Smith Rock!

I just got back from hiking Smith Rock in Central Oregon and let me just say, it was quite a work out.

We stopped along the way at numerous spots to examine the rocks and geological features. It was incredibly cold and I was beginning to think I hadn't packed enough layers (Just a t-shirt and a rain jacket). When we arrived at Smith Rock, many were astounded at how huge and vertical it was. I was one of them. About 5 minutes into the climb, the clouds parted, the sun shone, and it began to get warm. Fast. I ended up shedding my rain jacket and hiked the trail. I was one of the last ones up, for the sole reason that I couldn't breathe (I had forgotten my inhaler) and my heart rate was around 190 because of it. Nevertheless, I got up there, took some photos, ate my lunch, and finished my notes. On the way down was another story. I'm much more skilled at navigating down a hill. I have the reflexes and instincts of a mountain goat, I swear to you. I was the first one down and back up to the parking lot by several minutes. Go me! I was pretty proud of myself, haha!

We were supposed to stop at more places on the way back to take notes. We managed one stop that was about 5 minutes away from Smith Rock. It was a 300 foot cliff that was cut into a gigantic lava flow by the Crooked River. Pretty fascinating stuff. There were at least 3 more intended detours on the way back to Eugene, but they never happened. Why, you might ask? Well, a main reason is because I think our professor (Dave Blackwell) felt sorry for us. At some point soon after getting back into the vans, he turned around and every single person in the van was passed out. We were so exhausted. There was, obviously, almost no talking on the way back.  We stopped long enough to get a quick snack, get back in the car, scarf it down, and turn back to unconsciousness. Of course, I was passed out (I was THAT tired that I fell asleep in the car for a tiny bit) and an extremely attracted guy was sitting in the front seat. I bet all he saw when he looked back was me with my mouth wide and gaping, looking like a complete mess. Awesome.

All in all, a good day. I plan on relaxing for a few minutes, then heading to bed. And yes, I know it's only 6:30.