The Fellowship of PNW Tacomas | PDX Area Wheeling

I posted on your other thread, but hell yeah, if scheduling works, I'm in.

 

From my experience as a Wilderness/OHV Ranger, strong offroad communities who are active in stewarding their trail systems and local public land resources, who work with adjacent advocacy groups (even non-motorized...) and land managers, and hold their fellow recreators accountable greatly reduce the odds of wholesale shut down. It all comes down to community policing and volunteerism. No agency, local, county, state, or federal, has the resources to keep tabs on the ever-increasing amount of people recreating on public lands. Right now it's next level, fewer guardians out there, more yahoos, a recipe for trash-saster.

Unfortunately, most people can't/won't follow even the most basic guidelines, which amount to the Golden Rule.

Groups like this provide hope!

Lauren and I hauled out an entire trash bag just walking around our camp the other morning, in the middle of nowhere in Southern Oregon. Three times the trash we generated in a week on the road. I hate to imagine how messed up things are out there.

Hoofed it up to Yocum Ridge for a solo overnighter on Saturday. To steep for a Tacoma, had to resort to good old fashioned ambulation Even there I found a big ****ing campfire scar in an alpine meadow and pieces of $hit paper strewn about. It's a stunningly beautiful site, complete with calving glacier. Infuriating. People are the worst.
Happy to help out, I'm trying to fight the good fight with a roll of heavy-duty trash bags and a trash picker for the gross stuff in the truck at all times. I might do Barlow this weekend or late this week before I start a new job working at a Land Cruiser shop (what???) on Monday, so if there were specific trouble spots point me toward them and I'll see what I can do. Still working as FITS' copywriter on the side, but hopefully, with some hard work and an open mind I'll be upping my mechanic/fabrication skills from shade-tree rec league to something more.

Other Back-Pocket Stewardship Activities:

• Disassemble redundant campfire rings, spread ashes, "naturalize" site (you can tell which ring has been there for 20-years)
• Clean out campfire pits - always plenty of glass and aluminum because people are idiots, distribute the ashes responsibly and rebuild giant messes
• Haul out the giant logs people try to burn in half but never do and chuck em in the woods, also don't try and burn giant logs in half - collect dead and down as far away from camp as possible if you need to, forearm or smaller and use the saw you have because you're smart to cut short rounds when needed
• If you pew pew, collect at least as many cartridges as you pew pew, and don't leave your targets everywhere
• Bring extra trash bags, and buy a trash picker (it feels weird) so that you can actually grab that diaper when you find it, and you will (so many karma points) - if you have kids it can become a pretty fun game to see who can collect the most, oddly enough (I can only vouch for its efficacy with college-age "kids")
• Remember the most overlooked Leave No Trace principle, Be Considerate of Other Visitors - https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/be-considerate-of-other-visitors/
• Finance your SAS with sun-bleached Coors/Bud/Keystone/Busch cans collected on the sides of the road

Sorry for this rambling post, I blame the heat.

 

While shirking my duties and procrastinating like a boss this evening, I mapped Expedition Portal's Pacific Crest Overland Route on GaiaGPS. It's the blue line running N-S

Section 1 - Hood River to Detriot Lake (~130 miles)
Section 2 - Detriot Lake to Diamond Lake (~228 miles)
Section 3 - Diamond Lake to CA Border (~143 miles - have not mapped yet)



Which brings me to the real question - would anyone care to join me and Lauren this weekend? Start from Hood River Friday probably midday (or worst case, early Saturday) and head south, and just kind of see how far we get, the only real agenda being have fun, be safe, find amazing camp spots, and reach a sensible point to begin heading home around lunch on Sunday? Not trying to knock them both out or rush through it, looking to explore and enjoy the good stuff.

I'd like to keep numbers small to adhere to current health guidelines and to limit impact when camping. Socially distanced campfires are cool, but we won't be sharing food this trip, and look forward to when appropriate. Safety gear (fire ext., etc.) and recovery stuff a must. Chainsaw a bonus! No idea what to expect. LNT and Tread Lightly dictate route and site choices

 

This is awesome reminds me of when I was trying to get my uncle to go with me on a trip To stay on dirt as much as possible but that didn’t happen because he was always involved with forest fires.
I’m out this weekend I got plans but maybe in the near future I’ll get out with you guys again

 

Did you guys see this?

 

Do you know his tag on here?

 

hawaii_dave

 

holy crap!

 

Aloha @hawaii_dave

 

Wow! So sorry to hear that. We just wheeled with him shortly before. Seemed like a great guy with passion to go big with the truck. I was very impressed with the commitment to drive so far to be able to be apart of the group.

 

Tragic.

Be well, everyone.

 

I would really love to be able to do this. My tent started leaking last time out and I gave it away. Plan is for a canopy so I am not going to buy another right now. More importantly though one of my dogs does not do well off road. She is also too difficult to leave with anyone. So multi day off road trips are not in my near future right now.

Sounds awesome, have fun.

 

I have no words. I only met him once. He was really into his tacoma and had the spirit of adventure. Made a long trip to come out and join us. I am so sorry to hear this.

Where did this post come from?

RIP @hawaii_dave

 

looks like FB group

 

Ah, thanks. I don't do facebook.

 

Very sad to see the news of Dave's unexpected passing. Happy to have had the opportunity to meet him and spend the day having a good time on the trails together. Rest in peace, brother.

 

Any of you been to triangulation point? Sounds interesting.

 

Nope, but I've been nearby. Love exploring all the areas in TSF.

 

I would love to check it out. I think some of the guys here have been. But it also sounds like there is a couple ways to get there. Wondering if I just follow google maps or if there is a more interesting way.

 

Looks like Google maps will get you there. Once you hop off Hwy 6 it's all forest roads. Should be plenty interesting. If that doesn't do it for ya, just wander around for a while then figure out how to head towards Triangulation point from there. Lol