fog threaded through gnarled trees, rain pattered on like a ceaseless ritual. Wetness seeped through everything, an ever-present touch. […]
The Fall before Tillamook Head
The tide had betrayed him, leaving him stranded on an impassable beach. Undeterred, he aimed to climb over Bird Rocks towards Crescent Beach and Ecola State Park, avoiding the road. But fate had other plans. A careless misstep on the cliff sent him hurtling towards the icy waters below. With just fifteen feet to fall, […]
Hidden Coves, OCT
From the hidden coves along the Oregon Coast, he hiked north over Cape Falcon, fueled by 200 mg of caffeine and a half liter of water. The old growth forests welcomed him with their moist embrace, a haven for life both subtle and threatening. Moss-covered branches played host to creatures lurking in the shadows, and […]