“If we had no winter, the Spring would not be so pleasant:
if we did not sometimes taste of adversity,
prosperity would not be so welcome.”
Anne Bradstreet (1612 – 1672)
We’re now part way to vaccinated, but not all the way there just yet. Nonetheless, we’ve got our first big adventure for 2021 coming up at the end of this month. It’s local (no airplanes, for the moment) and all outdoors (generous social distancing), so, as with our mule trip last September, we’re not anticipating any after effects. Still, it’ll be better than good to finish with the vaccinations. We realize that these are controversial for some but for those of us who grew-up facing the very real threats of polio and smallpox or needed immunization certificates to travel, they’re simply not. So, until the jabs are done, we’re still sticking with local hikes, which, fortunately, always seem refreshingly different every time we do them.
Which brought us, yet again, to Forest Park, where we had time – on a slightly overcast but otherwise beautiful Spring day 😎 – for a short walk. By going up the Rattlesnake Gulch and Knobcone Pine Trails, we managed to turn a 4 mile (6.4 km) stroll into a 1,250 foot (381 m) of gain aerobic workout. There are no leaves yet on the canyon maples but a few locally classic wildflowers are out on southwest facing slopes. There is even some water still flowing in the principal creeks. Although we can expect increased floral exuberance in the weeks ahead, this was nonetheless a good start to the Spring of a new (and better) year. 🙂
BOOTS on the TRAIL 
Thanks! I got my first shot but The LovedOne is still awaiting hers. It has to do with how Oregon prioritized vaccinations. But word is that everyone will be eligible on April 19, so we’re hoping to get this done and move on much sooner than later. 🙂
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Oh, your wildflower photos are gorgeous! Those are so many of my favorite spring ephemerals…especially the fawn lilies and shooting stars. That’s great you got your first shots. We got the J & J yesterday. Today I feel like I’ve been run over. But it’s better than getting Covid!
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Thanks! We are very fortunate to have more than a few great hikes nearby – ones that always offer something new as the seasons turn. 🙂
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Congrats on getting your first shot of the vaccine. What better way to celebrate than by going on a hike close to home. It’s amazing what we can find in our own backyard. Great shots of the wildflowers.
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Thanks! The Twin Peaks viewpoint is a good one, as is the one where the Rattlesnake Gulch Trail joins the Siskiyou View Trail. But there’s overcast or haze, as there was today, then, yes, I spend a lot of time looking down.
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Love your pictures. Not many viewpoints from Forest Park so you find great closeups.
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