I started the walk from Portland State to Timberline Lodge knowing it would be hard, but not realizing how much I would learn along the way. On the academic side of knowledge, presentations of the history, politics, and ecology of places along the way were incredibly engaging. Walking through a space forced me to pay attention to my surroundings. Hearing about history while I was standing in the space that it happened allowed me to connect to the information, and experience it firsthand. I left the trip knowing more about the Oregon Trail, urban growth boundaries, and small communities along the way than I could ever have remembered from a textbook. And the knowledge will last with me forever, because I experienced the area, and I created real memories of it all. From the Springwater Corridor where Mt. Hood looked like a speck in the distance, to the Glade Trail where the top of Mt. Hood peaked out from the clouds, this walk was challenging, rejuvenating, engaging, and fun. No other class has taught me more about myself and what I can accomplish.
