Go take a hike!

 

It is in my Oregonian blood to rant about how great the outdoors are. It rains here a lot, but you should be grateful! Being a water snob Oregonian is much better than being a waterless Californian. Without our excessive amount of rain it wouldn’t be so green here; without the green, it wouldn’t be so beautiful.

We’ve all seen those hashtags – #PNW – but you know what? – This is the Pacific Northwest and the only people who should be allowed to use that hashtag should be the hiking fan, the outdoor-livin’, sunset picture-taking people who live in the PNW and actually enjoy it here. Them, or the tourists who come and take good pictures to later post on Instagram.

Ranting more about how beautiful it is here – tons of Columbia Gorge hikes have gorgeous, amazing, majestic views. A hike on the Historic Gorge Highway could lead to a waterfall or high viewpoint over the Columbia River. Going up the mountain, one could find a lake reflecting Mt. Hood. These natural places of beauty are worth the sweat and blood; sweat because uphill hikes are hard work, blood because there’s a total possibility of falling on rocks or getting hit by a tree branch.

However, the type of reward one feels at the top of a hike is amazing. Working for a great view of Oregon’s majesty, there are three things someone could be thinking. One, they’d be thinking about how they just sweat their A55 off and don’t have to go to the gym for two weeks … or ever again! Two, one could be thinking about how beautiful Oregon is. Three, one might be thinking about pushing that family from Ohio out of the way because of the need to take pictures, too.

Yes, tourist are a nuisance. Forget about hiking to the top of Multnomah Falls this season, because the floodgates have opened and tourist are swarming that trail. It’s the out-of-towner tourists who swarm with their rat packs in front of the views trying to get everyone to smile for a Christmas card photo that bug me most. Even with these obnoxious tourists on the trail, there are nice tourists, too. Meeting a passionate, intellectual outdoors enthusiast can be quite lovely. Some people may even share stories and hikes that they’ve been on and recommend them for your use. But, while talking with people on hikes is nice, they’re even better when you’re sharing them with someone you know.

My last piece of advice is,, hikes are cheap entertainment. Did you know the outdoors are free? Yeah, free entertainment. You might have to pay for gas, though, but by putting a group together you can do it affordably. Rather than paying $10 for a movie, get five people, pack them into a car, steal $2 from everyone (ask for the money first, then steal it for gas if they say No), drive to some hike on the Gorge and get a workout in.

It’s been said time and time again that this generation of people are more obsessed with their phones then communicating with their friends. So, rather than looking down at a phone screen, look up. Have fun with your friends, make memories, sweat your A55 off, and meet new people.

Like I said, Oregon is beautiful, so go explore it.