Anniversary Hike to Crown Lake

Our 15th anniversary dawned with mostly clear skies and an expected high temperature of 77F in Salem.  The night before we had planned a hike into Crown Lake, which from terrain view in Google Maps, looks to be in a glacially carved basin located in the High Cascades.

Here is the Google Earth file for the trip with the old glacial headwall annotated:  KMZ File

It had rained in the preceding days, so we were hoping to get some clear views of Mount Jefferson.  We hadn’t been this far into this area before, but we were in an adventuring mood, as we often are when we get some free time together.  😉

To get there we took Hwy 22 east out of Salem, then followed NF46 east to its junction with NF4685, which is the only road to NF330.  The trail head is at the end of NF330.

There was enough parking for about 4 cars, but luckily there was only one other car there when we arrived!  And the view from the “parking lot” was such a nice tease!!

The hike itself was mostly uphill on the way in, but the gradient wasn’t too bad for someone who hates to hike uphill! 😀

Here’s the topographic map of the trail:

I outlined the old glacial headwall in blue.

The area around the trail was well vegetated, so it was difficult to get a sense of the geology or topography we were hiking through.  Thankfully there are topographic and geologic maps to help us visualize the geology around us!

When we arrived at the lake, an older couple were enjoying the main viewing spot at the end of the trail, so we hiked around the west side to find a more private spot to enjoy lunch.

After lunch we headed back to the trail and found that the other couple had left, so we took in that view too.

The hike out is much easier than the hike in since the gradient is more downhill.  😀

There was no way to know this driving in, but the views of Mount Jefferson heading back on NF4685 were outstanding!

Mout Jefferson is a High Cascades stratovolcano and in the image above you can clearly see several glaciers and glacial features.  In case you can’t, I labeled them for you!

Here is the topographic map of Mount Jefferson:

It was a lovely day and a great hike with fantastic views!

And to top it off, I managed not to end up in the ER like our 14th anniversary.  But that is another story… 😉

 

Gluten Rant

I am so tired of everyone having an opinion of those who choose to maintain a gluten-free diet!

Do you know why we might do it?

For me the reasons are really simple. I feel so much better when I don’t eat it.

Have I been tested?

Well…other than having an acupuncturist, who worked with me on my allergy issues for well over a year, tell me my muscles get weaker when exposed to wheat, among other things…then no.

How did I come to be gluten-free?

I did some online research about the effects of gluten on the bodies of those that are sensitive or allergic on the advice of my husband. What I discovered was that I showed enough signs that it was logical to try a gluten-free diet, and see if my body felt any different. Being a scientist, this seemed like a no-brainer, I would test out my hypothesis on myself and draw my own conclusion as to whether I should avoid gluten or not.

Was it hard to go gluten-free?

Going gluten-free was actually really easy for me, I eat healthy anyway and don’t eat a lot of bread or pasta on a regular basis.

The hardest thing for me to give up was Dave’s Killer Bread, the one in the green package with all the seeds. Food of the Gods I swear!! 🙁

Of course, I slipped up a few times with soy sauce, and other things that weirdly have gluten added to them even though they don’t naturally contain it (who does that?!?!). Then a year ago Memorial Day weekend, we were staying with family and I had the smallest bite of a soft pretzel. I paid for it for two days with intense gastrointestinal pain and distress, which needless to say, made our get together less than fun for me. We figured out after the fact, that I had been gluten-free for 6 weeks at the time.

So for me the experiment seems clear, and I am frankly not willing to risk trying it again just to “see”.  I’d rather continue enjoy a whole bunch of other foods I never explored before.  Beans are simply amazing, and different squashes make better noodles than pasta in my opinion, so don’t worry yourself that I am missing out by not eating gluten.  I am totally not!

I have one food I miss. But someday, someone will make a gluten-free bread that is just as amazing as Dave’s Green Label, and I am totally fine to wait for that day!

Until then, I will revel in my gluten-free diet, happy with the fact that I feel better and am healthier than I have been in over 20 years.

So you all with your opinions on who can or can’t eat gluten, can shove it!

My diet = my decision.

Prior Planning for Healthy Eating

Here’s a thing a did today!

It took me about 1.5 hours and this includes; harvesting radishes from the garden, washing and preparing all the veggies and black beans, doing all the dishes, and cleaning up the kitchen after!

I also might have eaten lunch (a salad I prepared 4 days ago!! ) and looked at the internet a time or two.  Hey I like to multi-task like that. 😀

This image depicts several days worth of lunches for the hubs and I, plus healthy fixings for turkey tacos (dinner tonight), along with snacks and future salad fixings.

I plan to blog about the yummy chopped salads soon. Everybody who eats one asks what is in it…and it is so easy you are going to love it! 😉