Let's start with Crater Lake

by Matt Dela Peña

Hike up Garfield Peak. You'll be glad you did ;)

I have a belief that we, regardless of where we're from, tend to take for granted the beauty that is in our very own backyard. Well, that's the case for me anyway.

You see, I've spent the majority of my life thus far as a resident of the state of Oregon, despite at first being a Filipino immigrant to California, and this September marks my 9th year living here—roughly half my current lifetime. So, I truly consider myself an Oregonian despite what anyone else might say.

Even as I say that, I really haven't seen much of this majestic land albeit its array of interesting places to see and it being the easiest accessible destination from my front door. And I'm not the only one to admit that.

No one I know has ever been to Crater Lake National Park, a mere four hour trip from Portland. Why is that?

I think it's because a lot of us are compelled to believe that, since these places are so close to home—hell, it is home, we have all the time in the world to see them, or that we don't even need to see them. Don't let either of these misleading ideas be the case!

From now on, I'm going to change this train of thought. I now believe that in order to be a proper traveler, one must start from his or her own backyard. So, bring it on then, Oregon. Show me what you got!