Summer Hiking Surprise along the Breitenbush River

With Covid still in full swing, my husband and I have searched for out-of-the-way places to camp and hike. While we carry our masks with us, it’s much nicer if we can keep them in our pockets and enjoy a solitary hike. There are other benefits to hiking lesser known trails. We love the quiet of the deep woods, the soothing sounds of a clear stream rushing over stones, bird calls that echo through the stillness. These are all more fully enjoyed without other voices breaking the quiet.

We recently camped two nights in a forest camp along the Breitenbush River in the Oregon Cascades. The first full day we drove some distance to a hike that climbed to a nice viewpoint, where we rested and ate lunch. We only saw two other people the whole time. On the day we were leaving, we decided to take a short hike from the campground. The trail began above the river, partially visible through the trees and brush. Nothing special, but we would at least get our steps in, we thought. But then things changed.

The trail turned away from the river, entering some woods. Suddenly we felt like we had entered the Hoh Rainforest. The ground was green with moss and thick strands hung from the trees. Ferns grew amidst the salal, Oregon grape, and huckleberry plants. Sunlight slanted through maple and fir trees, adding to the beauty. And all of this just steps from a dusty trail above a river.

We hadn’t expected much of the trail—just a pleasant stroll before breaking camp. What we received was a special gift from God, beauty to carry with us as we returned to our home. What if we hadn’t gone for a morning walk? We would never have known what we missed. How often does that happen in my life? How many times do I stick to what I know, rather than trying out something new? Maybe I need to try new things more often—cook a new recipe, read a book outside my usual genres, develop a new skill, make a new friend. What beauty might be waiting for me just around the bend?

 

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Plane Flight

a government photo, since I forgot to take any...

The plane rises toward the gauzy gray ceiling, as the ground drops farther and farther below. I start to relax now that we are safely airborne. I read that takeoff and landing are the most dangerous times of a plane flight, and so I concentrate my prayers on those two times. Once we’ve ascended a bit, I can enjoy the view. Now looking down on the tiny houses and cars, the snaking roads and bumpy hills, I remember standing in my garden looking up as a plane went by. Funny. Then I imagined the people inside looking down. Now I imagine me looking up. The changing perspectives of life…

We move into the cloud, and all I see is fog. Then we break through into the sunlight above. The clouds become a white cotton comforter stretching out below us. It amazes me that something so big can actually fly. Although I know the basic science behind it, it still feels like a miracle to fly above the clouds, higher than the birds. To see the cities and plains and mountains laid out like a map below. I feel like a little kid seeing the ocean for the first time.

And in two days I will do it again…

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