From repetitive attacks on Tri-Met, to hold ups in convenience stores, to hostage situations and bomb threats in public places— Today, it seems like you can never really be too sure of your safety. You can’t turn on the news and listen through a simple, half-hour segment, without hearing about a public safety concern.

What we need, (and any other major city, in fact) are top-of-the-line Portland security companies patrolling popular, public areas, and Tri-met and other public transportation services ALL the time. If airports and malls can have specific public security officers, why can’t public transportation?

Personally, I have become so much more aware of the ongoing crime and violence that continues to reoccur day in and day out. Now that I take the Max to school every day, I have seen drug deals, verbal child abuse, men and women getting side-tackled by police, and events of screaming, cursing, and fits of rage from people. I don’t remember the last time that I rode the Max without feeling uncomfortable, annoyed, scared, or concerned.

Another personal experience that I’ve come to learn is the amount of theft and public disturbance that goes on in highly public places. Since I currently work in a shopping mall, I am constantly seeing people run out of stores with stolen items and sketchy people walking in and out of stores and around the mall. It’s especially crazy around holiday shopping season, when there are already so many people that you can’t keep track of everyone.

After this last holiday season, I’ve come to realize the state of our mall security and I just have to ask, what are  you doing to help prevent your mall’s loss-prevention?

Numerous times, a co-worker or myself has had to call our mall security and have them come check out a situation for us. After either being put on hold or being asked to repeat a simple thing over and over, I have come to believe that our mall security is NOT what it should be—especially with the need for instantaneous and non-hesitant assistance.

I kid you not, the last time I called down for mall security, my call was sent to an automated service, that told me my estimated wait time was 5 minutes! What if it would have been an emergency? Would the mall security be reprimanded for their lack-of-assistance? We have actually had the police come in throughout the mall, and tell managers that they are aware of our state of (s)mall security, and have offered us service anytime if we just call the non-emergency number. We might as well just kick our security out and rely on our city police. Or perhaps even our STATE police could respond faster than our mall security?

BootsnAll.com's Easy to Use Search!

I know that flying into LAX can be pretty spendy sometimes…and I was especially worried since it is the beginning of the school season and students are flying back to school and such. However, I heard about this great site, BootsnAll.com that has a great airfare page where I could find cheap flights super easy. I decided to check it out and sure enough, I wasn’t disappointed. With extremely easy to use drop-down boxes and search options, within 30 seconds or less I was comparing prices for up to eleven, top-notch airfare sites like Expedia.com and Hotwire.com. With these different windows popping up right in front of me, I had instant access to compare prices between websites so I can choose to most convenient for me.

I highly recommend using an airfare searching site like this one that allows you to compare between different sites and the offers each one has. I was pretty impressed with the different options I got because I had prices everywhere from $240 for round trip, all the way up to $265 for round trip. There are a lot of hidden deals within these sites that you won’t find unless you search and compare!

I had never really thought of taking a quick, weekend trip up north, just because when I think of trips and vacation, I want to go BIG. But going into Canada, when you’re already located in the Northwest United States, is such an easy trip to plan and make!

First, I decided that I would take a quick, two hour plane ride up to Seattle, Washington, where I would from there take a taxi to the Anacortes/San Juans ferry port. Honestly, I think out of everything the taxi was the hardest (and second most expensive next to airfare) detail on this trip! A one way adult ticket (ages 19-64) on the WSDOT ferry going to Friday Harbor was only about $12.00! Even if you are driving up and taking a vehicle, it starts at about $50.00.

The ferry ride was awesome too! Just the experience of sitting aboard this HUGE vessel was really cool. They have a great cafeteria, gift shop, and bar too. My mother and I played cards for most of the trip, walked around the outer deck, and met some great people.

Arriving into Friday Harbor was pretty exhilarating. I almost felt like I had been on an actual cruise and I was landing in a foreign country in Europe. Friday Harbor is a great little place, where everyone seems to know everyone, and where there is plenty do to!

The Lodge at Lakedale

First, got a taxi to this beautiful lodge called Lakedale Resort at Three Lakes where you had a few different options for lodging. You could camp out and stay in tents, you could camp in luxury and stay in their provided canvas tents, or you could totally spoil yourself and stay in their beautiful lodge that made you feel extraordinarily special. We chose to spend one night in the canvas cabins, and two nights in the lodge, just so we could get as much experience as possible! Can you believe they even offered Airstream lodging? They were pretty darn nice too!

The Canvas Cabins at Lakedale

The lodge provided a great complimentary breakfast each morning that included everything you could possibly imagine for a wonderful breakfast. They have a little store right outside of the lodge for any resident staying in any of the types of lodging that includes drinks, a wide variety of foods, and tons of games, toys, and activities for all ages! (They also provide firewood for any campers in need)

If you’re traveling with kids, the lodge’s employees put on crafts, cooking classes, and games each day for the little ones. They were so enthusiastic and loving towards all the kids!

After traveling throughout Friday Harbor (on moped) and visiting all the cool shops, restaurants, and ice cream parlors, we made our way back onto the ferry for our next destination to Victoria B.C. That ferry ride was just as easy, but just a little longer. If you’re going during the right time, however, the longer ride is well worth it because orcas are really popular during the June-July months!

When we got to Victoria’s harbor, it literally felt like we were stepping off the Titanic. With the Empress Hotel in site, tons of flags and people, and a beautiful harbor to pull in to, Victoria really knows how to make its visitors feel welcome! We also got their during the weekend of B.C. Day, which is a complete party!

With tons of street markets, a really cool underwater aquarium, a wax museum, tons of Irish and English pubs with a great variety of ales, and of course, a breath-taking European atmosphere that convinces you that you aren’t in Canada. Our lodging in Victoria was a simple hotel that was in the heart of downtown and within walking distance to everything we possibly needed—restaurants, bars, coffee shops, a movie theatre, and the harbor. But then again, most of the hotels in Victoria are close to everything you need too.

We went up to Victoria’s most historical landmark, the Craigdarroch Castle that was built around 1887 for Robert Dunsmuir. It was a gorgeous place full of so much history and beautiful artifacts.

Another good thing about visiting a Canadian province like British Columbia that is so close to the US is that American dollars are usually always accepted! At least at all the shops and restaurants they usually are. This doesn’t apply to the reciprocal, however, so don’t try to use that Canadian money when you come back home.

We had great deals on our entire trip, but we could have totally done it for much cheaper if we did more research and less lodging and taxi driving. It would be so easy to stay in a cheaper place in Victoria, camp out on one of the islands, and find cheaper transportation like a bike or moped.

I strongly encourage you to create an easy, impulsive journey that is cheap and almost winged! It really is a good time!

I’m sure you’ve heard of CampSaver - as you should of! They have a great lineup of all categories related to the great outdoors, including camping and hiking, climbing, all men’s and women’s gear and apparel, kid’s, snow sports, general travel gear, and footwear. They have a great search option on their site, and also a direct link to their outlet store (a simple tab at the top of their homepage). Not to mention they have AWESOME subcategories within their main pages that easily direct you exactly where you need to go!

After researching and fishing through the CampSaver sight, I could easily find the most popular products for this season, recently viewed products, and site suggestions for me based on what I’ve previously looked at or bought.

While I was admiring all the great features this site has, I was also loving all the products they offered too! I just so happen to be in the midst of new product searching because my climbing gear is getting a little obsolete. I found great climbing kits, jackets, tents, sleeping bags, and more!

I’m really excited to keep sharing CampSaver and all the other great outdoor sites on this blog. After all, reviews and personal testimonies are the best decision makers when looking for new gear. Check out CampSaver.com and let me know what you think!

Brand-Apps offers many brand-building services, but their most prestigious is definitely the new dealer locator serivice. Easy to use and a simple set-up, the dealer locator allows shoppers to see exactly where they can go to buy their favorite products from the company of their choice.

For example, when I was looking for a new CAPiTA™ board, I used their site’s store locatorto know which shops around my GPS location offered the board that I wanted.Simply type in your zip code or city, and the app does the work for you. From this page, you can see which shops are closest to where you are, find contact information for those dealers, and you’re that much closer to the products you want!

The dealer locator is a win-win situation for businesses and buyers, because the easy-to-use app allows businesses to amp up their site, inform their customers like they want to be, and in return, customers feel conveniently and accurately knowledgeable about where they can find the stuff they want.

I hope that many businesses gain insight to the use of dealer locators and all that they do for their shoppers. I’d say that most people who are on a mission for specific products would like to know, ahead of time, if certain dealers

even carry the products. Let’s face it, the technology is vastly growing and we are getting closer and closer to eliminating phone calls. If we could, I bet we’d love to just text a number for product information at a particular store. Instead, however, we have the great capabilities of computers.

No more guessing, assuming, and hoping that I’ll like the product I see on a site. Now I feel informed and prepared when I am looking for new hard or soft goods. Thank you Brand-Apps for being brand geniuses!

I decided to look into Oakleys because I figured they’d have a few good sizes since they are an incredibly popular brand. Their signature line is really the only style that I think of when I think of Oakleys. They’ve always been too narrow and seem to only look good on guys, though.

So, I decided to think a little more subjectively and do some research about what else Oakley has. Come to find out, the women’s section is loaded with many pairs that I was actually considering.

Click on the picture for more info on Oakley's Beckon series!

The Beckon series caught my attention the most. They had cool colors that I normally wouldn’t pick out for eyewear. The Beckons in Grape Juice/Black Violet were the ones that I liked the most. And guess what? I ordered them! I’m pretty excited about my selection. I feel like I finally found a good size for my face, a good color that isn’t totally common (but isn’t totally weird at the same time), and something that’s obvioulsy sturdy because, well, Oakleys made them!

Now I haven’t been continuously climbing and hiking for very long, but I think I’ve been doing it long enough to know what is a good shoe and what isn’t.

I just recently invested in the Keen Alamosa Hiking Shoe, and it has literally been a God-send to my feet! What’s weird is that, for some reason, I have never had any odor problems with them. Their ventilation is excellent so when I take off my shoes in the car after a long hike, nobody is complaining.

If you want to access these boots and more, you can here!

However, my latest visit to the US Outdoor Store provided me with an answer that I’d never thought existed. I don’t really have the proper gear to go out on these treks. Sure, I have a few backpacks and pull-string bags that get me through the day, but I don’t have a heavy duty backpack, clothes, or equipment. ( I just bought myself a pair of awesome hiking boots, so I’m good there.

Anyways, I started to look at backpacks in hopes that if I felt totally prepared with all the gear I needed for a few days, then I’d actually make a point to go out on one of these adventures. I began looking at all their different backpacks and came across the Osprey Waypoint 85, and I have to say, I’ve never thought about hiking gear the same since.

This backpack looks simple and nothing out of the ordinary, but its features and sleek design give it quite the rank in backpack world. The Osprey can actually be quickly detached into a smaller daypack for easier mobility. It also contains gear attachments, useful organization, and a custom fit for everyone.

Osprey Waypoint 85 Backpack

First, (for my indoor time) I just purchased another domain for my photography & art blog. I’m very excited to get that going so I can finally showcase the work I have so far! The blog will contain a lot of landscape pictures including, of course, the Columbia River Gorge, the Sandy River, Mt. Hood, Downtown Portland, and Downtown Gresham. I’m also working on more portrait-like photography, especially since I am now the photographer for a band called Greenish Grey.

Secondly, I have committed to taking my bike whenever and wherever I possibly can. My old 1979 Schwinn is one of my treasured possessions, and it is truly apart of the equation for the perfect summer day.

The next thing I have decided to do is explore more hikes around the Washington/Oregon area. I have done every hike in the Multnomah Falls area, but I would like to venture out and actually complete a full-day hike that is about 12-15 miles. Especially since I just got my brand new, Dakine Apex Hydration Backpack, I’m ready to pack all my necessities and hike for a very long time. This backpack is equipped with everything a hiker could possibly need, no matter what length of hike they like to do. With a 100 ounce bladder, quick detachment for refilling, and comfortable bite valve, this hydration pack makes me even more excited to hike because of its features alone.

Other things on my list include: (but not limited to) wakeboarding, camping, running (and training for a July relay), work at the guitar more, write more songs, read more, take my dogs for more walks, visit the Hood River, Portland, and Gresham Farmers’ Market. I’m truly so excited for this summer! Hopefully the weather can behave and permit everyone to do what is on their lists too!

However, within the last two years, I have grown an entire new appreciation for my home land. Partly due to the efforts of my boyfriend, I have actually experienced the northwest outdoors! Whether it’s boating, wakeboarding, snowboarding, hiking, canoeing, or taking pictures—I am learning to accept and love the natural beauty of Oregon.

Nearly every outdoor activity that one would be interested in can all be experienced in the wonderful Columbia River Gorge. The Columbia River, Multnomah Falls, Hood River, and various other falls and landscapes can all be found within 50 miles of driving the Columbia Historic Highway. Don’t think the highway stops there though. It goes all the way to The Dalles, about 80 miles from the start of the Columbia Historic Highway.

I have been hiking in California, Hawaii, and Idaho, but I still would say that Oregon’s northwest hikes are home to some of the best. Multnomah, Wahkeena, Horsetail, Oneota, Ruckel Creek, Punchbowl, and Tunnel Falls are just some of the mysterious, breathtaking trails located in the northwest. Obviously some other places will have some very exotic plants and interesting animals, (if you’re lucky enough to see them) but I believe that the natural essence of the greens and blues of the landscapes are enough to inspire.

Some of these locations have access to the crystal clear water for swimming, canoeing, and cliff diving. So for those of you who don’t settle for simply a hike and some pictures, there are some internal activities as well. I personally have overcame my fear of cliffs and heights at Punchbowl Falls, where many will go for jumping and swimming. Since that day, I have always been willing for even more of an adventure (if safety hazards aren’t an issue).

Not only has my adventurous side received its thrill from the northwest, but my artsy side has also thrived from the beauty of it. I have come to love photography and the fact that photos taken within the northwest scenery do not need a lot of editing and altercations. The best image of a Columbia Gorge waterfall or river view is the natural photo—the organic photo that has very minute (if any) editing done to it.

Whether you are from the northwest or not, whether you have scene an Oregon waterfall or swam in the Columbia River, it’s easy to be impressed by the photos and testimonies that we see and hear about the northwest. However, there is one thing that can never be compared, altered, or misunderstood. That is your own personal experience of what the northwest has to offer.

As you all know, I have access to a great hookup for hiking gear! You’ll need some good, efficient boots for all your hiking this summer.

Save up to 55% on these hiking boots!