July 2014 | la pine state park, oregon

On the way to Crater Lake I got waylaid by some bad weather. There is a lot I will camp in, but I draw the line at 100% chance of lightning. I got a incredibly disgusting motel (I ended up sleeping in my car) and spent a few hours at La Pine State Park before spending a few hours reading at the local pizza place. 

I have no idea what hike I went on : 

The rest of my night looked like this :

 while the sky looked like this :

july 2014 | my birthday camping weekend.

Every year, I plan a weekend of camping to celebrate my birthday... every year the day before I swear I am NEVER doing it again, because it's quite a bit of work trying to figure out who is really coming, who is bringing what.... and then, every year, after it's over I know I will do it alllllll again the next year. Because camping with friends is the best present I can give myself!

This year was especially crazy because I had gotten back from Europe three days before & still was jet-lagged. So I was the first one to go to bed... at 130am... and my friends won't let me forget it.

Basically I like to spend the weekend doing blissfully nothing.

Laying.

Playing in the river.

Convincing people to take selfies with me.

^ Elaine hates camping, but she loves me... so she comes camping on even years only :)

(not pictured: jet skiing)

And enjoying NATURE.

Thanks to everyone who helped me turn the big 27! Same time, same place, next year! Hope to see ya all there! :)

August 2014 | Atlas Cider Co. Employee Rafting Trip!

So -this may sound crazy, but- I feel like my life will slow down a bit when I start work again next Wednesday. This summer has been so busy, in the best way possible & I have so much to catch up on. Crater Lake, being in Germany for winning the World Cup, my birthday camping trip, meeting the cutest baby in the world!!, moving (again), hikes, etc. etc. - I am determined that I will get caught up (eventually).  I know if I don't, I'll regret it. So hopefully that will happen soon! :)

_________

A few weeks ago, Joe and I had plans to hike around three sisters. Unfortunately, rain got us down - well, one of us, Joe still went but I was to scared - but that meant I was in Bend for Atlas Cider Co's employee rafting trip!  I have been working events for them since the Spring, they have amazing cider and I always have fun doing tastings/ pouring/ selling, it's been a fun side job!

 ^ the water was SO cold

I hadn't been rafting before, so it was awesome to go! After we went to dinner and the lightning / rain was INSANE! It was a short, but worth it, trip to Bend. And because I got home early I ended up getting a job at a brewery in town that I have been loving, so I think everything worked out just perfectly.

august 2014 | tunnel falls hike 1 / 3

Tunnel Falls Hike Part 1 / 3 

Tunnel Falls Hike Part 2 / 3

Tunnel Falls Hike Part 3 / 3

Joe and I decided to do an overnight hike to Tunnel Falls, and after a late morning start (totally my fault, I had gone out the night before!) we left at about noon. I had been about three miles down the trial, so the start wasn't new to me, and was pretty crowded with people going to Punchbowl Falls. Once you got past that (2 miles) it was much less crowded which was nice.

It was so hot I convinced Joe to swim, even though he's not a huge fan.

He jumped in, but it was shallow so I didn't. The water was pretty cold and there were fish.... I hate fish. But it was great to cool off.

 ^ I love waterproof cameras because you just never know what you're gonna get! 

august 2014 | Tunnel Falls Hike Part 2 / 3

 Tunnel Falls Hike Part 1 / 3 

Tunnel Falls Hike Part 2 / 3

Tunnel Falls Hike Part 3 / 3

After the swim break we continued on... it looked pretty much like this the whole way :

till we got to this :

Joe's comment was "Multnomah Falls, what?" which was pretty right on.

you walk behind the waterfall, which lead to some speculation as to how / why the trail was even built, but it was awesome :

Twisted Falls :

I thought these trails were awesome! :

and loved these little waterfalls that seemed to be everywhere! :