#ForestFriday - Olympic National Forest

I’ve been in Olympia for eight months and didn’t realize I was just a short drive from a really cool bridge on a national forest road. The High Steel Bridge is located in the Olympic National Forest just outside of Shelton, WA. The bridge sits about 375 feet above the South Skokomish River and spans from one forested cliff to another. To find cool photos of the bridge that people probably took with a drone, google “high steel bridge” or something like that. Here’s the Wiki link, if you’re interested.

Enjoy some photos from the journey to and over the bridge! The video at the end is from the graffiti located on the bridge with a rather uplifting message.

No matter where I live, I’m going to find cool things to do and see and I encourage you to do the same.

Have fun out there and stay safe! - Mike

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A video of the graffiti on the bridge with an uplifting message.

Cha-cha-changes!

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Where to begin? Life is always changing, flowing like a river. I’m currently in the river, flowing down stream and seemingly swirling at the moment but headed to a dry spot. Sometimes the river flows fast and other times it’s just a trickle, and you swirl down the stream, but the point is to flow along with it no matter what. I’m sure there are great poems or essays about being like the water and flowing, or something, but if you’re reading this you get my version.

I’ve moved to Washington, found myself single, lost my grandmother, met some new friends, and have a new car all in six months. A LOT of life changes happened and that river was raging. This is all after a whirlwind year or so of realizing I haven’t been my best self while questioning how and why I got to where I am. Glacial melt, flowing with force, ice cold and speeding down the mountain.

Fast forward to the summertime, and the beginning of the mass visits. I’ve had more unique visitors since March than I did in my entirety of living in Texas which was 10 times longer. I have a few more on the books through October. Pair that with trips of my own doing, and I’m a busy guy. I’m welcoming the swirls as my raging river has turned into a summer trickle.

Sometimes the river dries up. Have you ever got everything you wanted, or what you think you wanted, and it not feel quite right? Living in the Pacific Northwest was always a goal for me, and that started way back in 2008. I now live in the Pacific Northwest - positioned outside of my favorite national park and forest as well as hours from so many others. It felt right at first, but slowly started to feel off.

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I’ll be honest, maybe it’s just not the right time to be here. That sucks, and the reality of it seems to go against all I’ve fantasized about for over a decade. The reality is, I inherited part of a family cottage in Michigan. My dearest friends, who are essentially family, live in Minnesota. I have many great friends all over the Great Lakes region, and a ton of family too. I need to be near the cottage to help with and to enjoy it, and I want to be nearer to the friends and family who’ve always supported and loved me unconditionally.

This spring, I’ll be making the trek east and moving to Duluth, Minnesota. I’m not sure of the details right now, I just know this will be a good place for me both physically and mentally. I’m positioned within a day’s drive of the family cottage and the family who lives near it, I’ll be near the most Superior Great Lake and my friends who are family, and as close as I am now to a major airport hub. It’s not a hard decision, and it surely isn’t a new idea. I’ve loved Duluth since I first visited in 2004. I can’t wait to hike, camp, cross-country ski, and road trip all over Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. There’s so much life to be had, no matter where I am.

Flow down the river and see where it takes you - it may just be the Great Lakes. HA. Thanks for reading and I hope to see you outside. - Mike

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Dreaming of the Northwest

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.

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.

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*

#MondayMotivation - September & October Check In

It’s been an interesting few months. I’ll be frank, I have not been eating very well or exercising nearly enough to feel good about myself. I’m out of balance. Working hard to get back to balance - walking, running, eating more reasonably, drinking a little less, etc. I started to feel tight and I felt myself slipping back into my old ways of ignoring everything and just eating and drinking whatever I wanted without thought. Intentions are everything, but the follow through is where it’s at as far as progress and maintenance.

The Good

• I had some great hikes in September and October

• There were some good bike rides in both months

• I was aware of my slip into the dark side of just eating whatever and not being concerned, so that’s a step in the right direction

• I lived another day, another week, and another couple months

• I’m back on the running train and it feels good, but still challenging

The Not So Good

• My food intake was too damn much

• I was not exercising daily, even walks, and I sure can feel it now

• Between work trips and some personal adventures, I was not really giving a shit what I was eating or drinking and it shows

• Didn’t kayak at all

• Basically gave up on tracking my progress because I wasn’t making any

• The Apple Watch was messing up with updates, and still is, so it’s made me adjust how I’m keeping track of what it is I do to better myself

Mental Health Check-In

• The months were alright, with only a few real dark days

• I am kind of adopting a new, go-to mindset that’s helping me compartmentalize work and the rest of my life

• As I got back in to a routine, my mood improved

• Overall, life is good and I’m pretty lucky

Goals and Ambitions for November

• Daily exercise goals

• Run through Couch210K again

• Eat more sensibly and mostly track daily food intake

• Track and monitor fitness again, weights, etc.

• Do daily and weekly intentions

• Daily gratitude journaling

#MondayMotivation - August Check In

As you now, I have a new format, new goals, and a new outlook on getting healthy. It is all about balance and staying consistent. I refuse to deprive myself of the good stuff in life and I will not give up. Now, sometimes things happen and indulgences go too far, that’s life. It is all about consistently trying, moving, and making better choices.

A new resource that is helping me along can be found here: Hamilton Trained Podcast

August was better than July, but still not where I want to be so I am continuing the work in September. There are no barriers between months, it’s just another day, but it does allow me to check in on myself and see where I need to adjust.

I found myself VERY lazy towards the end of the month. I had been riding my bike a lot, walking daily, and even minding my meals mostly. BUT, by mid month I started to give up for some reason or another. Maybe it was a few nights of drinking too much, maybe it was vacation? Either way, it is done and over with and it’s not going to cause me to give up or anything. I’m adjusting. I’m weighing myself again, yikes, and halfway tracking what I’me eating. I am reintroducing exercise into my daily life again, even though it wasn’t fully gone I’m ramping it back up.

This month I’m raising money to fight kid’s cancer - through he Great Cycle Challenge. More info HERE! Please donate if you can, every donation matters in the fight against cancer.

The Good

• Did more miles than July, barely, but it counts

• I biked a few times in the beginning of the month

• My food intake was good overall, but there’s alway room for more of a balance

• Had a few amazing hikes in gorgeous places

• I technically started the month with a kayak trip

• I did run once, and I always feel like I want to run more

• I took a trip (as safely as I could) and saw beautiful places

• I survived, and I have another new perspective to add to the mix

The Not So Good

• Had quite the emotional rollercoaster of a month

• Didn’t hike, walk, bike, or run as much as I’d have liked

• Indulged a little too much on vacation

• Didn’t kayak very much

Mental Health Check-In

• August was a rollercoaster, as mentioned and not as fun as Cedar Pointe

• I had a lot of bad days, some REALLY bad and sometimes felt like I couldn’t really express that to anyone which really hurts the situation even more

• Some of the dark days shed some light on areas that need adjustment in life

• Overall, everything is fine now and life is moving forward

#ForestFriday - The Evergreen State

Just some pictures of trees from visits to one of my favorite states.

#WayBackWednesday - National Forest Edition

It’s National Forest Week here in the USA. I vote to have National Forest Week every week, because they’re just that dang special! I’m going to share some photos of the forest and a couple of little stories for this Way Back Wednesday revival. I have not included EVERY ONE of my favorite National Forests, that would take days, but here are a few for your enjoyment. May the forest be with you!

(Header photo is Tonto National Forest in Arizona)

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Superior National Forest - Northern Minnesota

This place is special for many reason - namely the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. This series of lakes stretches across Northern Minnesota and offers great adventure for visitors. I’ve only ever been to the east end, this photo is at Pine Lake, but I have big plans to make my way through someday. The second photo is the BRT (Border Route Trail) which follows the US/CAN border.

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Lincoln National Forest - New Mexico

Since starting a job that takes me to a tiny town in the middle of nowhere, I have found weekends in the Lincoln National Forest completely necessary and perfect. My aunt and I first visited before I took the job on a pre-fall trip, and I was hooked as soon as I smelled the Pine.

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Santa Fe National Forest - New Mexico

Visiting Santa Fe National Forest is a treat. You climb up, out of the heat and into the trees. I’ve adventured here twice and always want to go back. There are trails, trees, and so much more. Every time I’ve camped, it’s rained, but it was never dull.

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Olympic National Forest - Washington

For this little post, I thought I’d save one of my favorites for last. I feel a connection like no other when I’m on the Olympic Peninsula - including under the canopy of this forest. The National Park and National Forest go hand-in-hand out on the peninsula. From places in the forest you can view Mt. Rainier in all her glory and see the ocean and even Seattle, if that’s your thing. You can go hours without another soul to see or you can end up on a popular trail. There are endless waterfalls, rivers, and hills. It’s a paradise if you love the forest and less than tropical temps, usually. (My apologies if the photos overlap between NPS and USFS)

#MondayMotivation - Find your mountain

I want to backpack in or around Mount Rainier National Park the next time I go there. So, until solid goals are set, the motivation for any exercise or healthy habits is this photo:

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Find your motivation and get to it. I really needed this little adventure to kick my ass into gear. I feel alive again, truly! I am thankful to have people in my life that were willing to show me these places that keep me wanting to be better as a human.

#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. 

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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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