My 39th -- back in Oregon!

OK -- as great as Costa Rica is ........... western Oregon is about as beautiful as it gets (anywhere in the entire world) this time of year. Tree blossoms dance on the wind and every shade of green is bursting forth.

Yesterday (4/26) was my 39th birthday. And it was a fabulous OREGON day from start to finish.
My goal -- be in forest! and soak up its splendor.

En route through the Coastal Mountains we stopped in the morning at Whittacker Creek and saw Spring Run spawning salmon. It is usually very difficult to see spring runners because the rivers are high and a bit muddy in the spring from heavy rains. But 6 days of no rain left the creeks clear and a little low in the rain-fed streams of the coast. We saw 21 salmon in one staging pool, and several more upstream working their way to spawning beds before they die. My appreciation for these amazing fresh-salt-fresh water fish will never cease. AMAZING!

Then -- onward through some nasty clearcuts to get to our destination location -- the trailhead of Kentucky and North Fork Falls. So few islands of old growth exist in the coast range anymore -- and this one is precious. 15 years ago or so I volunteered with an organization (Community Trail Volunteers) to put in several miles of trail below the lower set of falls. The trail retained recreational status to the lush forests below the falls and kept them from being logged. It was on this project that I discovered one of my favorite falls -- the North Fork Falls.

Upper Kentucky Falls

Native Wildflowers (Trillium & Bleeding Heart)











Moss of an Old-growth Maple Grove


With Steve at North Fork Smith River Falls




North Fork Falls (one of my favorites!) -- NFork Smith River falls @ left & Lower Kentucky falls @ right -- the confluence. Looks like what I imagine Middle Earth being like. And with my elf-like friends (Neil B and Megan K hopping around on the rocks with us .... it felt a bit like it too).

Other highlights from the day: bald eagle; skipping rocks on an old quarry pond; heaps of good food with even heaps more good friends; a SweetLife Chocolate orgasm cake (yes that is what they call it -- for good reason); and lots of nice notes and messages from so many good friends/family far and wide.
OH yeh -- and Steve got me an Arc'teryx expedition back-pack for my b-day gift. HOW FRICKEN COOL IS THAT!!!?? A very thoughtful and kind gift. Looking very forward to putting it to good use.
-- Looking very forward to the upcoming year.