Hyper-Focus of the Moment: Hiking

This blog is apparently aptly named, since it's been nearly a year since the last post. Good thing I recognize that trait in myself, and prepared my reader(s) with full disclosure in the name of this blog.

So, my gnat-sized attention span has decided that I am into hiking again. I even ventured out into the wild yesterday and visited Tiger Mountain with a short hike. I might be spreading myself thin in the writing arena, since I am also interested in writing about hiking adventures on the Washington Trail Association's trip reports. I even wrote one yesterday, and included pictures here. 

In case you're too lazy to go to the link, and I certainly won't fault you for that, here's evidence of why hiking is my thing right this moment:

I have planned out many hiking adventures this summer, deciding that this is The Summer of the Worship of the Trees.  Plans for the Hoh Rainforest: place of mystical, ethereal beauty. The smell of the rainforest is enough to dilate my pupils in wonder.

Before that, I am planning a visit to the Umatilla National Forest. Staying in the Godman Guard House, close enough to Walla Walla to visit the wineries, but adjacent to the hiking trails to explore.

Also planning on a visit to the Oregon coast, with a stay in the Cape Lookout State Park. Apparently it has the best of both expansive beach and miles of hiking through miles of old-growth trees. I am not usually a fan of campgrounds, but this place looks lush enough to block the views of any obnoxious neighbors.

This site has the hikes detailed clearly, especially where to find the best places to explore vantage points over the cliffs of the ocean.

There is another campground on the Washington coast that I haven't found on any map, but I passed it earlier this year and visited on a whim. It was nearly vacant on Memorial weekend, and that was significant enough for me to make a marker on my iPhone. It has lukewarm showers you can buy with quarters, which I will certainly appreciate after several nights in the Hoh.  Ok, on closer inspection, it is apparently Bruceport County Park. While not on the beach, it is on a cliff that overlooks the beach. I can't find any pictures that match my memory of the place, so I will need to take some on my visit.

There is another natural area that I labeled "Undeveloped Campground with Weird Bridge." Uh, I am sure it made sense at the time. I guess I knew that a name like that would be nearly irresistible to my ADD-addled brain. What the hell could that possibly mean? Aside from a bridge that is "weird" I have left out any identifiable traits, making it nearly impossible to internet-research. So, I guess I will be making a stop there, and hopefully will be a bit more descriptive in my next notes to myself. This is a link to a very useful pdf of the Cowlumbia Public Camping Map, a tourist map of "outdoor recreation in Southwest Washington and Northwest Oregon". This website is fun to explore, if you are a looking for random campgrounds to visit, like I often am. Here is the main site. Unfortunately, I can't find my weird bridge campsite. Oh well, makes it all the more attractive.