Early-morning clouds tolerate our presence and take their time to rise up from these forest beds #HamiltonMountainTrail #ColumbiaGorge #BeaconRockStatePark #Washington #WashingtonExplored

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I would go there #ClatsopLoop #EcolaStatePark #TillamookRock #TerribleTilly #CannonBeach #Oregon #OregonExplored

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We stood on a thin space of soft ground where the water ripped out over the side of the mountain. It was a long way down #HamiltonMountainTrail #HardyFalls #BeaconRockStatePark #Washington #WashingtonExplored

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I like trees #McDowellCreekCountyPark #Lebanon #LinnCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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I laid down on the rock. It was smooth, solid, cool to the touch. And just a little damp. #SilverFallsStatePark #MarionCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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I love the light #ShortSands #OswaldWestStatePark #Oregon #OregonExplored

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Be patient. Take your time. Let the earth reveal itself. #HamiltonMountainTrail #ColumbiaGorge #BeaconRockStatePark #Washington #WashingtonExplored

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Light snow touches #ClatsopLoop #EcolaStatePark #CannonBeach #Oregon #OregonExplored

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A ring of boulders near the edge here is a decent defense against the spray off this fall #FallsCreekFalls #GiffordPinchotNationalForest #Washington #WashingtonExplored

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The sun loves to surprise #ClackamasRiverTrail #ClackamasCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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This is one of those hikes where I sometimes feel anxious about how much farther it is to the top. And then I arrive. And remember. That this view would make almost any distance of hiking worthwhile. #NeahkahnieMountain #Manzanita #OswaldWestStatePark #Oregon #OregonExplored

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Thick layers of ice, a sheer drop to the river, fallen trees, and two washouts made this trail one of the most difficult I've ever encountered. But in spite of the difficulty, I think I would go back there again #PupCreekFalls #ClackamasCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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Have you ever been in a beautiful place and longed to be in another beautiful place? I'm working on this - on learning to be satisfied in the place where I'm already standing #WahkeenaTrail #ColumbiaGorge #MultnomahCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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There's always a mountain behind the mountain #ClatsopLoop #EcolaStatePark #CannonBeach #Oregon #OregonExplored

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Water always finds a way #NiagaraFalls #YamhillCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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As you turn away from Niagara and Pheasant Creek, there's this tree, right next to the trail, glad you came and sad to see you go. #YamhillCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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There's a narrow bridge here beneath the fall, and if not for other hikers, we might have stayed even longer #RoyalTerraceFalls #McDowellCreekCountyPark #Lebanon #LinnCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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King of the mountain #MolallaRiverBasin #ShotgunFalls #ClackamasCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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I wish I'd known when I was younger the importance and value of perspective #MultnomahFalls #ColumbiaGorge #MultnomahCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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After a day on the Long Beach Peninsula, I highly recommend a slow drive over the Columbia River at sunset #AstoriaMeglerBridge #Astoria #ColumbiaRiver #Oregon #OregonExplored

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The staircase above this drop was covered in snow and ice, and the railing was busted in several places from fallen trees. We took our time. #MajesticFalls #McDowellCreekCountyPark #Lebanon #LinnCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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Just far enough apart for us to pass between and briefly feel the wisdom of their years-long communion. #SilverFallsStatePark #MarionCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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There was a narrow space in the rocks above this pool, where I sat for awhile. #AbiquaFalls #ScottsMills #MarionCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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Even those that have fallen remain, and I wonder whether this might be a metaphor for community, for what it is to carry the past while living in the present, for what it means to remember #FallsCreekFalls #GiffordPinchotNationalForest #Washington #WashingtonExplored

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I imagine he insists that every passerby take a moment to read and to comply. I was grateful for his faithful service #LongBeach #PacificCounty #Washington #WashingtonExplored

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Snow never muffles the world completely. There is always a soft sound of color breaking through #ClatsopLoop #EcolaStatePark #CannonBeach #Oregon #OregonExplored

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There are so many places, and I want to see them all. But only if I'm also allowed enough time to return. Again and again and again. #PheasantCreekFalls #YamhillCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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Almost every waterfall has at least a tree or two, broken and bowed, prostrate #LowerButteCreekFalls #ButteCreek #ScottsMills #MarionCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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These breaks in the trail bid us stop and look #WahkeenaTrail #ColumbiaGorge #MultnomahCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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A point of water is often enough to focus my attention, to remind me why I'm here #YamhillCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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We've been heading out on a hike or two almost every Saturday since October, and the light still hasn't lost its power to surprise. I don't think it ever will #SilverFallsStatePark #MarionCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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They stand much closer to the incoming tides than I would dare #ShortSands #OswaldWestStatePark #Oregon #OregonExplored

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Who knew that this is what we would find #WahkeenaTrail #WeisendangerFalls #ColumbiaGorge #MultnomahCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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This rock wall on the side of the trail was overwhelmed with growing things #WahkeenaTrail #ColumbiaGorge #MultnomahCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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While standing here, I felt like I was leaning away - just about to fall - like the force of this place let me near enough to observe and to honor but no closer #PantherCreekFalls #GiffordPinchotNationalForest #Washington #WashingtonExplored

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A soft sifting of snow #ClatsopLoop #EcolaStatePark #CannonBeach #Oregon #OregonExplored

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A rock and a ruin, holding fast (for now) against the sea #TerribleTilly #TillamookRock #ClatsopLoop #EcolaStatePark #CannonBeach #Oregon #OregonExplored

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I remember #McDowellCreekCountyPark #Lebanon #LinnCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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The air was cold, and there was frost on the ground, but the morning sun on that rock in the middle of brilliant-white water made me forget #ShortSands #OswaldWestStatePark #Oregon #OregonExplored

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The forest breathes in light #NeahkahnieMountain #OswaldWestStatePark #Oregon #OregonExplored

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We live among giants #FallsCreekFalls #GiffordPinchotNationalForest #Washington #WashingtonExplored

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The frigid fire of morning skies #ShortSands #OswaldWestStatePark #Oregon #OregonExplored

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This mill is just up the road from where my parents used to farm. #CedarCreekGristMill #Woodland #Washington #WashingtonExplored

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Saturday story time - 👆 I used to take a lot of pictures of people. I'm sharing them here on Saturdays and Sundays as story prompts. Add your captions below 👇

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Imminent and transcendent #FallsCreekFalls #GiffordPinchotNationalForest #Washington #WashingtonExplored

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Every state has its Niagara. In Oregon, we have two #NiagaraFalls #YamhillCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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It was immense #AbiquaFalls #ScottsMills #MarionCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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We trudged more than four miles through snow to catch a glimpse of this fall and its neighbor on the west end of the county. In August, the ground here is thick with salmon berries #PheasantCreekFalls #YamhillCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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Snowflake landing pads #ClatsopLoop #EcolaStatePark #CannonBeach #Oregon #OregonExplored

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This one didn't care whether we loved it. It just was. And that was enough. #SilverFallsStatePark #MarionCounty #Oregon #OregonExplored

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