Video Journal of Oregon's Eagle Creek Trail

(Click the Title to see the Video)

Narrative:

The Eagle Creek Trail is certainly one of the most popular trails in Oregon. It begins at the junction of Eagle Creek Canyon and the Columbia Gorge. Not far from the quaint town of Cascade Locks.

For an Oregonian the trail begins with ordinary features. A thousand Oregon trails begin just like this one. A tumbling trail side creek. A Densely forested terrain. Bridges traversing the canyon’s many tributaries. Thick thatched Paths. Grand Douglas Fir, Western Cedar and Broadleaf Maple compliment the trail. High tree covered canyon walls tower above. Even the usual Oregon trail companion, a Leopard Slug can be found here.

But, not long in to the hike the Eagle Creek Trail begins to show off it’s unique and spectacular features. The trail was built in 1910 by Italian Engineers to compliment the new Columbia Gorge Highway. Portions of the trail had to literally be blasted out of the steep volcanic cliffs of the canyon. At times, one has to hold on to the cables provided for stability while walking the precipice of the trail. Just one of the variety of opportunities to experience the exhilaration of Eagle Creek’s wonders.

Yet, as much as the amazing trail construction impresses one’s mind and senses, it is the creek itself that is the main attraction, drawing sauntering souls to its cascading call. Alfred Billings Street once said, “Nature is man's teacher. She unfolds her treasures to his search, unseals his eye, illumines his mind, and purifies his heart; an influence breathes from all the sights and sounds of her existence.”

As the Eagle Creek hiker encounters one cascading waterfall after another along the creek’s path, all the cares and worries of the world seem to melt away in her waters.

There is a dramatic theme to this trail, as if intentionally plotted out with the wilderness lover in mind. At four and a half miles in to the hike the trail rounds a bend in the canyon to reveal an unnamed deep narrow gorge. From the appropriately name, High Bridge, that spans the gorge, one can stop and look 100 feet below to inspect the geological features of the gorge. It is simply a massive volcanic crack at the bottom of the canyon, creating shear rock walls to funnel the passage of the creek.

In just 2 more miles the drama of the Eagle Creek Trail is realized as the hiker is rewarded with one of the greatest waterfall scenes ever to be experienced. Tunnel Falls. While the construction of this trail and tunnel are extraordinary, it is the natural wonder of the falls that draws one’s attention. As I reflect upon the entire length of the trail to this point, it is clear to me that Man’s best efforts can only compliment what God has already done in nature and the builders of this trail were wise enough to understand this.

Obama-nation or Obama-exaggeration?

I usually try to stay out of commenting on politics and focus my attention on the spiritual/religious side of things. But, this is one of those few occasions when I just can’t stay out of the game. Barak Obama has been getting hammered by a lot folks these days for some of his recent activities and speeches. My examination of the facts tells me that these folks are doing some spin doctoring to support their own agenda. Let me address a few unfair criticisms of President Obama:

First, Obama has been chastised for “bowing down” before the king of Saudi Arabia. Give me break! I saw the video of the "bow". It was not a formal bow, but appeared to me be an extended reach to shake his hand and then a follow through bow as a gesture of respect. He probably should not have done it in the G20 Summit in London, but would have been more appropriate in the Saudi King's own country. The White House denies that it was a bow. But, you might recall that Bush held hands with the King while he entertained him on his ranch in Texas. Was that inappropriate? That was probably unstatesman like, too. So what! But, the point is, people are acting like Obama, by this single action, has invited the nations of the world to slap us around like the proverbial step child. This criticism is so ridiculous I have to believe it is motivated by some ulterior motive. And, I think I know what it is. It is the unfounded belief of many that Obama is really a Muslim and once he has tenderized the American conscience he is going to turn us in to a Muslim nation! Look, let’s get over it. Obama is a confessional Christian, Period! Yes, he respects Islam, but so what! Islam is part of his hertitage, after all! Which to me makes his Christianity all the more real. He had to choose between faith systems, unlike most Christians in America who are simply raised to believe and cannot remember a time of individual choice between Christianity and other belief systems. Besides, why shouldn’t a person show some respect for the belief system of others? As Christians we want people of other faith systems to respect our beliefs. And, our beliefs are very exclusive? Just like Islam is. Not that we should respect murders and terrorists and those that support them. Islam has various expressions, just like Christianity. Militants have used both faith systems to do great harm. Don’t forget the murderous activities of Christians against Muslims during the Crusades! Besides, you don’t have to agree with them to respect them. This is a fear of Obama that goes back to the moment he entered the race for the presidency. It is simply an unfounded fear. Additionally, what I find amazing about this criticism is that it is predominantly coming from conservative Christians. Of all people they should know their Scripture, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Luke 6:31.

Second, Obama has been criticized for telling a Muslim country that the United States is not a Christian nation. This is an extrapolation from one of Obama’s statements. It is not at all what he said. This exaggeration is based on what Obama said while in Turkey, which is as follows: "one of the great strengths of the United States is -- although as I mentioned, we have a very large Christian population, we do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation; we consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values." Factcheck.com has confirmed that Obama never said that America is a non-Christian nation or a Muslim nation. as some are claiming. Furthermore, the truth is, we are not a Christian nation, if you define "Christian" as Biblical Christian. And, it is Bible believing Christians that amazingly are the people making the claim that our Nation is a Christian Nation. The founding Fathers of the country were highly influenced by the predominatly Deistic Enlightment of the 16^th Century. Jefferson, Washington, Paine, Franklin were not even Christians. They were Deists. The documents of this country are not Christian documents at all. They are a product of the Philosophy of Rationalism and Deism. We need a big time history lesson in this country, because people just aren’t getting it. Rather, they are getting some very idealistic information about the origins of our country. The original Pilgrims and Puritans were decidedly Biblical Christians, but they were a hundred plus years before this country became the United States and by that time the colonies, while predominantly Christian, were very pluralistically Christian. Including a lot of Deistic thinkers who rejected large portions of the Bible. And these were the guys who led the way! Look at our country today? We are and always have been a nation of immigrants with differing views and philosophies of life, just like the 13 colonies were at the time of the inception of our Constitution. Furthermore, our constitution is set up to favor the rule of law and a democratic populace, not “Christians” per se. And I say that as one who is a Christian.

Third, Obama is being accused of going around the world apologizing for America and trying to appease the nations, as though he is purposefully lowering our position among the world’s nations. Well, what I see him doing is going around the world extending the right hand of fellowship with an olive branch of proverbial peace. And why not, after 8 years of divisive rhetoric that has made us the big bully of the world. Obama is simply trying to follow in the footsteps of Teddy Roosevelt, who said, “speak softly, but carry a big stick?” Oops, this is also an ancient African proverb! Maybe Obama’s trying to make us Africans! Silly conclusion, right? But these are the kind of conclusions I see people drawing from Obama’s speeches and actions. Wild Extrapolations. I have never heard or read anything from him that would indicate an apology for the United States. Maybe for some of our hurtful and disturbing actions, but not for the Nation. It seems to me that there is a Christian principle behind this. It's called, reconciliation!? The fact is, a lot of bad things have been done by people and leaders in this Nation which were sanctioned by our federal government. We ought to be ashamed of them and confess them! Isn't that that the "Christian" thing to do? He is trying to establish good will, period. To me it is a breath of fresh air after 8 years of inflammatory rhetoric coming from our administration. Furthermore, gone are the days that a nation can see itself as the center of the universe. Historically nationalism has led to a lot of arrogance and a lot of conflict. I am not suggesting in the slightest that we sacrifice the greatness of our nation. But why can’t we hold it up before others as a humble example of what works. We are a great nation. Not because of Obama, Bush, the Pilgrims, and Christians, but because of our governing system, based on the enlightened principles of freedom and democracy. Let it speak for itself. And it does. And that is all I see Obama doing.

Now, having said all this, I do not find myself in agreement with all that Obama believes or wants to do with our country. And, in that regard, we can thank the founders of our country who set in place a constitution that limits the powers of the executive office, by establishing a system of checks and balances through the Judiciary and the Congress.

Peace!

Joe

"Never Rationalize Anything That Feels Wrong"

On my way home from work every day I pass a road sign that says, “Never Rationalize Anything That Feels Wrong”. It catches my attention every time and it makes me think deeply about its meaning. At first I thought that this was someone’s attempt to justify an “anything goes” philosophy of life. But, now I think the person who posted the sign is on to something. In my life the dominant thinking regarding “feelings” can be summed up in an opposite kind of slogan, “Don’t trust your feelings”. The idea being that we must follow a set of principles or code of ethics and then live by them whether it feels good, bad, or indifferent. It sounds good, sensible, and right. And, it usually is! If we just go by your feelings it is likely that we will become an ambivalent mess, right? But, the slogan, “Never Rationalize Anything That Feels Wrong” calls upon us to be in touch with our feelings as a barometer of what is right and wrong for us. And that’s good! If we “don’t” use our feelings to help guide us then we can succumb to personal misery and even open ourselves to becoming badly harmed physically and emotionally.

Science of the brain has shown us that emotions and deep seated feelings operate just like the physical sensation of touch. When you touch a hot iron you are going to get burned and it is going to hurt you. We teach our children to trust the sensation of touch because it exists to keep us from harm. The sensation of touch can also make us feel very good, as when we touch the soft and fluffy fur of our pet animal. The fact is, when we feel hurt emotionally it comes from the same place in the brain as the pain we feel from touching a hot iron. This is also true of our good feelings. Therefore, feelings “can” tell us whether something is good or bad for us.

I am sure that many a Catholic boy, had he trusted his feelings, might have been kept from succumbing to the seduction of a priest bent on sexual exploitation. As a Catholic child I was taught that the priest is the chief authority figure in our lives and that the priest is Christ’s representative to us on earth. So, naturally an obedient Catholic boy might not be inclined to follow his feelings of reticence and discomfort at the sexual advance of his priest. He thinks he is doing the right thing by putting his trust in the priest instead of following his feelings. This is precisely how so many children have been sexually abused in the Church, bringing upon them tremendous guilt, crippling them later in life. If it feels wrong it might really be wrong! God gave us feelings for a good reason and science has shown us a thing or two to confirm that feelings can be trusted.

I think about this slogan also with respect to everyday decision making and life choices. There are plenty of people around us who would be happy to tell us what we “ought” to do and how we “should” do things. In fact, what these well meaning people might be doing is simply imposing upon us what makes them feel good and right. We are all alike as humans, but we are all a bit different, too. What makes me feel good may not make you feel good. Don’t forget the well phrased maxim, “one man’s meat is another man’s poison.” So I say, Don’t dismiss your feelings when making decisions.

Hiking With Angels

Click on the Title of this post to see the video I made of the Angel's Rest Trail hike I did this past Saturday, June 6^th (stand away from your computer screen when you view it or you’ll get a head ache from the bouncing camcorder!).

This is a loop trail in the Columbia Gorge that takes in the scenic Angels Rest, The eerie Devil's Rest and the beautifully forested Wakeena Trail. It’s an 11 mile hike with an overall elevation gain of 3400’. This kind of elevation gain makes it’s a good training hike for the brutal ascents on the John Muir Trail that I am going to do with Tom Willard at the end of Summer. I didn’t film any of the grinding ascents during this hike. I was in too much pain to think about filming.

As you can see, the weather was typical of the Pacific Northwest; damp and cool. It was just a light mist today, but enough of a mist to wet my clothing and gear. I had to fight to keep my camera lens from fogging.

There are a number of Columbia Gorge trails that make great training hikes in preparation for the John Muir Trail. The ascents and elevation gains are similar. All these Gorge trails rise precipitously from the Columbia River, climbing the steep basalt walls of the gorge. I wasn’t able to film any of the ascents on this hike. I was in too much pain to think about recording the grind, although I now regret it. The only disadvantage I’ll have using these trails in the Gorge is that the altitude is much lower than the John Muir Trail, which is high up on the crest of the Sierra.

These Gorge trails have always held a sacred attraction for me. The glorious water falls, the old growth Douglas Fir and Red Cedar, the grand views of the gorge itself, and perhaps most impressive of all, the atmosphere of peace and serenity. I remember coming up here to a trail much like this one on a day off from work 5 or 6 years ago. I was feeling particularly stressed out from my job and I needed a respite. As I drove out to the trail I recall telling myself how foolish I was to move here from the Midwest. We were right in the middle of the rainy season at that time and I suppose a lot of people say that during a 30 day stretch of wet dreary weather in the Pacific Northwest. But as I walked the path in the cool mist of the Gorge, all the anxiety of life melted away as I listening to the water falls hiss and the birds call out to me under the canopy of the giant Douglas Firs. I felt an overwhelming sense of God’s presence up here. I wasn’t long on the trail before I was telling myself that I must never leave the Pacific Northwest, for God was meeting me here in this forest.

It was John Muir who said, "Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.”

Each section of the trail had its own character, which made the entire hike enjoyable. The Wakeena Trail portion of the loop hike entertained me with its array of wildflowers gracing the trail. There are over 800 varieties of wild flowers in the Gorge. On this trail I had a never ending show of Blue Lupine, White Cucumber and Red Columbine.

On the Wakeena Trail, from time to time, I was able to see and hear the highway far below me. It was a lesson to me that as humans we really do live in two worlds. I suppose we need both, but on this day I was glad to be in this one.

With only two miles to go I took my own rest at the rock outcropping appropriately known as Angels Rest. As I sat on the edge I thought that perhaps angels were at my side, taking their rest with me and enjoying this serene view of the Gorge.

If I were an angel, I know where I would take my rest.

The Wilderness Connection

I read an article in The Oregonian this past week entitled, “Nature in Our Nature.” (The Oregonian, 5/27/09, pg. B1) Researchers have discovered that we humans have a connection to nature that is vital to our existence. Evidently, people heal faster from surgery when exposed to the natural world than if not. Also, heart rate, mental well being, and anxiety all are affected by our exposure to nature. And, it’s not just the visual that is important, it is the experience of nature that makes all the difference. When patients were put in a room with a video presentation of a wilderness scence they did not respond as well as when they opened a window where they could see, hear and smell the outdoor environment.

What does this mean? We are interconnected with the natural world. Many tribal and indigenous cultures live very close to nature. They take names for themselves from the geography and animal world around them. Their religion celebrates and includes the natural world. They wear ceremonial dress that mimics the animals of the wilderness. In short, they see themselves as “part” of nature, not distinct from it. Genesis 1:28 tells us, “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’...” People have often misused this mandate from God to abusively “lord over” creation. This passage does teach us that we are supreme in creation. We are the capstone of creation, but we are still part of it. We are told that God created us from the “ground” (Gen. 2:7), which is a fact in and of itself declaring our interconnection to nature. God put Adam and Eve in to the world to “tend” the garden, not rape it (Gensis 2:15). I applaud those who have sought to protect and preserve the garden from exploitation. Men like John Muir, David Brower, Edward Abbey and David Suzuki. These are the people that have understood the need for blank spots on the map and that, even if no man goes there, we need undeveloped wilderness. Why? God made us interconnected with the natural world. We are part of the ecosystem. It is not optional, but essential for us to experience wilderness and live as part of it. This is not my idea. I am not making it up because it sounds cool, or it’s politically correct, or it fits in to my personal desires. I am just a messenger reporting on what God has already said and what my fellow humans have found to be essential for healthy and wholesome living.

Noah Put Camelids on the Ark

When Noah gathered up the animals to put on the ark he evidently included camelids. There are Camelids all over the world today, from North Africa to South America. We all have seen the Middle Eastern Camel, but Mongolians have their own funky looking version of camel. Then there are the South American Llamas and Alpacas that originated from the Vicuna, which is in the Camelid family. It is likely that Noah put a Camelid on the ark, from which all these various Camelids find their origin. I wonder what that original pair of Camelids looked like?

I have included photos of the two new Cria (baby llamas) born to Kissy and Fancy Pants. Fancy Pants, in the first photo at the top, gave birth to Aspen. Kissy, the next photo below, is the mother of Glacier. Right now the only way I can tell the difference between the Cria is by their noses. Glacier has a slightly longer and ridged nose, whereas Aspen's nose is shorter and straight.

I intend to use them as breeders, so they will spend a lot of their years breeding, carrying, and giving birth to their own Cria. Their Sire is Quartz, who is a fine pack stud owned by Joyce O'Halloran. My own stud, Apollo, is still learning how to be a stud, but I am hoping that this year he will be able to breed with the females. Last year I had Fancy Pants and Kissy analyzed by breeding experts who graded them as Cara Llamas. Cara Llamas are bred to be workers/packers, which is the kind of llama I want to use for my own purposes. These llamas look athletic, have longer legs, and possess a "double coat" of hair. The double coat is a layer of fine insulating wool close to the skin with a layer of long guard hair on top. This characteristic double coat keeps them warm at night in the cold mountain air, but cool during the day when they are working.

Be sure to check out the video by clicking on the title of this post. They are delightful creatures.

Jesse Won The 2009 NAIA National Javelin Championship Today!

I want to congratulate my son Jesse on his fine performance today at the NAIA National Track and Field Championships. Jesse rose from a 5th place season ranking to win the competition with a throw of 223'3" as a Freshman. He is now the National Champion with a 15' improvement over his personal best! A week ago Jesse got off a season best of 205'7" for a third place finish behind his team mates, Paul Roshau and Eric Whalen, at the Cascade Conference Championships. Paul was 3rd today with a throw of 220' and Eric was 5th at 210'6". Paul is a Junior and Eric is Jesse's roomate and fellow Freshman thrower. The fact is, any one of these three were capable of winning today, it was just Jesse's time. I think this means that the Javelin is alive and well at Concordia for next year! Up until today the season has been a little lack luster for Jesse, given that he threw 208' last year as a senior in high school. Many of us knew it would probably be a tough year for Jesse, since he was revamping and recrafting his technique. It's been a lot of hard training and a good bit of patience for Jesse to get to this point today. We all kept wondering when he would finally "get it". Well, today he "got it". Throughout most of the season he has had to sacrifice distance to keep working the proper technique, trusting that it would eventually get him that long throw. During several conversations with Mac Wilkins this year he would say to me, "Joe, Jesse is a 220' javelin thrower. It's just a matter of time before it all clicks." I have to hand it to his coaches, Scott Halley and Mac Wilkins, for their faith in Jesse and their willingness to do the hard work of shaping him, instead of trying to pressure him to force out a long throw before he was technically ready. Last, and most importantly, I have to hand it to Jesse for the "never give up" attitude he displayed all year. I remember many an evening where he vented his frustration to me about his training. But, he just kept pounding away at the drills day after day. He is now an example to me of the power of perseverance and belief in what is possible. Cheers to Mac, Scott and Jesse! Now it's off to Norway for more training.