July 4, 2015

It has been hot, hot weather for days. The sun, burns the haze from the sky early morning and the golden rays beat down relentlessly. Yesterday, I sought refuge at the Coast, yearning for the cool ocean breezes, the chill of the salt sea water and respite from the heat.

  I had not counted on the traffic which stretches in record-breaking, mile after mile of bumper to bumper lines to the ocean. I joyed in my ability to see the trees which line the Hwy in lush, green growth greenery. I could hear the birds as I eased along a few feet at a time. The birds were joying in the brilliant sunshine, dodging the heat by singing from their shade covered perches high in the wooded forests.

 Eventually the slow line, crept over the miles and I neared the coast. I still feel a special happy thrill as I near the water. It has never dulled all these years and I am so thankful that I am able to see, walk, drive and hike. I am very blessed. My dogs, Reutger and Kelsey saw the leashes in my hand earlier in the day and they smiled their doggy smiles at me, tails wagging furiously. They knew they got to go with me and they were so happy.

The heat which has been considerable made me consider their fur-clad bodies and the first place we visited was the historic site at Fort Stevens. There, there is a trail that goes along the Columbia River with lots of shade, and usually strong ocean breezes. A teenager on a bike passed us as we started the trail. He stopped at the remains of what was for years a replica of a Clatsop Native American Longhouse. My children, and grandchildren would go inside with me, imagining what it was like when people lived, cooked and existed in buildings like these. There was a totem pole carved at one end, wooded bunks, a firepit in the sandy floor. My children loved this place and were saddened when a while ago we learned it had been torn down and removed.

The young boy on the bike looked up at me and the dogs and called out, “I wish they wouldn’t have taken away the Longhouse. I liked it.” 

“So did my children and I,” I answered. “We miss it too.”

The boy hesitated a few seconds more and then rode back out of the trail, “Nice meeting you!, “ he called back to me. 

“Yes,” I answered, “nice meeting you too.”

    We hiked past the remains of the Longhouse, a commemorative plaque about the Clatsop Tribe and took at turn to the right. Here the path is right next to the rock jetty and dozens of times I’ve clambered down it’s dangerous side to hike the hidden, pure clean white sand beach below. I look down and realize it’s high tide, and there is no remnant of the beach for the dogs and I to enjoy. I realize when I climb on these huge boulders, that one slip could be an unforgiving lump on the head. So often I am alone on these trails, I just kind of trust that no matter what God will take care of me and clamber on down the rocks, but not today, instead of beach there are great swelling waves of Columbia River splashing against the sides making a comforting lap, lap, lap sound.

We turn and continue on the trail headed back towards the ocean. The path is fragrant with trees, summer bushes and thick rustling grasses. My dogs, continue their doggy smiling and pad along ahead of me like two trusted sled dogs. I wonder if there were snow, and I had a dog sled if these two, spirited souls could pull my weight along the trail.

At every turn there are beautiful vistas for me to enjoy; Breathtaking views of the Columbia River, the Washington hills and the trees and lush foliage all along the trail.  I try to drink in as much of this beauty as possible and store it away against the onslaught of problems I know I will hear about when my work week begins again. I take pictures with my new camera hoping to catch elements of what I love. The picturesque sight of the old railroad tressells marching across the grasses and bay towards the ocean jetty. At the Fort Museum, you can watch a video about the history of the Fort and see pictures of the old trains hauling the monstrous rocks to form the jetty to guard the mouth of the Columbia River.

The pilings, weathered and worn are so elegant in their ordered lines reminiscent of a life of service lived out eons ago.We complete the trail, walk through the historic site and I give the dogs water before we find our next hiking adventure. Often I would drive a few miles to the Ocean jetty and hike down that trail to the ocean beach. 

Today, with the temperatures over 90 it would be grueling for the dogs. Instead, we load up in the truck and I head inland to Fort Clatsop National Park. Here are trails that I hike winter, spring, summer and fall. Today, the large forest will provide refuge from the heat with their strong boughs shading the forest floor in a dappled covering. I love this Fort, it has a small museum, a log replica of the Lewis and Clark camp and trails along a River. We take the River trail and again I nurture my soul with the sights, sounds and smells of nature. “Thank you God I breath into the air, thank you!” I am so fortunate to be able to see and hike. I feel as if I’ve been given a reprieve after my health scare of earlier this year.

We end up being the only ones on the trail after a trickling of families head home. It’s ok, I’m used to that. I see kayaks in the water and have a case of the “wisfuls”. I’ve been looking at Kayaks a Costco and Big Five and have been thinking of buying one for myself. I just don’t know if I will enjoy it or not.

I hear the leader of the Kayaks call out for them to meet at the landing. “Landing?” I get to my usual stopping place on this trail and notice a road continues out the South end. “Is this where the Landing is? “ I wonder to myself. The dogs and I hike probably a ½ mile or so and come into a clearing. There is a small picnic shelter, three dug out canoes, a place to get into the river. The Kayakers are just finishing putting the last of the Kayaks away. I notice two women Park Ranger and ask, “How do I get to go on the Kayaks?” Well, the older women answers, at least my age, “Your park admission gets you the kayak tour.” “I have a pass,” I query.’”Well then,” she answers, “For you it is free!”  “Free!” I can hardly believe it. She explains how to sign up and I smile. I will be able to find out if I enjoy Kayaking before I buy one.

The Rangers load up, drive off and I realize I am alone with the dogs, miles away from anyone. I start the hike back and hope I haven’t stayed past closing time of the Fort. They warned me they would close the gate and images of me and the dogs trying to spend the night enter my mind. We make it back, I water the dogs and we head home. I look at the trucks clock and realize we’ve hiking for hours, I’m a little tired that’s for sure.

The ride home is uneventful and I joy in the expanses of tree-lined highway that I am privileged to see. The dogs tired also, smile their doggy smiles and peacefully go to their shaded back yard. My soul is refreshed and I feel so fortunate. God is taking care of me and allowing me to get back into nature. For the six weeks this spring that I could not drive my soul longed for the woods, mountains and oceans that I feared I would never be able to see again.

But  God is good, for a season I am being allowed to joy in the beauty of creation. It comforts me to see how often Jesus went to the hills or the sea. He needed to get away, and I need to get away. With God’s help I will take each moment as it comes and be thankful I get to be outdoors so often.

I have made a little video of my pictures from the coast. I’m hoping to be able to post it on this blog so you can see a little of what I get to see. I was thinking that for those of you who can’t sleep at night, this might be a way to relax and unwind.(note: two days later,  I'm sitting at the library right now watching a screen that says "uploading video" I've been watching that screen for a while.............. Don't know if it will work, hope so.Oh, I'm so silly I'm getting tired of waiting but I really want peole to be able to see this. If I give up and go home, forgive me. I tried but there are many other things I need to do.)

Thank you God for creating such a beautiful world.

Be happy and be blessed. Remember God hears and answers prayers and joy will come in the morning.

Robin