The next few days were spent visiting with the family and friends I do not get to see that often. My son had made a plan and got together a few friends to go on a little adventure on New Years morning out to Tillamook State Forest about 40 miles west of Portland, OR.

This 364,000-acre (1,470 sq kilometer) forest is managed by the Oregon Department of Forestry and includes areas for campgrounds, hiking and backpacking trails, fishing, swimming, timber operations and interpretative center. There are trails for horses and pack animals, mountain bikes and motorized vehicles. This temperate rainforest averages more than100 inches (2,500mm) of rain a year and is considered one of the wettest areas of the United States.

New Years Eve we were the old folks and went to bed early as we were meeting everyone out there at 8:30 the next morning, so an early start from home was mandatory. Up at 5AM I showered (to wakeup) made a good breakfast and got my snack items and lunch for the day ready.

Arriving a little early we got a meeting spot at Browns Camp and were amazed at the number of people with the same idea. The staging area was filling up fast. Finally the last straggler pulled in, we organized everyone to communications, the general route and off we went with my son leading the way.

Heading up Firebreak Trail from the staging area and into the State Forest was great, the further back in we went the less people we encountered.

Finishing this short trail we head along Power-line Trail and we swing back onto forest service roads at University Falls to make our somewhat meandering way south to……

…..the fun Cedar Tree Trail where we drive under a fallen cedar tree, you don’t get to do that to often.

Back onto Forest service roads we meander north back to Browns Camp for a rest stop before our drive back home.

What a great way to start off the new year meeting new people, traveling this adventure with 10 other family filled vehicles and being out in the forest on a brisk but beautiful day. The 18 mile tail run was so much fun. Getting back home in the late afternoon we had dinner and relaxed for the night discussing what other adventures we should have in the next few days.