This is my first hike of the season. Yesterday I was with a friend and we hiked the Herman Creek Pinnacles Trail in the Columbia Gorge.
The weather was gorgeous, a slight breeze and sunshine.
Herman Creek Pinnacles trail is off of Hwy 84 at the Herman Creek Campground. This is located a few miles outside of Cascade Locks.
There is Poison Oak in the area.  

This is my favorite pair of shoes located at the Adidas facility on Greeley Ave in Portland OR.
It was one of the sites on a volkswalk that began on Swan Island and took us on the new Waud Bluff Trail connecting Swan Island to Willamette Blvd and the North Portland area. http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.
ssf/2013/03/portland_parks_recreation_will_1.html

I am an official finisher of the Idita-Walk for 2013. I came in at 1200 minutes with a 7 mile walk this afternoon.
I parked my car near the New Seasons Store on Interstate Avenue and I meandered towards the Morrison Bridge in downtown Portland. The picture is of the Failing St Pedestrian Bridge that goes over
I-5. It connects to the Mississippi Street neighborhood.
I walked through neighborhoods, parks and along the East Esplanade of the Willamette River and part of downtown. Then I took the MAX train back to my car. All in all a terrific afternoon of walking.

On Sunday the 10th I went on a Group volkswalk. We did a YRE in Oregon City OR. The start location is at the Willamette Falls Hospital.
http://www.ava.org/gen3/data/event_details.asp?eventid=95071
This event is sponsored by the Valley Volkswalkers.

This afternoon I walked for 55 minutes in NW Portland. I tripped on a bulge in the sidewalk and landed on my side. Luckily it was not serious. Although my walk for the afternoon was shortened.
I've been seeing more of these horses tethered to these old rings when I am out walking. http://www.horseproject.net/ This is a fun read.

I have to admit I didn't walk yesterday.
This morning I did the Heartbreaker Walk in Portland OR. This is an annual walk put on by the Columbia River Volkssport Club. I've been doing variations of this walk since 2003. It is one of my favorite walks. I often do it on my own throughout the year as it is a wonderful walk for training.
I took this one picture as I crossed the Vista Bridge (also known as the suicide bridge). Often when I walk across this bridge I see flowers and notes to people who have used this bridge to end their lives. I always stop to read the notes and feel a sadness for another life ended.
I've provided a link to an article from Oregon.live that discusses suicides on the Vista Bridge. http://www.oregonlive.com/living/index.ssf/2013/02/post_37.html

This afternoon I had great plans to walk for about 3 hours. Half an hour into my walk I watched the clouds turn the sky gray with threatening rain as they moved north from the hills of Forest Park. I bailed at 55 minutes and drank hot chocolate at Starbucks before going to work.
The photo is of an ivy arch on Mohawk Ave in St Johns.
 Yesterday I parked my car in NW Portland and walked towards Market St. The route was mostly the downtown area. I walked 6.5 miles.
On the 5th I went out for 30 minutes inbetween the rain and before going to work. I enjoy walking the streets in my neighborhood.
I am looking forward to the Heartbreaker Walk on Saturday and a group volkswalk on Sunday.

Feb 3rd I walked 6.2 miles with 41 other walkers on a Volkswalk Group Walk. We did a YRE volkswalk in Lake Oswego OR. The start point was at New Seasons. This is a picture near the beginning of the walk. Here is the link to the instructions and map from the AVA website.
http://www.ava.org/gen3/data/event_details.asp?eventid=94789

Feb 4th walk.
This afternoon I walked about 10 miles in 3:35hrs. I parked my car at 25th and Thurman and headed up Thurman to the stairs going to the Lower MacCleay Trail. I walked up the trail to the Wildwood trail and took the Wildwood trail to where it intersected with the Cumberland Trail. I followed that to Cumberland Ave. I walked to Ariel and Roanoke to Mildred and headed down to Burnside. I crossed Burnside and went up Tichner to my favorite little path on Parkside Lane(see photo below).

I meandered to a trail that has stairs leading to Burnside and then I headed back up another set of stairs that led me to the Madison Trail. I was lucky to hear a flute player practicing. The sounds from his flute were a joy to listen to. I wandered down that road and noticed the reservoir was open so I walked around the reservoir and then to the bottom of Madison Trail and down Jefferson to 20th. I crossed at the light and headed up the stairs to Market Street. Then I went up the stairs to Mill Street Terrace and walked down that street to a path. The path heads over to College Street and a set of steel steps and then a short walk to the Cardinelli Stairs. I walked up 179 steps and then meandered to the Elevator Stairs (see above photo) down to Broadway. I ended up at PSU and walked on the paths around the soccer field and came out at 12th. The home stretch 12th and Mill back to 25th and Thurman zigzagging along the streets. The picture below is at 12th and Yamhill. Whew!

Baseball Stadium at Concordia University. Location: Portland OR. One of the 5km loops wandered through the Concordia Campus.

This morning the Columbia River Volkssport Club held the annual
 Pre-Superbowl Walk Event. The start location was at the Kennedy School in NE Portland.
The weather was gorgeous. Seeing the sun and everyone out enjoying the sun made my heart sing.
We had 301 walkers participate in the event. For a 1 day event that is an excellent turn-out.
I'm two for two on the Idita-Walk. Anyone else doing the Idita-Walk?

Feb 1st marks the first day of the Idita-Walk.
I walked 50 minutes around the St Johns neighborhood before my 6:30 shift began at work. I enjoy looking at the houses and then ending my walk in the business district of St Johns.
The weather was perfect for a brisk 2.9 mile walk.
Since I've been doing these yearly Idita-Walks I've been delaying the start of my New Year's Resolutions. So for me Feb 1st is when I make my yearly promises to be more active and do more walking, hiking and biking. The goal of walking 30 minutes a day is a great motivator for me. I usually do more than that, because I go on volkswalk events which are 6.2 miles. It takes 1.5 to 2 hrs for me to complete a volkswalk.
I walked by a friend's house and she was working in her yard. We had a wonderful conversation about walking and connecting with other walkers in the community.
I will be volkswalking Sat and Sunday. The Columbia River Volkssport Club is holding the Pre-Superbowl Walk starting at the Kennedy school in Portland OR. Sunday I am doing a group volkswalk in Lake Oswego OR. Both events are posted on the ATW calendar and on the AVA Website.
What motivates you to go out and walk?