Lost In The Right Direction

 Beautiful big views, abundance of flowers, snow capped mountains all around and singing birds.  I love this hike when the flowers are blooming. This is a hike you can do multiple times in the spring and there is always new flowers blooming.  The mountain views are incredible, a nice view of the valley floor looking up towards Mazama and back down towards Twisp.  So much to see, hear and enjoy.  This is the perfect hike for an evening adventure, not to long, a fairly easy hike, the birds are very active and keep you company as you make the loop.  These pictures are only from one side of the loop, I ran out of good light to complete it since I stopped for every flower along the way.  When the balsam root is blooming it is a beautiful display of golden flowers, intermixed with lupine and larkspur.  I have hiked this trail many times over the years and am always amazed by natures incredible beauty. ...

When you make plans and the weather changes, you can either bale or just ride through the rain.  The Echo Ridge trails are a great place to ride after a long day at the office.  Close to work, easy to get to and a very peaceful quiet place to ride.  Sometimes you need just a little bit of time in the great outdoors to shed the stress of the daily grind behind a desk.  We didn't get to wet, just a little mud speckled and dampness to brighten our day.  The adrenaline rush from just riding a bike, feeling the wind rush by always puts a smile on my face.  Most of the time I run out of gas a lot sooner than I would hope, but just getting out and breathing in that clean forest air makes every minute worth it.  Stopping to smell and admire a few flowers along the way add to the wonderful ride.  This is our go to place when time is tight and we need a  quick ride.

I enjoy wandering the sagebrush hills in search of flowers, playing with the light and feeling the peace and quiet.  The only noises are the sound of the birds singing, the brush of the tall weeds against your pants, the rustle of the grass with the breeze.  I can waste hours enjoying natures beauty, in the quiet. It doesn't always have to be about the big views, incredible mountains, and high lakes.  I enjoy finding places that I can hike over and over again and still enjoy all the beautiful flora and the great outdoors with very little effort.  Places like this make it easy to get out in the evenings and empty the mind of all the daily grind.