Many years ago in 2019, I hiked a trail somewhere in the Cascades to a beautiful waterfall, with Andrew, Nik, (both former officemates) Cynthia, and Fitbit.

We had copious amounts of LaCroix, took copious amounts of pictures, and had a copious amount of fun.

And yet, after I actually moved to Seattle, I realized that I didn't actually know which waterfall trail I was on, because there were a lot of them.

Well, cue July 2022. At work, some colleagues were visiting from Europe. We decided to go on a hike one Saturday.

And yes, it was the same hike.

So, in all of my time in the Pacific Northwest so far, I've gone on quite a few solo hikes, and only this one with other people. Twice.

I'm back with another month's worth of weekly photographic challenges. We've got five photos, none of which were taken with a phone. Will increased intentionality lead to increased quality? Find out!

Also, not using a phone means I can stick my lens way up in a flower's biz just to see what would happen.

Speaking of...

On my last morning of the trip, I awoke with a splitting headache, and decided I didn't really need to hang out around Cannon Beach.

Nearby Ecola Creek State Park was inaccessible due to sinkholes, so I proceeded north to the town of Seaside. I stopped for a bagel and coffee. They were almost passable.

Afterwards, I stopped at Fort Stevens State Park. My expectations were low, but this park, nestled in the northwestern-most corner of Oregon, turned out to be quite a beautiful place...

...for a military base.

After I awoke in my hotel room, I had an ambitious day ahead.

Work, yes. But I also wanted to see some natural beauty, enjoy some culinary treats, and visit one of Oregon's most famous attractions.

Today was the day I was going to visit both Cannon Beach and the Tilamook Creamery.

I was texting a friend from Los Angeles, and I was jokingly complaining that I regretted leaving California behind. Ever since that moment, I was again absorbed into the drab lack of sunlight I had left Seattle to avoid.

And though I was joking, there was some truth there.

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Exif Data For The Selected Image
Camera Make	Apple
Camera Model	iPhone 6s
Lens Model	iPhone 6s back camera 4.15mm f/2.2
Focal Length	4.15mm
Aperture	ƒ/2.2
Exposure Time	1/962s
ISO	25

Why would I stop at overlooks when I couldn't see anything, or get sopping wet on a short walk?

What joys could this day possibly bring?

(Spoilers: many, many joys)