Tag: travel

In search of Fall colors along the Metolius River

I love tracking down the reds and yellows of the fall leaves, one of my favorite places to go is the Metolius River. I found a spot down river from Camp Sherman that never disappoints.

Candle Creek Campground is at the end of a dirt and gravel forest service road. It is a quiet campground and this time of year not usually filled with campers.

I really love to concentrate on the leaves and plants on the ground

My other goal was to find the trail I had spotted the last time I was at this campground I wanted to know if it went to Bridge 99/ Lower bridge campground. However, the best color was the opposite way…. So I concentrated on that, then worked my way upriver finding the trail head. My house mate Susan and I had decided that it would be a good idea to move the car closer to the trailhead. We found a spot that was a boat ramp and parked there. The trail I was looking for was the West Metolius River Trail 4018 and the furthest down river leading up to the bridge.

The goal was to see how good the trail was and to see if there was good color.


The trail was good where we hiked, a few logs that had fallen and were chopped away but easy to navigate. Soon we came to a small log bridge crossing a creek

I have to admit I had no issues with the bridge. Susan was not as agile as I am, so she came across much slower than I did.

We went a few feet further and then decided to turn around and head back to the car. Neither of us have been doing much hiking lately and there was no need to go to the end of the trail. I had an idea where it was at the bridge.

This is the look you get from your hiking partner when you continue to dawdle taking photos on the way back to the car ….

back at the lower bridge campground and bridge we stopped to take more photos.

I also did find the bridge end of the trailhead. Planning on trying it another time.

It was a good and beautiful day and I enjoyed it immensely

A Hiking trip with friends at Fall River Lapine Oregon

Four Friends with a love of hiking, have decided to get back into the outdoors, It is fall and maybe a little bit drippy or maybe just a bit chilly and cloudy. No matter because it is not too hot and there are no mosquitoes. The photographer never ends up in the photo but that is ok we will find a way to make it happen.

The trolls thought it was a great idea to get out and go hiking, their lizards not so much, in the end the trolls stayed in the nice warm backpack and the lizards stayed at home.

We started at the bridge where a lot of fly fishermen were fishing. the plan was to go down stream for a mile or so then come back. Unfortunately for me, the photographer, I quickly realized that I had not packed the backup batteries, and the camera battery was low, so photos would be limited. My hiking partners Susan, Geri, and Robin, would be my focus with a few shots of the river thrown in and a prayer that the battery lasted.

Yes !!! We did manage to get the photographer in a picture…. Thanks Geri for taking the shot….
While it was gray and we did get a raindrop or two on us it was bright and light so there were a lot of squinty eyes in the photos….

A little waterfall coming over the logs that had fallen into the river provided lots of good hiding places for the fish to hide.

There were a lot of little details and nature that begged to be photographed but I chose to catch them another day. This mushroom put on top of a stump by a critter was just too much to resist. I knew that we were nearly back to the parking lot so I could use up some of the battery without fear of missing the best photo ever….

After about an hour and a half we ended up back at the bridge where we started…
It was another Great Hike Where to Next Gals?


The Troll family trip to Eugene.

I don’t know if I have mentioned this before, but these are my troll kids. Frequently my Alter Ego because each one is a piece of me. For most of my friends on Face Book you have seen them many times. For everybody else meet Pinx, Aqua, and Poppa T.
I had decided to make a trip to Eugene Oregon for shopping…. My friend and I make several trips across the mountains every summer stocking up for winter. The plan was to hit the rose garden for the first time this summer… a bit late in the season but still nice. Then we would move on to our favorite farmstand and end the stay in Eugene with a few thrift stores before we blitzed home that evening.
After we cross the Cascade Mountain pass, we usually stop at a small wayside a few miles outside of Springfield, a good place to stop stretch our legs and check out the McKenzie river.

Turning the trolls loose with 3 of their favorite pet lizards, we headed down the trail to the river.
This area is rich in things to explore

We found a nice spot with a picnic table to rest while they checked the river shoreline.

But soon it was time to head back to the car and our next stop.

Back at the car we settled into our seats and headed to the Rose Garden. I left the kids napping in the shade while I went and photographed the rose garden. The garden was beautiful but most of the peak blooms were gone, and I was glad I didn’t have to corral the trolls through the flowerbeds.
Our next stop was Thistledown Farm where we went for apples, corn, salsa, gourds and pumpkins. The Troll family was allowed to pick out their own pumpkins and gourds. The only rule was they had to be able to carry them…

Leaving the trolls in the car, making plans for their jack o lanterns, Sue and I checked out the thrift stores. I wasn’t about to allow these guys in the stores with all the Halloween displays.
By the time we got back to the car they were all snoring soundly and it was a peaceful drive home. With maybe a few snickers, and chuckles coming from the back of the car.
A good day was had by all