New England

For the last week I have been in Maine with the Begin family. They live in a town called China just outside Waterville. I have been roofing a bit, and more recently Brent came into town and we have gone on a couple adventures. We picked him up in Portland then B-lined it to the coast. We hiked a "mountain" (hardly a mountain compared to the West, more of a hill, or a bump) called Mt. Battie. At the top was an amazing view of Camden and the Atlantic ocean. This is possibly the best fall colors I have been to date.

Hiking up the mountain. We actually lost the car keys on this trail and as you can see they would not be the easiest thing to find on a trail with that much foliage. Some other hikers ended up finding them and we were able to retrieve them.

At the top of mount Battie.
We decided to pick up a few lobster, isn't that standard when visiting Maine? I wanted to try the difference between Maine lobster and California lobster. I thought the California lobster were better, but it could have been how fresh they were and because I dove for them.
The Maine coast is something special.

San(d)iego

From the sandy beaches of San Diego to the rainy meadows of Maine...

I spent all last week in San Diego. I went down for my grandmother's 80th birthday. My wonderful sister has been living down there for the last year or so. She was a wonderful tour guide. We visited the beach a couple times and surfed. Check out the photo below. The first day we went out with no wet-suits and the second day she was able to locate a wetsuit for me to borrow complete with a big hole in the butt.

My uncle Andy also took me out fishing for a day. We fished in San Diego bay for the majority of the day and caught, sand bass, and a couple halibut. Then after it got dark I got to scuba dive and go for lobster. I only was able to catch one lobster. (those buggers are FAST!) My first time scuba diving and in the dark. What an amazing experience.Check out the name of the boat (Last one #2)

We also caught a couple tuna. My dream came true and we cut the fish up on the boat, not but a couple hours old and ate it with soy sauce and wasbi.

Now I am here in the cold and wet Maine. The leaves are on their way out and they are something special. I am seeing shades of orange, yellow, and red that I have never thought we possible.

--The heart was made to wa(o)nder--

Hello- I hope reading this wicked long blog finds you well and healthy as we change seasons and move into the long cold season of Winter.

I have been roaming all around the Pacific Northwest/Northern California for the past couple months. I have sailed, rafted, and hiked all over. Now I am out of money and have squeezed every last bit of summer out, now I reside in Hood River where I enjoy my family and take in Hood River at it's finest.

I have been spending a good deal of time with my lovely sister Lindsey, whom I love like no other. My girldfriend Kristin, the beautiful woman from Vermont in many of the photos. Ben Hacket owner of the one and only Glara-mara. Forest, Michael and Lisa the coolest family in French Gulch. Mikey and YT fellow summer workmates and friends. More recently Blaine and Bethany, the strangest married couple alive, I don't know if I will ever be able to understand their relationship. My mom and dad who I am eternally grateful for. Brent my hotsprings buddy and BFF. And so many others there are too many to mention. Sorry y'all.

They say photos are worth a thousand words and my fingers are a little dirty from working on my van so here we go...
Linz and I hiked the John Muir Trail in the high sierra in Central/Northern California. We had an incredicle time that cannot be described by words.

Kristin and I in Big Sur California.

Michael and I on our way to the NAWA graduation in Redding.

Ben aboard the Glara mara crossing the Sraight of Juan de Fuca. She's on auto pilot.

My last major Goodness Collective event, the mother's day potluck. Thanks mom and dad for coming! RIP to the the collective, I am going to miss that place.

Forest Kielich. Cutest little dude around. One more reason to move back to the Gulch.

Michael fishing the Sacramento river in Redding. Yet another reason to move back.

Porcini mushroom in the Mt. Hood National forest.

The Wind River Hotsprings in Washington.

Kristin on a semi-steep section of Mt. Thielson. That is one cool peak to climb. Highly encouraged.
Kristin and I at Crater Lake. Take note we both got hair cuts! No dreads for Kristin and no more hair for me!

And now for a little, I say again, tiny does of the Sierras.

Before I forget... I also graduated college! I am done with my studies at Oregon State and have received a Bachelors of Art, in Outdoor Recreation Leadership and Tourism, with a focus in Outdoor and Experiential Education! I feel pretty proud of myself.

Linz and I on day 20 of the trail... WOW.

Kristin and Mikey on the trial the day before climbing Whitney.

Linz and I on the top of Forests pass at 13,200 feet.
Fresh chantrelles anyone?

I won a 39 pound watermelon in Oakdale near Yosemite.

The outside Lands music festival in San Fransico. Radiohead!

My latest obsessions.

#1) Fly fishing #2) Musrooms. #3) Family and friends.