Page 18 - Southern Oregon Magazine Summer 2019

summer 2019 | editor’s note
Heidi Chackel, Editor
16 www.southernoregonmagazine.com | summer 2019
MAKING
MEMORIES
o many of my memories growing up seem to fall in the summer
months. Whether it was flipping off the diving board at the local
Spool or taking on Jaws or Blossom Bar on the Rogue River, they
all have one thing in common: the outdoors.
I think we can all pretty much agree that Oregon is truly amazing
when it comes to summer months. The rain seems to fade away, the
temperatures are about perfect, and there are adventures everywhere
you look. Thanks to all the rain during the other nine months of the
year, everything is still green and flowers abound. The lakes are full,
the water slowly warming. Not that cold water kept me away as a kid,
even though it might now!
While one of my father’s greatest memories is me successfully navi-
gating the entire Wild & Scenic portion of the Rogue River in my
inflatable without flipping at the age of 10, mine fall more into hiking
up creeks, jumping off rocks, chasing salamanders, picking wildflow-
ers, and roasting S’mores. Add in camping all over Oregon, climbing
the South Sister, bike riding, and so much more. Some family friends
owned a ski boat, and I reaped the benefits of that as well.
And while there were some not so great memories, those seem to
fade a lot faster than the good ones. Yes, I have had my share of poi-
son oak rashes while camping, hiking, and river rafting. But my mind
doesn’t bring those to the surface, until I find myself around poison
oak again—in which case that memory serves me well.
Of course, summer never seemed long enough. Before long there was
the inevitable back to school shopping. New binders, paper, pencils
and all the boring stuff. But my family would squeak out as many days
of summer as possible, usually culminating with one final adventure
during those last few days.
I hope you are enjoying your summer as much as my family is enjoy-
ing ours. Get out and revel in all the beauty and bounty that the great
state of Oregon has to offer!
Cheers to an amazing summer!