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Wildflowers and Wine, Southwest Oregon, 2019

Post author:Occidental
Post published:2019-04-03
Post category:Exploring Hiking Uncategorized
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Spring seems slow in coming this year. Maybe the coldest March on record in the past 100 years has something to do with it. Or the refusal of the big pile of snow in the front yard to give in and melt. We started looking around the state for somewhere a bit warmer. Maybe some wildflowers? Even the wildflowers in the Columbia Gorge seem slow to come this year. So we opted for a location we don’t normally frequent, southwest Oregon.

The sun was out and we enjoyed a couple days in the Applegate Valley. Up till now most of the time I’ve spent in the Applegate has been on wildfires. Blazing hot, smoky and steep terrain full of poison oak might be the picture I would paint. But that hot weather also allows for a variety of wine grapes to be grown you don’t find in other parts of Oregon. We visited a few spots for a sample or two.

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Onward from the Equinox, 2018

Post author:Occidental
Post published:2018-09-25
Post category:Uncategorized
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Summer has come and gone. Heat and smoke seemed to devour it. Now as the days get short, what will we do with the time we have been given? Just in case you missed them, our trip to see the Waterfalls of the Umpqua had the first hints of fall, then it was Deep into the Ochocos where it felt like fall, with the low sun angle and the chilly nights, but the colors weren't quite…

Waterfalls of the Umpqua, 2018

Post author:Occidental
Post published:2018-09-11
Post category:Hiking River Uncategorized
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Who knew the North Umpqua had so many waterfalls? I sure didn’t. But following our recent tour, I’m impressed.

I’ve certainly traveled the North Umpqua before, but I’ve actually not spent the time I would have liked to actually. I certainly knew it was a place of great beauty, but other than a day of fishing a small stretch I really hadn’t had the time to dig in. This past weekend was the first attempt to remedy that.

After stumbling across a web brochure I was surprised at the number of waterfalls either on or running into the North Umpqua. Add in a great campground and we had a weekend.

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