Various Ramblings
Michael Nowak
Cha-cha-changes!
Cha-cha-changes!
Various Ramblings
Michael Nowak
Seeing can mean believing.
Seeing can mean believing.

Pacific Northwest

#MondayMotivation - Perfect, even when it's not

Things are perfect right now, even if they’re not. I have debts I wish I didn’t have, people are gone who I wish weren’t, and plenty of other stressors that matter only in a moment. I have great friends, a solid roof over my head, a cool city around me, a beautiful state out and beyond, and a job that will get better as I continue to acclimate.

I was driving along the coast (the Oregon Coast) on Sunday and I realized, this is a DREAM COME TRUE. I’ve wanted to live in Oregon since I first drove through in 2008. I remember one morning, on the 2008 road trip, waking up to the fresh smell of sea air and lush trees and thinking I want to be here someday. I applied for jobs in Oregon from that moment on, with nothing landing. Fast forward to 2024, and now I’m becoming a resident of the state and I live less than two hours from the splendor of the Pacific Ocean.

Things will work out, level off, and become kind of normal in the cycle. LIfe keeps moving, so it’s always perfect in that moment. I do believe that you can’t appreciate the good without a little perspective, not saying we all need tragedy or anything, but a little perspective goes a long way.

Driving through the snowy coastal range, having to take it slow and be patient (not my strong point), made getting to the coast even better. Despite the constant rain and snow, the experience reminded me of the times before. It felt fresh, smelled good, and sounded familiar.

Get through your shit however you do, but know there are good things out there for you. Trust the journey.

Come visit me in Oregon and I’ll take you to the coast and we’ll get a flight of ice cream from the Tillamook Creamery. Pairing the ice cream with the fresh sea air will solve everything.

#WayBackWednesday - Devils Churn

One of my favorite stops along the Oregon Coast is at Devils Churn within the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area. The entire Oregon Coast is quite magical, but this little spot has stood out since I first visited in 2008. In 2009, I went back and shared it with another friend because it was on my mind. Sadly, I have not been back since 2009 and I need to remedy that sooner rather than later. Enjoy some “okay enough” photos from my visits and keep an eye out for future photos.

Dreaming of the Northwest

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If you’d like to listen to me read this vs. actually reading it, play this video.

I’ve had the Pacific Northwest on my brain every day for the past month, at least. Living in the desert has me thinking more and more of the places with trees and water.

My favorite band is playing in Portland, Oregon on the first Wednesday in November so I bought a ticket to the show. I then found myself looking at plane tickets and rental cars, booking each one of those as well. I haven’t requested the days off of work yet, but I have a nonrefundable rental car so I’m going.

I will fly in to Portland in the early afternoon before the show and then go see some music and then I’ll vanish from the city for a while. I love the food, the beer, and the people I know in Portland, but I don’t usually fly to the PNW to see people… I fly there to go hide out in the trees.

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I plan to visit family for holidays this year, so i figure this could be my last quick long weekend out west for the year. It’s proving to be more difficult to take a “quick” weekend to Seattle or Portland from here in New Mexico versus when I lived in DFW. I used to grab a Friday evening flight and then catch a Sunday night/Monday morning flight so I had a full two days and didn’t miss any work.

I hope to be back near a major airport or closer to nature sooner than later. I’m not far, here, but I’d like to be even closer as in living among it or within an hours drive of some treelined water.

Ever since first visiting the Pacific Northwest in 2008, I’ve been hooked. I felt home, I felt safe, and I vowed to live there someday. Now, the world is ending and I’m wondering if I should make that someday more sooner than later.

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Life has me torn right now. I have family who I’d love to be close to, but I have dreams of living in the cool, green woods of the northwest. If I moved to to a city near Seattle or Portland, I could easily fly back to Detroit like I did when I lived in Dallas/Fort Worth. It would be a bit more difficult to drive there, but it would be living the dream. If I moved back to Michigan, or nearby, I would still have great trees and water to play around in and be close to family and friends whom I miss dearly.

I realize the privilege I have even debating this. If I find a remote job, I could visit my family for weeks at a time without even using PTO. I could easily navigate between the two and still live both dreams. I’m often caught in a daydream. I want the ease and convenience of living near family, but I want the adventure of living somewhere I have only visited. I’ve got some time to figure this out, thankfully.

*the future is all hypothetical, if anyone from work reads this*

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Annual BFF Trip - Washington State

I recently flew to Seattle to meet my BFF Squad for a long weekend of adventure. Every year, we get together to take an adventure - a camping trip, a full on road trip, or destination adventure - to hang out and catch up. Seattle is one of my favorite places to go, mostly for the area around it, but also now for what the metro area has to offer. We explored, got the views, found the beers, and had a great time. Our Chrysler Pacifica minivan took us from the airport to a Mariners game and then onward to the Olympic Peninsula. Enjoy some photos from our trip. I already can’t wait to get back to my happy place in the northwest. This is my general take on the trip, with my views. My friends may have other opinions, which is okay.

Day 1: Seattle

  • I arrived a night earlier, because the flight was better so I settled in and got the rental minivan

    • Had a total Dad/Minivan vibe and I was okay with it

  • Our hotel for Night 1 was the Embassy Suites near T-Mobile Park

    • The hotel was perfectly located for easy food and access to the Mariners game

    • The prices were not bad, but parking is not included (pretty typical, really)

  • Tourist sites visited

    • Pike Place Market - the gum wall, various eats and drinks

    • Ghost Alley Espresso is pretty delicious for coffee

    • Discovery Park (lighthouse, beach views, and a view of Rainier)

    • Gas Works Park - very neat art and views of the city

    • Fremont Troll - classic little creeper under an overpass

    • Kerry Park - excellent views of the city and Rainier (cute neighborhood too)

  • Breweries Visited

    • Fremont Brewing - easily one of the group favorites for the trip with a wide variety and an amazing patio

    • Optimism Brewing - another instant favorite with a delicious variety and big, open space and the coolest gender neutral bathrooms I’ve ever seen

  • Had an excellent dinner at Two Doors Down (scrumptious burgers and great beers/ciders on draft) near the hotel/stadiums

  • Attended a Mariners game - was a bit sunny, but lovely

  • Ran in to my friend Fredi from Texas who was in town and spent a while catching up - such a nice surprise

  • The day was long - lots of driving, walking, drinking local beers, and sunshine so we hit the hay pretty early

Day 2: Our Venture to the Peninsula

  • We decided to find some lighthouses as part of our adventures which included beach visits to the kind of beaches that required sweatshirts (the best kind)

  • We hit up a few breweries and cider places as well

    • I shared my favorite cider place Finnriver Cidery & Farm with them and they loved it for the food and drink

    • Port Townsend Brewing for a brief sampler (excellent porter and stout)

    • Propolis Brewing was a different breed of beer and I was here for it - sours, fruity, spruce tips, SO GOOD (easily one of my new must-visists)

    • Discovery Bay Brewing - such a fun patio and tasty beers

  • We stayed in Port Angeles at the Olympic Lodge - fun story, Molly and I stayed there in 2009 with our friend Kevin on one of our road trips

  • We had dinner at the local pub Joshua’s (again, a revisit for Molly and I and pure nostalgia)

    • Definitely not as I remember it - less daylight next time

  • It was another long day of driving, beaches, beers, and sunshine

Day 3: Olympic Peninsula Exploration

  • We started the day with drive through coffee from a coffee hut - so good

    • This is an essential for coffee lovers when in the PNW

    • Iced coffee is better, always, fight me

  • Ventured around the peninsula through Forks

  • Stopped at the Tree of Life and soaked up the fog on the beach

  • Made our way to the Maple Glade Rain Forest to take in the greenery of the Quinault area

  • Had lunch at the Pacific Inn Pizza (another revisit after years)

    • I’ve not taken most of my besties here for mediocre food (at best)

  • Stopped out at Rialto Beach - nice and cold/windy!

  • Came back to town to have a beer at Barhop Brewing

    • Cheesy bread looks GOOD

  • Made the decision to go up to Hurricane Ridge

    • the views and sunset were phenomenal

    • Met some fun people who painted rocks and left them in public places

  • Dinner at McDonalds because everything was either over an hour wait or closed

    • My only gripe w/ Port Angeles

#MondayMotivation - Trail Run?

I’m not a runner, not really.

I haven’t ever run more than a mile at once, and I haven’t done that since high school. I have done the Couch 2 5K for about 4 weeks, before petering out. I’m not a runner, but I’m trying it on for size now.

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So… I signed up for the LBA - Little Backyard Adventure trail race sponsored and hosted by The Outdoor Society in Olympia, Washington. It is Saturday, August 10 and I’m going to train until then in hopes of coming in better than last place. It’s a simple motivation today - try harder, work for it, and don’t come in last place in August. I’ve already started incorporating little spurts of jogging into my daily dog walks and I don’t hate it.

Observations:

  • My dog maxes out at about 16 minute miles - if we REALLY hustle. He’s more comfortable around 17-20 minute miles. He’s kind of holding me back, but I love him so I’ll have to train separately or just drag him.

  • I am to the where walking fast is more annoying than just running slowly. Yeah, I run slowly, but I am still in the motion and it’s still running.

  • My self-centered notion that people are judging my running ability is just silly. EVEN if they are, who the fuck cares? Not me, from this moment forward anyway.

  • Running on a treadmill is absolute horse shit. I hate it. I was like, why do I hate running? It’s because I did Couch 2 5K on a treadmill and that was the dumbest thing. I mean, not THE dumbest thing, but dumb enough for me. Running outside, though probably slower, is just so much better feeling in my body. I will save the treadmill as a last resort, when it is storming or I am unable to go before triple digit temps for the day.

  • I sweat a lot. I sweat walking through an air conditioned building, but running really soaks me. I’m also coming to terms with the fact that this doesn’t matter either. Re-hydrate and move on, Mike.

As someone WHO never did ANY sport or any fun running, this is kind of cool. I know, so many of you ran in high school or run for health. I just never did, and it is kind of exciting for me. I have a goal, a real motivator, and I’m ready to commit.

#ForestFriday - Northern California!

ALRIGHT, I have a few minutes so I thought I’d throw together some of my favorite photos from the 2009 road trip we had in Northern California. Now, I’ve revisited in 2016 and it’s still (or more) magical and again in 2017 with the same feelings. Enjoy some sun streaming through some big, green trees! Happy Friday, Happy Forest Friday, and just Happy Day. Find the joy, find the forest, and have a good one.

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#WayBackWednesday - Olympic National Park

I’m working on being more positive and upbeat so here are some photos from my trip back in March to the beautiful Olympic National Park in Washington State. When I need a moment at work, or anywhere else, I just try to remember my three glorious days in the trees and on the beach in the Olympic Peninsula. What do you do to take mental breaks? Where does your mind wander in a daydream? Feel free to share your magical places. Have a great Wednesday and week ahead. You’ve got this!

This is currently the background on my work PC… Helps me stay calm! (Quinault)

Rialto Beach - a peaceful evening watching the sun set

In the Hoh Rain Forest… with the sun peaking through the mossy trees

At peace among the trees on the trail to Sol Duc Falls

#WayBackWednesday - Texas to Oregon and back

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It was August of 2013 and my other half had a little time before starting back at college so we took off for the west coast. The drive from Fort Worth to Portland is about 31 hours so we decided to break it up a little with a stop in Arches National Park along the way. We set out in my car on a Tuesday night so we could breeze through Texas and make it to Arches in the daylight. We hit Albuquerque at dawn and enjoyed a quick stop for coffee and food. On the way to Arches, we stopped at Wilson Arch to get our first taste of red rock in Utah.

Arches was amazing, as always, and welcomed us with sunny skies and plenty of wind. We drove to the scenic sights and did the little trail by Balanced Rock. We didn't spend a lot of time at Arches, but the little we did was beautiful. Onward! Our next stop was for dinner and coffee in Salt Lake City. We visited Temple Square before heading out for our last leg to Portland.

Our first time in Portland, back in December of 2012, we stayed a classy downtown hotel and and ate at nice restaurants. This time, we stayed at the Howard Johnson (the Ho-Jo) out towards the airport and ate at medium to low level places. We were trying to keep it cheap and interesting all at once. I purchased a Groupon for a beer tasting at a local pub and we enjoyed dinner there. The Portland Japanese Garden was a gorgeous space to visit and was one of the highlights of the trip.

From Portland, we headed west towards the coast with a stop at the Tillamook State Forest center along Route 6. It was neat to learn about the forest and walk up to a forest tower. Our destination for the night was Coos Bay at a Super 8. We stopped at a few spots on the way to the hotel including Cape Lookout State Park, Devil's Churn, and a few roadside viewpoints. The hike at Cape Lookout was longer than we though, as we didn't really plan well for it, and we managed to get confused going back up from the beach. The weather was misty and gray, but finally cleared a little as we neared Coos Bay. Once at the hotel, we ordered pizza and crashed after the long day.

We woke up and headed back north towards Portland. We were going to explore the city a little and then attend a concert the next day featuring two of our favorite bands together. The concert was a Mississippi Studios and the concert was one of the most memorable of my life.  Said the Whale and Kopecky (known then as Kopecky Family Band) were two indie rock bands that played their hearts out ending our days in the northwest. We left after the concert to head back to Texas, with a detour through Colorado just for fun.

#ForestFriday - the Ozette Loop

Earlier this year I was lucky enough to visit Olympic National Park up in NW Washington. I was referred to the Ozette Triangle because it is a spectacular trail with a mix of forest and beach hiking that gives you the perfect mix.  It is about a 9 mile trail that can be done in one day as I did or one that can be done with an overnight stay along the beach, just get a permit.  Here are a few photos from the forest portion.  Happy (Forest) Friday and I hope you can get out this weekend - I know I'm going to try!

#ForestFriday - Ossagon Trail (Redwood NP)

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Today's Forest Friday is going to look at a trail I walked on 10 years ago vs. 1 year ago.  Ossagon Trail is Redwood National & State Parks with the Prairie Creek State Park area.  When I was looking through the photos I noticed a few things... Anyway, enjoy the forest and I hope you get outside this weekend if you want!

March 2008

March 2008

August 2017

August 2017

August 2017

#ForestFriday - Cape Flattery

"Walking through the forest on the west coast will always be a treat to me"

Today I'm looking back on a 2009 trip to the northwest tip of the contiguous US.  Two of my best friends and I were on one of our cross-country road trips and decided we needed to see Cape Flattery - if for no other reason than to say we went to one of the most northwest tips of the US.  The forest was lovely, as forests are, but I can still remember being amazed by the turquoise water crashing on the rocks below more than anything else.  I've attached a few photos of the trail and the views.

To park in the lot with the trailhead, you need to obtain a permit from the Makah Reservation.  I've included a link to get more information about where to find that pass and a little background on the Makah Tribe.

Makah Tribe Website // Cape Flattery Trail Information

The platform with all the views...

#WayBackWednesday - My first visit to the Pacific Coast

In 2007, I saw the Atlantic Ocean for the first time.  Two of my friends and I were on a road trip to see the country because we grew up in Northern Michigan without many trips out.  When I tell stories about adventure or finding my passion for public lands, they all start with this road trip in 2007.  I was 23 years old, didn't know what I wanted to do with myself, and was STILL in school because I was afraid to move on/got real lazy towards the end.  The trip of 2007, that had me seeing mountains, deserts, and the ocean for the first time really did change my perspective on life. 

Since the 2007 trip was adventurous and successful, we wanted more for 2008.  In 2007 we planned a bit, but much of it was improvisation.  For 2008, we planned a bit more and added thousands of miles to the itinerary to include a variety of landscapes.  In 2008, I saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time.  Ten years and one month ago, I was driving south on US-101 from Washington to Redwood National & State Parks.  To this day, I can remember one of the morning drives and the smell of the sea air.  My first visit to the Pacific Northwest/Pacific Coast was memorable to say the least.  We stopped at many little beaches, got our feet wet, and watched the sun dance on the water.  Here are a few photos from that time in 2008 that continued to change my outlook on life, one gorgeous rest stop after another.  Is it any wonder why I've been obsessed with the Pacific Northwest since 2008?

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