3M -- What is it?

Mt Albert

Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing…NOT for me!  It is Mystifying Mountain Mirages and traveling around Oregon and Washington is good for these images--a mountain top floating in the sky. Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens, Mount Albert, and Mount Rainier--all beautiful and peaceful 3m’s.  Curiosity got the best of me and I explored two of them—Mount St. Helens and Mount Hood—although not mirages, they are mystical and beautiful.

 

Mount St Helens

 

Highlights of my Mount St Helen visit included the Ape Caves and Windy Ridge. The Ape Caves, first explored in 1952 by a scout troop referred to as Mt St Helens Apes, are lava tubes created by hot molten lava flowing underground 2,000 years ago leaving behind a 13,042’ hallow tube. If you have been following my journey, you may recall other cave explorations (Lewis & Clark Caverns in Montana and Lehman Caves in Great Basin National Park in Nevada). However, this cave experience was a little different as there was no guide...yes, I ventured down into the Ape Caves alone. Why you ask? Not sure other than curiosity. Yes, a little nerve-wrecking as it was pitch black but, no fear the cave was inventoried by the USFS…

 

and I was prepared with my head lamp, extra batteries and satellite spot tracker… 

 

HA!  What good is a satellite spot tracker underground?

Anyway, there is something mystical about climbing down into a cave alone with a flashlight not knowing what will appear before you. It’s so dark even what one sees with the help of a flashlight does not appear real. I did capture a few photos…click here to see pics.

Quick, do you remember where you were May 18, 1980? Well, Volcanologist David Johnston transmitted his last report that morning "Vancouver! Vancouver! This is it!" and Mount St Helens blew an 80,000’ eruption column and the north face collapsed. A drive up Windy Ridge brings about what I remember…video of ash thicker than clouds and lava flowing and covering anything in its path and WOW…40 years later, mystical vistas. Vistas where one can stand and imagine the blast…areas of leveling, blown down trees, floating logs…amazing! Interesting to see beauty where there once was terror and destruction.  The mystics of life…click here to take in some of the views.

And then there is Mount Hood; the highest point in Oregon, another active volcano, the crown jewel of the Columbia River Gorge and home to the historic Timberline Lodge.

Quick…what movie included the mysterious Timberline Lodge?  Bwahaha…

A mystical place on Mount Hood is found at Romona Falls. A 7-mile hike pre-empted with spectacular views along the Sandy River and Romona Creek culminating at Romana Falls...WOW, what magnificent mystical beauty! Click here for additional pictures of Ramona Falls hike and Mount Hood.  

 

 

 

  

“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.”

                                                 John Muir

I tried...

Well folks, as Portland requested, I tried my best to help Keep Portland Weird…let’s face it, my presence alone helped!

Portland is an interesting area as it has much to offer from city life to mountain life to coast life all within a short distance.  Many of my Venzaliner adventures have been in the country; however, this one was enjoyed in the city where I spent two weeks with my niece (awesome fun Sara!) exploring the city and attempting to

 

We accomplished it; click on the links below to check out the views:

The Portland Jazz Festival complete with jazz tunes on the green, complemented by some tasty food and wine, fireworks over the river with Sara, Ashleigh and Pablo, and just watching Portland weird including the Silverman…oh, he was closing up shop here, but it was a great day!

A visit downtown Portland isn’t complete without a visit to Powell’s Bookstore…WOW, that’s a little weird…over 4 million books for sale…people watching and book reading galore. You name it, they’ve got it!

Ah yes and don’t forget the Portland Saturday Market…on Sunday of course.  Yea, that’s weird but we were busy Saturday so Sunday it was. People watching at its finest…didn’t take any people watching pictures, you’ll have to check that out yourself some day!

Eating gluten and egg free…since Sara was blessed with food allergies, I teamed up with the Internet and Trader Joe’s to cook dinner on the days she worked.  Pizza crust can be made without egg and flour…all you need is Bob's Red Mill gluten free pizza mix and  ground flax seed...made a delicious  Prosciutto pizza with Walla Walla sweet onions, bosc pears and arugula.  Hey, I learned that almond flour is delicious and Sara’s mojito’s and blueberry crisp…YUM!!

Friday evenings we strolled down to Tualatin and enjoyed Concerts on the Commons;  accompanied by our favorite beverage and a blanket, we relaxed under the beautiful blue sky to tunes from the 70s one evening and Beatle tunes the next.  Yes, Disco Fever was a little weird, but Hey Jude…gotta love it!

A trip to the Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls for a little history, hiking, taking in the views and wine tasting made for a great day.

We stopped and smelled the roses at the International Rose Test Garden (the oldest continuously operated public rose test garden in the US)…a little weird to see that many people walking around sniffing flowers! But oh were they beautiful…

 

Needless to say,  I encourage Portland to stay weird…awesome place to visit and Sara, be forewarned…I’ll be back!  Thanks for everything. 

 

It’s time to journey on, Keep Portland Weird and remember...

Boots and Saddle Time!

Time to strap on the boots and mount the saddle…oh wait, today’s not the day to mount the saddle but rather tackle the arduous climb of Saddle Mountain in northwest Oregon with my niece Sara.

 

What a hike…the summit is only 3,283’; however, the 2.5 mile trail rises 1,603 feet in elevation and the trail is rather rocky and rigorous. For safety, a good portion of the upper basalt rock trail is covered with  chain-link fencing.  They say on a clear day one can see the Columbia River, the Pacific shoreline, the Cascades, Mt St. Helens, Mt Ranier and Mt  Hood. Although the clarity was not quite there, the panoramic view was awesome and the hillsides were filled with wildflowers galore. 

 

Click here to enjoy pics from the hike…However, as the Oregon State Parks & Recreation Department says, "The view from the top of the mountain is one that cannot be described ... it must be experienced.” And that’s the truth. However, I can share that it feels like you are on top of the world!