Posts

Pamelia, Finally

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Life got in the way of our usual summer of adventures, but we made time in early September for two nights camping AND RUNNING in central Oregon. The second day, we decided to do a loop near Mt Jefferson to Pamelia Lake and Hunts Cove. I had still never been to Pamelia Lake, despite trying for YEARS-- between permits, wildfires, and other disasters, we always had to change those plans. Our happy place We got to the trailhead in the evening and settled in to eat dinner, relax, and enjoy the company of a family of deer who came to hang out. It was peaceful and perfect. We made a tentative plan to head out in a clockwise direction to get Jefferson views first, in case we didn't feel up to the full 17 mile loop after the previous day's run. Cedar explores a creek Spoiler alert: the day was perfect and we did the whole loop. It was absolutely magical, with glorious weather, perfect conditions, and the absolute joy of spending time together. I hope this becomes a September tradition f

Reflecting on 2022

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mom & me - Maui 2022 I can’t believe it is already April 2023 and I haven’t written the 2022 recap blog post. The year end recap blog posts are always my favorite to write. We always have so many adventures that it’s a lot of fun to remember everything we did and accomplished. 2022, isn't different in that regard but what is different is how 2022 ended for me. My mom passed away at the end of 2022, which made it hard for me to do much more than get through each day and reflecting on the year was the last thing I wanted to do. She has only been gone 7 months and it is still hard for me to think back to last year and write this.  Six years ago my mom was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a condition in which the lungs become scarred and breathing becomes increasingly difficult. The doctor told her she had 3-5 years to live, well she showed them wrong. Despite the diagnosis and outlook, she remained one of the most positive people I knew, even up to her last day.

New trails, even in Portland

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At the top of Council Crest We had big plans for 25 miles, but sometimes you don't sleep well and need to change it up last minute. Instead of the route I picked out last week, Ann chose a 22 miler as a guideline. Cedar at Pittock Mansion But when we got to Pittock Mansion, we decided to continue south on Wildwood for a bit... which turned into going to the end (technically the start). We even walked into the Vietnam Memorial, and, looking at the map, decided to check out the Marquam Trail that connects Washington Park across Highway 26 to the Marquam Nature Park. Vietnam Memorial in Washington Park Neither of us had ever been on that section of trail before, and it was really neat to discover something new to us after more than 20 years of living here and more than 10 years of running long distances on these trails. We saw a sign that showed a little more than a mile to Council Crest-- the highest point in Portland-- so we decided to run to it. Marquam Trail sign At the top, we ha

Happy holidays from Girls Gone Wildwood!

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  As the holiday season approaches, we wanted to take a moment to wish all of our readers a happy and healthy holiday season. Whether you're spending the holidays with friends and family, or taking some time to relax and recharge, we hope that you have a wonderful time. The holiday season can be a busy and stressful time for many of us, but it's also a time to come together with loved ones and celebrate all that we have to be grateful for. We encourage you to take some time for yourself and do something that brings you joy and relaxation. Go for a run in Forest Park, take a yoga class, or simply curl up with a good book and a warm cup of cocoa. At Girls Gone Wildwood, we believe in the power of nature and outdoor adventure to nourish the mind, body, and soul. We hope that you will join us in embracing the beauty of the natural world this holiday season and throughout the year. From all of us at Girls Gone (and Dog) Wildwood, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday season!

Summer days driftin' away

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Hi! We are still here and running but we haven't been writing about it the last few months, obviously. I have so many blog post in my mind about our summer adventures, but when I think about writing about them I get overwhelmed and find other things to do. So instead of abandoning the blog, I am going to do a quick blog post on all our summer adventures.  Ramona Falls FKT We started the summer with setting a few Fastest Known Times (FKT) as part of Women Who FKT project.  The majority of FKT records are held by men, the idea behind Women Who FKT was to get more women to set FKTs to flips the stats. Susan, Cedar and I set the FKT at Ramona Falls . Cedar and I set the out and back FKT on  Surveyor's Ridge Trail . Hopefully they will have a Dogs Who FKT soon.  Surveyor's Rige FKT  I spent a few weekends in June on Orcas Island running and kayaking. Every time I go to Orcas Island I say the next time I go to the San Juan Island I will go to a different Island, but I don't.