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Into the woods, to lose my mind and find my soul

Goatbells.blog
Goatbells.blog
Into the woods, to lose my mind and find my soul
  • Building hope after winter solstice!
    News

    Building hope after winter solstice!

    ByMichael Goatbells December 23, 2025December 23, 2025

    As we start the first longer days of earth’s annual cycle, I think important to build and share hope … for each of us, our community and our planet. Good planets are hard to find, they say … Ray Bradbury’s reminder is perfect, “Action is hope. There is no hope without action.” … Greta Thunberg has…

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  • Ridgeline Solstice 25
    Day Hikes

    Ridgeline Solstice 25

    ByMichael Goatbells December 22, 2025December 22, 2025

    Hiking Ridgeline Trail and Spencer Butte has become a Winter Solstice tradition over the last 3-4 years. This year, however, was the worst weather. Rained for the first 2 hours and then just foggy and misty with just very little sunlight reaching through clouds at times. Gortex top-to-bottom and an umbrella … Once the rain…

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  • Spencer sunrise thru crack in sky
    Day Hikes

    Spencer sunrise thru crack in sky

    ByMichael Goatbells December 12, 2025December 12, 2025

    As with several recent hikes, I make a plan the night before with great ambition and motivation, but had a contingency or two in back pocket to manage OR weather. I wake up and review the weather and combine everything into a simple balance: how much carbon will burn (gallons of gas) and what is…

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  • Avoiding rain on Pisgah, and driving less!
    Day Hikes

    Avoiding rain on Pisgah, and driving less!

    ByMichael Goatbells December 5, 2025December 5, 2025

    A local hiking buddy and I planned on heading to Westfir and hike up Alpine Trail Thursday, Dec 4. We were all set the night before and then in the morning, the weather shifted and Oakridge area would have rain all day, but Eugene very little … We both had the same thought around 5:00am…

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  • Another day at the park
    Around Town | Photo Chasing

    Another day at the park

    ByMichael Goatbells December 3, 2025December 3, 2025

    and, amazing things to see … dancing pigeons, reflected mill race grasses, oil paint trees and a solitary still blooming flower … clicking on a photo opens a better resolution view

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  • Kirby’s VERY favorite photos from 2025
    Photo Chasing

    Kirby’s VERY favorite photos from 2025

    ByMichael Goatbells November 27, 2025November 27, 2025

    My kestrel persona, Kirby from Cascade Raptor Center, selects her favorite pictures from the blog over the last year. This set of photos are her ‘VERY favorite’ … these she found to be the very best and wants to keep looking at them. Full resolution photos are posted at Adobe – the ‘VERY BEST‘ gallery….

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  • Kirby’s almost favorite photos from 2025
    Photo Chasing

    Kirby’s almost favorite photos from 2025

    ByMichael Goatbells November 27, 2025November 27, 2025

    My kestrel persona, Kirby from Cascade Raptor Center, selects her favorite pictures from the blog over the last year. This set of photos are her ‘almost favorites’ … they were good, but not quite good enough. Often, the subject or content was really good, but the photo quality stretched. Full resolution photos are posted at…

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  • Winter is in the air
    Day Hikes

    Winter is in the air

    ByMichael Goatbells November 26, 2025November 26, 2025

    I ended up hiking my third selection after discarding the other 2 due to too much driving for their experiences. Spencer Butte had not been hiked in weeks, so logically Ridgeline Trail from Spring Blvd starting early in morning. From Spring Blvd at 6:22, it was straight to Spencer Butte summit with headlamp on between…

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  • Magical mists
    Day Hikes

    Magical mists

    ByMichael Goatbells November 22, 2025November 22, 2025

    Another very short break in winter weather in the valley but fog – thick in places. Went to bed contemplating 3 hikes, and then with the morning weather – cloud cover and fog – decided a Pisgah Ramble was the right choice. I left the West trailhead before 6:30am with 8 cars in the parking…

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  • Mid morning mist
    Photo Chasing

    Mid morning mist

    ByMichael Goatbells November 17, 2025November 17, 2025

    The camera can say it better – all taken Mon, 11-17

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