Adventures in SW Washington

This past weekend, Kerrie was out of town and both of my roommates were gone for the whole day so I took a Bryan day in Southwest Washington. I haven’t really explored this area because for some reason it always felt too far away. It’s not. And I’ll be back to explore a lot more: Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams, Trapper Creek Wilderness Area, Indian Heaven Wilderness Area and the Washington Side of CRGNRA (Columbia River Gorge National Recreation Area).

Since the weather looked great, my foot was healing well and I had the whole day, I packed of a day’s worth of gear and food and headed into Washington. My objective was to do a little trail running and exploring in a new area.

Primary goal for the day: Falls Creek Falls. Secondary goal: Soda Peaks Lake in the Trapper Creek Wilderness.

Falls Creek Falls was awesome, although I missed it on my first pass and head to go back down and around see the guy from the bottom. (There were a few waterfalls on this route, and I mistakenly thought I had found FCF. Had I known how large and impressive FCF was at the start, this would not have happened.)

Gotta love a good suspension bridge

Not Falls Creek Falls

Wow that looks a lot bigger than the waterfall I saw. Looks like I missed it and have to go back down and around.

Ah there we go. The two lower sections of FCF.

Parting shot

After snacking on some PBJs at the lower TH, and taking a closer look at my map and guide books. I deemed that the access to Soda Peaks Lake from the Government Minerals TH (?) would have too much climbing and descending for my foot. However, in the back of Sullivan’s Northwest Oregon guidebook, he mentions a backdoor route in via FR 56 (?) Sorry for the lacking details, don’t have my maps with me.) It would be a long 13 mi approach on a backcountry, but paved Forest Service Road. What the heck! A swim sounds nice!

Well I ran into a good amount of snow about a mile from the trail sign. One other person had pushed through the snow, but I wasn’t ready to risk more snow, remote location and unknown trail.

After pouring over the maps some more, I settled on a quick stop at Panther Creek Falls then a final jaunt up to the Wauna Viewpoint in the Gorge.

Panther Falls was extremely pleasant. I had it to myself. Climbed around a bunch, took lots of photos and relaxed. Definitely will be taking some more people here in the future.

Short hike to the viewing platform

Lower vantage point

Lower falls vantage point

Finally I ended my journey with a quick run up to the Wauna Viewpoint via the Tooth Rock TH. I noticed a bunch of ribbon and trail makers on the run up so there must have been a race of some sort on Sunday. Later research didn’t turn up anything tho L

Wauna Viewpoint was awesome. I loved the pillar/sentinel at the top. Felt like a worthy objective. Powerlines weren’t the best, along with the Bonneville Dam, but 180 degree view are always worth the trip. The weather was great so I hung out on the top for awhile before descending back down to my car.

The sentinel

All in all, great day. Hope to have more like it soon as I ramp up my training for Waldo 100k.

UNT

Bryan

Pursuing Other Modes of Singletrack Enjoyment

With my foot slowly working its way back up to form, I decided the spend the weekend pursuing other singletrack opportunities. While I was able to jog 4.75 miles on Friday with relatively little irritation, a trail run was still out of the question so Kerrie and I decided on finding a hike to do. I wanted to try something I hadn’t done before that didn’t have lots of elevation gain. I considered doing the 4T Trail in Portland, but rainy weather, limited visibility, and the fact Kerrie wanted to go to the Gorge crossed that out.



Nice map, although there seems to be more trails than this



In the end, we settled on Lacamas Park in Camas, WA. It was touted as a mini Forest Park with good waterfalls and was close to Portland so I thought we’d give it a try. Overall the Lacamas trails were pretty decent. Lots of trails connecting to a few main firelane arteries. The waterfalls were great. A couple cool bridges. Great wildflowers. Very good spot for summer swimming, although most likely crowed with locals during those times. Roughly 3-4 miles with little EG. Here are the photos.

World Record Salmonberry??

Victory Beers

The next day I wanted to get out and get some real fitness so after much back and forth on where to go, I settled hitting up Siuoxon River Trail in SW Washington for a little mountain bike exploration. This was my first time on this trail, and I had been wanting to do it for some time. Just never really felt like driving all the way out there. Although it actually isn’t all that far. Parked at the lower trailhead, rode back up the road to the upper trail head, then bombed down past the lower trailhead all the way to the Cushman Creek Crossover? (don’t have my map on me) then back to the car. The trail was in very good condition given the recent rain, only a few muddy section, but multiple easy and difficult stream crossings. Overall, the trail was excellent, definitely will do it many times in the future. Lots of other options for extensions with more climbing. It was fun driving the back roads with awesome views of MSH. Photos below. Hopefully the next ones will involve me running.

UNT

Bryan

Cush singletrack

I contemplated riding through this crossing for about 2.5secs before screeching to a halt. Probably safer to walk it. And I was right, super fast flow and very slippery. Definitely doable when the water level goes down.

Three Week Review

"Oop... I almost forgot. I won't be able to make it, fellas. Veronica and I trying this new fad called, uh, jogging. I believe it's 'jogging' or 'yogging.' it might be a soft j. I'm not sure but apparently you just run for an extended period of time! It's supposed to be wild."

-Ron Burgundy

So back to the blog. I have done exactly 1 run since the Sun Mountain 50 Miler, a little more recovery time than I would have liked. But my foot decided that it needed a break despite desperate pleas from myself to suck it up and carry on.

As previously mentioned in my last post, towards the end of my race, a mere 100 yards from the finish, a sharp pain developed on the outside of my left foot. I was able to gimp limp to within view of the finish line then adrenaline carried me through the finish with apparent ease. Shortly after this my foot again let out a screaming OWWW! as I stepped off a step carrying a plate full of pizza and a beer. I almost crumbled to the ground, but rested assured that no matter what, not a drop of that beer would have hit the ground as I had been dreaming of that beer for 8hrs and 30mins!

Soreness and occasional pain persisted the next day and into Tuesday when I had to go back to work. After a morning of barely being able to walk to the bathroom, I decided that something serious was up, and I began pouring over the Internet, looking for possible culprits:

Jone’s Fracture

Avulsion Fracture

Stress Fracture

Peroneal Tendonitis

POPS

The possible culprits did not look good. I began to worry. Fret. Panic. Complain. There goes my summer!

Decided that I needed an Xray so I headed off to Urgent Care after work. The Xrays came back negative for anything! Wahoo! But was also told that it was really too early to notice any stress fractures and that I should come back in a week. Damn! And told me that I have to wear a boot. Shit! But I was almost immediately able to start “walking” right away so at least I had regained my mobility. Hurray! I was also told to see a podiatrist for further recommendation.

I hate you Boot!

Two days went by. Thing were going okay. I was able to walk. I began emailing back and forth my Sports Chiropractor, Dr. Brad Farra, who I has previously worked with on my hamstrings and posterior tendon tightness. He was confused about why I was in a boot if there was no stress fracture and recommended that I come see him instead of wasting my money paying new patient fees at a podiatrist. So I scheduled an appointment for later that day.

I got to his office, and we talked. He worked me through some drills that I was able to do completely pain free. In the end, he diagnosed that there was no way that I had a stress fracture or any fracture given my response to his testing. Mega Wahoo! He told me to ditch the boot and began some ultrasound, graston and KT taping. I was able to walk home pain free!

Things went well the next week with only one major relapse (too much time walking and standing around in the mall the day after my initial treatment. L) I began working out on the bicycle trainer to try and maintain some fitness. I was able to do a much of hard interval workouts and my Friday night, I was fairly confident that I would be able to at least walkajog the Starlight 5k that my whole family signed up for months ago.

I tested the foot Saturday morning and my foot felt fine. No pain. However, my knee revolted initially. Still not used running yet. But they worked themselves out after a few blocks. Should have walked for a bit then started jogging/shuffling. I could walk faster than this jog!

So later that night I suited up in my neon yellow T-shirt and joined most of the fam on the starting line (my Father got hit my rock shrapnel while mowing and got 8 stitches in his shin. He responsibly backed out of the run).  I, on the other hand, felt confident enough to give in a try. And try I did, but I should have known that my competitive spirit would have come out. My never quit attitude pushed me on as my foot began to ache a ½ mile into the run. Its only 3 miles! Maybe 30 mins. And I could always walk. I foolishly? pushed through the pain. Walkajogging past hundreds of people. Don’t worry tho. I ran past the news cameras! Don’t want the whole world knowing that I was walking in a 5k J, only the people on the street got that pleasure.

I made it to the finish line, no significant pain or sharp pain, but my foot was definitely sore, a little swollen and achey. I iced massage on the way to dinner, which helped a ton.

I was able to walk almost pain free the next day and was walking normally and pain free a day after. I continued to hit the bike hard, saw Dr. Farra again for more ultrasound and graston. Now almost 3 weeks after Sun Mountain with only 1 run since, I stand on the precipice. I shall try to run again tonight. After work. Really slowly. I’m nervous. Biking is great and all. I love it. But it’s not running. It’s not helping me all that much for Waldo.

We’ll see what happens. Wish me luck.

I would also point out that my lovely girlfriend, Kerrie, completed her first 5k since high school. Way to rock it babe! You coulda done it way faster if you werent hampered by your gimp bf.

UNT

Bryan