- Gone Wild -
Let's retreat into nature! Spend a weekend in the beautiful wilderness of Mt Hood as we practice a little yoga, nerd out a little on philosophy and our experiences with the practice, do a cool hike, and relax a bunch enjoying the stars and each others' company!
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Date: August 11-13
Time: is an illusion. But pretty much Friday evening-ish till Sunday whenever.
Place: Ramona Falls (Rhododendron) Oregon
Cost: You will need a Recreation Pass for each vehicle. It's $30 for the year. Other than that, just the cost of your food and gear. In the spirit of Deep Dark Yoga, donations are accepted but not at all necessary.
"What are we doing?"
I'm the last to profess to have an answer to that question... but what I'm kind of thinking for the weekend is that we can gather together in the beautiful local wilderness to unplug and connect with each other through a little yoga practicing, an optional hike, and share some food and spread some joy.​
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Can I bring my kiddo? Yes! But please know this is not specifically a "child friendly" event. Other non-parents will be there, I swear like a sailor, the topics may not be super kid-friendly... but you can totally bring a willing and interested or too-young-to-notice kiddo with you.
Can I bring my doggo? Yes! Just take care of their needs like you would a kiddo. Know there will be other dogs, possibly kiddos, and make decisions and plans that promote everyone's happiness (including your doggo).
Can I have a drink/smoke? Yeah! This is not a dry/sober event (but like, it's also not a huge rager party so...keep that in mind) Have a beer, whatever, let loose, enjoy yourself. I'm sure we can all be cognizant of maintaining a respectful and enjoyable environment for all. I don't know any smokers that would smoke anything within range of someone who isn't consenting to it, basically just keep up the excellent good humaning behavior, folks.
What if I don't have a ride/gear? What if I have extra gear to share?
There's probably someone who can help you out, and someone you can help! When you email me to RSVP please include your texting number and download whatsapp. I will create a group chat for anyone that mentions they want to be included that will allow people to connect for rides and gear sharing.
How do I RSVP and how will I find the camping spot? Just email me at april@yogakindarocks.com and say you wanna join in the camping retreat (even if it's just a maybe, set the intention and see what develops! You can ask me any additional questions too, I'm always happy to help) Please include your number even if you do not want to engage in this group chat because I will send out a picture of markers and the site so that you know what to look for. Lots of camping is right off the main road, it's not hard to locate and I will make it clear.
An extremely loose and non-specific Itinerary...
Friday:
- Arrive and set up camp.
I will have space claimed around 3pm. Take your time driving out after work/life and setting up your gear. Hang out with me if you're early, however you wanna relax and unplug.
- Greetings and intention setting ~ 7:30pm or so (when we've all arrived)
This will be a little introduction for everyone to say hi, set an intention for the weekend, talk about why we're each here, and move into whatever sounds fun, continuing into the evening.
Saturday:
- Lazy wake-up and breakfast.
Take your time coming into consciousness, enjoy whatever morning activities or routines call to you, greet the day however you please. I have a morning gratitude and intention journaling practice I'd be happy to share as a group endeavor for whomever is interested. Maybe you also have something to share?
- Hike to the Falls ~ Before Noon-ish
We'll need to drive up to the trailhead, only a short distance, and the adventure begins. Parking gets hard the later we go and it gets hotter later in the day so before Noon would be great but it can be a group decision to time it. There is a river to cross but this year there appears to be a large log to use as a bridge of sorts and this makes it much easier than it sometimes is. Please know that you might get a bit wet still. The trail is about 7 miles start to finish and takes a loop for most of it. The incline and difficulty of the trail are considered "moderate" (1000ft elevation gain in total) and I would have to agree that it's not particularly challenging but does involve a few hours of active physical activity. The falls provide a beautiful view and cooling respite from the journey, with plenty of room to move a bit together and maybe take some pics, have some fun.
- Gentle Recovery Yoga ~ 4pm-ish
After everyone's returned and collected at camp, we can do some gentle stretching and movement to recover from the excursion. This will all be very beginner friendly and things you can take with you to use in future wilderness (and urban) living.
- Dinner and unwinding
Cooking whenever we get hungry, playing some games, chatting, exploring, whatever makes your heart happy, with the group or wandering away for a bit.
Sunday:
- Lazy wake-up and breakfast before hanging out or departing
Again, on your own timing, coming into the day in ways that hopefully you find very nourishing. Again, my morning practice is open to partake in, maybe you have something you'd like to share with others. If you're in no rush to go home, hang out and play games and enjoy the wilderness. If you gotta go, you gotta go.
Every single thing on the "itinerary" is totally optional. Do as little or as much of any "structured" activity you like. I laid out a general plan but literally nothing is all that important. I'm not your mom, this isn't school, it's an opportunity to do whatever strikes your fancy! Don't wanna hike? Don't wanna yoga? Don't wanna talk to strangers? All good!
What to bring... A non-exhaustive list from a generally over-prepared type-A camper
Somewhere to sleep - A tent and air mattress perhaps? I sleep in a hammock with a yoga mat lining the bottom for comfort and warmth. Maybe you feel better in your car somehow. Plan for it to get cold and damp at night.
Something to sit on - Get a camping chair. Bring literally anything you will find more comfortable and familiar to sit on. Also bring something to practice yoga on, bring an extra blanket and maybe your mat and stuff. Extra pillows are nice
Something to eat - What can you eat for about 5-6 meals? Ask me for ideas. Please make sure to have snacks and a portable something to have on the hike and plan for a 7 mile hike to make you a bit hungrier.
Something to drink - Please please please have at least two days worth of water. Grab a gallon. Two if you're me. Be hydrated. I will be the water pusher! If you're imbibing, be sure to have NA alternatives around. Juice and coffee are great for waking up and nourishing ourselves! Do you have your coffee creamer? I'm a coconut milk person, yum!
Something to make your food with - Plan for a fire ban. Do you have a camp stove? Have you arranged use of one from the group chat? Do you have fuel for it? Did you bring pans? Spatulas? Knives? Serving utensils? Foil? Serving dishes? Storage containers?
Something to eat your food on - Remember some plates and bowls and cups! Forks, Knives, Spoons, and grab some paper towels! I'm messy AF and I need them even more camping.
Something to wear - Honestly I rarely change clothes much camping, but I need layers and will change the base layers. Have enough clothes for it to be between 50* and 80* and that 50* is gonna feel much colder when you can't go inside and you might have gotten some sun that day. And remember you are likely to get wet on the hike, especially your feet. I think I brought 2 pairs of pants and 10 pairs of socks to Japan for a week just to be safe...
Something for sun protection - Apply, apply, and again with that sunscreen! Hats and sunglasses are nice too
Something for bug protection - I know, they don't exist in Portland, its because because they all went in on mountain property together
Something for your body and trash - Hi, you're gonna need to pee and poop. Get TP, a spade to take care of it, and also make sure you have a way to pack out your trash and recycling.
Something for cleanliness - Plan to want to clean yourself up a bit. That means different things to everyone. Maybe its extra water to birdbath? Factor that in. You'll also wanna wash your food eating devices. So more water again. Personally Im a big fan of wet wipes when in the woods. Face wipes, body wipes, and disinfectant stuff for food
Something for emergencies - Look, even if you're not accident prone, you're spending a few days with me. Just bring some bandaids and antiseptic and expect the unexpected.
Something for light - Your phone battery will die quickly if its flashlight is all you have. Have a way to charge it, but better yet a lantern or actual flashlight, those are pretty rad.
Something for joy - Do you like to read? Journal? Knit? A crossword in the morning? Bring it!
Something to share - Got a favorite game? A good deck of cards? An activity to share? A speaker for music? Bring it!
Contact me about any questions you have!!
Will you have service at the campsite? I'm not sure that you will. Maybe camping, definitely not on the trail. If you need to check in with the world it is a very very short drive to Rhododendron!
586-770-7838