3 comments about Soggy Sneakers: A Paddler's Guide to Oregon Rivers.

1. Soggy Sneakers along with Paddling Oregon (by Robb Keller) are the two definative books about boating in Oregon.

   Soggy Sneakers -published by Seattle Mountaineers-is in its third edition and features over 200 runs compiled by members of the Willamette Kayak and Canoe Club who have run all of Oregon's rivers.

   Included are Class 1 to Class 6 runs, with maps and descriptions of flow, gradient, length and character of each run. The book is an easy read and includes information on where to obtain shuttles and the best seasons to run.

   The one criticism I have is the book fails to specify which type of craft (kayaks, canoes, rafts) are suited for each run.




2. My open tandem canoe group used Soggy Sneakers on an exporatory (for us)week long trip in Southern Oregon. We found that the ratings listed in the book varied considerably depending on wether the writer was a kayaker, rafter or open canoeist. When a rafter called it a Class II it was a very different thing from when an open canoe rated it Class II. We got skunked several times before we started looking at the boats the raters were using. An open canoes Class III is a rafter's Class I and a Kayakers Class II. Once we figured that out we found the book very useful.



3. Soggy Sneakers has been in print since the early 1980's - and it has stood the test of time better than I!
   
   I was in High School in Eugene while the project was being finished - starting as a project by mentors Gene Ice and Bob Porter it metamorphed into a club based model for a great guidebook. What makes this book unusual is that there are almost as many authors as rivers - insuring that the author is writing not about a river he or she has run once, but usually several times, at several different times of year and water levels.
   
   As such the descriptions are written about favorite rivers and although this does lead to a bit of discrepancy in comparing different rivers that is more than made up by depth of knowledge and enthusiastic writing.
   
   The completion of the book by the Willamette Kayak and Canoe Club, many of whose members are academics at Oregon State University, only adds to the professionalism and usefulness of the book.
   
   And I think they've even got one description written by yours truly left...

2 comments about Driving the Pacific Coast Oregon and Washington, 6th (Driving the Pacific Coast Oregon and Washington).

1. Although every little thing is not listed, it gives a very good overall picture of what is available along the coasts. We will enjoy using this book.



2. I was hoping this would be a description of scenic drives along the Pacific Coast Highway (similar to some of the Falcon Scenic Driving guides). It is more of a typical guide book to various locations along the way (sights, yes, but more on restaurants, lodging, etc.). It'll be useful on my planned trip, but as other reviewers have said, it's for use WHILE traveling, not so much (for me at least) for advance planning.

2 comments about Hidden Pacific Northwest: Including Oregon, Washington, Vancouver, Victoria, and Coastal British Columbia (Hidden Travel).

1. I have the 5th Edition of this book, but, this can only be better I hope.

   It is a very personal review of the states and what they have to offer and as opposed to other books that are just boring and incomprehensible listings of attractions and dining and lodging .
   I actually went to some of the dining and hidden attraction recommendations from this book and it didn't fail me. All those places were certainly what the book said they would be or maybe more than that.

   The only drawback i can see is that there wasnt any mention of good campgrounds that car-campers could easily refer to. But for that, you can look up "the best in tent camping".

   Good Luck with your trips. I know mine was a great success.




2. This book covers three main regions including Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia and therefore does not go into too much detail on each region. I would recommend using this book as a good starting point for travel planning, but not if you are looking for lots of details. The book includes items that it describes as being "hidden" or off the beaten path, which could prove interesting for many travelers. The sections on lodging could be enhanced more to include additional suggestions. The book does include some useful maps that are very helpful. For more detailed travel information, you may want to read a guide book that covers one state.

No comments about Backpacking Oregon: From Rugged Coastline to Mountain Meadow.

3 comments about Portland Hill Walks: Twenty Explorations in Parks and Neighborhoods.

1. This book could only be improved by more photos of the georgeous landscaping in and around Portland, Oregon. The cover shows four beautiful photos which the Amazon cover shot misses (you can hardly make them out), which is more than enough to whet the appetite.
   
   Come in the spring and if the day is sunny you'll be moving to Portland. Not only the sights but the people will astound you. They're polite and helpful to strangers, unlike other cities I've visited. Here they'll offer you assistance before you need ask.
   
   Food? Did someone say food? There's more local flavor here than you'd expect. That's an additional benefit of visiting neighborhoods on foot. You have time to stop and talk with local merchants. Many neighborhood eating establishments are listed, as well as suggestions if you should pack a picnic.
   
   Laura Foster obviously loves Portland and knows it probably better than anyone. Having hiked, biked and walked Portland neighborhoods during my childhood, I too know the thrill of discovering a new hideout or short-cut. Some familiar paths are now overgrown, and windy hillside paths such as the one from Burnside Street to Washington Park had to be closed but there are countless others to be discovered.
   
   Great gift book, for newcomers to Portland and anyone who's lived here for years but has never really gotten to know the city. Portland, Oregon is a treasure, and I personally want to thank Laura Foster for this wonderful book.



2. I walk/hike with two other women once a week. We have found no other book which does what this one does. It not only provides interesting walks acurately, but also covers the history, architecture and plants along the way. I can't say enough about how much we've enjoyed this book.



3. My husband and I have recently begun walking at least 1/2 hour per day but have gotten the bug and often want to walk more. This book is an excellent resource. I've never seen one so thorough, combining history along with a route that is so clear a person would have to really try in order to get lost. The history notes are so fascinating (and I'm not in to history at all) and it divides the walk directions into numbered sections so you always feel like you're making headway. If you like to walk and you are in the Portland area, you really need this resource book!

5 comments about The Oregon Trail (Dover Value Editions).

1. The Oregon Trail by Francis Parkman is an account which further enforces the history of the Oregon Trail we had learned about in [U.S. History] class. The book portrays what it must have been like to travel on the Trail, never knowing what the next day would bring. The buffalo hunting which took place throughout the book became monotonous and boring after the first exciting few, but other than that repetitiveness, the journey was well depicted. I especially enjoyed Parkman's in-depth descriptions given to the reader of the people he meets on his journey and his observations on their actions as well. His vivid imagery of scenes from nature such as animals, prairie landscapes, and the weather, place the reader right next to Parkman in his adventuresome expedition. There are some dull, repetitive points in the observations made by the author, but aside from that his autobiographical telling of his journey is unforgettable.



2. In a day when "historians" make comment on the long dead or events from the confines of their apartments, Francis Parkman is the person who actually experienced the history he wrote about. There is no political correctness in Parkman and he describes savages, French, frontiersmen and Mormons exactly as they were without apology.
   This work is a masterpiece everyone should read and be a guidebook to modern historians who spend more time working a political end and getting in the way of history rather than letting history tell it's truthful tale.
   Parkman is not just the historian or recorder of events. He is the bard of Sioux myth, the geologist, biologist and countless other things describing flora, fauna and weather. He is complete in having that air of Boston social elite in beginning his journey and returning from the plains an American having tasted, smelled and breathed the savage world and revealed the eastern thoughts on how that world would evolve for the next 60 years.
   Parkman is remarkable and the best compliment for this book is to recommend that readers search for other Parkman histories to read as they are real.
   I am currently in his wonderful Montecalm and Wolfe series on the history of Canada which actually created America. If you have children, share Parkman's history with them as he will make it come alive for them.
   As you can see by all of the lengthy reviews, Francis Parkman invokes a great deal of thought and emotion in his histories which transfers to the reader.



3. Parkman's travelogue on the Great Plains is a major work of life among the Native Americans. His descriptions are honest and capture a society that was fading even while he was writing. The book had a major impact on the way that non-westerners saw the Great Plains. This was both good and bad. Parkman wrote through the lens of a Boston aristocrat and was full of prejudices against those who did not meet his standards. This was dangerous in that many who read about the "backwardness" of the Native Americans used this as justification for "civilizing" them. Although this was probably not Parkman's intention, it was a consequence of his writing. In addition, he promoted the hunting of buffalo for sport, which led to the decimation of the buffalo heards on the Plains.
   
   Another major issue with this book is that, in spite of its title, it is not about the Oregon Trail. Parkman went no further than the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains and he did all in his power to dissociate himself from the pioneers moving along the Oregon Trail. If you are looking for a history of the trail, this book will not satisfy your needs.
   
   However, in spite of the misleading title and the prejudices that surface throughout the book, it is still a fine piece of writing that opens up a world that has been lost to today's readers. Read it and enjoy your travels into another time and place.



4. I ordered this book based on the film, " The Oregan Trail," which I enjoyed watching. The book is a good follow-up to the movie, making much of the content even more real for me.



5. This is an excellent book giving the reader a first person view of the Frontier in the 1840s. The details make the reader feel as if they were living the adventure themselves.
   
   If you are looking for a book that tells of a journey on the Oregon Trail, this is NOT the book for you. A better for the book title might have been "A Summer On The Frontier: Life Among The Indians and Explorers." The author follows the Oregon Trail until he reaches Fort Laramie, and then spends the rest of his time among the indians who inhabited the plains and badlands at the time.
   
   If you are looking for vivid picture of life among the indians, buffaloes, and explorers, this IS the book for you!

1 comments about Mountain Biking Oregon: Northwest and Central Oregon: A Guide to Northwest and Central Oregon's Greatest Off-Road Bicycle Rides.

1. The book does a nice job of describing various rides. The descriptions contain enough information for you to make an informed decision when trying to decide between various trails.

3 comments about Waterfall Lover's Guide Pacific Northwest: Pacific Northwest : Where To Find Hundreds Of Spectacular Waterfalls In Washington, Oregon, And Idaho.

1. This is a MUST have book for waterfall hunters, Mr.Plumb does a excellent job in telling you how to get to the falls, how hard it is to get to it and how nice the falls are. Plus there are a lot of real nice photo's here,although there all black and white, except the cover of the book.
   I also liked how he has maps of each "section" of the three states in this book.
   Each waterfall listed in the book Mr.Plumb tells you how to get to that waterfall, what kind of waterfall it is, how hard it is to get to it, the height of the falls, a star rating on how nice the falls are, and a little detail about the waterfall, and each waterfall he listed in the book has a very good map on where it is.
   You certainly WILL NOT be disappointed in this book, I use it whenever I look to see what falls I want to go to.



2. I sent for this book at the same time as another book, The first book from another vendor got to my house within a week. I waited the 7 to 21 days and still not book from "Caiman", I e-mailed them and got an automated responce of "7 to 21 day" At 30 days I e-mailed them back, a book got to me at about 31 days, bad business!



3. This fantastic book is in it's 4th or 5th printing. The reason why is because it is so comprehensive, and so thorough, and so original.
   
   The author not only visited literally hundreds of waterfalls all listed in this book, which must have taken months of research, plus travels, and studying of topographic maps, on top of countless miles of hiking, backpacking, and even some boating. The book is also very easy to read. There are no long passages of famous quotes from naturalists of the past. Just lists of waterfalls grouped by region, making it very easy to see more than a few on one trip. Add great directions and maps on how to get there, and superb descriptions of each waterfall. He also rates the waterfalls, gives information on how worthy the view is, how easy or hard it is to get to the waterfall.
   
   If you are a waterfall lover, or even think you're interested in seeing some, this valuable book is as good as it gets.

3 comments about 100 Hikes in Southern Oregon.

1. I've recently moved to Southern Oregon and this guide has been an invaluable introduction to the hikes in the area. The book is well organized, and does a good job of ranking hikes according to difficulty and seasonality. One failing, however, is the large number of factual errors such as confusing north for south, or mis-stating the number of road miles to the trailhead. These sorts of errors had the positive value of making one more self-sufficient.



2. I'm a bit puzzled by the previous review, because Sullivan'sbooks really do have fewer factual errors than most. In fact, he claims to offer a reward to anyone who reports an actual error -- this info is on page 2 of the book -- and he updates the book often, as you can tell by the copyright dates. If the reviewer above really has found a glitch, I'd suggest he report it to Sullivan (the address listed on Sullivan's Website). Maybe the reviewer has an old edition of the book?



3. Hi, this is Bill Sullivan, the author of this book. Because of the large fires in Southern Oregon this past summer, I've decided to completely update this book. I've rehiked the trails and discovered some interesting new paths. The old edition is now out of print, but I'll have the new second edition available April 1, 2003 -- at the same price. I think it will be worth the wait!

4 comments about Walking Portland.

1. This book contains many wonderful walks through downtown Portland, Washington Park, and several well-known nature parks and neighborhoods. The walks are detailed with many interesting facts about the neighborhoods and landmarks. This is the perfect book for those new to Portland and for those who have lived in Portland for some time. It made me want to revisit many familiar places with new interest because of all the history that the author highlights. Each walk is carefully described in terms of location, difficulty, distance and time, making them easy to fit into a busy day.



2. I really like this book! It's thorough and easy to understand and includes a guide to help with choices about what walk you'd like to take. The directions are clear and Ms. Cook has included interesting tidbits of information you can follow along the way, as well as maps and photographs. It's not easy for me to get around because of a disability, but I don't need to be afraid of setting out with this guide. It lets me know how long the walk should take and the difficulty of the walk. What an exciting and fresh way to see the city!



3. I have lived in Portland all my adult life and yet was surprised when I found the description of walking trails that I did not know existed. The descriptions are clear and inviting. The planning of the walks are easy to identify with in terms of distance and time required. I think this is a must-have book for the walkers in the Portland area both for visitors and residents.



4. My parnter and I just spent two wonderful weekends in Portland - all due to this great book. We followed five of the walks in the downtown portland area and got so much out of it (due to the book) that we flew back to Portland three weeks later to visit again and did an additional four walks. This is a great book - I thoroughly recommend it.