Book Reading List - 2023

• 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created - Author: Charles C. Mann
• Differ We Must: How Lincoln Succeeded in a Divided America - Author: Steve Inskeep
• Caffeine: How Caffeine Created the Modern World - Author: Michael Pollan
• Better Living Through Birding - Author: Christian Cooper
• Wild New World: The Epic Story of People and Animals In America - Author: Dan Flores 
• Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World and Why Things Are Better Than You Think - Author: Hans Rosling, Anna Rosling Ronnlund, Ola Rosling
• The Common Good - Author: Robert Reich
• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - Author: L. Frank Baum
• Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fate of Human Societies - Author: Jared Diamond 
• Conspiracies & Conspiracy Theories: What We Should and Shouldn’t Believe – and Why - Author: Michael Shermer
• Coyote America: A Natural and Supernatural History - Author: Dan Flores
• What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures - Author: Malcolm Gladwell
• Killers of the Flower Moon - Author: David Grann
• Chip War - Author: Chris Miller
• Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Underrated Organ - Author: Giulia Enders
• A Little History of Science - Author: William F. Bynum
• The Home Place - Author: J. Drew Lanham
• The Pioneers - Author: David McCullough
• The Unsettling of America - Author: Wendell Berry
• Origin Story: A Big History of Everything - Author: David Christian
• H Is For Hawk - Author: Helen Macdonald

Road Trip - Seaside, OR

Carol and I celebrated our 41st anniversary by spending the day in Seaside, Oregon. Turned out, December 28 was a King tide so the ocean waves were pretty impressive. Normally there would be at least 100 yards of open beach between the dunes & ocean but on this day, the waves were coming right up to the dunes. So, walking on the beach wasn’t possible. But we did get to see some cool waves and have breakfast at the Osprey Cafe, where the chilaquiles and arepas are excellent!

Book Review - 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created

Title - 1493: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus

Author: Charles C. Mann 
Date Read: December 2023
Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍

Review: Fantastic book. This book as well as its prequel, 1491, should be required reading for anyone who wants to truly understand America (Northern, Central and Southern). I highly recommend this book.

Description (Audible): More than 200 million years ago, geological forces split apart the continents. Isolated from each other, the two halves of the world developed radically different suites of plants and animals. When Christopher Columbus set foot in the Americas, he ended that separation at a stroke. Driven by the economic goal of establishing trade with China, he accidentally set off an ecological convulsion as European vessels carried thousands of species to new homes across the oceans.

Description (ChatGPT): 1493: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus is the sequel we didn’t know we needed to 1491. Charles C. Mann takes us on another thrilling historical rollercoaster, but this time, the focus is on the aftermath of Columbus’s arrival—the profound ecological, cultural, and economic transformations that rippled across the globe. From invasive species hitching rides on ships to the birth of global trade networks, Mann’s storytelling is as rich and complex as the new world order that was being stitched together. It’s history, but with a plot twist: the world we know today was shaped as much by the "Columbian Exchange" as by the people who actually lived here. If you thought the Americas were a quiet, pre-Columbus backwater, Mann’s research will have you thinking again—and probably Googling "global trade in the 16th century" in your free time.

Hike - Warrior Rock Lighthouse

Warrior Rock Lighthouse

Took advantage of a short break in the rain & hiked with friends & my pooch, Buddy to the Warrior Rock Lighthouse on Sauvie Island, Oregon along the Columbia River. The lighthouse wasn’t real impressive but according to Wikipedia, it’s Oregon's smallest lighthouse & one of only two lighthouses still operating in Oregon which is not on the Pacific Ocean.

The lighthouse currently operates with an automated beacon and bell. Nice hike and the fall colors were super! We also lucked out & got to see the "Oceanus Leader" car carrier ship cruise by.

Hike - Angels Rest, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Hiked with friends and Buddy Boy (the dog) to Angels Rest located in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area and Columbia River Gorge. The trailhead is located near Bridal Veil just off the Historic Columbia River Highway about 30 miles east of Vancouver, Washington (my home town). 

The first section of the 4.8 mile out-and-back trail was relatively easy and passed through beautiful Douglas-fir forest with an understory of vine maple, sword fern, Oregon grape, thimbleberry, etc. 

Upper Coopey Falls

Not far up the trail, we passed a couple waterfalls where there was a small fork in the trail leading to a somewhat precarious viewpoint of the 150-foot Coopey Falls. A little further, the trail crossed Coopey creek on a small footbridge. 

It then paralleled the creek for a little way and became steeper with a few switchbacks. At this point, the views became much better, partly because there were fewer trees due to the 1991 Multnomah Falls fire and the 2017 Eagle Creek fire. 

Looking north towards Columbia River Gorge

The trail eventually crossed over several talus slopes that required a little agility, especially when hiking with a young energetic dog.

Not knowing what to expect further up the trail, we found a somewhat level area where we had a little picnic before our final attempt to reach the summit of Angels Rest. Getting to the top required some rock scrambling and agility. However, the view from the summit was spectacular and well worth the effort.

Looking north from Angels Rest summit

Hike - Cape Horn, Columbia River Gorge, WA

Steve, Larry, Buddy, Carol & Petrina

Hiked the Cape Horn Trail in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area with friends and pooch, Buddy. This was my second time hiking this trail. The first time was ten years ago on October 15, 2013, not long after the trail was first opened. On that hike we did the full loop trail which is approximately 7.5 miles long. On todays hike however, we decided to take a shortcut that began from an unmarked pullout on Highway 14. From the pullout, it was an easy walk to the main trail and saved a few miles of switch backs and steep slopes. The trail has three main vista points with amazing views of the Columbia River Gorge. Without a doubt, this is a must-do hike for anyone looking for a memorable and moderately challenging hiking experience in the Pacific Northwest.

Looking east from Nancy Russell Overlook

Looking east from Oak VIew Overlook

Buddy Boy hiking Cape Horn Trail

Nancy Russell Overlook Cape Horn trail sign 

Closeup of Nancy Russell Overlook Cape Horn trail sign

Fall Equinox- Haiku

Sunflowers fading •

A new season has begun •

Welcome to Autumn

Book Review - Better Living Through Birding

Title - Better Living Through Birding 

Author: Christian Cooper 

Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍

My Review: I absolutely loved this book! I’m a casual birder and I love books about getting outside and exploring nature. Initially, I thought the book would be mostly about birding but it’s so much more. Christian Cooper has lived a very adventurous life and is an awesome writer. I highly recommend his book.

Description (Audible): In Better Living Through Birding, Cooper tells the story of his extraordinary life leading up to the now-infamous incident in Central Park and shows how a life spent looking up at the birds prepared him, in the most uncanny of ways, to be a gay, Black man in America today. From sharpened senses that work just as well at a protest as in a park to what a bird like the Common Grackle can teach us about self-acceptance, Better Living Through Birding exults in the pleasures of a life lived in pursuit of the natural world and invites you to discover them yourself. Equal parts memoir, travelogue, and primer on the art of birding, this is Cooper’s story of learning to claim and defend space for himself and others like him, from his days at Marvel Comics introducing the first gay storylines to vivid and life-changing birding expeditions through Africa, Australia, the Americas, and the Himalayas. Better Living Through Birding recounts Cooper’s journey through the wonderful world of birds and what they can teach us about life, if only we would look and listen.

Description (ChatGPT): Better Living Through Birding is the kind of book that makes you want to trade in your daily grind for binoculars and a field guide. This charming memoir by Christian Cooper (yes, the Central Park birdwatcher) is part personal journey, part avian adventure, and all heart. Cooper’s wit is as sharp as the beak of a red-tailed hawk, and his passion for birds is infectious—whether he's describing a rare sighting or unraveling the complexities of human nature. In a world that sometimes feels a little too noisy, Better Living Through Birding offers the perfect reminder that nature’s quiet beauty can still teach us a lot about patience, observation, and the joy of simply being present. It’s a feel-good read that might just inspire you to start your own birdwatching habit—or at least, to look up from your phone every now and then.

Hike - Lewis River Falls Trail

The Lewis River Falls Trail on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest is absolutely stunning! I first experienced the trail back in August 2000 when I rode my mountain bike on the "Pedal the Pinchot" ride from the Curly Creek trailhead to the Lower Lewis River Falls.

I swore to go back again soon but only just recently returned to hike the Lewis River Falls Trail from the Lower Falls to the Upper Falls. The awesome Lower, Middle and Upper waterfalls and amazing old-growth Douglas-fir / Western Red Cedar / Hemlock forest make this one of the most spectacular hikes and rides in the PNW region!

Lower Lewis River Falls

Lewis River Falls Trail

Lewis River Falls Trail

Middle Lewis River Falls

Picnicing at Middle Lewis River Falls

Amazing old-growth Douglas-fir tree 

Buddy Boy hiking the Lewis River Falls trail

Upper Lewis River Falls

Sky - Super Blue Moon

Every so often, I try to take photos of astronomical phenomena. On August 30, 2023 I tried to photograph one of the biggest and brightest full moons of the year. This full moon was the second of two full moons in the month of August which made it a Blue Moon. In addition to being a Blue Moon, it was a supermoon, which is a full moon that is closer to Earth, making it appear slightly larger in the sky. 

Photograph was taken using a tripod with a Sony RX10 IV camera, (F4, 1/1600 sec, ISO-400, 600 mm focal length).

Hike - Mirror Lake, Mt Hood NF, Oregon

Hiked with friends and Buddy Boy to Mirror Lake on the Mt. Hood National Forest, Oregon. According to online sources, the Mirror Lake trail is one of the most popular 

hikes on the Mt. Hood National Forest, partly due to its accessibility and partly because it’s a relatively easy hike to a mountain lake with a beautiful view of Mt. Hood.

The 4.4-mile loop trail begins right off Highway 26 near Government Camp and is an easy hike to Mirror Lake.

The trail loops around the lake and crosses through some marshy areas where there was a makeshift boardwalk that took a little agility to navigate. The best views of the lake with Mt. Hood in the background were in the marshy areas on the southwest side of the lake. 

Mirror Lake with Mt. Hood in the distance

We only saw a few wildflowers along the trail including Indian paintbrush (Castilleja sp.) and sickletop lousewort (Pedicularis racemosa). 

There were also lots of the infamous Devil’s club (Oplopanax horridus) along the trail and near the lake. 
Not surprisingly, there were lots of people around the lake but luckily, we were able to find a nice spot  along the somewhat muddy lakeshore for a little picnic and a mud-bath for Buddy Boy. 

Buddy Boy taking a mud bath

 Mirror Lake picnic spot

Hike - June Lake, Gifford Pinchot NF, Washington

Hiked with friends and Buddy Boy (the dog) to June Lake on July 4, 2023. The hike was an easy 2.9 mile out-and-back from the trailhead. Not surprisingly, it was somewhat busy with hikers and dogs. 

June Lake is located on the south side of Mount St. Helens just inside Mount St. Helens NVM (National Volcanic Monument). The trailhead, however, is located outside the NVM in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. 

June Lake is beautiful, surrounded by trees and lava fields with a 70-foot waterfall on the far side. We had hoped to get a view of Mount St. Helens, but were only able to get a glimpse of the mountain from along the trail. 

Being somewhat determined, we decided we needed to find a spot with a view of Mount St. Helens. So, we drove down forest road 83 and up forest road 81 to a spot where we were able to find a picnic spot with a great view of the mountain and some gnarly lava fields in the foreground 

View of Mt St Helens from forest road 81

Buddy Boy wading in June Lake

Wide angle view of June Lake 

Portland Waterfront Blues Festival

Pics & vids from the 36th annual Portland Waterfront Blues Festival July 2, 2023. Hard to believe the last time I went to the Portland Waterfront Blues Festival was 2010. The WFB Festival is a four-day annual event that first started in 1988 and is the largest blues festival west of the Mississippi River. This year included legendary Buddy Guy, Shemeka Copeland and one of my favorites, Rick Estrin & The Nightcats. Was a good day and thankfully, not too hot. Also got to use my somewhat new Insta360 camera and take some 360-degree photos and videos (links below).

Larry & me at the 36th annual WFB Festival

Portland WFB Festival (Click for 360 degree view)

Rick Estrin & The Nightcats - Video

Shemeka Copeland - Video