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    Yesterday, I did the most challenging hike I've ever done. Dog Mountain. Roughly four miles of an unrelenting ascent to ~3,000 feet. It was difficult. We were a group of seven, myself, Thom and five of his coworkers. I think our average fitness level was pretty low. Thom and Loni led the charge after the first mile and burned up the trail. Helen, Tawnya and I mostly hung back and chatted and made frequent stops. Robert and Eric were the pendulum, charging ahead and then slowing down to a point where we'd catch up with them.

    There was an amazing, sweeping vista of the gorge at the summit of Dog Mountain. The river meandered into the distance, dappled with sun breaks through the dense and grey clouds. The wind whipped us mercilessly at the top and we didn't stay long after arriving. If I had brought the other guide book with us we probably would have continued on with the loop but instead went back down the way we came. We ended up eating our lunch on the trail about a mile below the summit. I didn't get too many good pictures because my camera froze up at the top. It was damn cold.

    Initially, we had planned to do Saddle Mountain which is out in the Cannon Beach area. It's an equally gruelling hike but apparently shorter. There's supposed to be a scramble over boulders at the top to reach the summit. The key selling point is that there is a beautiful 360° view of the ocean and the four peaks: Hood, Adams, St. Helens and Ranier. However, the forecast was for cloudy and rainy. Nuh-uh. Also, the wiry, mountain boy who sold me my daypack at U.S. Outdoor said that the first mile was a real bear. For us, the weather wasn't much better and this hike definitely was a bear but the view really was incredible. Today, naturally, it's sunny and clear and would be a perfect day for Saddle Mountain or any hike.

    After we came down the mountain and landed back at the trailhead we sat around in the blowing wind, drank beers and let our muscles stop quivering. Then we went over to the Salmon Row Bar & Grill in Cascade Locks for some killer pizza and more beer.

    I slept a bit on the car on the way home. I couldn't help myself. When we got home I took possibly the hottest shower I've ever had in my life. I fell a couple times coming down the steep trail when I lost my footing and my right ankle gave way. The ankle didn't hurt so much but my left knee slamming into the ground on pointy rocks wasn't too happy. So, I had my knee to soak, my back, my thighs, my hips. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch.

    I was bound and determined to go to the house-party of one of my coworkers. I'm really happy that I did. I was out until about 1 a.m., just kicking back and talking. It was nice and relaxing. I like my coworkers a lot. They're cool.