Belatedly introducing myself!

[AAdamsPDX]

Hi! I've been voraciously reading on this site for months, signed up a few weeks back, and have been posting a bit since then. But I realized I've never properly introduced myself. Which seems maybe a little rude: popping in on conversations without saying "hi" first! So here goes:

My parents took me camping for the first time when I was a newborn, and started taking me to the Boundary Waters when I was 2. Consequently, two of my first words were "campsite" and "portage," and my first memory is of riding in a canoe. We took wilderness trips throughout my childhood and into my early adulthood.

I've lived in Portland since 1997. I've been day hiking and backcountry camping (via car) around here pretty much ever since, though I just started backpacking last season. I have about eight backpacking trips under my belt, including a recent week spent in the Goat Rocks Wilderness - just about the best week of my life so far. In many ways this late start makes me pretty lucky as I had the internet and all kinds of advice on lightweight backpacking to help me - and I'm still learning lots through this forum.

Since my husband runs a small business and keeps pretty busy, I'm definitely open to hiking with others as he can't get away as often as I like to. I have a full-time job, but if things aren't too busy I do have some flexibility and plenty of vacation time saved up. I like to hike slow and with a camera and tripod, though, so fair warning! (I can pick up the pace or leave the camera at home if I need to, just prefer to enjoy the scenery.)

My bucket list includes hiking the John Muir Trail and hiking the Oregon and Washington sections of the PCT, though I don't aspire to through-hike the whole trail as I much prefer meanders to marches.

...And that was a very long introduction! Thank you for reading - if anyone manages to get this far.

Thanks,
Heidi

[kepPNW]

Nice to "meet" you, Heidi! Love the BWCA area, too! Don't actually get into it very often, but we do have a little cabin/shack right up there, that we try to spend at least a few weeks at every year and tune in WTIP almost daily.

[AAdamsPDX]

Love the BWCA area, too! Don't actually get into it very often, but we do have a little cabin/shack right up there, that we try to spend at least a few weeks at every year and tune in WTIP almost daily.

Thanks for the welcome! And - I am jealous of your cabin in the BWCA area. Near Ely? Or over more towards Lake Superior? Someday I'll be back! (Or, as the old Canadian folk song goes - "Blue lakes and rocky shores, I will return once more....)

[kepPNW]

Love the BWCA area, too! Don't actually get into it very often, but we do have a little cabin/shack right up there, that we try to spend at least a few weeks at every year and tune in WTIP almost daily.

Thanks for the welcome! And - I am jealous of your cabin in the BWCA area. Near Ely? Or over more towards Lake Superior? Someday I'll be back! (Or, as the old Canadian folk song goes - "Blue lakes and rocky shores, I will return once more....)

Heh, I often hear the old Hamm's beer jingle up there. You win for upbringing.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yHsoW6CTjM

Our place is between Lutsen and Grand Marais, a bit inland on Pike Lake. Still hoping to get back there this fall, for the leaves (or, more likely, first snows!).

Seems there are an awful lot of ex-Minnesotans out here. It'd be fun to share a trail sometime! I'm also the slow-poke with the camera on most outings, just soaking it all up while out there. Getting back to the trailhead with much, if any, daylight left can seem like such a waste.

[AAdamsPDX]

Heh, I often hear the old Hamm's beer jingle up there. You win for upbringing.

Ha! The video is great.

Our place is between Lutsen and Grand Marais, a bit inland on Pike Lake. Still hoping to get back there this fall, for the leaves (or, more likely, first snows!).

Enjoy the leaves and/or snow. Both sound lovely.

It'd be fun to share a trail sometime! I'm also the slow-poke with the camera on most outings, just soaking it all up while out there. Getting back to the trailhead with much, if any, daylight left can seem like such a waste.

Would be happy to find some new hiking buddies!

[kepPNW]

Enjoy the leaves and/or snow. Both sound lovely.

Thanks! It's definitely a place I can just let go, relax, and soak up.

It'd be fun to share a trail sometime! I'm also the slow-poke with the camera on most outings, just soaking it all up while out there. Getting back to the trailhead with much, if any, daylight left can seem like such a waste.

Would be happy to find some new hiking buddies!

Yeah, me too. Fair warning, it's 1:15am, and I just got home from a hike up on MSH about a half-hour ago. (That's not quite normal! But I do have a tendency to get back to the trailhead under headlamp when nothing dictates otherwise.) Looks like I took nearly 400 photos, too. Jeeeez...

[Splintercat]

Welcome, Heidi! Great to have you onboard!

Tom

[adamschneider]

Seems there are an awful lot of ex-Minnesotans out here.

Ssssshhhhhh... we're trying to infiltrate.

[AAdamsPDX]

Seems there are an awful lot of ex-Minnesotans out here.

Ssssshhhhhh... we're trying to infiltrate.

Infiltration of photography-obsessed hikers from Minnesota, from the looks of it. You both have taken some pretty spiffy-looking images.

[AAdamsPDX]

Welcome, Heidi! Great to have you onboard!

Tom

Thank you, Tom! By the way, I read your blog on the new MHNF station in Zigzag. Interesting and informative!