Voyagers
Having discovered Disappearing Lake was full and the road free of snow, four of us loaded up our boats and headed into the woods for an adventure. Five of us, if you count Walter Dawg, and really, you must. He has been an integral member of the team from day...
In Search of Disappearing Lake
Every winter South Prairie floods, forming a chain of connected lakes or impoundments covering many acres. For a brief, miraculous moment there exists the Pacific Northwest equivalent of a bayou. You can kayak between towering cottonwoods and...
Good Afternoon
5/22/25 3:30 54f (12.2c) Breezy and fair. Mike and I spent the afternoon ranging across the ridge between Mosier and my house, looking for morels. We didn't find any, even where we have found them before. The soil was damp and the terrain looked promising, but no joy....
Plan B Camp March 2025
It was early March when I decided on a last minute camping trip to the Gifford Pinchot. The weather forecast for the weekend was fair, with rain predicted later on Sunday. Even with no real planning and a late start, I had the truck loaded and ready to go by...
MLK Camp
1/20/25 Jason, Andy, Walter and I hauled into Plan B for an overnighter Sunday afternoon and came home Monday, MLK Day. It didn't reach the predicted low of 17f (-8) but is was pretty chilly at 24f (-4). We managed to stay warm and had an enjoyable outing in the...
Good Morning
1/29/26 6:30 34F (1C) Cloudy and raining. It is a sodden, drizzly morning. Even the owl, calling through the darkness, sounds wet.
Good Morning
1/28/26 6:15 28F (-2.2C) Dark, silent, cold, with a thin overcast and light freezing rain. The deck is pimpled with ice. Only a couple stars pierce the gloom. I am anticipating a trip to the dentist with some trepidation. Good morning. ...
Good Morning
1/27/26 6:30 24F (-5.5C) Dim, thin overcast, no wind. It is a quiet morning. Frozen and icy. If there were more light, it would sparkle. I can smell the cold ash of last night's fire. Walter Dawg is on watch. A silent sentry, his shadowed form backlit by the...
Good Morning
1/26/26 7:00 22F (-5.5C) Cold and cloudy. The birds are waking up, their chattering and whistles subdued and muted. Dawn is sneaking in through the dim, gray shadows with barely a whisper. ...
Good Morning
1/25/26 7:45 17F (-8.3C) Calm, partially cloudy but mostly clear, hard frost, no wind. The sun is still behind Fir Mountain. I am surrounded by a ring of low lying clouds with blue sky overhead. There is no wind. Birds are twittering. A jay squawks as it...
Rueben Handpie
Last camping trip, we made reubens in the pie irons. They were fabulous! Ingredients rye bread oil, butter, or lard thin sliced corned beef 1 small can sauerkraut horseradish sauce Swiss cheese We preheated the pie irons over hot coals while assembling...
Roasted Pepper and Eggs
Amy found a recipe for roast pepper and eggs in Backpacker Magazine. I think the original recipe called for doing all the prep at home, but since we were car camping, Amy did it in camp. It was simple and made a wonderful breakfast. Ingredients: Yellow or Red Bell...
Spam Pudgies
Dave was a little skeptical of the lunch menu- Spam pudgie sandwiches cooked in the pie irons. Straight from the can, Spam is unappealing, pallid, pink and soft. The prevailing flavor is salt. Heated, it darkens, becoming almost brown. The texture gets firmer, even...
Kentucky Mule
I don't care for vodka, so never acquired a taste for Moscow Mules. Bourbon, however, is an entirely different story. In camp or on the back porch, the Kentucky Mule is sure to refresh. Go ahead, have another. You deserve it. Ingredients 1 oz bourbon-I...
Robert’s Cast Iron Bread
Robert disappeared into the longhouse and emerged a little later with a beautiful loaf of fresh bread. It seemed so simple, and according to Rob, it pretty much was. I asked him for his recipe and this is what he gave me.Ingredients about 2 1/2 cups flour more or...
