Cramping

Christina wants to like camping. But it's her hair that gets all cramped up. A solution? Camping with me. I'll gladly cramp the camp. Hair. enough to make a mule's ass look stylish. I do this about once a weekend anyway, so why not. Another solution? Organize a "damn! Classes and rain will start again soon so we should all go camping." Trip. Jonathan and I visited "Saddle Mountain" last weekend and, save for relegating ourselves to car camping, we enjoyed it -- especially the views.
Just check out the photos we took. An easy three mile hike yields (at least on a clear day) the best view I've seen in Oregon. To the west: The Pacific Ocean and Coastal Range; to the east: the Cascades and even Mt. Rainier; to the north: the Columbia River and Astoria; to the south: umm...i don't know, some mountains, clouds, and shit.

Saddle Mountain is a quick 60-90 min. away (+/- traffic), right off Hwy 26 about 10 miles before Hwy 101. The turnoff heading 7 miles north from Hwy 26 is paved. Parking is at the trailhead. There are ample campsites with firepits at the trailhead. No reservations are needed. There are very clean bathrooms. There is drinking water. Therefore, we should go. The minor caveat: good days to do this are numbered. We have the new student barbecue coming, graduate program retreats, and of course, less sunny days. So after some talk with a couple people, we are thinking of Friday, Sept. 9th. Some of us can leave work early and get there in the afternoon; others can show up whenever since it isn't that far away and it is easy to find. The student barbecue is the next day, but that doesn't start until 4PM -- which I think is plenty of time to make it back, chill out, and uncramp the camp. Hair.


In Summary:

What: car camping at Saddle Mountain
When: Friday, September 9th
How to get there: http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_197.php
Cost: Sites are $12, each accommodating up to two tents.
NOTE: Since there is no need for reservations, we can cancel at the last minute if the weather is looking to leave us with Saddlebag Mountain

Post a comment to this blog if you're interested so all the tent/gear arrangements can be made. My tent, bags, and air mattresses will be claimed, but I can bring a nice stove with pots and pans. BYOF(ood). BYOB. Carpool. Capeesh?

...Let There Be Site

I have always thought I should keep a journal. This plan has never materialized. Instead, my thoughts and reflections have been exclusively captured in lyrics, song, photos, and conversation. "The Blog" offers me a new chance. Hence, "The AstroSite" is born.

An interpolation: the blog name is a tribute to neuroscience in general and the astrocyte in specific, those mysterious and abundant cells in the brain that provide the atmosphere for the neuronal storm; in other words, a brain without astrocytes is like (this is a very loose analogy...) a supercomputer running on Windows 3.0. - the circuitry is there, but there isn't sufficient means to run at capacity. Interestingly, Albert Einstein's brain was shown to have a significantly higher glia:neuron ratio (astrocytes are a subcategory of "glia") in some parts of his brain, thereby formulating the hypothesis that Mr. Einstein's genius could have been the result of his ability to "fuel" his neurons. Einstein was shown to have a normal number of neurons. End Interpolation.

Anyway, feel free to post opinions, critiques, or any comments. I will post to the blog intermittently with what will likely become an eclectic cyber journal of my sometimes interesting life. An added advantage will be my ability to share photos without clogging up e-mail inboxes. If the last year is any indication, check for less-than-dignified photos. I also plan to use this blog as an info source for the frequent OHSU "extracurricular" gatherings and activities - with postevent photos, of course. So to close on topic, my neurons are requesting a nice, frothy Portland-crafted microbrew. Until next time, "Iechyd da"!