Don't get us wrong, we love city life but there is something about getting away from it all. We escaped from downtown Portland for some unwinding while camping at Silver Falls State Park.

Part of the reason we love Oregon is because of the scenery and feeling as if you are entering a different world surrounded by giant lush trees. Being even more immersed by camping smack dab in the middle was a dream.

Our campsite had a beautiful tree line right behind us and a rolling creek in the distance. On top of that, it was raining the entire time...it is Oregon after all.

Rain might not sound like the perfect getaway to everyone but to us, it was exactly what we needed. Without sounding too sappy, there appears to be something about rain that is cleansing in a way.

The mixed soundscape of rain hitting the trees was the perfect reminder to slow down and relax. So that is exactly what we did.

We don't live a crazy active life but we go on work contracts and we travel constantly. It seems every other week we are in a new city or a new location.

It may not be the lifestyle for everyone but we love our nomadic way of living. With all the constant moving around it's extra important to take a moment to just be present.

Having Oregon as our "home base" means we have numerous opportunities and options to escape into nature without a major road trip. It's always a good reminder to disconnect from society and technology, even if it's just for a quick 2-day trip.

By only driving a few hours we went from downtown life to being surrounded by giant trees and the falling rain. A perfect way to get away...catch that rhythm ;).

With all the rain and wetness, having a campfire was not exactly doable. Luckily for us, Philip had purchased a tiny camping stove for a thru-hiking trip earlier in the year.

The camping stove is lightweight and called a "Pocket Rocket". No, we are not joking, that really is the name.

All Kelsey wanted was to be able and make eco friendly coffee each morning since we could easily fend for food by just going into the nearby town and finding a good restaurant (which is exactly what we did at Ixtapa in nearby Silverton, OR)

On our way out of town, we stopped by REI and picked up a lightweight pot attachment with a pour spout. We also grabbed another fuel canister just to make sure we were good to go.

In an effort to be zero waste, we typically travel with a metal pour-over that doesn't require a filter and mason jars. Also by we...we mean Kelsey.

So equipped with our camping stove, fancy new pot, pour-over, and jar, Kelsey was able to make fresh coffee every morning. It was the first time ever trying this and we're happy to report the pour-over coffee turned out perfect.

There was a little planning ahead since we brought the coffee grounds from home. We decided a handheld grinder wasn't for us.

After making the coffee in the rain we huddled back in the tent and slowly enjoyed the hot drink while listening to the rainfall around us.

There really is something perfect about enjoying pour-over coffee in a tent while snuggling under blankets and listening to the rainfall. It was a vibe.

Kelsey had packed some no-bake cookies that we had for breakfast and paired them perfectly with coffee. Who doesn't want to start their day with a cookie?

Don't worry this is a mostly PG blog so don't let your mind wander too far. Since there was constant rainfall, the times spent not hiking were spent relaxing together in our tent and it was amazing.

Most of the time huddling in the tent was spent reading. You can always pack actual books but Phil brought his Kindle and Kelsey prefers her iPad, downloading the books on her library app.

Hearing the sound of the Creek while reading at our campsite was quite delightful. We were both reading sci-fi fantasy books and the nature-provided soundtrack made us feel more immersed in our stories.

Kelsey chose a YA novel called The Blue Sword by Robin Mckinley whereas Philip opted for The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson. Both are great options with some sort of journey through the wilderness.

Our other free time was spent playing cards which involved many games of war and Kings in the Corner. We're big believers in having a deck of cards as a camping must-have.

Of course, tent time also includes a lot of cuddling which may be one of the best parts of camping with your partner. We have a minimalist 2 person tent from REI which is perfect for snuggling up together.

It was relaxing getting to cuddle up all night to keep warm while being lulled to sleep by rain hitting the surrounding trees. It wasn't snow camping by any means but it was still a chilly, rainy, early, spring night in Oregon.

There is sometimes a struggle between being minimalist and not wanting to overpack. We had a few thick blankets and plenty of layers but still need to share a bit of body heat.

Since we needed to huddle together for warmth it was the perfect excuse to get some more cuddling in. We were more prepared than our Picacho Peak camping fiasco of 2020 but still could have used some extra warm gear.

One day we ventured to the main famous hike at Silver Falls State Park called the Trail of Ten Falls. We loved the hike but we had a way more relaxing time the first night opting to wander the trail at the campsite.

The nature walk trail at the campsite transports you to another world. The path is mostly flat so you can leisurely stroll while still being surrounded by trees.

We walked side by side, taking our time and not worrying about anything. Chatting about nothing, it was calming just being silly walking around together.

We tried planking between two relatively close trees which is much harder than it looks. Our suggestion for anyone trying something similar is to put hands slightly lower and bracing first before lifting up the final leg.

Even if you don't want a trail, just walking around the campsite is beautiful. You can stay on the paved portion and do a little loop checking out all the trees and campsites.

There is a cool wooden bridge running over the creek that you can also meander over to. We used the railing to set up our phones and amp up our selfie game.

Part of why we love camping and being outdoors is the kind of people it attracts are always so sweet. It's like everyone is in this chill set of mind.

We met a very friendly Park Ranger who just seemed like the kind of guy who would give the shirt off his back. It made us second-guess our career choices because he made the Park Ranger life very enticing.

The real MVPs of the trip were our neighbors. They were so sweet and even offered their awning to use as they watched us make coffee in the rain (as a side note Kelsey recently learned that the word is "awning" and not "yawning").

Maybe they were worried we were going to catch the entire camp on fire but whatever the reason, it was a very nice offer. They also had the sweetest puppy who came over to say hi when we got back from our long hike.

Camping at Silver Lake State Park was everything we needed to get back to simplicity. Even if we just spent the entire time at our campsite, it would have been perfect.

We don't know when we will be back but we know that someday we will. It's a beautiful area and made even better with the rain.