Summer Firsts

When you think of summer, what things come to mind?  Picnics perhaps.  Definitely vacations.  Long days filled with summer sun and crisp nights of stargazing.  There's probably swimming and of course, no school.  For me, thoughts of summer are focused on one area of entertainment specifically: camping.  Okay, so it's really camping, hiking, and backpacking (but they all kind fit into the same category).  So when the temperatures started climbing and the cool forests and frigid mountains lakes started calling, I jumped at the opportunity to get out.

I grabbed my friend, Kelly and we headed into the mountains: up to Copper Lake, a walk-in campground on the southern boundary of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.  With the sun shining and the warm wind in our hair, we sped off, leaving the dusty Ellensburg heat behind.

Summer firsts usually start in June.  First lake swim, first hikes, first summits, first camping trips.  And the glorious thing about the firsts of your summer is that you'll probably miss the crowds, who peak in late June through Labor Day.  The best camping spots and secret swimming holes are yours.  And that's exactly what we found at Cooper Lake: our own personal paradise.  Cooper Lake has a plethora of beautiful campsites, some more private and some very large.  After venturing around, we finally found our perfect campsite.  It had a gorgeous view of the lake and a decent walk to the bathrooms.  We unpacked the car and proceeded to take some pictures of the lake.

Despite being twenty yards away form our campsite, we neglected our food just a few minutes too long.  And what were the results?  The overfed chipmunks of  Cooper Lake, stole my Reese's.  They ate one on the picnic table and then stole another.   That's right.  They ran off with a Reese's peanut butter cup.  Those little bandits.  Note to all our readers:  Please don't feed the wildlife.  Under any circumstances.  Thank you.

Feeling the loss of our beloved treats, we proceeded to set up the tent and started our fire.  The bugs weren't horrible, but we weren't taking any chances.  We got the fire up to a small roar and then started making dinner.  Dinner was, by far, the best part of the trip.  It was mouth-watering and delicious and aromatic and every raccoon's dream.  Baked potatoes with sour cream, corn on the cob, and BBQ chicken: all over the fire! Amazing!

The stars were out in force, but we were exhausted.  We crawled into bed and passed out within minutes.  That might have something to do with the air mattress for were sleeping on...  I did wake up sometime around midnight to the sound of a dog barking forcefully.  I doubt it was a bear, more likely a raccoon.  But what it was really, was the sounds associated with irresponsible camping.  The barking continued for five minutes and I guess the dog eventually scared off the people's intruder and I managed to fall back asleep.  Another note: Please don't leave your food unattended.  Keep it sealed inside bins and coolers and if you leave the site or it's time for bed, please, PLEASE put your food and kitchen gear into your car.  And if you don't have a car, please hang a bear bag.  A little extra effort won't kill you and it'll prevent animals from become habituated to human presence.

When morning arrived, we were happy and refreshed.  The air was chilly and that made it all the better.  We made a fire and started breakfast.  The result?  The Great Pancake Calamity of 2014.  (This stemmed from our giggle-fest on the way to the lake after reading "Maybe you get bad customer service because you're a bad customer" article.) The bacon turned out fine, but whether the pan was too hot or the pan was too small, what started out as making the most delicious white chocolate raspberry pancakes, turned into scrapping mush into a bowl.  Our pancakes looked more like a casserole than anything else.  But I'll let you in on a little secret.  They still tasted incredible!

We finished breakfast and packed up the car.  Someone mentioned that there's a little outcrop that has some amazing views at the northern end of the lake.  So we hiked  to the edge of the water and low and behold, one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen.  We talked with a couple, who were fishing, for a little while.  They caught a nice looking trout, which, sadly, already had a hook lodged in his gills.  The poor little guy.

When summer begins, it's so easy to get swept up in the anticipation of all the exciting things you want to do.  But never forget to appreciate the early days.  Get out into the wilderness early in the summer and appreciate the solitude, the quiet.  Because in just a few short weeks, those pristine campsites will be filled with sloppy, noisy campers and their annoying children and pets.  Take advantage of your own summer firsts.

High on Bowman's Hill

With such beautiful weather on this fine day, my mother and I set out to have an adventure.  Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve, in New Hope, PA was our destination.  The 134-acre preserve is home to a fantastic variety of plants native to the Delaware Valley region of Pennsylvania.  And if anyone knows my mother, you know that plants are kind of her thing.  

 
As we drove into the gated preserve, we were greeted by a sign that read "Native Plant Sale".  I knew right then and there that this place would be perfect for my mom.  After signing in at the visitor center and grabbing a trail map, we were off!  We headed down the Cabin trail to a stone bridge crossing over Pidcock Creek.  As we hiked along, we relished in the blissful quiet of the forest; the only sounds to be heard were the whispers of the light breeze through the trees and the occasional chirp of a nearby bird.  The brilliant yellow flowers of the prickly pear cactus were the first to catch our eye.  The petals peeked out from beneath a small tree right along the main trail.  We snapped a few photos of the beautiful blossom and hiked on.  We ventured on down the main path until we came to the Medicinal trail.  

We hung a right to explore some native flora that have therapeutic value.  As we followed the trail through the trees and along a small brook, we discovered a few witch-hazel shrubs.  A little further down the path we found a bit of bloodroot.  We meandered our way back to the main trail.  We walked a quick loop through the laurels, but alas we had missed their blooming.

Now I would have to disagree with the woman at the visitor center about the next leg of our adventure.  Although I'm quite sure this picture does not do the hill justice, you'll just have to take my word for it.  When we asked how to get to Bowman's Hill Tower, the woman said to follow the main path out of the preserve.  She said the path got "a little" steep...that mountain we had to climb was not "a little" steep!  As we exited the gated preserve, the path curved up.  We now had to share the road with the occasional car.  When the road finally leveled off, we paused to catch our breath and wipe the sweat from our faces.  We were now in the Washington Crossing Historic Park where Bowman's Hill Tower sits atop the mountain.  The large stone tower was built to commemorate a lookout point of Washington's troops of the Revolutionary War.

After only 128 steps (or a quick elevator ride), we had an amazing view of the Delaware River and the surrounding area.  On a clear day such as this, we could see at least 14 miles in all directions.  I can only imagine how pretty the view is in autumn.  We spent a bit of time checking out the view; took a couple selfies and enjoyed the breeze atop the tower.  After counting all the steps down to the base, we took a break for lunch.

The hike back down the mountain wasn't nearly as bad.  Once we met up with the main path again, we continued exploring the side trails.  We combined a few paths and walked along the Fern and Gentian trails.  We got to enjoy the natural beauty of the ferns while listening to the croaking of nearby bullfrogs and the buzzing of damselflies darting to and fro.  The Gentian trail circled around a small pond full of large wetland plants.  Finishing that small loop, we found ourselves back on the main path, and we made our way to the Pond trail.  Along the way, we

stopped to smell the roses...quite literally.  Pretty pink blooms lined the road; they smelled sweet and perfect.  This pond was probably my favorite part of the preserve.  It was surrounded by so many different types of plant, and the peaceful babbling of the water from the upper to lower pond created a beautiful, relaxing scene.  









On the walk back to the car, a large hawk flew over our heads and landed not too far off.  We tracked him down to a nearby tree and watch him for awhile.  It is quite amazing to see wildlife, especially large birds of prey, up close.  He quickly caught sight of something far more interesting than us and swooped away.  Back at the visitor center, we had our chance to hit up the plant sale and check out some smaller birds. 
 
We wrapped up our adventure in the town of New Hope.  A very unique spot if you ask me.  It's rich in early American history with a new age vibe, add a couple of biker bars and voila!  My mom and I each discovered a couple of cool finds hidden away in the cluttered shelf of antique shop.  All in all, a successful adventure and great mother-daughter time! 
 

Ellensburg Highs

"The higher the altitude, the better the attitude."

Some of my favorite words to live by.  So, when the dry desert hills of Central Washington were getting me down, I decided to make for the hills.What makes up the recipe for a great summit hike?  A Nalgene, maybe a snack, definitely a camara, and a friend in tow.  Exhibit A: my new friend, Liz!

Clear days make for epic summit views and today was no exception.  Blue skies, fluffy clouds, and endless views.  The heart-thumping rush to the top of our small mountain was met with jaw-dropping views of the Stuarts and Mt Rainier.  We sat on the bench, chatting for a good long while about life, love, and happiness.  The light breeze was a  nice respite from the heat of the June sun and the mountain air was crisp and clean.

While I find beauty in the shrub steppe environs of Ellensburg, Washington, there will never be anything to replace the snow-capped peaks and green tunnel of the mountains.  Whether I'm deep in the Appalachian hills or high in the Cascades, the overwhelming smell of pine and the soft soil beneath my feet with always grip my heart with such force to draw me back again and again.  So give me vast views and tiny flowers, towering trees and sturdy trails.  Let me breathe deep the fresh air and I'll be happy.

"Of dirt you're made and of dirt you will return."