This morning I got up just like every other morning but thankfully it was not too cold out: though, it was snowing which made it look beautiful in the woods. As I drove to the Blue Pool/Tamolitch falls trail head the snow disappeared and was replaced with rain. I had planned on it raining for that is what the forecast had called for so no matter what I was doing the hike today. I was dressed in multiple layers and was using a rain poncho to go over myself and my pack which I would later find out did nothing at all to keep me dry.
Pulling into the rail head lot there was a nicely constructed restroom and lots of signs about parking restrictions. I hoped I had parked correctly, for I was the only one there, so I guess I will know when I come back from the hike. Starting off on the trail it was a steady and constant rain and soon my body warmed up to a comfortable temperature that was neither too hot nor too cold. The hike was four miles in total and absolutely beautiful! Falls colors blotted the landscape and contrasted nicely with the dark green of the forest. The trees were all covered in moss and the river ran swiftly nearby in shades of deep blue and crystal white. Fog clung to the tree line and the path I was walking on was mostly covered in pools of water that ran down the black rocks. From all the water that was pouring out of the sky and pooling on the trail I found out that my new hiking boots hold up quite well in wet environments.
As I reached the pool the stark deep blue of the pool was a sight to behold. The waterfall didn't come from above either but emerged halfway down from underneath. It was beyond breathtaking and I think I took at least a hundred pictures of it. I just cannot get over how beautiful and mind blowing Oregon is as a state. Its like a cold version of the rain forest and I know Oregon will become a part of my future.
Hiking back out I came across two people one of whom expressed his astonishment at seeing another person out on the trail in this weather. I honestly wish I could find the right words to describe this place but alas I just can't. It is something that one must see for themselves for it is quite the experience. When I reached my vehicle my supposedly waterproof down jacket was completely soaked so I threw that and my next layer directly under the floor vent to dry out while I drove. Before leaving the parking area I grabbed my jar of pumpkin spice applesauce and proceeded to eat that on my way out.
The weather in Oregon seems to be constantly changing for no sooner had it stopped raining that it began to snow. I know that it probably had to do with the fact that I was driving up a mountain for I had to go up before I could go back down and get to where I needed to be. Still, seeing the snow made me realize how long it has been since I had to drive in it and this was my campers first experience with snow. I slowed down quite a bit for I was not sure how my vehicle or my camper would handle it but they both did fairly well. As the drive continued the snow turned back into rain and I was headed into the town of Albany to once again attempt to find parking at a library. Before reaching Albany, I came across and A&W sign which I had not seen in such a long time so I just had to turn around and go have some of their fast food. I proceeded to order a cheeseburger, fries, cheese curds and a root beer float and eat it all while sitting in my vehicle in the rain.
When I made it to Albany the library luckily had enough space for my camper so I backed into a spot and prepped my backpack. Inside the library, it was not as warm as I was hoping but I was able to catch up in my blog, update my excel sheets, create a new tab to enter all the people I meet along the way and organize my receipts. All too soon, the library intercom went off saying that the library would be closing in twenty minutes at 18:00 so I began wrapping everything up. Thanks to my moms hard work she was able to find a post office in Portland that would except general delivery so that by the time I left the library I had her email the feathered friends company with that post offices address so I can get my sleeping bag. From the library I drove to a rest stop on Interstate 5 and watched a TV show before going to bed in the wet cold.
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