Adventures in Oregon

I've been cooped up in an office for the past six weeks (for the last ten months, really...), so when I finally finished school stuff last week I was dying for some adventure. Between now and September, I'm trying to spend as much time outside as possible. So far, so good!

I spent the weekend at a cabin near the coast.

I also discovered that I'm completely obsessed with tubing. It's the perfect mix of terror and relaxation.

I can't get over this picture. Neither of those people are me but I definitely looked like that more than once.

A couple of days ago, I hiked something called Browder Ridge, which is in the Central Cascades two hours from Eugene. 

I'm going to climb the peak on the right this weekend.

I don't know what these are but they're famous - Jefferson and Hood, maybe? Let's go with that.

Wearing my Butte to Butte shirt.

Funny story about that last photo - it was taken just after I found out I passed my exams! I knew we were supposed to hear sometime that day so had purposefully turned my email off on my phone. I wasn't planning to check it until I was home and could curl up in a ball and die without any witnesses present, but then I started getting texts that the results were out and after some prodding, was convinced to check it.

So it looks like I might just do this PhD thing! I've been somewhat hesitant to discuss school with anyone not in the program, knowing that I could well be thrown out on my ass after the first year (this is typical with economics PhDs - give 'em hell the first year and if they survive, start actually training them to be economists), but now my position (and future) is much more certain. What a relief!

And, of course, the best part about all of this (besides, like, pursuing my dreams) is that I have the rest of the summer to do whatever I want! I am ridiculously privileged.

Anyway, I stayed up into the wee hours celebrating that night so woke up too late the following day for an all-day hike. I settled instead for a trail run on the McKenzie River Trail, which is a little over an hour from Eugene.

Clear Lake, or something.

To be honest, the McKenzie River Trail is boring. I mean, it's nice for what it is, but you spend a lot of the time plodding through the woods which, given my distaste for trees, is less than ideal. This section was more scenic than where I ran last fall, but there was so much volcanic rock that I had to take frequent walking breaks. After 3 miles I was sufficiently pissed off that I decided it was time to turn around.

 Such volcanic rock.

I had planned to run to Sahalie Falls but since I didn't make it that far I decided I might as well drive over since I was already in the area.

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It's rainy today (THANK GOD - multiple months of sun, sun, sun were starting to wear on me) so I decided to take it easy and do some adult stuff. Tomorrow I'm planning to hike a coastal mountain and on Friday I'm heading to Bend for the weekend! It should be a fun time. My roommate also has extra tickets to the track shenanigans happening at Hayward right now so I might try to check that out. Happy mid-week to y'all!

Questions:

• Are you doing anything crazy exciting this weekend?
• What's your favorite track even to watch?