Rain or Shine: Rewards for the Stubborn

Sometimes you just have to do something, regardless of whether it’s a good idea or not. We had a busy holiday season of parties, get-togethers, and family time, which was nice, but didn’t leave too much time for weekend adventures. Couple this with the fact that it’s occasionally quite difficult to line up a dry winter weekend in the Northwest, and the result is that it’s been a long time…too long, since I’ve had a chance to get out and wander in the woods.  

We were expecting quite a bit of rain this weekend, but at this point I really didn’t care. Regardless of the weather, I was going to get out, stretch the legs, and stave off the cabin fever that has been building during the past several weeks of inactivity. We loaded up the rain gear, and headed to the Columbia River Gorge. Oddly enough, the drive out was dry, with wisps of fog clinging and swirling through the hills and cliffs, creating soft silhouettes of rocky pinnacles and forested ridges.  
 

We chose an old favorite, the Herman Creek Trail, and started walking while fully expecting to get drenched at any given moment. For us though, our ‘gonna do it regardless’ attitude was rewarded with a pleasant, dry walk through beautiful trees, the sound of a clear, rushing mountain stream, and fog shrouded hills. It was fantastic.  
 

Our trip could have turned out far different—we could have been miserable, slogging through downpours and soaking in our less-than-adequate rain gear, but sometimes you just have to take the risk. Often times the results are as expected, but every so often, like today, you get a surprise.