Caught within the grip of the distant trail town, his plans of onward exploration found themselves thwarted. Among the throng of fellow hikers there was a shared sense of purpose, an unspoken camaraderie that painted them as kindred souls. But the echoes of a lifetime wrapped in solitude resonated deeply, transforming the act of forging […]
Two buses, a train, a day-long voyage covering just 150 miles. All worth it, he thought to himself as he stepped into the heart of a trail town. Cascade Locks, Oregon. Well-worn backpacks leaned against the market’s rustic walls. Dirty, determined faces told stories of the wild. These were thru-hikers, part of the nobo bubble […]
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 […]
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 […]
The dark woods whispered with the secrets of countless shadows, and the air was thick with uncertainty. Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and their lovable Great Dane, Scooby-Doo, found themselves wandering through the tangled undergrowth, each step a symphony of breaking twigs and rustling leaves. “Like, are you sure we’re going the right way, Scoob?” Shaggy’s […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
Once again, he treaded the endless expanse of beach, barefoot and unburdened by water or food. The weight of his pack seemed to vanish, lifted by the clear, warm weather and the cooling caress of the ocean breeze. Time was of no concern, and he strolled without haste. He ventured into Manzanita, feet now shod […]