One thing I love about Oregon is that almost anywhere I go it’s naturally beautiful. Almost every walking path, every trail, even every sidewalk in the city is beautiful to walk on.
Sure it rains a lot, but that must be why everything is so green green green.
The naturally beauty of this place has inspired me to get outside and walk more. Sure I’m going to join a gym today for classes and weights, but I hopefully will still be walking outside a lot. I’ve visited lots of parks around the city and explored areas through walking and all of it has been fun because it’s beautiful. Whenever there is something interesting or beautiful to look at a walk seems much easier and enjoyable. Am I right?
I also love Oregon for the little trips we’ve been taking so my friend can show me around the state. Basically these trips are what have convinced me that everywhere I go it will be beautiful. Because yesterday that was the case as it has been every other time.
Yesterday we went to Silver Fall State Park. It’s a gorgeous state park in a temperate rain forest in the lower Cascade Mountains with lots of hiking and biking trails that wander around the park and four waterfalls. Because I was still recovering from my cold we didn’t go very far and just did the loop around the South Falls, which drops from 177 feet. That in itself was incredibly impressive.
The walk goes from an elevation above the falls down to the bottom and then back behind the waterfall. I think it’s the first time I’ve been behind a waterfall.
Then at the bottom you walk across a bridge to loop back around to the other side. It’s a nice place for photo ops, obviously.
Despite not feeling 100% I enjoyed the fresh air and the incredibly beautiful walk.
Naturally beautiful walks are the best. 100 times better than a treadmill. So go find one. Walk. Run. Enjoy. :)
Oregon is beautiful – and those are great photos. Certainly makes it all seem less like hard work.
.-= Ten Pounds´s last blog ..The ten pounds thing =-.
Oh my goodness it looks so lush there! Gorgeous paths.
I totally agree, outdoor walks are so pleasant.
That is one of my favorite parks in Oregon. I am itching to get outside on a regular basis again; just wish the weather would cooperate, lol.
.-= Julie´s last blog ..I Wanna Run!!!! =-.
I have a relative that lives in Orgon.. beautiful! Thx for those pics & yes, getting outside & enjoying like that.. how awesome! Makes walking a lot easier with scenery like that!
.-= Jody – Fit at 52´s last blog ..2 Year Old Smoking Boy =-.
I felt like that this weekend in Nebraska…everything was GORGEOUS! Although, I was glad to leave the hills! They can make for an unpleasant day-after!
.-= Nicole, RD´s last blog ..Back at it! =-.
I have never been to Oregon but your pics are gorgeous! You have inspired me to put it as a place that I need to visit.
.-= shelly´s last blog ..Grumbly Belly :( =-.
You should definitely visit. Especially in the summer. It’s wonderful.
Oregon is such a physically friendly state! It’s cool and damp and beautiful And if you are in Portland, the city is supposedly very bike-friendly, so you can add that to your list of fitness things to do!
.-= Sayre´s last blog ..Monday, May 31st =-.
Haha. I figured you would want to see a picture of me. Of course, I’m covered in mist but it’s still nice. :)
Eventually you will get to take a trip to Oregon!
Thank you so much for sharing the beautiful pictures, trying to get out for a walk this evening, wish I was walking there instead
.-= Amber´s last blog ..Day two of our ten day challenge! =-.
OMG how beautiful!!!! I am dying to visit Oregon one day. Everything about it looks so beautiful. It’s so far away from here though!!
I’ve been trying to scout out some walks around me. I’m in New Hampshire and there are some pretty places to walk..just not quite as dramatic as that! :)
.-= Julie Lost and Found´s last blog ..On Robins Nests and Nurturing.. =-.
Gorgeous!! That’s not near here, is it?
http://rosylittlethings.typepad.com/posie_gets_cozy/2010/06/a-wanderful-birthday.html
I was just going through my posts in my reader and read both of the posts back-to-back – too funny!
.-= Lillian´s last blog ..The Day After a Long Weekend =-.
Nope, that place is about two hours away. Which is proof that all of Oregon is GORGEOUS!
My mind’s eye of Oregon is a bunch of comfy-shoe wearing, coffee-drinking, granolas walking around in their vegetarian lifeystles in the rain, lol. Thanks for expanding my very limited view. Freaking gorgeous!!! Hugs, Kirsten
.-= results not typical girl´s last blog ..and the anger burned clean =-.
Wow the views are breath taking!! Wish the weather’s cooler over in this part of the world :P usually a walk in the park will leave the whole t-shirt covered in sweat.
We have a lot of nice walks around here in my part of NZ too. I really need to take advantage of them more often. Great pics!
.-= Mad Woman´s last blog ..Thinking hurts sometimes but it’s a good hurt! =-.
Yeah, NZ is great for really pretty walks. Where in NZ are you located? I’m going to be living in Auckland in August!
Oh that is indeed beautiful! Oregon is high on my places to visit in the US.
I agree that walking in beautiful surroundings is so much better than on a treadmill. The beauty and the fresh air feeds the soul. Good for you for making the most of your surroundings.
.-= Hanlie´s last blog ..All about Maggie =-.
Beautiful – I’ve only been to the Pacific Northwest for a week when I climbed Mt Rainier. I can’t wait to go back and explore more. It is so gorgeous.
Wow – those pictures are awesome, that has to make walks even more peaceful. We don’t have much scenery like that around here in Nebraska, mostly just the ability to see forever, which I suppose is nice sometimes. I really need to get out the the Pacific Northwest one of these days and check out the views. Just lovely!
I am totally in agreement Yay pictures, I now have a new desktop and some to share. I love it and you do look lovely. I would be out all the time if it looked like that here, Yuk but it doesn’t. Have fun on those long walks and think of me here walking in Memphis. Gee that sounds like a song..!! Ha,.
Mom
Just one more thing, my friend Tina said to tell you that we live through you, the pictures just lift our spirits and make us know there is more to life than just this job. Please keep sending us a picture now and again. Love you Mom
Heya Mary – I’m another Kiwi who found your blog when I was looking around for online movitation for healthy weight loss – and I wanted to comment that the photos in this post are just amazing.
Walking is one of my passions too – and in fact, one of the reasons I’m trying to lose weight healthily is to get in better shape to tackle the Oxfam Trailwalker 100km charity walk next April (I did 88km of it in 2009 at 93kg/204lb, but had to pull out from exhaustion at that point – next year, I’m determined I’m going to finish the sucker!) I’ve lost a little under 9kg/19.8lb so far… and I’m hoping for another 10-15, so I’m down around 70-75kg when I actually do Trailwalker.
I love getting out into nature (and we do have a lot of it within easy reach here in NZ!), but I also enjoy simple urban walking around my home city. I find that walking somewhere is *completely* different to driving to it, and sometimes I find myself walking new routes to somewhere a few suburbs away, feeling as though I’m exploring a totally different city. I’ve been doing monthly 10km and half marathon events each month since January this year, and it’s just amazing how much beauty that I’ve never noticed before that I’m getting to see in various parts of the city I live as I’m walking them :-)
Look forward to reading more of your posts!
Starfire
.-= Starfire´s last blog ..Friends don’t let CEOs answer consumer complaints (AKA the Cankle Calamity Part 2) =-.