Journal
Field notes, gear reviews, and trip reports from the road.
YETI Rambler 26oz Water Bottle: Full Review, Pros, Cons, and Specs
The 26 oz Rambler pairs double-wall insulation with a rugged DuraCoat finish that has survived pavement drops, volcanic rock, and a dunk in the McKenzie.
Lava Beds National Monument
Sharp lava, hidden caves, and wide open high desert shaped by the Medicine Lake volcano — with human history layered from Native rock art to the Modoc War.
Tamolitch Falls (Blue Pool)
A turquoise pool on the McKenzie River, fed by water that vanishes into an ancient lava flow and resurfaces through porous basalt at 37°F.
Valentine Cave: An Easy Walk into a Lava Tube
A well-preserved lava tube at Lava Beds that rewards a quiet walk — cool air, smooth lavacicles, and a clear path where most visitors turn back after 200 feet.
Lassen Volcanic: Emerald Lake, Lake Helen, and the Hydrothermal Basins
An overlooked National Park where a shield volcano, a plug dome, a strato, and a cinder cone sit in the same skyline — and where spring sun on alpine meltwater turns Emerald Lake unreal.
Oregon Coast 101: Hug Point, Cape Meares, and Why You Slow Down
A quiet weekend tracing Highway 101 — low-tide arches at Hug Point, the crooked Sitka spruce on Cape Meares, and the slow rhythm of running the coast on FJ time.