My Appearance on "Hike Yeah"

I was a guest on today's "Hike Yeah" show on PDX.FM, with host Alex Head. It was a good time, and included is a special announcement. I'll make it for real when I have the energy to focus on it, but meanwhile, it's about 25 minutes into this show.

Travel StoryOn the Enchantment Lakes Basin

I still do stories every now and then for the paper in Memphis, and this week it's one about backpacking in the Enchantment Lakes Basin up in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in Washington. It's just called Enchanted.

Friday, Oct. 23:My Internet Radio Debut

This Friday, October 23rd, at 2 p.m., please cruise over to PDX.FM and listen to a hiking show called Hike Yeah. (It will also be available later as a podcast, which I'll post a link to)

On that show, you will hear my internet radio debut, as a guest to talk about hiking and my books, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Portland and Day and Overnight Hikes on the Oregon PCT.

Also during that show, you will hear a very special announcement, which I am not going to divulge right now, because I'm not ready to, but if you're curious, a couple of the links in this post will point you towards it.

Oregonian Story on the PCT

Here's a little story I put together for this Sunday's (8-16-09) Oregonian, on the best five sections of the Pacific Crest Trail in Oregon. You could do a lot worse than hiking all five of these!

A Few ThoughtsFrom the Portland Heat Wave

Sent this email out to my family tonight, after Mom called concerned. Thought I'd share.

Hello, family!

It's been a funny couple of days in Portland, so I thought I'd let everybody know I am alive and doing pretty well. Of course, I am writing this at 10:26 p.m, and it's 88 degrees inside my house, so things could be better. Still, I've had two emails and a call from out-of-towners checking in on me, so here's an update.

Oh, and yesterday a man fell to his death from a 240-foot waterfall just outside town, and two friends called to see if it was me! Not sure what to make of that.

So I'm not dead, and I'm not in heat stroke.

Yesterday we got up to something like 105 here. I mean, I start bitching at about 88 degrees, and anything over 95 is mind-numbing. So, really, 101, 103, 105, whatever. Today I hear it was 106, one degree off the record, with the reason being a wind that picked up in the afternoon. You know it's shitty weather when a 20 mph, 106-degree wind is good news.

In fact, Thursday's Oregonian offers this charming quote:

The Pacific Northwest wasn't just hotter than the East Coast (where temperatures were in the 70s and 80s Wednesday). It was hotter here than in Pecos, Texas (104); Panjour, Afghanistan (104); and Abu Khal, Syria (102).

So we've got that going for us -- and don't forget, we had 10 days in December with about two or three feet of snow on the ground and temperatures that never got above freezing -- one of the worst winter storms on record, and it was named Snowpocalypse. So we're getting it all this year.

Like most folks here, I have no AC at home; I also have no AC in my 8x12 office. So I don't spend much time in either place. I am working towards a book deadline, and I have been camping out in the offices of my hiking club, which has AC, Internet, and a friendly staff who thinks it's cool that their book-writing member is crafting his latest edition in their midst. This afternoon I took my "little brother" (from Big Brothers Big Sisters) to a city park, and me and him and his three sisters and about 100 other people splashed water on each other. Then we listened to some music in my car and started goofing around, and the three-year-old got so excited she peed in the back seat.

So, to recap: I am not dead. The book is coming along fine. Playing with kids in the park is fun. And Thursday's forecast is sunny, 94, no wind, and the smell of urine in my car. Outstanding!

Missing the cool South,

Paul

Breakfast Crew Checks OutWest Cafe in Downtown Portland

Read all about "the Unitarian Church of Breakfast Places" over at BreakfastinBridgetown.com.

New Camping Bookis a Powells Favorite

I heard that Powells had placed a big pre-order for the new camping book, and I have also heard from some friends that it is prominently displayed there. Well, it's also listed as one of their staff favorites. The direct link to the book on their site is right here.

Latest "Breakfast Bulletin"

.. can be read right here.

Division-Clinton Street FairThis Saturday, July 25

Come look for the Stumptown Scribes booth at the Division-Clinton Street Fair this Saturday, July 25. Vending time is 10 am to 5 pm.

We will have the new camping book, Best Tent Camping: Oregon, as well as old faves like 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Portland, Breakfast in Bridgetown, Day and Overnight Hikes on the Oregon PCT, and Cooking Italian. There's more information at StumptownScribes.com.

And this week we have two special guest authors: Megan McMorris, editor of Woman's Best Friend, a collection of essays by women writers about their dogs, and also co-author of Pacific Northwest Hiking, which includes hundreds of trails in Oregon and Washington. She'll be selling and signing both books!

Joining me and Megan this month is Kelly Wilson, author and publisher of Live Cheap and Free: Strategies to Thrive in Tough Economic Times. She is loaded with tips for cheap living and great deals, and of course she will have her book for sale, as well.