Since we returned to the US two years ago, we’ve been pretty distracted. First by the rather prolonged (and not yet fully completed) process of readjusting to first-world existence, then by the obsession of starting this farm. In all the hubbub, we stopped taking “vacations.” Though accidental, this is a big deal: we long ago made a commitment to each other to never stop traveling. This includes backpacking, which is one of the first activities we enjoyed together, and something that we both get a lot out of.
This weekend we were finally able to make amends, and went on a backpacking trip for the first time since we summited Tajumulco over two years ago. We planned a quick, three-day trip to reintroduce ourselves to the mountains, taking advantage of the great outdoor scenery Oregon has to offer and one of the original reasons we moved here. For those of you who don’t know, Oregon has an amazingly diverse range of environments/outdoor adventure all within a few hours’ drive: temperate rainforests, tall volcanic peaks, wide beaches with surfing and water sports, year-round glaciers, big game hunting, high desert, world-class fly fishing, several great ski resorts, whitewater kayaking & rafting, excellent mountain & rock climbing, old-growth forests… the list goes on, and is pretty outrageous.
The picture you see is the camp we made at the base of Mount Jefferson. We’re at just over 5,000 feet above sea level, in an alpine meadow next to a tiny lake. The water was refreshingly cold- we took a dip, then noticed the snowpack at the edge of the water. Brr!
It was a great trip, and a great relief to spend some time NOT thinking about farming for a change. Summer will soon be at an end, making it time to step back and reassess the farming situation. I feel like I now have the energy to last a few more weeks.
