[0:00]
I think I found the trail to the to the
[0:03]
ocean. Let's get a picture of
[0:06]
this. Siltous and Carter area
[0:11]
trails.
[0:14]
Okay, so we got that. Where are we?
[0:17]
Right here.
[0:19]
Lagoon. Oh, there's stuff all over the
[0:22]
place.
[0:25]
Cool. Yeah, we want to get down to the
[0:27]
beach somehow.
[0:30]
This is a loop trail. So, it's not going
[0:32]
to get me to the
[0:33]
beach. You are here. Right here. Okay.
[0:37]
And this goes here. It's a loop trail.
[0:39]
And then you can get over to
[0:42]
there. Oh, this does not look easy. So,
[0:44]
we got to go over to the other
[0:45]
campground. That's a campground. I might
[0:47]
even end up there one day
[0:49]
soon. Went to OV trails. But this part
[0:52]
you can
[0:54]
hike. I do know how to get there. Well,
[0:57]
there's this
[0:58]
one. So, if we
[1:02]
go around somehow get on this one, make
[1:05]
sure we get on the right one and get to
[1:08]
I guess we're going to try. I'll just
[1:09]
use my app. Um, I'll use Sky GPS. We'll
[1:13]
figure it out. So, yeah, let's do some
[1:16]
exploring this morning. I just feel like
[1:18]
being out in the
[1:20]
world. An actual insect in Oregon.
[1:25]
used to
[1:26]
that. So, um quite a few car campers
[1:30]
here. I guess you call them tent campers
[1:32]
cuz they had tents, but that could just
[1:34]
be kind of like a decoy. I think some of
[1:37]
my friends here have told me that
[1:40]
um like sometimes you have to set a tent
[1:42]
up in order
[1:45]
to to be allowed to stay. You know, you
[1:48]
can't just be in your car.
[1:50]
So talk, you know, maybe I'll get to
[1:53]
know some of these people, hear their
[1:55]
stories, and um learn more
[2:00]
and cuz this is how they're navigating
[2:02]
life. I would like to know about that if
[2:06]
they're willing to
[2:08]
share. This is an interesting
[2:11]
place. And we found a lake over
[2:16]
here or a pond or
[2:22]
something. That's a nice nice little
[2:29]
spot. I wouldn't be surprised.
[2:37]
[Music]
[2:39]
Anyways, so yeah, I guess I'm in the
[2:43]
dunes for a while. I'm going to just
[2:45]
move between the campgrounds here.
[2:47]
Pretty sure they're all offgrid. Well,
[2:49]
they'll have to be because that's all I
[2:50]
can
[2:51]
afford. Can't even afford that. So,
[2:55]
um I'm in the same situation as them.
[2:58]
I'm curious how they're navigating life.
[3:03]
Got a lot to figure out, you know. No
[3:05]
breakfast this
[3:07]
morning. Usually I'll make a bagel with
[3:09]
my Ninja Foodie. I use it like a
[3:12]
toaster. Um this is
[3:16]
cool. Um these um anti-skid things. I
[3:20]
put a bunch of those uh replaced a bunch
[3:22]
of those at Tugman when I was
[3:24]
volunteering cuz I wanted to contribute
[3:26]
something to the place. That was all
[3:28]
they'd let me do. But, you know, I felt
[3:32]
proud about it. Felt good about
[3:36]
it. Pond has a smell to it. It's not a
[3:39]
bad smell. It's pondy
[3:43]
smell. Interesting. So, there's another
[3:45]
campground over
[3:47]
here. It says Wax Myrtle
[3:52]
Campground. Um, I don't think it's open.
[3:55]
Yeah, it says closed.
[3:57]
Okay. So, that's interesting. might get
[3:59]
bigger. There's just people hanging out
[4:01]
over
[4:03]
there. We're going to figure
[4:06]
out Well, now I don't know where I am.
[4:08]
What happened to the trail? Can't
[4:10]
possibly have been that
[4:13]
short. It's supposed to be
[4:15]
circular. Anyway, we're going to follow
[4:17]
the sound of the ocean. It's over there
[4:19]
somewhere. It's not
[4:21]
far. You can tell those guys were
[4:23]
locals. Um might get to know them at
[4:26]
some point. They're hanging out. Maybe
[4:28]
they're fishing even. I don't know. But
[4:31]
they look
[4:32]
like they look like campers to me. So,
[4:36]
there's a trail down here. Okay. Next to
[4:39]
the bridge. It makes sense. Here's
[4:41]
another person with a dog. People are
[4:43]
out this morning. It's 8:00 in the
[4:45]
morning. I like recording in this mode.
[4:48]
It feels way more
[4:51]
natural. That's embarrassing to you
[4:54]
somehow cuz you don't can't really tell
[4:56]
I'm recording. I could just be holding
[4:58]
my
[4:59]
phone. Um, okay. Wait, this is the main
[5:04]
road. Okay. Yeah, this takes you to the
[5:05]
ocean. This is how I would have driven
[5:06]
back here with my
[5:09]
Jeep.
[5:11]
So, multiple
[5:14]
campgrounds, the same place, cuz we're
[5:16]
reaching another one, I
[5:19]
think. Um, maybe this is where Driftwood
[5:22]
is at. I don't know. I'm trying to
[5:24]
remember cuz I know I've seen their sign
[5:25]
somewhere.
[5:27]
Oh, no. This is a trail head. It says
[5:29]
stage coach trail
[5:32]
head. Okay. Someone here with the car.
[5:34]
So, the probably the person with the dog
[5:36]
just comes
[5:37]
here. Um likes the trail. I'm going
[5:42]
figure out where that
[5:43]
goes. Oh, there's a trail over
[5:46]
here. So, wait. Trail over
[5:49]
here. I'll just keep it like this for
[5:51]
now.
[5:56]
Um, cool. It's been a while since I just
[5:58]
kind of explored aimlessly like this.
[6:00]
You know, I did a lot of that in
[6:02]
Kentucky. Um, in Oregon, it didn't
[6:05]
really feel like that cuz
[6:08]
um, you you know, you hiked established
[6:10]
trails at different places along the
[6:12]
coast or you just went down the
[6:15]
beach. This feels like
[6:19]
um forest camping, forest
[6:23]
hiking. I haven't done that in a
[6:27]
while. It's a nice
[6:37]
morning. I can hear static from my
[6:40]
headphones. They're not doing so well. I
[6:44]
um something's wrong with the cable. So,
[6:46]
you kind of have to fidget with it to
[6:47]
get it to
[6:49]
um to work.
[6:52]
And there's nothing I need more than
[6:54]
music. I'm not listening to music right
[6:56]
now, but
[6:58]
um I wonder if this is recording through
[7:00]
this thing. I think I
[7:02]
saw there's apparently has a microphone
[7:05]
on it. Hopefully, it doesn't sound too
[7:06]
bad. Sorry if it it does. Didn't think
[7:09]
about that. But anyways, I really want
[7:11]
to replace these.
[7:13]
Um, like to get some real earbuds again,
[7:16]
the wireless
[7:18]
ones. Couple hundred. Everything costs
[7:22]
money. So, you know, when I could afford
[7:25]
to do
[7:26]
that, I
[7:30]
think open sky over there past the
[7:35]
trees. Or might I don't know. I'm just I
[7:37]
was thinking maybe there's another
[7:38]
campground down here.
[7:40]
There. I thought there were only two in
[7:42]
the area,
[7:44]
but well, I guess
[7:49]
um there are more that are just not open
[7:52]
yet for the season. It's April. This is
[7:55]
usually around the time they start
[7:58]
opening. I thought,
[8:01]
yeah,
[8:03]
huh, we'll find out. You know, we'll ask
[8:06]
one of the volunteers if we ever come
[8:08]
across one.
[8:10]
um or the locals. And these yellow
[8:13]
flowers are everywhere, man. I hope
[8:15]
they're not responsible, but they they
[8:18]
might
[8:19]
be for my sinus issues. So,
[8:24]
yeah. Yeah, it's right over here. A very
[8:26]
short
[8:28]
walk.
[8:30]
Yay. Like this
[8:34]
place. I just need to adapt to living
[8:36]
off grid. I need better power. um
[8:39]
solutions
[8:41]
and man I really miss my solar. I just
[8:44]
have to acknowledge it because just sold
[8:47]
that I had to I could end up losing my
[8:50]
home if I didn't. So it had to be done.
[8:53]
I can't can't be mad at myself for
[8:57]
that. Um you know I was trying to build
[8:59]
a life around volunteering.
[9:02]
thought that I had I had my whole year
[9:05]
plans
[9:08]
and you know I was establishing myself.
[9:12]
I was integrating into a community you
[9:15]
know that had power and you know cuz you
[9:20]
know volunteer you get a nice campsite
[9:23]
with power and water and sin sewer. Um
[9:27]
this is not the outcome I had
[9:29]
envisioned.
[9:31]
So, all because of a few bad apples, bad
[9:35]
people, unethical
[9:38]
people. So,
[9:44]
um it's good lesson to
[9:47]
integrate. Be very careful who you
[9:50]
trust, what they're capable
[9:53]
of. You know, most people aren't
[9:56]
ethical. So,
[9:58]
um, got to be discerning and,
[10:04]
um, should have known. Should have
[10:07]
known. I
[10:09]
think that's not me beating myself up.
[10:12]
That's not criticism. It's just
[10:14]
acknowledgment. Um, if I
[10:19]
had, you know, well, I it's so
[10:22]
complicated cuz I had to sell it anyways
[10:24]
because I was going to lose my home if I
[10:26]
didn't. So, yeah. Can't beat myself up.
[10:29]
I'll replace it. The ocean's right over
[10:34]
here. We're in the dunes, by the way.
[10:37]
Like, you know, like literally, um, even
[10:40]
though you could see nature everywhere,
[10:42]
it grows on top of the dunes. It takes a
[10:45]
very long
[10:46]
time, but you know, those are sitting on
[10:50]
dunes. I think that's
[10:52]
amazing. Okay, here it is. Driftwood 2
[10:55]
campground. So, yeah, I thought so. This
[10:58]
is the one I thought I flipped this
[11:00]
twice now. I thought um thought this was
[11:03]
this was the one I saw when I came in my
[11:05]
Jeep. Somehow I missed the other one.
[11:08]
That's why I didn't know where it was
[11:10]
when I was after I booked it. But we
[11:13]
should definitely head down there and
[11:14]
check that campground out cuz we can
[11:16]
learn what the good sites are before we
[11:17]
even have to book it. That one's open. I
[11:21]
think it says Dirtwood 2 though, so
[11:24]
there must be two of
[11:26]
them. We'll find
[11:28]
out. It's a lot to explore
[11:31]
here. I like
[11:34]
that. Um, one of the maps on my wall is
[11:37]
all about this region.
[11:39]
uh basically covers the entire um well
[11:43]
all the dunes
[11:45]
and the n the national um
[11:50]
forest owns most of it if not all of
[11:54]
it and so you know there's there's a lot
[11:59]
here to explore.
[12:02]
um use that time, you know, to change
[12:05]
the trajectory of my life, explore this
[12:07]
region, and then start heading north
[12:09]
again until we get to the Columbia
[12:10]
[Music]
[12:12]
River. It feels
[12:15]
important. But if I need to spend a
[12:17]
couple months
[12:19]
here, you know, I feel pretty good about
[12:22]
it. I don't feel bad. So,
[12:27]
um, got a car up here.
[12:36]
Yeah, I remember um exploring
[12:41]
um this beach. If you go north on the
[12:44]
beach, you get to the part where the
[12:45]
ATVs can be. There's a big old sign or
[12:48]
you can go south. But for some reason, I
[12:50]
didn't go south. So, I'm going to get
[12:53]
out there and see if there was any
[12:55]
particular reason.
[13:03]
Not wearing my contacts, so I can't see
[13:05]
this real
[13:06]
clearly.
[13:08]
Um, I have to zoom in, I
[13:11]
think. That thing
[13:14]
there. Okay, they are they're bird
[13:16]
houses.
[13:17]
Cool. Out here on the
[13:20]
dunes. That's nice. Wouldn't surprise me
[13:24]
if some volunteers made that and got
[13:27]
permission to put it
[13:28]
[Music]
[13:32]
out. We're close. There's a lake over
[13:36]
here. So those whoever that is fry
[13:43]
fishing. Wait, is this the one? No, no,
[13:46]
no,
[13:47]
no.
[13:49]
Okay, there's another place. another
[13:52]
national forest place that's north of
[13:54]
Florence that
[13:58]
um just a very different landscape. You
[14:01]
can't really get out to the beach from
[14:02]
there that I could
[14:04]
see. Um I don't know what you would call
[14:07]
it. I can't describe
[14:12]
it. It's going to be a wonderful day.
[14:16]
That sun is
[14:17]
nice. Sky is pretty clear. Just got some
[14:20]
little white
[14:23]
clouds. Fresh
[14:28]
air. The
[14:32]
ocean. Life on the
[14:34]
coast. It's
[14:38]
wonderful. Um I should record my um my
[14:42]
hike and guide GPS. I like I like having
[14:47]
um like a visual representation of my
[14:50]
explorations here on the coast. It's
[14:53]
fun. You know, I can look up and down
[14:55]
the coast and see where I've
[14:57]
explored. So, I'll do
[14:59]
that. Use a lot of battery though. You
[15:02]
know, it's constant c
[15:04]
constantly capturing the GPS. So,
[15:09]
um but I did bring my one of my portable
[15:11]
chargers with me.
[15:13]
So, I'm
[15:16]
prepared. I have a very good
[15:18]
life. It's
[15:20]
rich. Even without money, it's rich as
[15:24]
hell. Way better than any life I lived
[15:27]
previous to this one. Any iteration of
[15:31]
it. That's the
[15:36]
truth. That's the goddamn truth.
[15:42]
So, I'm at Seltkus, Silt Cous
[15:46]
Beach. You have a fair climb up this
[15:49]
dune all the way
[15:52]
around. Nice little lake over
[15:55]
there. Climb up this
[16:00]
dune to get to the ocean.
[16:12]
She's beautiful
[16:22]
today. Let's watch her waves for a
[16:25]
minute. See if I can trace these
[16:29]
waves. It depends on the stretch of
[16:31]
beach. A lot of things you can consider.
[16:44]
I'd say
[16:46]
yeah, high tide is
[16:52]
over. One of the factors is, you know,
[16:55]
does it have some
[16:57]
random like do all the waves come in
[16:59]
together? Is there some randomness?
[17:02]
This is a really open stretch of
[17:05]
beach. Um I don't see any rocks out
[17:08]
there, so it's not, you know, dracting
[17:10]
the patterns. And
[17:13]
um and there's not much to trace if
[17:15]
you're just going in a straight line,
[17:19]
right? If the tide's just coming in
[17:26]
together. It's absolutely beautiful,
[17:30]
though. Yeah. Let's go south today cuz I
[17:33]
went north last time and the ATVs are
[17:35]
out there. We're definitely going to do
[17:37]
that. Just check them out
[17:40]
and spend some time off there. This is a
[17:43]
beautiful
[17:44]
day. But we'll head south this
[17:48]
time. I'll check GPS.
[17:52]
See, get a feel for the
[17:58]
place. This is wonderful.
[18:02]
That is a big dune in the distance.
[18:05]
I don't know if I can get that on
[18:09]
camera. That right there is very
[18:15]
steep. Oh, I'm so glad to be here. This
[18:19]
is
[18:21]
wonderful. It's only 9:00 in the
[18:23]
morning. It's already
[18:25]
wonderful sun up
[18:28]
here. Very warm. Don't even need my
[18:30]
coal.
[18:38]
[Music]
[18:50]
[Music]
[18:56]
[Music]
[19:06]
I've been in Oregon for 6 months. This
[19:09]
is my first time seeing surfers on on
[19:13]
the
[19:14]
ocean. It's 9:00 in the morning. They're
[19:17]
already out there living their best
[19:18]
lives.
[19:31]
There's two of them. There's another
[19:32]
over
[19:44]
there. I had to hold this camera. I'm
[19:47]
walking still and I'm zoomed in and you
[19:49]
zoom in. Your camera really reacts to
[19:52]
micro movements.
[19:54]
So, I'll stop in a
[19:56]
minute. Oh, he's
[19:59]
walking. Fascinating. Okay, so not a
[20:03]
surfer. What's he
[20:05]
doing? Fishing. Oh my god, he's
[20:08]
fishing. Oh my god, I love this man.
[20:17]
It's fishing in the
[20:21]
ocean. Holy
[20:24]
This is
[20:28]
awesome. That's what the other one
[20:30]
doing, too. Yeah. Wondered why they were
[20:33]
standing. I was like, like I just assume
[20:35]
maybe that's what they do. I guess they
[20:37]
still haven't seen any
[20:39]
surfers. But I saw something even
[20:42]
better. some
[20:44]
fisherman. Fix
[20:48]
this. Yes, I'm recording you, buddy.
[20:51]
You're really cool, man.
[20:55]
Peace. He just nodded to me. Gave him a
[20:59]
peace
[21:04]
sign. So amazing.
[21:08]
out in the
[21:11]
ocean. Is that what this person's doing,
[21:16]
too? Walk pretty
[21:18]
far. Oh, here comes the water. I got to
[21:21]
move a little bit. I'm not tracing the
[21:23]
waves as well as I should be. So, what
[21:26]
do we got here? A little river.
[21:28]
Yep. Got a river over here.
[21:36]
I don't know if this was
[21:38]
passable. Maybe up
[21:41]
there. This is where the river and the
[21:43]
ocean make love to each
[21:45]
other. That's
[21:48]
wonderful. We might even see some seals.
[21:51]
This is where they hang
[21:57]
out. Oh, this is a nice spot. Oh man, I
[22:01]
am just in heaven right now.
[22:19]
So this river curves
[22:22]
around. Oh, I love this.
[22:34]
What a beautiful awesome
[22:36]
day. I need to start getting trail mix
[22:38]
and bringing trail mix with me places.
[22:41]
I'm
[22:42]
hungry. I didn't eat breakfast. But if I
[22:45]
had trail
[22:47]
mix, I'd have food sustenance anywhere I
[22:51]
go
[22:52]
anytime. I need trail mix.
[22:59]
Need
[23:02]
[Music]
[23:05]
money,
[23:08]
forest, river, ocean, beach, sand
[23:13]
dunes, all these elements coming
[23:17]
together. That's amazing. The
[23:20]
sun, the sky, the clouds, the
[23:23]
atmosphere, the environment.
[23:28]
We live in a beautiful world,
[23:31]
guys. An absolutely beautiful
[23:39]
world. A wonderful world.
