(dreary day outside my apartment window, taken with a make-shift pinhole camera)
Portland is being awfully stubborn by withholding warm weather and doling out plenty of cold, gray days instead. My immense love for cloudy skies and raindrops on the roof is fading into a deep abyss – I need some sunshine!
Tim and I thought we could capture some warmth by heading out of the city and onto our bikes. Well, we definitely worked up a sweat, but the cold weather followed us as we pedaled uphill and downhill. Where did we go? We went to the Banks-Vernonia State Trail: a beautiful, old, abandoned railroad path in Northwest Oregon’s coastal range. The trail maintains a relatively gentle grade with the exception of two mighty steep parts. It is 21 miles one way and we chose to ride the trail out and back, making for a long 42 mile ride. Needless to say, I was pooped when we finally crashed at home after the ride. Smartly, we started the ride in Banks, OR and rode to Vernonia Lake (our halfway point) for a lengthy lunch break. We were in company of red-winged blackbirds, osprey, and other sweet chirping creatures.I wanted to stop along the ride and photograph more beauty, but I wasn’t up for losing my momentum – which was keeping me warm!
(Banks-Vernonia State Trail)
(Vernonia Lake)
We snacked on some gluten-free vegan sambusas (a test recipe for Kittee’s almost-done cookzine!) before dinner to warm ourselves. These are amazing – pure, spicy, snacky, goodness that is portable, for folks on the move.
Speaking of Kittee, have you seen the new website she and two other amazing women launched yesterday? Well heck, you better go check it out! It is a 100% vegan and gluten-free website filled with everything you could ever wish for. Seriously. So proud of them.
thanks amy! your beautiful photos make the website shine. i’m making injera tomorrow, call me if you wanna come around.
xo
kittee
Thanks, Kittee! I’m so proud of you (and Jessy and Allyson) and all your hard work on the website!
you are too awesome, Amy – and might i also add your photos rock the most socks on xgfx.
i’d be pooped after a 42 mile ride as well, good thing you had kittee’s delicious look’n sambusas to fuel up with on your break. mmmmm!
your photos are as gorgeous as ever, and thanks again for the kind words, my friend!
You’re welcome, Jessy. The website is beautiful!
I was just out there a few weeks ago and it was very rainy, but I did enjoy a few cloud breaks and even a lovely (though brief) rainbow. Beautiful area you live in.
Those sambusas look amazing! :P
It rained a bit during our ride – but luckily the sun make a quick visit too!!
Gorgeous photos, and those sambusas look amazing! Very stoked for a new cookzine from Kittee!
Thanks! Kittee’s cookzine is going to change the gluten-free world!!!
yay! thank you so much, Amy. I second (third?) that your pics look AMAZING on xgfx. And what a beautiful photo from your pinhole camera; those are so fun! <3 Hugs!
Yay! The website really is something special. I am so excited to be a contributor. Congratulations on all your hard work :)
Those are wonderfull photos! I really like your photography, there a beautiful simplicity in it.