My South Lane enters retirement

Seven years ago, while camping with a friend along west Odell Lake, I came up with the idea of starting a blog. With some fine-tuning that idea became My South Lane, a blog about life and the outdoors in south Lane County. My personal goal was to get out more and explore. I thought having …

Tiller Wigwam

Tiller Oregon is located in Douglas County, about an hours drive southeast of Roseburg. It's on the South Umpqua River, and I'm pretty sure I've been through there -- when I was significantly younger than I am now. It is definitely off the beaten path. That's why I'm delighted that Wade Rhodes shared these photos …

Old Growth Ridge Trail: Hwy 126

Old growth trees, fall color, a scenic drive, and hiking in an unexplored area are what drew us to the Old Growth Ridge Trail a couple weeks ago. Have you heard of Old Growth Ridge? The trail head is located in the Whittaker Creek Campground not far off Highway 126 (roughly half way between Eugene and …

Cascade Raptor Center

The Cascade Raptor Center is a local non-profit that provides medical care to injured or orphaned birds of prey as well as educational programs about the important role these birds play in nature. Perhaps you've seen their ambassador birds at a local event or heard about their work rehabilitating injured birds and releasing them back …

Diamond Creek Falls

I keep a mental list of hikes I'd like to do and places I'd like to see, some day. Over the years, I am slowly making my way through the list (though I am also adding to the list so I'll never see or do them all!). The trail to Diamond Creek Falls was on that …

Shotgun Creek: Marcola

Shotgun creek flows southeast into the Mohawk Valley, not far from the town of Marcola. As the story goes, one day many, many, many years ago, a young man was out hunting and forgot his shotgun along a creek. He had to go back to get it, thus giving this creek its name. Fast forward …

Loon Lake: Hwy 38

Loon Lake sits off of Highway 38, between Reedsport and Elkton. For many years as a young child, I traveled that road with my family while my Dad fished out of Winchester Bay. And for all those years, the turn off to Loon Lake has intrigued me. Several years ago, my partner and I pulled …

Taylor’s Checkerspot Butterfly: Endangered Species Mural

I love all of Cottage Grove's murals because they tell the story of Cottage Grove, from Buster Keaton and Opal Whitely, to the numerous historic downtown scenes, just walking through Cottage Grove gives a sense of our history. The latest mural added to our collection -- of the Taylor's Checkerspot Butterfly -- tells another part …

Garden Lake Park

I know you've seen Garden Lake Park, but have you been there? Located along the freeway between the Creswell overpass and Hobby Field (the Creswell Airport), Garden Lake Park is easily visible while driving north on I-5. I had been there once, many years ago, when we first bought our canoe. On that trip, we …

Changing habitat

“Plants have far more enemies than can be counted… [They] cannot run away from the endless legions of attackers that comprise an unrelenting menace.” —Hope Jahren, Lab Girl, p 104 It was by pure coincidence that I began reading Lab Girl by geobiologist Hope Jahren – which is part memoir, part botany primer – while …