Just out., March 17, 2000, Page 39, Image 39

match 1 7 . 2QQQ ’ J m M
■ ■ >139
The way o l l e woods
X
jf
:'v
A hike with the Forest Group
reveals some of ths secrets of life
it
by
K a t y D a v id s o n
Group hikes with prior per­
mission. (She had already
i
V
warned me that the hike
:% " ' t k
would be a fairly easy one,
since some of the women had­
Pi K
n’t been hiking all winter.)
We traipsed through the
trees at a decent pace at the
beginning of the hike. The
Sii I f
branches were draped in
electric-green, cartoonlike
Jfc
moss. The day felt like an
illustration from a fantasy
wt
book— giant curtains of mist
V
hung in the air and lichen-
covered clumps of rocks spot­
ted the forest floor like solid
mushrooms.
Since the entire hike was
only a seven-mile stretch,
we reached Gillette Lake
quickly. The water shone a
magnificent bright turquoise,
a tropical mirage in the
t’s amazing how simple it is to make hiking a
rugged surroundings.
metaphor for life.
After taking a look, we forged ahead to
Last Saturday, I woke up bleary-eyed and
Green Leaf Overlook for our picnic. The loom­
ornery to a whining alarm clock. An early
ing presence of nearby Table Mountain held
morning sun seeped through the cracks in my
much of our attention, but we couldn’t help
curtains like an overwhelming stench, my con­
being distracted by the harsh interruption of
sciousness teetered between the beginning of
dear-cuts and logging roads.
day and memories of dreams.
This far into the hike, our conversations
Then 1 remembered 1 was going on a hike.
were flowing a little faster than our footsteps,
Suddenly the call of the alarm became as pleas­
but the topics were engaging. I think for every
ant as a dutiful rooster; the sun began to beck­
step I took, 1 overheard the words estrogen and
on me. Shortly after preparing my hiking gear,
menopause. 1 paused to remember Zineski’s
comment in the car about wanting her parents
I found myself riding shotgun and watching the
to tell her the truth about life’s troubles. As a
metronomic windshield wipers in Kathy
22-year-old amid a small group of middle-aged
Schneiders pickup truck while we snaked east­
ward on 1-84. The once-beckoning sun had dis­ women, 1 decided it might he wise to listen
instead of letting my mind wander.
integrated into a sprawling gray mist.
I discovered the Forest Group is good for a
Last fall, for the sake of writing a group pro­
little friendly gossip. Many of the women know
file, I placed myself in the arms of the Adven­
each other from the planning meetings, so
ture Group as we scurried up Mount Hood’s
they’re able to update one another about their
Gnarl Ridge. This time, once again with my
lives— including who’s dating whom. On a
younger sister in tow, I joined some members of
more serious note, 1 was also given a few
the all-female Forest Group on a jaunt to
lessons in life by Reeni Goldin, who warned
Gillette Lake near the Bonneville Dam.
me about the dangers of working and living a
Schneider and 1 rode with my sister and a
corporate life. Christy, who lives in The Dalles,
veteran hiker named Judith Zineski. We
recounted to me the homophobia still found in
formed a caravan with two other women with
rural areas.
whom we had rendezvoused, and we were on
During lunch, the women informed me that
our way to meet the final two hikers near the
trail head.
the word forest in Forest Group is actually an
acronym
for Feminists of Oregon Really Excit­
The drive was immediately characterized by
ed Seeing Trees. They told me the group has
candid, open conversation.
been around for roughly 20 years, and there’s a
“D m ’t you wish your parents would have
monthly planning meeting and potluck at
told you that life was just one damn thing after
which they map out future events. 1 got the
another?” Zineski asked the rest of us.
feeling the potlucks are also major social
“If they did, do you actually think you
events.
would have listened?” Schneider retorted with
We rolled back into Portland at about
a laugh.
5
p.m.,
and when I got home I realized why the
I was struck by the fact that I would soon he
outing lasted all day: Everyone hiked with a
in the woods with these women, trekking, step
sturdy,
determined pace, but we worked out our
by step, toward some nebulous natural destina­
mouths more than our leg muscles. However,
tion. We would hit a lot of ups and downs that
in the end I thought, “What’s wrong with get­
day.
ting to know each other?”
After the short drive, we met up with Paula
Christy, the leader of this particular hike, and
■ The F orest G roup accepts new m em bers at
another woman, then finished our journey to
an
y tim e. C a ll (5 0 3 ) 2 8 6 -5 3 8 2 to learn m ore.
the trail head. The rain was coming down in
small squirts rather than large spoonfuls— the
K aty D avidson is a sta ff w riter who loves
most rain we got all day.
hiking
and originally applied to work at Just Out
We were joined by a wonderfully enthusias­
because she thought it w as an outdoor recreational
tic Australian shepherd-Labrador mix named
fitn ess m agazine.
Idgie. Christy said dogs are allowed on Forest
:, î - '
s«'
PORTLAND ACTORS CONSERVATORY PRESENTS
BY D I A N A SON
APRIL 5 A 6 AT 7PM
mm
APRIL 7 • 22
THURSDAYS AT 7PM
“A kiss is just a kiss. Not always. And maybe never. A kiss can
change one’s life.”
-
D A V ID ROBERTS FOR TH EA TR E R E V IE W S L I M I T E D
FRIDAYS AHD SATURDAYS
AT 8PM
SUHDAY (APRIL 16 OHLY)
AT 2PM
justnrm
PAG AT THE FIREHOUSE THEATHE 143$ SW M0AT90ME8Y ST
C H IM E I T M O R E : M I *7 4 1 7 1 7 01 Etfftil:
I