high desert – She-ra Hikes

I have an exciting development to share with you all…I’ve accepted a position as the Oregon Desert Trail Coordinator here in Bend! The 800 mile Oregon Desert Trail is one of the newest long distance trails in the country, and begins right outside of Bend and connects a series of remote mountain ranges in the high desert of south eastern Oregon.

This is an incredible opportunity to combine everything I love doing to help shape a long trail. Ever since my friend Sage Clegg was the first to hike the ODT in 2013, I have watched with envy as other friends and hikers jump on the trail. Before I even heard about the new position I wanted to hike the ODT next. It’s exciting to be on the other side of the trail community and really be able to dive into something I am passionate about.

It will be fun to keep this blog going and share my experiences on the other side of the hike, and yes, take you with me as I hike it as well.

Kirk and I went packrafting last weekend.

Me and big yellow, my 6ish pound packraft.

And in addition to this blog, I’ve been keeping a blog of our packraft adventures (strangely enough called Adventures with Packraft) for the past three years to chronicle trips we’ve done all over Oregon. You can read about our trip on the Chewaukan River here. (I got to calling it the She-ra-can River).

Thanks to some insomnia tonight I finally was able to get the post up. I really really really can’t wait for the simplicity of the trail. My schedule has just been killer lately (killer as in exhausting), and sometimes the only chance I get to work on some of my other interests, like maintaining the other blog, is when I can’t sleep.

The full time job, 2 businesses, 3 board positions, a relationship, friends, and trying to find time for myself is making life a bit crushing lately. I can’t complain too much as it’s all amazing and very fulfilling, but I’m tired.

I’m ready to slow down and just walk for a while.