How I Ate My Way Across Oregon

       A while back, I took advantage of one of those Living Social getaway deals and purchased a 2 night stay at an Inn on the Oregon coast. The pacific northwest is one of my favorite places and I can never get enough of the dramatic coastline of Oregon. As soon as the purchase was made, I called up my best friend and requested that she accompany me on this mini-vacation. With my move west two years ago and her expanding family (in numbers, not waistlines), we haven't had many opportunities to spend quality time together. Don't get me wrong, I'd chase her daughter around any day of the week but its also nice to get a little one-on-one time together every now and then.
       Last weekend, we were finally bound for the Pacific. I had a bit of a harrowing drive to the airport as my 2 hour commute over Berthoud Pass involved several inches of heavily falling snow, an apparently shot snow tire and a lot of sliding. I just barely made it to my gate and am already annoyed with winter driving (I had another snow storm to contend with on my drive home). We had opted to add a day on to the purchased deal to spend some time in Portland. All of the friends we were hoping to visit came down with some horrible flu-like bug, which sent us fleeing from their company (bummer) but it did open up some extra time to sit with my BFF and have long conversations without worrying about planning around other schedules.
We had planned on several things that just didn't pan out. It was stormy on the coast, which thwarted our dreams of kayaking and whale-watching. We're just not tough enough to battle 12-17 foot swells. The illnesses. The rain. But, if I may say so myself, we handled it like champs and it was fun to roll with the punches, laughing ourselves to tears along the way.
       We staying one day/night in Portland and ate what might have been the best vacation food I've ever had. Shout out to Jade, Por Que No and Tasty 'n Sons. I would consider a move further west just to eat that these two restaurants consistently, especially Tasty (ahhhmazing). We hung out at Hip Chicks Do Wine (I mean, the name was TOO perfect. 6 for $7), Powell's Bookstore and just walked around a few cute neighborhoods. We got a GPS with our rental car and thank goodness we did. It was so nice to just plug places in and get the chance to go wherever we wanted. Portland is a very walk/bike-able city but with less than 24 hours to explore it, it was nice not to worry about getting lost or missing things we wanted to do because of distance or the need for direction.
     Sunday morning, we took our time getting to the coast. We drove south along Highway 101, which is one of the most beautiful drives in the country, and stopped for some cheese and ice cream at the Tillamook Factory and anywhere else that looked like great areas for pictures. Finally, we arrived at Depoe Bay, OR and the Harbor Lights Inn. Depoe Bay is the smallest harbor in the world and is also one of the whale watching capitals of the US. I was pretty disappointed that the waters were too choppy for us to experience that but I guess we'll just have to go back. We spent the next two days walking around Depoe Bay, hiking, jumping on the beach, exploring the Newport and Lincoln City areas and eating to our hearts content (apparently our hearts need a lot of food to be content). I don't know what it is about vacations that make them all about food. Seriously, I felt like we never stopped eating. I am a vegetarian but when traveling the world, I would rather explore a culture wholly than limit my diet. I ate a lot of seafood in Depoe Bay (fish/chips, clam chowder, salmon) and although my pants are stretched a little further this week, I do not regret exploring the culinary world of the Oregon seaside.
 A few places we visited and liked:
Gracie's Sea Hag: Dinner and Lounge-act entertainment
Blue Heron Cheese and Winery: BEST wine tasting of the trip and BRIE (S and I could eat Brie for days). Wine tasting was 5 for $5 and well worth it. They also have a petting zoo and lots of sauces to sample. A much more quaint feeling experience than Tillamook which is definitely a tourist destination.
The Flying Dutchman Winery: Right on the coastline. Decent wine and nice backyard area for sitting and relaxing. I'm not sure what the deal was with bottles of wine around here ($25-$40/bottle! $10 jsut for tasting- those are Napa prices). Must be a tourist trap thing. Their sea-spray fermentation was cool though.
Depoe Bay Winery: Getting a theme here? This was literally a hole in the wall ("the cave" as it names itself) and is on the main drag in Depoe. Again, decent wine. FREE tasting here.
Tidal Raves: Must have reservation. Pretty good food but the most expensive meal of the trip. Get a reservation for daylight hours-the view is the whole point, which we missed with our 7:45 meal.
       Our trip was just the perfect amount of time. Long enough to feel as if we got away (4 days) but short enough that Sarah wasn't gone too long from her family. I don't know exactly how  long Sarah and I could spend together before we start to get sick of each other but I do know that I never got there in 4 days. It was so amazing to connect with someone who's known me so long, create some new memories, hear about her life and family and to share about mine. We hope that next time, we can bring her little girl, B, and make it a tradition for our families. She's the closest thing I'll ever have to a sister and I am so grateful to have her. There's more to say about this trip but that's enough for now. Enjoy a few photos of the part of our country that has captured my heart.

 The view from our room

 The Devil's Punchbowl

 Yaquina Bay State Park and Lighthouse

 Up in the Lighthouse

 Best veggie tacos. Great margaritas. Long line

 Macaroons at Jade

 Cool double-decker vintage dress shop in Portland

 About to get our cheese on

 If you go to Tillamook, get the 5 for $5 or 3 for $3 scoop deals. A great way to sample.

 Wow. We're a little nuts

 Another view of Depoe Bay Harbor

 That's my bff! Probably "checking in" :)

 Is that a creeper? No, just Sarah.

  

Operation: Leave the Country 2011

Since 2006, I've tried very hard to stick to a schedule. More important than a workout schedule, I have worked to maintain a routine of leaving the country at least once a year. With the exception of one year, when I took too many trips around the US to rationalize the international expense, I have been fortunate enough to have been successful thus far.
This year, M and I kicked around a million ideas. Everything from mountaineering trips in Mexico to backpacking in Scotland to going back to Italy came up at one time or another. We had booked so many of our fall weekends, that we were left with a pretty short window of time in October to achieve our goal. Then, a few weeks back, M was asked to go to South America on a recruiting/hiring trip for the organization we work for. His trip was to be 2 weeks long and include Ecuador, Peru and Colombia. Finally, stars aligned and tickets were purchased.
  I went on a mountaineering trip to Ecuador in 2008 and hiked the Inca Trail in Peru in 2009. Since I have already exhausted most of my vacation/holiday time, I had to choose my destination wisely...I can't go for the full two weeks. Colombia it is!  

 I made some friends from Colombia on my Leave No Trace course earlier this summer and they left me with a standing invitation to come down to visit. Since M will be working much of the time (boo), I will be hanging out with my new buds Juan Carlos and Jose. They work for a company that runs outdoor adventure education courses for elementary, middle and high school students and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they'll take me out into the field once or twice.
  Other than that, my days are currently free and I have NO IDEA what to do while I'm there. I'll be there for a full week (Sat-Sat) and am excited to explore this new country a bit. Any suggestions? I'm secretly hoping that we get thrown into an adventure...Romancing the Stone anyone?

Women-Specific Leave No Trace

 For the squeamish among you, I am going to use this blog to discuss women-specific principles of Leave No Trace, mostly having to do with proper waste disposal. Yes, this is the pad and tampon talk that we should have all received when we first got involved in the outdoors and that I can almost guarantee 99% of us did not. Even if you're not a woman, you know women and if you are ever in the position of leading them or hiking with them as friends and family, this is important stuff to pass along. Our friends and family are often our best outdoor educators.

I was fortunate enough to get to teach on this topic in my Leave No Trace Master Educator course. It may or may not be surprising that with all of the educational materials out there, there is NO set standard specific to women on this subject. I'm hoping to change that with the help of the LNT Center for Outdoor Ethics. Please feel free to leave comments that build on what I have learned over many years of teaching and hiking with women.

To start, a few ideas about teaching this subject to women:
1. While jokes about poop can be entertaining, women often don't share the same sense of humor about their periods. Many women hate the idea of even going to the bathroom in the outdoors, let alone dealing with feminine hygiene products. It actually keeps a lot of women from spending time outside.
2. Women are like spaghetti-everything's connected. Here's what I mean: If a woman is uncomfortable using the bathroom in the woods, she may limit her food and/or water intake in order to avoid the situation. This could lead to dehydration, bladder infections, lack of nutrition etc. All of these things jeopardize not only her experience but everyone that's with her as well. A dehydrated person is not who you want to be roped to on a mountain.
3. Remember the following moderately clever acronym:
T  each Women With Women
When you can, use women you know to talk to other women. It can be a wierd subject to hear about 
from a man BUT if that's the only option- do it. It needs to be addressed on way or another.

A cknowledge
Recognize that this is possibly an uncomfortable conversation for some women, particularly if they're new
to the outdoors. Treat the topic with respect and let them know you get where they're at.

M ake It Safe
Create a space where women will feel comfortable to ask questions, seek clarification etc. It can be 
a great education for the men in your group as well as the women but you have to gauge the group. Jr.    
High girls should probably be talked to away from the boys as they'll be embarrassed. Adults, it's probably
okay.

P rofessionalism
    It's important to talk like the outdoor professional you are. Treat this subject just as you would map reading
    or hanging bear bags. As I stated, this can quickly turn into a safety issue if it's not addressed.
O pportunity
Women tend to be self-sacrificing. They are often used to giving up their needs/wants for the best interests
of their families, friends, co-workers. Believe it or not, we lady-folk can get embarrassed about just asking
for a bathroom break. If you're on a hike, create opportunities for bathroom breaks. Another tip here
(first aid oriented) is if you've been around water (swimsuits), creating time for everyone to change out otheir swimwear. It's not as big of a deal for men, but women can get infections hanging out in wet swimsuits
Why not make sure everyone changes so you don't put women on the spot about it. Remember that many
women are embarrassed by any conversation in this area so be discreet in your health-minded leadership.

N o Bullying
We women have been raised in a culture that tells us to be thin, pretty, shower every day, smell nice, wear
makeup etc. Right or wrong, love it or hate it- it is what it is and you have to meet women where they're at.
They are often out of their element outside where they can't bathe or smell nice. This is NOT the time to
tease women about appearances or hygiene. It's not really ever appropriate but is even less so here, even
if a women seems to be going along with the laughter. Don't allow others in your group to tease either. And
while we're at it, if you catch a women making jokes about herself, she's uncomfortable and you should
assure her that there's no place for her to put herself down either.

So, what DO you teach women about hygiene in the back country?
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
PLAN to have your period, even if its not your time of the month. Altitude, physical activity, dehydration
even being around other women can mess with menstrual cycles. Don't get caught without anything on a
multi-day trip. Yikes. If you want to be a sensitive leader, pack some extra tampons in the group first aid
kit- just in case.
As a leader, I'd advise planning to have this conversation with women before you're at the trailhead. 
2. Pack a Bath Bag

I have a little Eagle Creek bag that I use to carry all bathroom products so its easy and discreet to grab
when I'm ready for a bathroom break. It includes:
    Toilet Paper
    Pads/Tampons
    A Nalgene or ziploc baggie covered in duct tape (to pack out trash)
    Ibuprofen/Midol
    Trowel
    Pee Funnel
    Hand Sanitizer (REALLY important)
    Headlamp in case you need to hit the port-a-tree in the middle of the night
3. Choose the Right Products
    Tampon sizes vary by a lot

Its a similar story with pads. Some are like adult diapers, others no thicker than a piece of paper.

Reduce your waste and ditch the applicators and extra packaging. Your saving space at a landfill and
making less trash to carry out with you. It is important to remember that many of these products
incorporate plastics that will NEVER biodegrade. Even if you use all-cotton, organic small tampons,
be responsible for your waste and pack it out like you would any other trash.
4. Consider Alternatives
    A. The Diva Cup/The Keeper
         Some women (typically the very eco-minded or super outdoorsy) are moving toward the elimination
         of pads and tampons all together by using a little cup that catches fluid in their place. These need to
         be managed closely in the outdoors because of the maintenance required in emptying them. The waste
         is best emptied in a cat hole and away from water as you would with other body wastes. Hand
         sanitizer is always important but even more so in managing this device.
    B. The Pee Bandana
         Some women will cut down on their TP use by using a bandana for urine (ONLY!). If women chose to
         do this, they will need to be careful to rinse it out after every use, let it hang outside their packs while
         hiking (not in a plastic bag at the bottom of their bag-hello, bacteria!) and give it time to sterilize in
         the sun each day. Not many women have adopted the practice but again, its good to know what's
         out there. The bandana can also be a great substitute for disposable cleansing wipes.

On my first mountaineering trip, to Mt. Baker, I was the only female and this issue was never addressed. Still being new to the outdoor recreation world, I wasn't sure how to manage these things which led to the issue of avoidance I mentioned earlier. I stopped drinking water because no one told me how to use the bathroom when I was in the middle of an all male rope team traveling up a glacier (ice axes and all). No where to run, no where to hide for bathroom breaks. While I made it to the summit, I was dangerously dehydrated for the descent and I am positive I jeopardized the lives of everyone I was roped too...I thought I was going to pass out. I know better now but that whole situation could have been avoided if my leader had just talked to me about it. Never assume that people know how to take care of themselves in the outdoors, whether it be first aid, hygiene or equipment use. If there's something you want to make sure people know, spell it out for them early on. Even if its a redundancy, its still a good reminder and those who know the information like the back of their hand will probably still appreciate that you're making sure everyone's on the same page.