Fitness

Portland Fitness Guide

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 17:24:00 -0800

FIREBRAND SPORTS

Full-Tilt Cycling is a lot like spinning—on a roller coaster. Indeed, Firebrand Sports deals in innovative, cutting-edge fitness, imported directly from California: your options are Full Tilt Cycling (pictured), for which you pedal a swooping Real Ryder, and Pyrolates, which is practiced on a Megaformer (“the Ferrari of Pilates machines”). Pyrolates can be described as Pilates on fire—slow, controlled movements that you repeat until your muscles fail—and then you do it all over again, focusing on a new set of muscles. Transitions are quick and intensity is high. Full Tilt cycling, meanwhile, is Spinning unhinged. The Real Ryder tilts and twists in every direction, engaging your core, upper body, and arms to simulate serious outdoor rides. It’s also a party on wheels—expect plenty of hooting and hollering, plus laser lights and a DJ booth.

The Benefits Pyrolates contributes to strength, endurance, balance, and flexibility; Full-Tilt Cycling is a gentle, low-impact form of cardio that boosts strength and endurance.

coordinates 500 NW 14th Ave; 503-715-5573; firebrandsports.com

The Damage Full Tilt Cycling: Single Class $27; 20 Classes $399. Pyrolates: Single Class $37; 20 Classes $549; Monthly Unlimited $299

Also Try C-Velo Performance, Tempo Cycling & Pilates Studio, Recreate Fitness

The Backstory

In March 2012, former attorney Sara Stimac (pictured) moved north from LA with her mother and father—and a dream of starting over and opening a fitness studio. In November, Firebrand Sports opened its doors in the old home of Lux Lighting in the Pearl District. With it, Stimac and her folks hope to create a kind of throwback lifestyle company in the model of the YMCA, complete with art shows, fireside chats, nutrition classes, and a vending machine full of natural, organic, locally made snacks.

PIL-OGA-ROBIC

Image: Nicolle Clemetson

A single class feels like the “greatest hits” of fitness. In Pil-oga-robic, the foundations of yoga and Pilates act as a springboard to combine cardio, strength training, and stretching into one efficient, surprisingly soothing hourlong session. You get the invigorating sweat of aerobics; the vibrating, twitch-muscle focus of Pilates; and the deep stretching and even savasana (and aromatherapy!) of yoga—all with little risk of injury or overexertion. A spacious, industrial-sleek studio and intimate, interactive classes allow for plenty of personal instruction, so you can tailor each workout to your body and ability.

The Benefits Pil-oga-robic nudges you toward overall fitness gently: the cardio helps with weight loss and endurance while yoga and Pilates bolster muscle tone, balance, and flexibility.

coordinates 1804 NE MLK Jr. Blvd, Ste 3; 503-284-6079; pil-oga-robic.com

The Damage Single Class $20; 8 Classes $135; Monthly Unlimited $149; 6-Month Unlimited $750

Also Try Barre3, CorePower Yoga, Pure Movement

The Backstory

Pil-oga-robic was born in 2009 as an outdoor boot camp in Northwest Portland. As the gospel of Hannah Moore and Ariel Winkleblack’s proprietary blend of yoga, Pilates, and cardio spread beyond Wallace Park, they expanded into a studio in March 2012. With six instructors and more in training, they now offer classes ranging from pure yoga and Pilates to dance-based “Body Fusion,” anti-gravity inversion swing yoga (pictured), and wall circuits.

STUDIO X FITNESS

Image: Nicolle Clemetson

Be warned: after your first session at Studio X, you will be sore. That particular, can’t-bend-my-legs-properly-and-need-to-use-the-handicapped-stall-in-the-bathroom brand of sore. But when the muscle-screaming settles, you will feel stronger than ever. Group classes at Studio X vary based on the instructor and the day, but they share an essence: you will be pushed to your limit. You will tear through push-ups, you will slam medicine balls into the ground, you will scramble across floor ladders, and you will most certainly perform that most loathed exercise of all: burpees. The music is loud, the energy is high, and the instructors are prone to screaming (not at you, but with you). In short, this is a very different kind of gym experience: intense, weird, sweaty, and seriously fun.

The Benefits This kind of hard-core, high-energy circuit training is all about burning serious calories in a short amount of time. General classes are aimed at improving body composition and mechanics, weight loss, and building muscle. Irwin has also developed focused programs for roller derby teams and Parkinson’s patients.

coordinates 2839 SE Stark St; 503-236-7114; studioxfitness.com

The Damage Single Class $15; 10 Classes $120; Monthly Unlimited $145

Also Try Warrior Room, Portland Team Fitness, Beast Fit Nation, Skogg Gym

The Backstory

Owner Tim Irwin hates gyms—the sales pitch, the machines, the people, the atmosphere. So in 2004, he carved out his own little world of personal training behind a mysterious door on SE Stark Street, an environment for what he calls the “black sheep” of gyms. His plan was to start small and stay small, but demand was unbridled. Studio X has now more than tripled its original space, with 13 trainers and instructors, 25 group classes a week, and nearly 600 people coming through its doors each month.

THE SOURCE CLIMBING CENTER

Image: Nicolle Clemetson

Seventy-eight climbing routes and 70 boulder problems make for plenty of variety in this light-flooded climber’s paradise. Drawing inspiration from famed destinations like Smith Rock and Red River Gorge, Guruhans “Hanz” Kroesen and Michael Lary (pictured) set creative, high-quality routes that welcome novices and challenge more seasoned wall rats. An advanced “auto belay” system takes up the slack as you ascend and provides a controlled descent, so you can climb comfortably without a partner. Not keen to go it alone? The Source provides personal instruction, women’s nights, and youth clubs.

The Benefits Any climber will tell you it’s the best exercise there is—and that it’s hopelessly addictive. Because you’re holding your body in consistent tension on the wall, climbing is great for strength training and general muscle tone, especially in your core, abs, arms, and joints. It also engages more cerebral, problem-solving energy in tandem with physical exertion.

coordinates 1118 Main St, Vancouver; 360-694-9096; sourceclimbing.com

The Damage Single Day $12; 10-Pass $96; Monthly Unlimited $55; Annual Unlimited $472

Also Try The Circuit Bouldering Gym, Portland Rock Gym

BODYVOX

Image: Nicolle Clemetson

The psychological benefits of dance range from stress reduction to a lower risk of dementia. The choreography requires focused muscle memory, while certain styles demand exuberant expressiveness. At BodyVox, this unique head-to-toe workout is within reach in dance classes ranging from true beginner’s ballet to advanced contemporary workshops. The Stretch Appeal class evolves from choreographed movements to stretch-based exercises, modern classes feature live piano accompaniment, and the Afro/Danceworks class (pictured) draws some of its movements from samba, an effervescent, rhythmic Brazilian line dance.

The Benefits Nothing engages your whole body like dance—which explains its induction into the pantheon of exercise. It improves bone density, muscle strength, coordination, and balance.

coordinates 1201 NW 17th Ave; 503-229-0627; bodyvox.com

The Damage Single Class $15; 10 Classes $120; 20 Classes $200

Also Try Oregon Ballet Theatre, Vega Dance & Lab, Viscount Dance Studio

On Your Nightstand: Fifty Places to Bike Before You Die

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 11:04:00 -0700

"For some, [biking] may mean grinding out 75 or 100 miles a day on a mountainous road, barely pausing to gobble an energy bar and down some water; for others, it may be a means to the end of tasting fine Pinot Noirs," writes Portland-based author Chris Santella. "Fifty Places to Bike Before You Die captures the spectrum..."

Santella spans the globe on two wheels in his newest book, the ninth in his bestselling Fifty Places series, taking readers—and riders—from Italy to Iowa. Yes, Iowa, home of the seven-day Register's Annual Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI), a 39-year-old tradition. Only one state gets three mentions, though: Oregon. A little hometown favoritism perhaps, but who can find fault with rides around Crater Lake, Eastern Oregon's Joseph County, and Portland?

Anchored by spectacular photography, Fifty Places to Bike Before You Die ($24.95) offers as much inspiration as it does information with tips on potential routes, when to go, and where to stay along the way. Santella taps locals and industry insiders to deliver an informed and beautiful book that will have you packing your sunscreen for Sardinia one minute and an extra layer for Alberta's Icefields Parkway the next.

Trail City

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 09:00:00 -0700

This composite map of The Intertwine plots the parks, trails, and natural areas within the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area. Special thanks to Randy Morris and David Banis of Portland State University’s Center for Spatial Analysis and Research.

YOU’D BE HARD PRESSED to find a finer example of Aristotle’s idea that the “whole is greater than its parts” than Portland’s greenspaces: within about a 20-mile radius of downtown, we can tap roughly 1,250 miles of bicycle and pedestrian trails, and close to 40,000 acres of protected parks and natural areas.

Essentially, we live in a superpark.

Sure, individually, our dozens of natural areas (while beautiful) don’t exactly match the untrammeled grandeur of, say, northeastern Oregon’s Eagle Cap Wilderness. Roads, cars, and buildings are never far away. But when viewed as a contiguous network of greenspaces, Portland’s playgrounds start to rival national park status, a fact that has spurred the development of the five-year-old Portland nonprofit the Intertwine Alliance.

Dreamed up in 2007 by then–Metro President David Bragdon, the alliance is a bistate coalition of more than 60 parks departments and agencies that aims to rebrand our parks as one symbiotic experience. In other words, quit thinking of the Columbia River as a divide between two cities and states. It’s the center of one connected region.

Why? In part because the intersection of fragile ecosystems and glassy condos makes Portland as distinctive as Yellowstone. Here, you’re never more than a few heron flaps from the wonders of both the natural and the modern world. Peregrine falcons roost under the Fremont Bridge. Coyotes sneak onto MAX trains. Salmon flock to creeks beneath Pittock Mansion. We ride shotgun with Mother Nature every day, yet our favorite brewpub is always just a few miles away. This summer, the Intertwine Alliance hopes to foster this connectivity by adding its logo—a rose-like pinwheel with four blades swirling in a circle—to trails like Fanno Creek in Beaverton and Tigard.

It will take more than clever branding to prioritize and manage the myriad open space projects in the Intertwine, as the network itself is known. After all, the notion of a grand park scheme isn’t exactly new. The celebrated urban planner John Olmsted envisioned such a scenario for Portland more than a century ago.

Yet, over the past two years, major gaps in the Intertwine have been plugged. In 2010, the 21-mile Banks-Vernonia State Trail was finally completed. Last year, the Springwater Corridor was extended clear to Boring, more than 21 miles from Portland. And in June, the Trolley Trail opened, turning a historic streetcar path into a multimodal trail from Milwaukie to Gladstone. Still more projects—like the North Portland Greenway, which will link the Steel Bridge to the St. Johns Bridge, and the continuation of the Springwater Corridor to Estacada—are in the works.

Park acreage keeps piling up, too. Metro’s natural areas team has added more than 750 acres of new open space in Multnomah County since 2010, a year that also saw the acquisition of 1,100-acre Chehalem Ridge near Forest Grove; Metro’s largest open space purchase with voter-approved bond funds to date.

Best of all, with more than a thousand miles of trails already at our disposal, we don’t have to wait to get out and explore. In the following guide, we lay out the essential Intertwine experiences. Whether you have only an hour to spare or want to plot a full-blown weekend campout, these trails and parks satisfy most any nature craving. And odds are you won’t even have to miss your favorite happy hour.

Welcome to the Intertwine.

To learn more about The Intertwine Alliance, visit theintertwine.org.

Getting in Shape for 2012

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 09:00:00 -0800

All right, a new year is upon on and with that comes the little frenemy called…Resolutions. As has been the trend since (what feels like) the dawn of time the number one resolution manifests itself as one fitness beast called “Being Healthier.” Also known as: lose weight, gain muscle, eat better, go vegan, go gluten free, go sugar free, join a gym, work out more, train for a marathon, be more active, face your swimsuit without fear, and so on and so on.

Since being healthy is always in fashion (minus that whole heroin chic thing in the 90’s) Shop Talk wants to aid in the steps to making 2012 the year we all strut about the city as bronzed Greek gods. I mean, togas do look pretty cool.

Barre 3 Workout DVD

Local fitness guru (and owner of highly impressive abs) Sadie Lincoln brings her Barre3 to you with a home DVD. The mix of ballet, yoga and pilates will get you on track to a healthier you from the comfort of your own home (and own budget). The 40-Minute Total Body Lift Workout also comes with a barre3 core ball and was named top 10 DVD workout 2011 by Fitness Magazine. To purchase, click here

Lessons from Hipcooks

The absolute best way to control the amount of oil/sugar/salt/etc that goes into your food is to make it yourself. But if your talent in the kitchen relies on picking up the phone and ordering take-out some additional help may be needed. Hipcooks offers group classes (and private lessons) in everything from going gluten free to veggie centric meals. And all lessons come with a wine tasting included. For a schedule of classes, click here

Lululemon’s Ta Ta Tamer Sports Bra

Ok girls, if you’re trying to break into the running or aerobics game it’s not going to be comfortable unless you’ve taken effort to support "The Girls." This sports bra features removable cups for shape and coverage, hook and eye closures at the back for better fit, adjustable wide straps that can cross or be worn straight for maximum support. Take a look at the high user reviews if you’re not convinced. Oh, and it’s adorable (bonus). To purchase, click here

Blossom Clinic’s Nutrition Special

Thinking of going the natural route with weight loss? Blossom’s New Year special targets your body through nutritional counseling or cleanses to get things going. The 40% off specials apply to January and February and include:

*Nutrition Consult: $96 for a 90 minute appointment and a personalized plan (40% discount). In this session, your practitioner will look at your health history and discuss your goals. If you are interested in beginning a cleanse regime, your practitioner will go over this with you to determine which type would be best for you.

*Acupuncture or Amma for Detoxification and Cleansing: $51 for each 60 minute appointment (40% discount). This is a targeted session to help increase your will power, support all processes of elimination, and assist your body in detoxification. Weekly appointments are encouraged.

*Optional Food Allergy Panel: $126 to test 96 foods. Nothing will slow down the road to health like ingesting foods you’re unknowingly allergic to.

For more info, click here

Lush’s Dreamtime Bath Bar

According to a New York Times article, one of the easiest ways you can help with your weight loss regime is by simply getting more shut eye. In a test with two groups of participants the group who slept more than eight and a half hours lost more fat than those that slept under six.

If hitting the snooze button will help get rid of that stubbon belly fat (also called bikini killer) then we say give it a go. Aid that restful dreamtime with one of Lush’s bath bars with cocoa butter, jasmine, calming lavender and relaxing sandalwood. To puchase, click here

Forest Park Guide: The Best Hikes

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:00:00 -0700

Image: Chris Pokorny

St. Johns Bridge

BPA Road

Easy/see map T2/Hike #1
This wide-open, gently rolling double-track path leads to a grassy knoll with sweeping vistas of Mounts St. Helens and Rainier. At your feet, tugboats chug up the Willamette River. So named because the Bonneville Power Administration maintains a string of power lines here, BPA Road also visits a bronze-and-rock monument dedicated to donors who plugged the “Hole in the Park” by snatching a 70-acre plot from the jaws of developers through a cooperative effort of Metro, Friends of Forest Park, and the parks bureau during the 1990s. Toast their collective wisdom from a pair of picnic tables placed at the overlook.
SUGGESTED ROUTE: From NW Skyline Blvd, take BPA Road to Firelane 13. (Round trip: 2 miles)

Hero: John Olmsted

A fledgling Park Board hired Massachusetts park planner and ?designer John Charles Olmsted in 1903 to conceive an entire park system on par with Boston’s Emerald Necklace designed by his famed stepfather, Frederick Law Olmsted. In his report to the Park Board, Olmsted outlined a network of green spaces that included the first idea of a “Forest Park.” “Future generations . . . will be likely to appreciate the wild beauty . . . ?the grandeur of the trees, and view-commanding spurs far more than do the majority of the citizens of today .”

Lower Maple Trail loop
Moderate/see map L7/Hike #2
Tranquil canyons? Check. Gurgling water? Check. Oversize fallen log to kick back on? Check. Handy shortcut? Check. (The recently signed Quarry Trail creates a great loop from the lower Maple Trail.) The reasons to love this splendid three-mile circuit along the shade-draped lower Maple Trail just keep piling up. None is better than the junction atop Saltzman Road and Leif Erikson, which affords an eagle-eye overlook of the St. Johns Bridge and Mount St. Helens.
SUGGESTED ROUTE: From Saltzman Road off of Hwy 30, turn right on Maple Trail, left up Quarry Trail, and then right on Leif Erikson. Return via Maple Trail. (Round trip: 3 miles)

Ridge Trail
Moderate/see map O3/Hike #3
Savor an unforgettable glimpse of one of Portland’s most photogenic bridges at the bottom of the Ridge Trail. The narrow path drops nearly 1,000 vertical feet from Firelane 7, near Skyline Boulevard, amid the quiet, seldom-visited northeast section of the park. Just past Leif Erikson, pause to rest on a rough-hewn bench carved from a log, then exit the woods above Highway 30. Here maple and ninebark limbs frame a close-up portrait of the sea-green arches of the St. Johns Bridge towering over the Willamette.
SUGGESTED ROUTE: From NW Springville Road off of Skyline Blvd, follow Firelane 7 and turn left down the Ridge Trail. Return the same way. ?(Round trip: 2.76 miles)

Nature and Chestnut Trail Loop
Moderate/see map I5/Hike #15
Beat the heat—and the crowds—by slipping into two of Forest Park’s most scenic side trails. The lower half of the Nature Trail plunges into a narrow, shady canyon intersected by a cascading fork of Rocking Chair Creek. Brush past mini-waterfalls and velvety maidenhair ferns on the way to the base of the gully, where a small dam was constructed and a picnic table rests beneath a rare American chestnut tree. A few yards to the right of the tree, the Chestnut Trail climbs back into seclusion alongside a second cooling fork of Rocking Chair Creek.
SUGGESTED ROUTE: From Forest Lane off of NW 53rd Drive, take Firelane 1. Go left down Nature Trail to Leif Erikson. Turn up Chestnut Trail. Go left on Wildwood Trail to return to Firelane 1. (Round trip: 2.5 miles)

Image: Michael Novak

“Avenue of the Trees” on Firelane 7

Firelane 12
Moderate/see map U7/Hike #16
Stashed away on a dead-end lane in hilly Linnton, the entrance to Firelane 12 winds through what feels like a private empire of steep hillsides lined with slabs of basalt, oodles of ferns, white-barked ?alders, and mighty stands of firs. After a mile-long climb, the trail dips down to converge with Firelane 15. Here you’ll encounter Miller Creek, one of the park’s two trout-bearing streams. Continue up Firelane 12 to meet BPA Road, or linger streamside to watch the brook disappear into a green abyss of roots, leaves, and moss.
SUGGESTED ROUTE: From NW Creston Road in Linnton, ascend Firelane 12 to BPA Road. Return the same way. (Round trip: 3 miles)

Maple Trail
Moderate/see map L7/Hike #22
Little-known fact: Nearly three-quarters of the forest of Forest Park is bigleaf maples and red alders—not Douglas firs. Nowhere is this deciduous umbrella more delightful than along the aptly named Maple Trail. In fall, groves of bigleaf maples here rain down piles of crimson-and-gold leaves. But the Maple Trail hikes well in the dog days of summer, too. The 2.6-mile section between lower Saltzman Road and the Wildwood Trail bisects densely wooded canyons peppered with hemlocks and firs, and fords the shimmery waters of Saltzman Creek.
SUGGESTED ROUTE: From Saltzman Road off of Hwy 30, turn left up Maple Trail. Pass Maple Tie Trail and turn right on Wildwood Trail. Descend Koenig Trail and return via Maple Trail. (Round trip: 6 miles)

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Firelane 15 Loop
Moderate /see map U1/Hike #19

Call it Forest Park’s last frontier. Perched at the park’s northern tip, Firelane 15 borders a power-line corridor that surveys Sauvie Island farmland and St. Helens’s snowy dome. To the west, a blanket of rugged blue hills unfurls to the Coast Range. Such remote topography is a solid bet for wildlife encounters. Park workers routinely spot coyote and black-tailed deer darting into the brush. Bobcat and elk tracks in the mud are not out of the question. And don’t miss the side trail from Fire-lane 15 to Keilhorn Meadow (to the right of the upper gate), a secluded, hemlock- and maple-fringed field—as pretty a place as any to listen for great horned owls.
SUGGESTED ROUTE: From NW Skyline Blvd, follow Firelane 15, cross over the Wildwood Trail, and turn up Firelane 12 to BPA Road. Go right on BPA Road. Turn right on Wildwood Trail. Return via Firelane 15. (Round trip: 2.8 miles)

Image: Mike Houck

Song sparrows are one of the nearly 120 different species of birds found in Forest Park.

Audubon Sanctuary Easy /see map F4/Hike #20
Keep a field guide handy inside the Audubon Society’s 150-acre reserve set just off of NW Cornell Road. More than 40 species of birds, including warblers, grosbeaks, and sparrows, have been recorded here. Bird-happy crowds typically head north from the parking area to the Pittock Bird Sanctuary. Here, an easy mile-long loop trail meanders along Balch Creek and encircles a pond scattered with lily pads. But the Founders Trail in the 34-acre Uhtoff Sanctuary is especially noteworthy. Nicknamed “Pileated Woodpecker Alley” it’s packed with abundant snags, a siren’s song to North America’s largest woodpecker. Still skunked on sightings? Tour the on-site Wildlife Care Center, home to Audubon’s fleet of educational birds, which include raptors and owls.
SUGGESTED ROUTE: Founders Trail to North Collins Trail and back to parking lot. (Round trip: 1.3 miles)

Firelane 7
Hard/see map O3/Hike #5
With an awning of curved alder limbs barreling above it, Firelane 7 has been dubbed “Avenue of the Trees.” But it’s also the park’s best path to wildflowers. This south-facing ridgeline trail basks in enough sun to entice prodigious tiger lily blooms, some several feet tall. In spring, the adjacent Trillium Trail is littered with thickets of its namesake blossom, followed by a procession of thimbleberries and huckleberries. For a sweet side trip, descend lower Hardesty Trail to visit “Big Stump,” a massive old-growth cedar nub that bears a pair of eye-like springboard notches cut into its trunk by early-20th-century loggers.
SUGGESTED ROUTE: From NW Springville Road off Skyline Blvd, take Firelane 7 to Trillium Trail and go right. Turn left on Wildwood Trail and continue to Hardesty Trail to return via Firelane 7. (Round trip: 3.4 miles)

Image: Mike Cottrell Houle

Balch Creek on the Lower Macleay trail is one of the two streams in Forest Park that support native cutthroat trout.

Villain: Lafe Pence

Notorious for hatching a scheme to buy land around Bull Run and the Sandy River so he could sell water to the city at exorbitant prices, Lafe Pence, a former Colorado congressman, dug a clandestine, two-mile system of ditches and aqueducts in Macleay Park in 1906. Pence wanted to hijack water from Balch Creek and use it to flush sediment from a large tract of land he wanted to level for development. His plan was thwarted when Mayor Harry Lane and a dozen police officers stormed the hillside and destroyed the flume with sledgehammers. Portions of Pence’s ditch are still visible near the intersection of the Wildwood and Wild Cherry Trails.

Firelane 9 Loop
Hard/see map Q5/Hike #21
The ravine cut by Linnton Creek must look like a giant feeding trough to hungry birds. Loaded with seed-rich red alders and bigleaf maples, the tucked-away canyon attracts scores of melodious western tanagers, orange-crowned warblers, and evening grosbeaks. At the hike’s halfway point, Firelane 10 zigzags through forest spotted with white oak, western red cedar, and even purple-hued Pacific yew, which sprouts bright red berries that prove irresistible to birds like the orange-breasted varied thrush. A recent hike offered a view of a red-tailed hawk swooping no more than 20 feet overhead.
SUGGESTED ROUTE: From Leif Erikson trailhead off of NW Germantown Road, cross the road to Firelane 9. Descend to the town of Linnton and pick up the Linnton Trail. Turn left at Firelane 10 to return to trailhead. (Round trip: 2 miles)

Image: Michael Novak

Every quarter-mile of the 30-mile Wildwood Trail is marked by a blue diamond and mile markers.

Lower Macleay to Stone House
Easy/see map E8/Hike #17
Not even Crayola could box up so many shades of green. Set in a lush canyon alongside the cool waters of Balch Creek, the largest stream in Forest Park, Lower Macleay Trail is an explosion of licorice ferns, leafy salal bushes, moss-jacketed hemlocks, and some of the most impressive fir specimens in the park, including Portland’s most gasp-inducing heritage tree, a 242-foot, jade-crowned giant—the country’s tallest fir within a city. For more color, scope out the creek’s population of native cutthroat trout. Then explore the “Stone House,” the remains of a Works Progress Administration–era structure, built in 1936. Its lichen-coated walls make a killer fort for an afternoon.
SUGGESTED ROUTE: From NW Upshur Street follow Lower Macleay Trail for one mile. (Round trip: 2 miles)

Tolinda Trail to Waterline
Hard/see map Q7/Hike #9
The Tolinda Trail takes its name from the sight of a former Camp Fire Girls camp in the park. But make no mistake: this is one tough cookie of a hike. In less than a mile, the route vaults nearly 400 feet up to Leif Erikson. Temper first-degree thigh burns by enjoying bright blazes of fireweed, numerous lilies, and a welcome shot of solitude. To earn a merit badge for pluck, proceed up the Waterline Trail, a steep, often muddy route that ascends along a ridge to a water tower set in a sun-soaked meadow atop Skyline Boulevard.
SUGGESTED ROUTE: From NW Germantown Road, take Tolinda Trail. Go left at Leif Erikson and up Waterline Trail. Return the same way. (Round trip: 3 miles)

Park Inspirations: Peter Rock

Reed professor and author of My Abandonment, a fictional novel inspired by the true story of a girl and her father found living in Forest Park

Image: Emily Tate

Forest Park is like Portland’s version of the ocean. It’s dark and mysterious, and we can’t always see what’s going on underneath. When I was writing my book, I really wanted to spend a night in the park. Friends said I shouldn’t. They said it might be dangerous because people live in the woods. If I did, I should be armed. So I never did. People who haven’t been to the park ask me, did I make this up? How could there be this place that’s so close to the city, and so wild? I like the area by St. Johns, because there’s this intersection between wilderness and industry, and because most people don’t go there. I have two daughters. I take them to the park. They love it. I definitely have to keep them contained. Otherwise, I think they might turn wild. —As told to Brian Barker

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Image: Michael Byers

Download a printable version of a map of Forest Park and a guide to all the hikes, runs, and bikes.

Wildwood–Newton Loop
Easy/see map R4 /Hike #18
Trees do fantastic things on this bite-size loop deep in the park’s dewy, northern interior. Just before the 26-mile mark of the Wildwood, a hollowed-out fir can fit pint-size nature-lovers inside its belly. Nearby, inspect a large stump festooned with Frisbee-size mushrooms. A few steps farther, a fir’s roots rise out of the dirt like a house on stilts and create a tunnel to scamper beneath. For a crescendo, pass by a maple whose clutch of trunks resembles the tentacles of a giant squid. Like we said—fantastic.
SUGGESTED ROUTE: From NW Newton Road parking lot off of Skyline Blvd, follow Newton Road and turn right on first path to Wildwood Trail. Head south on Wildwood. Turn right on Firelane 10 to return. (Round trip: about 1 mile)

Newton Road to Wildwood Trail
Hard/see map T2/Hike #12
Turn northwest onto the Wildwood Trail from Newton Road, and the forest suddenly becomes eerily still. The hushed tone comes courtesy of the park’s remnant old-growth stands. The next half-mile holds smatterings of firs capable of gouging the clouds. Be prepared to earn your visitation, though. The arduous climb up Newton Road is one of the toughest in the park. It’s also gorgeous, traversing a remote, stream-filled ravine. Lazy-bones option: park at the Newton Road Trailhead off NW Skyline Boulevard and walk less than a mile to the Wildwood Trail.
SUGGESTED ROUTE: From BPA Road off NW Skyline Blvd, descend to Newton Road. Go up Newton to Wildwood Trail and go right. Return via BPA Road. (Round trip: 4.4 miles)

Lower Macleay to Pittock Mansion
Hard/see map E8/Hike #8
This lung-pumping scramble gains 800 feet of elevation during a 2.5-mile trek to one of Portland’s most iconic residences, Pittock Mansion. The former Oregonian publisher Henry Pittock’s 22-room French Renaissance wonder is a stunner, with flower-strewn gardens and commanding gazes of the Cascades and all of Portland. Still, all that opulence doesn’t quite measure up to the grandeur of the gargantuan trees encountered below the manor. Inside tip: to avoid the masses at Lower Macleay, ascend to Wildwood Trail via the short but challenging Tunnel Trail (along NW Cornell Road).
SUGGESTED ROUTE: From NW Upshur Street, take Lower Macleay Trail to Wildwood Trail. Take Wildwood toward NW Cornell Road and up to Pittock Mansion. Return the same way. (Round trip: 5 miles)

Image: Michael Novak

Linchen and licorice ferns are abundant on trees in Forest Park.

Wildwood Trail, Miles 12–16
Hard/see map M2/Hike #13
Titanic trees and distance from civilized roads are the top draws on this must-hit section of the Wildwood Trail. At mile 16 enter the Wildwood along a fern-choked ridge that’s stacked with handsome stands of younger conifers. At mile 15.75 begin looking for stop-a-minute views of Mount Hood and Mount Adams. And past Firelane 3, between mile points 13.5 and 12.5, ogle several inspiring sequoia-size firs.
SUGGESTED ROUTE: From NW Saltzman Road off of Skyline Blvd, walk one mile to the intersection of Wildwood Trail (mile 16) and turn right. Continue to mile 12. Return same way. (Round trip: 10 miles)

Wildwood Trail from Newberry Road
Easy/see map V3/Hike #14
Curious what Forest Park looked like 200 years ago? The northern reaches of the Wildwood Trail provide a vivid picture. From Newberry Road the trail plunges into a primordial world ruled by giant sword ferns and groves of behemoth western red cedars with patinas like ancient works of bronze. Occasional blooms of fairy lanterns and false lily of the valley spice up the evergreen palette.
SUGGESTED ROUTE: From NW Newberry Road, take Wildwood Trail south to Firelane 15. Return the same way. (Round trip: 3 miles)

Dogwood trail
Easy/see map G5/Hike #4
Early bloomers along the sun-?dappled Dogwood include yellow woodland violets and scores of trilliums. Come summer, candy flowers, fairy bells, and false Solomon’s seal, which perfume the air with fragrant, starlike blossoms, crop up. Keep an eye to the sky, though. Overhead, amid leafy maples and slender firs, red-capped downy woodpeckers busily tap away on tree stumps and, beyond the branches, peekaboo views of Mount Hood and Portland’s skyline abound.
SUGGESTED ROUTE: From NW 53rd Drive, take Dogwood Trail. Turn left on Leif Erikson and go left up Alder Trail. Turn left on Wildwood Trail. Return via Keil Trail. (Round trip: 3 miles)

Park Inspirations: Yassine Diboun

Competitive ultramarathoner and professional running coach who trains in Forest Park nearly every day

Image: Emily Tate

I’m a blend of someone who needs to be deep in nature but also likes urban life. I often run the Wildwood Trail from end to end—someone will drop me off on Newberry Road and I’ll do 30 miles and end up at the door of my apartment building. For me, running is about connection to the landscape and nature. It’s about getting lost—not literally, but lost in a different, more primal kind of consciousness. Running through the woods evokes something that has been passed down for thousands of years, and living near the park allows me to go to those wild places, where I can push myself beyond what I think I’m capable of. —As told to Zach Dundas

Hikes & Bikes

Wed, 20 May 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Image: Stuart Mullenberg

Looking east from the top of Coyote Wall near Bingen, Washington.

ONE OF THE BEST things about living in Portland is the ease with which we can escape the city for more rugged delights: a peak-packed panorama in the Gorge, a bird’s-eye view of the beach, a high alpine meadow strewn with nature’s floral confetti. But maximizing those out-your-back-door adventures requires some serious at-your-kitchen-table homework. So we paged through guidebooks*, consulted local experts, and wore a little leather off our own boots to bring you these thirty hiking and biking trails, all easily drivable in a day. By our count, there are about thirty weekend days left before the rain returns this fall—and we’ve got a ready-made adventure for every one.

Portland

Springwater Corridor

Biking Trail

Moderate This commuter superhighway between Portland and Boring isn’t just for the spandex species. The well-groomed path also provides frequent encounters with woodland denizens like woodpeckers and galloping white-tailed deer. In fact, as the trail (a former railroad route) plays leapfrog with Johnson Creek, crossing the water more than ten times, it passes through at least three different habitats, including Powell Butte Nature Park’s high meadows and Oaks Bottom’s low-lying wetlands, where you just might see the Rose City’s official bird, the great blue heron. —Kaitlin Johnson

ROUND TRIP: Up to 42 miles DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 2 miles PACK: Rubber to the Road; Springwater Corridor map at portlandonline.com/parks

Vancouver Lake

Biking Trail

Easy Technically a road ride, this route along Lower River Road from Esther Short Park nearly to Campbell Lake whips around Vancouver Lake before forking off to follow the Columbia River’s verdant shoreline. You may have to share the road with a few cars for the first five miles (and aggro cyclists going all Lance Armstrong on one of the metro area’s time-trial courses), but after that, your only companions will likely be casual riders seeking out the flat terrain or resident waterfowl, such as great egrets and peregrine falcons, cruising overhead. —KJ

ROUND TRIP: Up to 26 miles DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 15 miles PACK: Rubber to the Road; Frenchman’s Bar Ride map at vancouverbicycleclub.com

Oxbow Regional Park

Hiking Trail

Moderate Before Grizzly Adams laid down his rifle and began communing with furry forest pals, the bearded mountain man could track anything under the sun. If you’ve ever wanted to acquire such a skill, Oxbow Regional Park is the perfect playground. Bisected by the snaking Sandy River, the beachlike banks of the 1,200-acre park reveal prints from the multitude of mammals who live here, among them black-tailed deer, flying squirrels, beavers, and red foxes (you might even spot some cubs this month). The park offers a class in animal tracking if you want an expert to help you bone up. Just don’t expect to run into Ben, Adams’s ursine sidekick, on your hike; grizzlies don’t roam through Oxbow, just the occasional black bear. And we’re OK with that. —Kasey Cordell

ROUND TRIP: Up to 15 miles DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 20 miles PACK: Wild in the City; Oxbow Regional Park map at oregonmetro.gov; $5 parking fee

Image: Leatherman

Skeletool CX
leatherman.com; $79.95 Get it: US Outdoor Store; 219 SW Broadway; 503-223-5937

If survivalists like Les Stroud have taught us anything, it’s that all you really need to deal with woodland misadventures is a good, sensible knife. With its compact, serrated stainless steel blade, the Skeletool CX provides just that—and seven other must-have tools, among them pliers, a wire-cutter, and a screwdriver, all of which will make short work of outdoorsy jams, such as carving up kindling that refuses to break (or cracking the lid on a bottle of Sierra Nevada). —BWB

Macleay Trail

Hiking Trail

Easy Nestled in Forest Park, the Macleay Trail offers a walking tour of the city’s signature flora and fauna. The hike traces the banks of Balch Creek, home to native cutthroat trout and Pacific giant salamanders; and less than half a mile up the trail, hikers can marvel at one of Portland’s 282 (and counting) Heritage Trees—a 242-foot Douglas fir thought to be the tallest urban tree in America. Sunday strollers may opt to turn around at the Audubon Society, where injured owls and hawks are cared for, but those wanting to work off the eggs Benedict from Besaw’s on nearby NW 23rd Avenue can continue on the Wildwood Trail to tranquil Holman Meadow. —Brian M. Barker

ROUND TRIP: 2 miles DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 2 miles PACK: 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Portland; The Hiking and Running Guide to Forest Park, 10-map set

Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge

Hiking Trail

Easy It seems that every time we visit this popular Sellwood preserve, we bump into someone we know. But antique hounds and Southeast locals aren’t the only Portlanders who flock to this inner-city refuge along the Willamette—so do about 150 species of birds. Amid the woodlands at the base of a bluff, you’ll see (or at least hear) sparrows, wrens, and black-capped chickadees, while blue herons and cormorants stand like reeds in the marshland near Oaks Amusement Park. And in the parking lot, well, you just might see your neighbor. —KC

ROUND TRIP: 2.5 miles DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 3 miles PACK: 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Portland; Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge map at portlandonline.com/portlandmigratorybirds

Tryon Creek State Natural Area

Hiking Trail

Easy Lewis & Clark College biology students often study the plants and animals in this 670-acre recreation area. And what a laboratory: blooms of Indian plum and salmonberry crop up along Tryon’s twenty or so crisscrossing trails. The region’s waters also provide year-round habitat for steelhead trout, and some fifty bird species chirp from the branches of bigleaf maples and red alders. Sharp eyes may even locate northern saw-whet owls near the park’s nature center, where a handmade roost hangs. Sure beats a day in a lecture hall. —BMB

ROUND TRIP: Up to 8 miles DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 6 miles PACK: 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Portland; Tryon Creek State Natural Area map at oregonstateparks.org

The Guidebooks: 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Portland by Paul Gerald (2nd and 3rd editions); The Curious Gorge by Scott Cook; An Explorer’s Guide: Oregon by Mark Highberger (2nd edition); Hiking Oregon by Lizann Dunegan (2nd edition); Mountain Biking Oregon by Lizann Dunegan; Moon Handbooks: Oregon by Elizabeth and Mark Morris (6th edition); Oregon’s Best Wildflower Hikes by George Wuerthner; Rubber to the Road: 30 Rides around Portland compiled by Peter Marsh; Wild in the City: A Guide to Portland’s Natural Areas edited by Michael C. Houck and M.J. Cody.

EAT

Oaks Bottom Public House
1621 SE Bybee Blvd 503-232-1728 newoldlompoc.com

This pub may lack imagination when it comes to names (it takes its moniker from nearby Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge), but behind the bar, creativity flows. Co-owner Jerry Fechter regularly updates the selection of obscure craft beers from all across the country, such as Prima Pilsner from Pennsylvania’s Victory Brewing Company. Eight beers brewed by the New Old Lompoc itself are permanently on draft here, too. To fight hunger pangs, you can’t go wrong with the mac and cheese, served in a cauldron bubbling over with house-made cheddar sauce and crumbles of blue cheese.

Kenny & Zuke’s SandwichWorks
2376 NW Thurman St ?503-954-1737 kennyandzukes.com

Aside from offering eight knockout sandwiches unavailable at the original downtown delicatessen, Kenny & Zuke’s SandwichWorks, which opened in April in Northwest Portland, has another major attraction: it’s within walking distance of Forest Park. That means there are plenty of opportunities to waddle off decadent sammies like the Super Torta Puebla, which comes stacked with smoked pork, chorizo, and black beans. —BMB

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Image: Larry Gloth

Just you, the Pacific, and the setting sun at Cape Lookout.

The Coast

Salmonberry River

Hiking Trail

Easy Stand by Me fans, this is the hike for you. Unique among coastal treks, the Salmonberry River trail doesn’t boast commanding ocean views or barking sea lions. Instead, it follows sixteen miles of deserted railroad tracks across watery expanses, over ancient steel bridges, through pitch-dark tunnels, and—most intriguing of all—through the tiny old railroad town of Enright, which consists of two cabins and a water tower that ran dry long ago. Trains roared through the hamlet as recently as 2007, when a fierce winter storm washed out the tracks. Today, as wilderness slowly reclaims the lonely structures, the area is blissfully devoid of any train—or human—traffic. —Bart W. Blasengame

ROUND TRIP: Up to 16 miles NEAREST TOWN: Wheeler DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 62 miles PACK: 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Portland; Tillamook County Water Trail Map at tbnep.org; a headlamp (to navigate pitch-black train tunnels)

Cape Lookout

Hiking Trail

Easy Most hikers at Cape Lookout State Park take the Cape Lookout Trail—a five-mile out-and-back journey to the end of the peninsula. Those in the know, however, head south from the parking lot on the Oregon Coast Trail. Here, a series of sharply descending switchbacks leads hikers to the waves below. Once you’ve popped out of the woods, two miles of deserted beach in the shadow of the cape’s rocky finger await you. (If you want to skinny-dip, we’ll look the other way.) —BWB

ROUND TRIP: 4 miles NEAREST TOWN: Tillamook DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 82 miles PACK: Moon Handbooks: Oregon; $3 day-use fee, USGS Sand Lake map

Banks-Vernonia State Park Trail

Biking Trail

Easy Timber-laden locomotives used to roar along this twenty-one-mile stretch of train track, but today it’s all yours for the cruising. The gently graded trail, which is paved in some parts and gravel in others, links the rural towns of Banks and Vernonia, and its multiple access points allow families to tailor outings to just about any distance. As you wind through rolling hills dotted with historic farmhouses, there’s no shortage of postcard views, including one from the top of the Buxton Trestle, an eighty-foot-high structure a few miles outside of Banks that will have you itching to ring your bell as you pedal across it. —BMB

TRAIL DISTANCE: Up to 42 miles NEAREST TOWN: Banks DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 25 miles PACK: Mountain Biking Oregon_; Banks-Vernonia State Trail map at oregonstateparks.org145.php

Image: End Footwear

Stumptown LT
endfootwear.com$90; Get it: REIstores

Feet don’t need to be shackled in Frankenstein boots. Southwest Portland companyEND Footwear’s Stumptown LTs—made from 25 percent recycled material—not only look cool, but their lightweight high-top design also offers firm ankle support. Meantime, the carbon-rubber outsole gives great traction, whether you’re tackling slippery tree roots or skipping over skull-size stones. Little wonder the LT’s low-top version was recently named “Best Trail Running Shoe Debut” by Runner’s World magazine. —BWB

Tillamook Head

Hiking Trail

Moderate After stumbling upon this 1,130-foot coastal mound in 1806, William Clark (of Lewis and Clark fame) dubbed the viewpoint “Clark’s Point of View.” These days the peak is known as Tillamook Head, but one thing hasn’t changed: the spectacular sight of the coast from the top. The climb—which winds past a World War II–era bunker and affords glimpses of “Terrible Tilly,” a decommissioned lighthouse—is challenging. But once you’ve toughed out the three-mile ascent from Indian Beach (a hot spot for surfers), you’ll be rewarded with a boundless panorama of the great blue Pacific and the cold-water adventurers who ride its waves. —BWB

ROUND TRIP: Up to 6 miles NEAREST TOWN: Cannon Beach DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 72 miles PACK: Moon Handbooks: Oregon; oregonstateparks.org/park188.php; $3 day-use fee

Tillamook State Forest

Biking Trail

Hard You could just lace up your shoes and hit this trail, which starts at the Roger’s Camp Trailhead, on foot. But with its bevy of roots and rocks, the loop through the Tillamook State Forest seems almost custom-made for the two-wheel adventurer. Brief, intense climbs of up to 775 feet are followed by stomach-tickling drops. If you blow a tire or just plain tucker out, at least you’ll have pristine pit stops like 30-foot-tall University Falls to gawk at while you catch your breath. —BWB

ROUND TRIP: 10.4 miles NEAREST TOWN: Forest Grove DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 39 miles PACK: Mountain Biking Oregon; Tillamook State Forest Visitor Map & Guide at oregon.gov/ODF

Cascade Head

Hiking Trail

Moderate Rare are the places where seals, eagles, elk, and owls converge. Cascade Head, a 1,200-foot-tall highland overlooking the Salmon River and the Pacific Ocean, is one of them. In fact, this 270-acre area has such a diversity of natural wonders that it was designated as a United Nations Biosphere Reserve in 1980. The Nature Conservancy also owns land here that happens to be one of only five remaining habitats in the world for the endangered Oregon silverspot butterfly. You’ve got a steep three-and-a-half miles to the top of the head, but it’s worth the cramp-inducing climb to experience this truly wild stretch of coast. (Note: Dogs aren’t allowed, and upper portions of the trail are closed to hikers through July 15 to protect baby butterflies.) —BWB

ROUND TRIP: Up to 7 miles NEAREST TOWN: Lincoln City DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 86 miles PACK: Oregon’s Best Wildflower Hikes; US Forest Service Trail Map No. 1310 at www.fs.fed.us/r6
or USGS Neskowin map

EAT, STAY, SEE

Bread and Ocean
154 Laneda Ave, Manzanita; 503-368-5823; breadandocean.com

Sample the lineup of top-shelf sandwiches at Bread and Ocean—where else does a BLT boast Niman Ranch bacon, Applegate Farms turkey, fresh tomatoes, basil pesto, and smoked mozzarella? Of course, you’ll probably want one of those gooey cinnamon rolls for the road, too.

Inn at Manzanita
67 Laneda Ave, Manzanita; 503-368-6754; innatmanzanita.com

A surprisingly ornate Japanese-inspired garden seems out of place this close to the beach, but it hints at the exquisite quality of the inn, which offers a collection of fourteen themed rooms, ranging in size from boutique cottages to a massive three-bedroom penthouse suite.

Cooterville City Hall

This mysterious red shack on Highway 26 between Banks and Vernonia (no listed address or phone number) is worth a stop for the name alone. But it’s also stocked with a surprising number of cool vintage items, such as old road signs and pop bottles for the discerning Antiques Roadshow fan. You never know, that ancient Banks Beer bottle might be worth a fortune someday. —BWB

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Image: Ian Sane

There’s green at the end of the tunnel at Willamette Mission State Park.

The Valley

Mary’s Peak

Biking Trail

Hard At 4,097 feet, Mary’s Peak is the highest point in the Coast Range. That’s short by Oregon standards, but still tall enough to properly jellify the legs of all but the hardiest of pedalers. Unseasoned bikers can try the East Ridge, which is shorter and lined with columbine, bleeding heart, and starflower. But the tougher North Ridge offers awe-inspiring perspectives on Mounts Hood and Jefferson, as well as one of the most thrilling technical downhill experiences in the state. —BWB

ROUND TRIP: Up to 12 miles NEAREST TOWN: Philomath DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 102 miles PACK: Mountain Biking Oregon; US Forest Service Trail Map No. 1350 at www.fs.fed.us/r6 or USGS Mary’s Peak map

Valley of the Giants

Hiking Trail

Image: Columbia Sportswear

Silver Ridge Weekender
columbia.com; $150; Get it: Columbia Sportswear; 911 SW Broadway; 503-226-6800

As a hiker, you need to carry enough food and water to fuel a summit bid, but no one wants to look like Clark Griswold. This Silver Ridge bag is what you need: it gives you the accoutrements of the seasoned trail master (sturdy hip and sternum straps, hydration sleeve, loops for your trekking poles), as well as enough side pouches to store all your grub. And it does it all with a slim profile that won’t get a second look at your local coffee shop, either. —BWB

Moderate This fifty-one-acre park delivers on its name and makes a worthy wine-country diversion. At the heart of the loop sit thirty-five enormous Douglas firs and western hemlocks, measuring about twenty feet around at the base of their trunks. Most of these behemoths, which stand guard over an impressive array of wild ginger and red huckleberry, are more than four hundred years old. Make sure to pay your respects to Big Guy, the preserve’s thirty-five-foot wide, two-hundred-foot-tall fir that fell victim to a windstorm in 1981. (Note: The gates typically are open only on weekends during daylight hours. Call the Bureau of Land Management, 503-375-5646, ahead of time to ensure you can get in.) —BWB

ROUND TRIP: 1.3 miles NEAREST TOWN: Falls City DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 93 miles PACK: Hiking Oregon; USGS Warnicke Creek map

Willamette Mission State Park

Biking Trail

Easy Whether you come for the history (in 1834, this became the site of Oregon’s first Christian mission, and a few years later, the nearby Wheatland Ferry was the first to usher covered wagons across the Willamette River) or the four miles of paved bike paths winding beneath walnut and filbert groves, there’s plenty here to stimulate both your brain and your calves. (And, yes, the trails are hiker-friendly, too.) Our favorite attraction: the nation’s largest black cottonwood tree. Perched next to Mission Lake, it stands fourteen stories tall and dates back to 1735. —BWB

ROUND TRIP: Up to 4 miles NEAREST TOWN: Keizer DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 43 miles PACK: Mountain Biking Oregon; Willamette Mission State Park map at oregonstateparks.org/park; $3 day-use fee

EAT, STAY, SEE

Horse Radish
211 W Main St, Carlton; 503-852-6656; thehorseradish.com

The high-class finger food (that is, artisanal cheeses and charcuterie) at Horse Radish pairs well with any of the thirty boutique labels on the wine menu. Warm yourself on the sun-dappled back porch, or come on the weekend and saddle up to the wine barrel–shaped table to listen to a rotating cast of local musicians.

Brookside Inn on Abbey Road
8243 NE Abbey Rd, Carlton; 503-852-4433; brooksideinn-oregon.com

One of the newest hotels in the area, Brookside is located on the grounds of a former religious retreat, and its nine rooms, nestled among twenty-two acres, have lost none of their comfortable solitude.

St. Josef’s Winery
28836 S Barlow Rd, Canby; 503-651-3190; stjosefswinery.com

Dozens of picturesque wineries dot the Willamette Valley, but for family-owned coziness try St. Josef’s, which has a terra-cotta-colored fountain courtyard and a glittering blue pond. We’ve yet to find a better sipping spot. —BWB

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Image: Jessica Robinson

The perfect pit stop on the Lewis River

St. Helens

Lava Canyon

Hiking Trail

Easy with a hard option When St. Helens blew in 1980, it sent nearly four billion cubic yards of debris (enough to fill 982 Rose Garden Arenas) careening down the mountain, revealing this two-thousand-year-old canyon. Today, the route takes hikers across a suspension bridge over the Muddy River and within sixty feet of a majestic turquoise waterfall. The terrain beyond this point isn’t for the fainthearted: steep slopes, creek crossings, and narrow paths line the way to the Ship, a giant, tar-colored lava flow discarded by the volcano 3,500 years ago. —Victoria Nguyen

ROUND TRIP: Up to 5 miles NEAREST TOWN: Cougar, Wash. DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 75 miles PACK: 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Portland; Green Trails Map No. 364

UPDATE: The Lava Canyon trail is closed for maintenance for the month of July 2009, and is due to re-open in August. Contact the Forest Service at 360-247-3900 for updated information.

Silver Star Mountain

Hiking Trail

Moderate The 1902 Yacolt Burn wiped Silver Star clean of firs and pines, leaving behind enriched soil ripe for wildflowers. This month, more than a hundred varieties, such as Western buttercups and tiger lilies, line the way to the top (4,390 feet). There, you’ll trade floral splendor for an equally stunning sight: sweeping views of Gifford Pinchot National Forest and four snowcapped peaks. —VN

ROUND TRIP: 5.5 miles NEAREST TOWN: Yacolt, Wash. DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 48 miles PACK: 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Portland; Green Trails Map No. 428; a jeep (for rough roads)

Lewis River

Biking Trail

Moderate This fast, smooth single-track traces the scenic Lewis River through old-growth Douglas firs and western red cedars every bit as grand as California’s redwoods. It’s an up-and-down roller-coaster ride that will wear the winter right out of your legs, and it has five access points, so you won’t be short on out-and-back options. Most bikers start near Curly Creek Falls, where the trail is flattest and least populated with hikers. Or, for dramatic scenery, crank your gears up the northernmost stretch, where you’ll find a series of rushing waterfalls and dark pools perfect for a cool dip. —Ariel Bleicher

ROUND TRIP: Up to 26 miles NEAREST TOWN: Cougar, Wash. DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 83 miles PACK: Mountain Biking Oregon; Green Trails Map No. 365; Northwest Forest Pass ($5)

EAT, STAY, SEE

Cougar Bar & Grill
16849 Lewis River Rd Cougar, Wash; 360-238-5252

Three cougar pelts hang alongside antler racks and several sets of fossilized teeth on the walls of this rustic roadside eatery, where the food is every bit as country as the décor. Sate yourself with the gut-busting Marble Mountain burger—a quarter pound of beef topped with ham and a fried egg. Just be sure to save room for a piece of homemade cherry pie; it’ll help sweeten the drive home.

Lewis River Bed & Breakfast
2339 Lewis River Rd Woodland, Wash; 360-225-8630; lewisriverbedandbreakfast.com

There’s a reason this place was booked solid from May to October last year—and it’s not just because of owner Barb Dalby’s cooking. The quaint seven-room B&B is a mere cast’s length away from the Lewis River, and it sports a sixty-foot deck where guests can dine amid cottonwoods. Fish for steelhead from the inn’s private dock, or let local guides from Gone Catchin’ Northwest (gonecatchin.net) pick you up here for a float down the Lewis. You’ll be back in time for Barb’s complimentary happy hour—hopefully toting a couple of ten-pound trout.

Mount St. Helens Johnston Ridge Observatory

If you haven’t been to the Johnston Ridge Observatory already, go. Named after volcanologist David Johnston, who perished during the 1980 eruption, the visitors’ center provides the closest view of the crater you can get without burning through some serious shoe leather. —KC

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Image: Scott Weber

The falls are worth wading for at Oneonta Gorge.

The Gorge

Post Canyon

Biking Trail

Easy to Hard You’ll hear more than the call of the wild at this mountain-biking mecca. Designed as a motorbike course, Post Canyon echos with the whines of 250cc engines—it’s a fly-trap for adrenaline junkies who test their mettle (and bone density) by hucking themselves off massive piles of dirt. But the energy drink–slugging crowd tends to stick to the upper part of the canyon, leaving the well-maintained network of trails below to mellower bikers. Drop by Hood River’s Mountain View Cycles for trail maps. And, if you ask nicely, the gearheads inside might point out some of their favorite rides—or at least tell you about the best spots to gape at the daredevils as they cheat gravity. —KC

ROUND TRIP: Varies NEAREST TOWN: Hood River DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 63 miles PACK: Mountain Biking Oregon; Adventure Maps Mountain Biking and Hiking Hood River, Oregon & South Central Washington map

Oneonta Gorge

Hiking Trail

Easy This petite hike is the perfect spot for time-pressed Gorge hikers to get their feet wet, literally. Reaching the sixty-foot Oneonta Falls—which sits at the end of a narrow chasm curtained with lichens and mosses—requires a bracing, knee-deep wade up the creek’s chilly waters. (Earlier in the summer, these waters can be higher, so be sure to keep an eye—and possibly a hand—on younger hikers.) If your day planner isn’t jam-packed, try parking at the Horsetail Falls lot. From here, follow Gorge Trail 400 behind the hundred-or-so-foot-tall Ponytail Falls. This diversion adds about a mile and a half, each way, to your outing, but for water babies, it’s well worth it. —KC

ROUND TRIP: 1 mile NEAREST TOWN: Corbett DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 35 miles PACK: The Curious Gorge; Green Trails Map No. 428; towel

Image: Nike

Dri-Fit Tempo
store.nike.com;$40 Get it:store.nike.com

When you’re trekking between Coyote Wall’s shady hollows and sunbaked swaths of open meadow, shifts in body temperature can be annoying. Made from Nike’s patented Dri-Fit fabric, this tech’d-out shirt regulates your body’s core temp by ventilating body heat and wicking sweat away from your skin—keeping your torso comfortably dry. Plus, it looks way better than the ratty T-shirt you’ve been sporting for the past fifteen years. —BWB

Fifteen Mile Creek

Biking Trail

Hard With numerous creek crossings, head-jerking panoramas of Mount Hood and the fruit orchards of the Hood River Valley, and an endorphin-pumping five-mile descent, Fifteen Mile Creek is one of the Northwest’s finest mountain-biking spots. With so much untrammeled beauty on display, we’re even willing to smile wide through the trail’s merciless 1,800-foot elevation gain. If you find yourself cursing your bike (and your flailing quads) around mile seven, where the ride really gets tough, remember: if it were easy, you’d probably have to share it. —KC

ROUND TRIP: 11 miles NEAREST TOWN: Hood River DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 100 miles PACK: Mountain Biking Oregon; Adventure Maps Mountain Biking and Hiking Hood River, Oregon & South Central Washington map; Northwest Forest Pass ($5)

Wind Mountain

Hiking Trail

Hard It’s little wonder that this 1,907-foot mountain once served as a Native American vision- quest site, where adolescent males would fast for days until their guardian spirit appeared. Seeing Hood, St. Helens, and Adams standing like sentinels over a serpentine Columbia River is certainly soul-stirring. You’ll have to earn the vista, though, with a climb that gains 1,120 feet in just under two miles. Still, it’s easier than tackling the 2,800-foot rise of nearby Dog Mountain. Even better, Wind Mountain hasn’t been detailed in every Gorge guidebook ever written, so you (and your spirit) will likely have the summit all to yourself. —KC

ROUND TRIP: 4 miles NEAREST TOWN: Carson, Wash. DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 50 miles PACK: The Curious Gorge; Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area map

Coyote Wall/Labyrinth

Hiking Trail

Moderate No, you won’t find David Bowie along the maze of trails. But plenty of other fantastical residents inhabit this fortresslike hunk of basalt outside of Bingen, Washington, where the landscape transitions from a lush, fir-flecked scene to the burnt-orange hues of the arid eastern Gorge. Myriad logs strewn about the top of Coyote Wall make fine impromptu benches for resting your quaking legs and marveling at the white-capped mountains lining the Gorge. Then head down the ridge into a web of trails where hidden treasures, like miniature waterfalls and rare wildflowers, await (but no goblins, we swear). —KC

ROUND TRIP: Up to 6 miles NEAREST TOWN: Bingen, Wash. DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 65 miles PACK: 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Portland; USGS White Salmon map

EAT, STAY, SEE

Solstice Wood Fire Café
415 W Steuben St Bingen, Wash; 509-493-4006; solsticewoodfirecafe.com

For locally grown, seasonal fare, you can’t beat this two-year-old Bingen eatery, whose wood-fired oven regularly spits out perfectly crisped pies piled high with ingredients like Washington pears and gorgonzola.

Columbia Cliff Villas
3880 Westcliff Dr, Hood River; 541-436-2660; columbiacliffvillas.com

The gorgeous Columbia River Hotel closed its doors in February 2009, but its neighbor is picking up where the one-hundred-year-old hotel left off. Many of the luxe villas and carriage houses are privately owned condos, but can be rented by the night or the week. Spoil yourself with the penthouse suite—a 2,435-square-foot apartment that includes a gourmet kitchen, two fireplaces, a massive soaking tub, and wraparound picture windows that afford sweeping views of the Gorge.

The Hatchery

Perhaps the most popular “trail” in the Gorge is the Columbia River itself, a world-famous playground for wind- and kitesurfers. To get the best look at these adrenaline hounds, cross the Hood River Bridge and head west on Highway 14 for three miles to an area known as the Hatchery. Pull into the parking lot on the left and join the rest of the slack-jawed mob as they gawk at the Columbia’s best river-riding cowboys. —KC

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Image: Katie Mills

Proof that Cooper Spur is worth the burn.

Mt. Hood

Ramona Falls

Hiking Trail

Hard Sure, geology was a snore back in college, but Ramona Falls proves the subject can be exhilarating out in the real world. Formed from a slab of columnar basalt, the 120-foot-wide cascade fans out like a giant bouquet of mossy toadstools draped in a shimmering, lacy sheet of water. The grueling 1,000-foot climb to the falls, which crosses a footbridge over the snowmelt-swollen Sandy River, tests hikers’ resolve each summer. But it doesn’t do much to deter crowds. Expect a packed house at Ramona’s showy display. —BMB

ROUND TRIP: 7 miles NEAREST TOWN: Zigzag DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 48 miles PACK: 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Portland; Green Trails Map No. 461; Northwest Forest Pass ($5)

Wildwood Recreation Area

Hiking Trail

Easy Four hikes depart from the trailhead, but the near mile-long Cascade Streamwatch Trail, with its underwater window built into a bank of the Salmon River, makes the biggest splash. In this open-air aquarium, steelhead and native trout wiggle upstream right before your eyes. —BMB

ROUND TRIP: 2 miles NEAREST TOWN: Welches DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 45 miles PACK: 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Portland; free maps at trailhead and Green Trails Map No. 461; $5 parking fee

Timothy Lake

Biking Trail

Easy Mountain bikers sweat. A lot. And this pristine 1,400-acre alpine reservoir is the perfect place to wash it away—after you’ve pedaled thirteen miles through the forest surrounding the lake. The smooth single-track and double-track road make this a lightning-fast ride, so don’t be surprised if you want to do it twice. A second time around means you’ll have an excuse to stop near the lake’s southern end and take in Hood’s hulking form hovering above the deep blue waters. —BMB

ROUND TRIP: 14 miles NEAREST TOWN: Government Camp DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 75 miles PACK: Mountain Biking Oregon; Green Trails Map No. 493

Image: Nau

Shroud of Purrin Hoody
nau.com; $290 Get it: Lizard Lounge 1323 NW Irving St; 503-416-7476

In the Cascades, swift-moving thunderheads are a fact of life. Nau’s Shroud of Purrin Hoody, a twenty-four-ounce, water-resistent shell made of recycled polyester, is just the thing to keep you dry in a sudden downpour. The hood’s stiff brim is especially adept at shielding eyes from stray raindrops (or even hail). And you’ll appreciate the interior layer of fleece when the mercury drops. —BWB

Salmon Butte

Hiking Trail

Hard Why this trail doesn’t see more boots is a bit of a mystery, though it may have something to do with the three-thousand-foot elevation gain. Ridgelines littered with pink rhododendrons (in bloom this month) and views of five volcanoes, as well as the Three Sisters, make this one of Hood’s hidden gems. And that’s to say nothing of the surrounding forty-five-thousand-acre Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness, which, having never been touched by a chain saw, unfolds like an uncharted pine- wood ocean—one we’re quite happy to have all to ourselves. For now. —BMB

ROUND TRIP: 9 miles NEAREST TOWN: Welches DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 45 miles PACK: 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Portland; Green Trails Map No. 493; Northwest Forest Pass ($5)

Gunsight Ridge

Biking Trail

Hard Roller-coastering the spine of a rocky ridge in the shadow of Mount Hood’s imposing summit, this trail delivers the kind of ride single-trackers salivate over: technical, steep, and twisty, with plenty of spectacular vistas. The push to reach Gunsight’s high point is a tough 2,400-foot climb. But screaming legs and lungs get their due on a stomach-dropping descent that tears down the sharp-cornered Gumjuwac Saddle and continues beneath Lookout Mountain, where you’ll catch teasing glimpses of Badger Lake’s green waters some 1,000 feet below. —BMB

ROUND TRIP: 19 miles NEAREST TOWN: Government Camp DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 65 miles PACK: Mountain Biking Oregon; Green Trails Map No. 462; a jeep (for the rough road to the trailhead)

Cooper Spur

Hiking Trail

Hard This high-altitude adventure leads trekkers from Cloud Cap Campground to the foot of Mount Hood’s massive Eliot Glacier, where mountaineers toting ice axes and crampons start their technical climbs. The trip from 6,000 feet to your stopping point at 8,500 feet might leave you sucking wind, but the sight lines, which stretch beyond Hood’s treeless, moonlike upper reaches toward Mounts Rainier and Adams, are well worth the burn. An old stone climber’s shelter along the way makes a great place to catch your breath and watch as Adams’s snowy slopes are tinted pink by the setting sun. —BMB

ROUND TRIP: 7 miles NEAREST TOWN: Hood River DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 93 miles PACK: 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Portland; Green Trails No. 462; Northwest Forest Pass ($5)

Lookout Mountain

Hiking Trail

Moderate Each summer, the flanks of Lookout Mountain are draped in a vivid cloak of wildflowers, giving the peak the feel of a Technicolor fever dream. The showing is especially impressive in late June, when the slopes are crowded with the pink blooms of mountain shooting star, the white petals of marsh marigold, and the blue buds of Jacob’s ladder. A series of open meadows offers plenty of photo-op stops, but nothing outdoes the summit. At 6,500 feet, Lookout boasts 360-degree views of Oregon and Washington’s complete catalog of volcanoes, and Diamond Peak to boot, all flecked with flowers. Now that’s what we call “in living color.” —BMB

ROUND TRIP: 2 miles NEAREST TOWN: Hood River DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 77 miles PACK: Oregon’s Best Wildflower Hikes; Green Trails No. 462; Northwest Forest Pass ($5)

EAT, STAY, SEE

Ice Axe Grill
87304 E Government Camp Loop; 503-272-3172; iceaxegrill.com

Piney interiors, a big stone hearth, and retro ski posters make the Ice Axe a picturesque spot to loosen your laces. With seven house-made microbrews on tap, including the rich Cloud Cap Amber, you’ll have plenty of options for washing down those meaty Asian chile-spiced chicken wings.

Collins Lake Resort
88149 E Creek Ridge Rd, Government Camp; 503-272-3051; collinslakeresort.com

This resort’s rustic-chic condos are our idea of a proper base camp. Outfitted with gas fireplaces, flat-screen TVs, and plush leather sofas, the nineteen rooms in the new Grand Lodge are within walking distance of Government Camp’s downtown and Mt Hood Ski Bowl’s summer alpine slide. (The chalets will be closed for remodeling this summer, but the Grand Lodge suites will be open.)

The Magic Mile
27500 E Timberline Rd; 503-272-3311; timberlinelodge.com

Die-hard skiers flock to Timberline’s year-round snowfield during the summer, but you don’t need skis to enjoy the heights. For $42, a family of four can ride the Magic Mile chairlift up to seven thousand feet and eyeball Hood’s summit, stare at Mount Jefferson, and maybe even bump into an Olympian. —BMB

Cold Play

Tue, 19 May 2009 17:55:00 -0700

Image: Pete Stone

LEAVE IT TO A COUNTRY that dreamed up such wacky sports as caber tossing (chucking 18-foot-tall pieces of timber across the lawn) and hammer throwing (chucking 16-pound steel balls across the lawn) to conceive of a sport like curling. Yes, thanks to Scotland, grown men and women worldwide now embrace a sport that requires them to send a 42-pound puck known as a “stone” skidding across the ice with little more than a broom to guide its path. But while the Scots are notorious oddballs who enjoy delicacies like haggis and blood pudding, explaining how the sport has captured the hearts of thousands of baseball-loving and apple-pie-eating Americans is a bit more challenging.

Until the 1990s, curling was played mainly in places like Minnesota and Wisconsin (plenty of cold weather and not a lot of anything else to do). But, perhaps inspired by its ugly-duckling charm, Americans flocked to the sport after its prime-time TV debut in the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympic Games. “Curling clubs were overwhelmed with calls before the Olympics had even ended,” says Terry Kolesar, communications manager for the Wisconsin-based United States Curling Association. Kolesar now counts more than 13,000 registered American curlers, nearly 20 percent of whom joined in the last five years. Clubs have even sprouted up as far south as Texas and Arizona.

Today, more than 1.5 million people in 46 countries have picked up their brooms and hit the ice. Just north of the border in Canada (where curling will once again appear in Vancouver, British Columbia’s 2010 Winter Olympic Games), the sport has become a national obsession, ranking second only to hockey in popularity.

Maybe that’s because one doesn’t need the physique of a hockey player—or the skates, for that matter—to tackle curling. One should, however, come prepared to do more than just stand around sweeping a broom, according to Doug Schaak, founder of Portland’s Evergreen Curling Club, which meets twice weekly for league games at the Lloyd Center. Schaak, a Multnomah Bible College English professor, grew up playing the sport in North Dakota, where his father curled competitively. Today he fields teams for competitions in eight tournaments—bonspiels, in curling parlance—against other clubs throughout the Pacific Northwest each year.

“You’re actually sweating a lot out there,” says Schaak. “It’s far more physically demanding than it looks; you’re always moving when you’re on the ice.”

In fact, the constant sweeping motion works the pecs and triceps, and many first-timers are surprised that such a seemingly simplistic sport could also require flexibility, balance and endurance. In order to skillfully slide those stones, curlers must be able to glide along on the ice for 30 feet or more while maintaining a quad-burning deep knee bend. “You’re just constantly flexing those big thigh muscles,” says Schaak. League matches, which consist of eight “ends”—similar to innings in baseball—can last up to two hours, and players wind up shuffling, sweeping and lunging their way back and forth across the length of the Lloyd Center’s 175-foot-long rink several times over the course of a night.

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While all the frantic sweeping—done as close to the stone as possible without actually touching it—looks a bit ridiculous, the aggressive back-and-forth motion briefly melts the ice surface and reduces friction between stone and ice. As a result, the big stones travel farther and straighter. Less sweeping lets the stones curve or “curl” (hence the name)—a must for finessing certain shots. “You have to read the ice just like a green in golf,” says Kolesar.

Teams rack up points by sliding their stones closest to the middle of a 12-foot circular target known as “the house.” Scoring is similar to shuffleboard in that only the team that lands its stones closest to the center of the house (also called the “button”) scores any points.

A typical team consists of four curlers, each of whom will take turns sliding (also called throwing) two stones towards the house during each end. An end is completed once each team has thrown eight stones. Teams also designate one member to be the “skip” (short for “skipper”). Positioned at the far end of the ice, near the house, the skip determines the team’s tactics by shouting to teammates, pointing with a broom to tell the thrower where to aim and informing the sweepers how much force to apply with their brooms in order to land the best shot.

While some beginners find they can quickly master the act of aiming their stones near the bull’s-eye, Schaak says the tricky part is properly positioning enough of the big rocks to block those well-placed stones from the opposing players, who inevitably try to knock a rival team’s stones out of the way.

“The strategy is endlessly complex,” explains Schaak. “It’s been called ‘chess on ice’ by many people. You have to get the pieces to just the right spot on the ice, and you have to get them there while standing on ice yourself.”

But even if you’re not exactly Bobby Fischer your first time out, keep smiling. In another one of the convivial sport’s peculiar aspects, it’s considered sportsmanlike for the winners of each match to treat the losers to a round of celebratory ale—the Scottish kind, of course.

THE CURLING KIT

A novice’s guide to the equipment you’ll need to slide across the ice:

THE STONE TO OWN
The vast majority of stones used today are cut from Eifl Mountain in Northwest Wales or the 104-acre island of Ailsa Craig off Scotland’s southwest coast. Three times as strong as North American granite and much more dense, the rock quarried from these locales resists absorbing moisture from the ice’s surface (which can refreeze inside the rock, weakening the stone) and can endure up to 60 years of play.

CLEAN SWEEP
Curling brooms have evolved from old-fashioned corn straw-brooms to high-tech gadgets with features like ergonomic S-curved handles fashioned from lightweight carbon fiber or graphite. Outfitted with either coarse strands of horsehair, hog’s-hair or synthetic fiber wraps that resemble a mop head, these modern brooms, when swept in front of a stone, help rocks travel about 15 feet farther.

GET YOUR KICKS
Packed with insulation such as Thinsulate, curling shoes not only keep your feet cozy on the 20-degree ice, but also lend much-needed stability with rubberized non-slip soles. Many varieties also feature one “sliding” sole made of materials like Teflon or even stainless steel, which allow curlers to glide across the ice when throwing their stones.

Shot to the Heart

Tue, 19 May 2009 17:55:00 -0700

Image: Justin Myers

THE SPARE BEDROOM of my house looks like an REI store during one of its used-gear sales, only not as organized. Where a bed and a nightstand were once visible, there is now a pile of dinged-up skis, scuffed helmets and climbing ropes snaking out of faded backpacks with busted zippers. Yes, in the four years we’ve known each other, my wife Elizabeth and I have compiled an impressive collection of gear. And it’s not just for decoration. We’ve fired up our tiny backpacking stove in the Utah desert, pulled on our harnesses to tackle stone towers in Wyoming and clicked on our avalanche beacons before blazing down untracked Colorado mountainsides. Every piece of equipment in that heap has a memory tied to it that we’ve made together. All of it, that is, except my wife’s hunting bow.

Of this fact I am regularly reminded at family gatherings when, over rounds of beers, her folks regale me with tales of Elizabeth’s shooting prowess. I’ve heard numerous times how she’d been taught by her father to handle a bow and arrow at the tender age of 9 and how she could land three consecutive shots inside a bull’s-eye no wider than a coffee cup from 20 yards away. Aside from instilling virtues like discipline, responsibility and a sense of accomplishment, bow hunting also gave my wife’s family plenty of fond memories—and these particular memories, I don’t share. Like the time Elizabeth fended off an amorous bat while perched in a tree on one hunting trip, or the time her father stared down a bobcat that wandered a little too close to his tree stand.

Still, after all that, I’m ashamed to admit that I have never even seen Elizabeth shoot her bow. With a trip to her family’s northern Michigan hunting cabin looming, though, I finally decided to change that. I was tired of simply hearing about Elizabeth’s adventures stalking white-tailed bucks in the woods. I wanted to learn what it feels like to stare down the length of an arrow, a target in my sights.

There was just this one thing: I’m not a hunter. I mean, I think twice before squashing spiders. Besides, hunting requires freezing your rear end off in the middle of nowhere for untold hours while you wait for something—anything—to happen. I can barely handle a six-minute ride on a ski lift. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy the sport Elizabeth loves—it just meant I’d be shooting at paper targets instead of real animals. So with that in mind, I signed up for an introductory lesson at one of Portland’s largest indoor archery ranges, Broken Arrow Archery in Milwaukie.

The fact that Hollywood sirens like Liv Tyler, Keira Knightley and Oscar winner Geena Davis are all avid archers has helped drive the sport’s popularity. (Davis made headlines when, after taking up archery in 1997, she narrowly missed landing a spot on the U.S. archery squad for the 2000 Summer Olympics.) From 1995 to 2005, archery ranked as the fourth-fastest growing sport in the country, trailing behind only the X Game-worthy sports of skateboarding, kayaking and snowboarding.

When Elizabeth and I step inside Broken Arrow Archery’s 9,000-square-foot shop just off SE McLoughlin Boulevard, however, it becomes immediately clear that, unless we’re talking about Rambo, such Hollywood glam is a long way from Oregon. Chock-full of camouflage hunting garb, several mounted bucks and one honey of a bearskin rug on the wall, Broken Arrow isn’t exactly an ideal spot for PETA board meetings. Still, the vibe is friendly. “We get plenty of competitive people who come in to shoot,” says 54-year-old owner Chuck Pedracini. “But there’s always someone at the range willing to help you improve.”

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Today those people are lifelong bowman Ryan Farner, the shop’s assistant manager, and National Field Archery Association-certified instructor Karl Okita, who recently placed third in the senior division of the Outdoor National Field Championships. Standing behind the “shooting line,” a thin black strip streaking across the floor 20 yards from a target that appears to be the size of a pea, Farner hands me a 66-inch-long “recurve” bow. Named for the way its ends curve outward away from the archer, this bow, aside from resembling a prop at a Renaissance festival, is the only one allowed in official Olympic competitions.

But before I can start winning any gold medals, or even learn how to properly yank the bowstring back, Farner gives me a safety primer. We’ll each shoot three arrows, hang up our bows and then yell “clear” to signal that we’re done. Once every shooter has finished, we can advance down the 20-yard range to retrieve our arrows and check our targets. This concern with keeping our bodies arrow-free makes archery one of the safest sports around. (You’re nearly twice as likely to be injured while fishing or golfing, for example, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.)

It isn’t the thought of being skewered with arrows that has me rattled, though. It’s my wife. She’s already peppering her target with arrows while I’m still struggling with heaving the bowstring back, an effort that’s all too reminiscent of my last tangle with a surly lawn-mower cord. Mercifully, our targets are only 10 yards away at this point. At the full 20 yards, I’d need the hand of God to help guide my arrow into one of the 10 rings on my 16-inch-wide target. Determined not to look like a complete fool in front of Elizabeth, I muscle back the bowstring and manage to start landing some shots. Most, however, are hitting the target high and to the right.

Okita steps in to point out one of my gaffes. “I call it ‘plucking the strings,’” he says, referring to the tendency of a shooter’s fingers to inadvertently jerk the bowstring outward, away from the body, when taking a shot. In order to straighten out my shot, I need to move my hand back more deliberately and smoothly when I release the bowstring.

Armed with fresh advice, I lock in another arrow and turn my head toward the target. I pull back the bowstring, release a deep breath and send an arrow hurtling through the air. Bull’s-eye! I scurry to retrieve my arrow from the target’s tiny yellow center, nearly ready to mount it on the wall since I’ll never have any horns. “You should have taken a picture!” I hear Okita yell as I snatch the arrow out with flourish. Dang. He’s right. And now the moment has passed. I pause, arrow in hand, hoping I can duplicate the feat. But as I look back up the range where Elizabeth is standing with a quiver of arrows on her hip and a smile playing gently on her lips, I realize I don’t care. I have all the memory I need.

Mean Girls Like Me

Tue, 19 May 2009 17:55:00 -0700

Image: Jules Doyle

SOME CHILDREN have mothers who fuss and fret over every scraped knee or bruised elbow. Not me. Instead, my mother treated my childhood injuries with the phrase, “If it’s not broken and you’re not bleeding to death, you’re fine.” As a result, I’ve always prided myself on being tough. I’ve torn tendons while rock climbing, broken toes while playing volleyball, and shredded my medial collateral ligament while surfing, all without tears. But that doesn’t mean I don’t set limits for myself: I would never careen off a cliff on skis, for instance. And I generally avoid full-contact sports.

For one thing, I’m vain. I bruise easily, too. While dull aches and tenderness may not bother me, I don’t like being defaced with ugly purple-and-blue marks resulting from errant elbows either. Oh, and I hate other people’s sweat. In fact, the mere thought of someone slapping their cold, clammy arm against my skin makes my stomach churn.

That embarrassing phobia of being whacked—or at least sweated on—has always left me feeling like a weenie. So when a friend told me that Portland’s Roller Derby league, a group of eight teams called the Rose City Rollers, would be holding tryouts for its upcoming season, I saw a chance to prove I’m as tough as I tout myself to be and signed up— albeit with great trepidation. I attended a derby bout at the Portland Expo Center in May and saw how brutal it could be: ten women whipping around the rink, hip-checking one another to the ground like a mob of demented carhops.

The melee did involve some rules, however. A team is made up of five skaters, one of whom is called a jammer. This brave soul’s task is to earn points by ripping around the track and lapping members of the opposing team—called blockers—who try their damnedest to ensure the jammer doesn’t go anywhere, besides maybe the floor. (There’s a reason they wear helmets.)

Roller Derby wasn’t always quite so ferocious. When Leo A. Setzler headed up the country’s first Roller Derby league in 1935, the sport mirrored the era’s popular dance-a-thons by featuring couples racing around a rink for hours on end. Eventually, to spice things up, female skaters were encouraged to begin jostling, pushing, and shoving one another. These rolling catfights (along with skimpy costumes) helped popularize the sport through the 1970s.

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But like many cult fads, America’s fixation with watching dolled-up women clobber each other waned. For much of the 1980s and ’90s, the sport all but disappeared, until a derby revival began with the formation of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) in 2004. Today the New Mexico-based organization presides over 56 leagues, from Portland’s Rose City Rollers to Denver’s Rocky Mountain Rollergirls to Baltimore’s Charm City Roller Girls. In 2006, the A&E television network even capitalized on the sport’s retro appeal by launching a reality show spotlighting Austin, Texas’s Texacutioners.

The show could just as easily have been based on Portland’s Rose City Rollers. Each match (of which there are usually eight in a year) packs in about 2,000 screaming fans. Rightly so. According to the WFTDA, the Rose City Rollers all-star team is ranked 10th in the country—a fact I was blissfully unaware of heading into the tryout.

Ten women whipped around the rink like demented carhops.

Upon arriving at the Oaks Amusement Park skating rink—where league members practice three times a week—I’m asked to sign a waiver. Not one but two emergency contacts? A health insurance policy number? My hand’s shaking so badly I can barely scribble my name.

“Don’t worry,” says Kim Stegeman, the executive director of the Rose City Rollers, as I strap on a helmet, knee pads, and elbow and wrist guards.

“You’ll be fine.” That’s easy for her to say. Nicknamed Rocket Mean, Stegeman is an all-star blocker with the league’s Guns ’N’ Rollers team. And like most of the women here, she is muscular, tattooed, and clad in black. By contrast, the pink sports bra and pigtails I’m sporting make me feel as if I’m auditioning for a starring role in Legally Blonde 3: Elle Goes to Sturgis.

“Gather round,” Stegeman yells to the 30 or so women gunning for a spot on the roster. “It’s time for introductions.” My stomach drops again. Some of these gals are former collegiate hockey and rugby players; others have been training with coach Judge Mental once a week. I haven’t been on skates since an awkward four-minute couples-skate at Skate World in the sixth grade.

I calm down when Stegeman announces that there will be no body-slamming tonight. We’ll merely test our skating skills. That said, it won’t be a cakewalk, either. Stegeman explains that most women attend three tryouts before being inducted into the league.

Two laps into our initial exam—a 30-lap marathon around the rink—I can understand why. My heart is galloping and my quads are aching. But I’m not quite as rusty on my skates as I had feared, and speeding around the rink is exhilarating. I don’t know about fending off elbows and hip-checks, but for now, I’m having fun.

As we begin the relay-race segment of the tryout, which involves everything from jumping in our skates to performing a knee slide (dropping to one knee, then standing up and motoring on) and a four-point slide (like a softball slide—on your butt with one leg tucked under your cheeks, hands in the air), I realize the sport’s other big draw: camaraderie. Even though we’re competing head-to-head, my would-be teammates continue to cheer me on even when I inevitably eat rink at the end of my sprint. Gestures that make me, pink sports bra and all, feel as if I’m among friends.

“We’re all about empowering women,” says Stegeman. “Sure, there are rivalries in bouts, but at the end of the day we’re trying to achieve common goals and perpetuate the Rose City Rollers.”

I didn’t make the team that night. But I did walk away unscathed (except for a bruised ego, of course) and content, knowing that while I may never fully embrace contact sports, if I had to swap sweat with any group of women, I’d definitely choose this one.

Fitness

Portland Fitness Guide

On Your Nightstand: Fifty Places to Bike Before You Die

Trail City

Getting in Shape for 2012

Barre 3 Workout DVD

Lessons from Hipcooks

Lululemon’s Ta Ta Tamer Sports Bra

Blossom Clinic’s Nutrition Special

Lush’s Dreamtime Bath Bar

Forest Park Guide: The Best Hikes

Heroes And Villains

Heroes And Villains

Park Inspirations: Peter Rock

Park Inspirations: Yassine Diboun

Hikes & Bikes

Thirty Great Trails by Region

Springwater Corridor

Vancouver Lake

Oxbow Regional Park

GEAR

Macleay Trail

Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge

Tryon Creek State Natural Area

EAT

The Coast

Thirty Great Trails by Region

Salmonberry River

Cape Lookout

Banks-Vernonia State Park Trail

GEAR

Tillamook Head

Tillamook State Forest

Cascade Head

EAT, STAY, SEE

The Valley

Thirty Great Trails by Region

Mary’s Peak

Valley of the Giants

GEAR

Willamette Mission State Park

EAT, STAY, SEE

St. Helens

Thirty Great Trails by Region

Lava Canyon

Silver Star Mountain

Lewis River

EAT, STAY, SEE

The Gorge

Thirty Great Trails by Region

Post Canyon

Oneonta Gorge

GEAR

Fifteen Mile Creek

Wind Mountain

Coyote Wall/Labyrinth

EAT, STAY, SEE

Mt. Hood

Thirty Great Trails by Region

Ramona Falls

Wildwood Recreation Area

Timothy Lake

GEAR

Salmon Butte

Gunsight Ridge

Cooper Spur

Lookout Mountain

EAT, STAY, SEE

Cold Play

THE CURLING KIT

Shot to the Heart

Mean Girls Like Me