Monthly Archives: January 2012

New Shoes

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It’s been a while since I’ve bought new shoes. Every pair I own serves a purpose.

  1. hiking boots – hiking
  2. soccer cleats – soccer
  3. sandals – sandaling

I had two pairs of shoes that I would alternate for walking to work; a classic pair of Adidas Samba’s and a pair of generic black shoes rockports. The soles of both pairs were worn through and the laces on the black shoes were literally hanging by a thread. So on a recent trip to sales-tax-free Oregon, I picked up a new pair of Teva Riva Leather eVent shoes. Really my only criteria was for them to be water proof for when the rain finally comes. These will supposedly get the job done in that category.

2011 Camping Roundup

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Jules and I went on ten camping trips in 2011 and I only posted about the first two! Here’s a roundup of all the trips we took last year and what I remember from them.

Ventana Wilderness

In January we took our first trip to Ventana Wilderness. We camped at Pat Spring on a cold and windy ridge just past where I’m standing in the above photo. There was one other backpacker in the area that chatted with us for a while by our fire before the sun went down.

Henry Coe State Park

In February we headed to Henry Coe State Park. The campsites in the Western Zone of Henry Coe are reserved at the visitor center on a first come, first serve basis. We needed to be back home by noon the following day so we knew we’d have to get a spot that wasn’t a far trek. That spot, China Hole, is probably the most popular site in the area. Since we had to arrive early to snag the spot, and the spot is only four miles from the entrance, we had plenty of time to lounge around the creek, relax, and read. China Hole is close enough to the entrance that there is a lot of foot traffic through the area.

Owens Peak Wilderness

Jules and I were invited on this trip to Owens Peak Wilderness in March. There’s a good off-road section to get to the trailhead that doesn’t necessarily require high clearance, but it was fun to drive the jeep through anyway. The idea was the camp on the mountain somewhere, but it was so steep and rocky that we couldn’t find a place to set up. We ended up hiking all the way up and down with our packs on and camping near the base.

Henry Coe State Park

Another quick venture to Henry Coe in May. You can see from the picture how different the vegetation is after the rains have come. This isn’t China Hole, but it’s the same creek. We had more time for this trip so we went farther inland to a more desolated area at the eastern edge of the Western Zone.

Ventana Wilderness

In June we we brought two more with us to Ventana Wilderness for a three night adventure. Most of the campsites were being used this time around with a half-dozen backpacking groups and a few solo adventurers milling about. The flowers were amazing.

Yosemite National Park

Against better judgement, for the July 4th weekend we took a group to Yosemite Valley. None of the three people we brought had been before so I thought it would be a good idea to drive the valley loop as soon as we arrived for impact. Of course we got stuck in traffic for three hours. I suppose it made a different kind of impact.

Desolation Wilderness

In August Jules and I finally went on our honeymoon to Desolation Wilderness. It was probably the most beautiful place I’ve gone backpacking, and by far the most populous. Lake Aloha was crowded enough that we had to hike half way up a rocky hill to find a spot. It ended up being a really nice spot though. We had our permits checked by rangers for the first time ever. Half Moon Lake, pictured above, had the fewest campers. Lake Aloha had the most, along with the most flys. Gilmore Lake had the most abundant and voracious mosquitos I have ever seen.

Point Reyes National Seashore

My brother invited us on a backpacking weekend in Point Reyes in September. We got stuck in traffic on the way over after work and ended up hiking in under a starry sky. Luckily the trails are well maintained, the signs are good, and most importantly, we knew the way to our first campsite. We also borrowed a super light tent from a friend (pictured above).

Henry Coe State Park

After a camping hiatus Jules and I went on an impromptu trip to Henry Coe in December. This time we entered from the South and camped outside of the Western Zone which meant we could set up anywhere. The only people we saw on the trail were a pair of horseback riders, one of which was a ranger.

Harris Beach State Park

After Christmas we drove up 101 along the Pacific Coast and stayed a night at Harris Beach State Park. We were the only ones in a tent that night. Everyone else was in an RV or yurt. It wasn’t particularly cold but it was damp enough that we couldn’t get a good fire going even after three hours of effort. So we headed into the tent with our two kindles (Jules got a second kindle for Christmas) and read for the rest of the evening.

Remembering

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rosemary

Often times, after a visit with Mike’s parents, my mother-in-law would send us home with bunches of fresh herbs from her garden. Thyme, parsley, and always rosemary. Her bush was thriving and robust, and had been there for a very long time. Most of the time, I would make rosemary roasted potatoes– adding copious amounts of chopped fresh rosemary to olive oil dressed potatoes, and a good shake of sea salt and a grind of black pepper.

About a year ago, I was sent home with some rosemary cuttings. Most of them were stripped and used to make roasted potatoes, but i took one of the cuttings and rooted it. I remember doing this a little before our annual trip up north to visit my parents for a week. I wasn’t sure if it would survive, but it did, growing from a spindly little thing to a robust plant after I transferred it to a planter on my balcony, where it thrives next some unidentified sprouting bulbs that my mother-in-law gave me once upon a time. Where they tulip bulbs? I honestly don’t recall, but I’m glad to see them so happy and green. I think Ellen would be happy about it too.

sprouts