Vancouver, WA

When I need to escape the “Hurry Up” mentality of my 9-5 job, I flee to the WSU Vancouver campus. The geek in me loves the quiet library and the academic feel of the corridors in the classroom buildings. On a sunny day, however, even a geek like me cannot resist traversing the miles of trails on the 351 acre campus.

The campus is easy to access. Take the 134th Street Salmon Creek exit off I-5 or I-205. It is the last exit off each interstate at their confluence in North Vancouver. Turn east onto 134th Street. You will soon notice WSUV banners hanging from the streetlights. In .5 miles turn left onto NE Salmon Creek Avenue. The road winds up a hill and into the heart of the campus. If you visit the campus weekdays, it is best to park in the blue lot to your left. Parking costs $3.00 for the day. If you visit the campus on Saturday or Sunday or after 7:00 pm weekdays, parking is free in every lot.

On the evening I visited, the croaking of frogs greeted me warmly. I paused to listen to the raucous symphony before walking to the fountain in the heart of the campus. The croaking frogs soon gave way to the more orderly conversation of the red-winged blackbirds. First one would sing his song and then another would answer. Other birds such as juncos, towhees and robins joined the chorus. As I neared the fountain I was treated to a spectacular view of Mt St Helens. The mountain never fails to delight its viewers on a clear day.

On especially warm days water sprays up from the “walk through” fountain. Children are often seen splashing in the cool water while their parents sit on the rocks surrounding the spray. The nearby lawn is meticulously kept and is inviting for a picnic or a game of chase.

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After gazing at the mountain I turned right and followed a staircase between the library and the Multi-Media Classroom Building to a maze of trails leading into the cool of the forest. Naturally I stopped to ponder, once gain, the purpose of a second staircase that leads to nowhere. I increased my pace to a full power walk through the new construction. The campus is fairly sprouting buildings as the undergraduate population is steadily rising

At last I reached the woods! I stepped into the cool shade and breathed a sigh of relief as the quiet engulfed me. I rested on a bench for a few minutes; I gulped the fresh air and felt the tension dissipate. Once I felt refreshed I walked another 50 feet to a quaint little bridge. The bridge spans a deep gulley. My eyes do not readily tire of staring down into the rocks, plants, and trickle of water below. I do not know how long I stood gazing into the gulley before I felt the chill that was settling in the deep shade of the woods. The sun was setting; it was time to return to the work-a-day world. I grabbed my camera and slowly traipsed up the hill and power walked the trail back into the heart of campus. The sunset was awe-inspiring; the birds had begun to quiet their singing. The frogs, however, remained in full croak when I climbed into my car.