Saturday, May 2, 2009
Top of Multnomah Falls
On the 15, 340, 39480@#!(&$#@#-hour drive to Provo from Tacoma, I stopped off at Multnomah Falls for a little walking break and ended up doing the 1-mile hike to the viewing platform at the very top of the falls. This is something I've never done before. Usually people just hike to the bridge and snap some pictures.. actually I didn't take any pictures of the waterfall, sadly. But I did take a couple of the view from the top:
Who wouldn't miss this place?
Snowshoeing on Mt. Rainier
Last monday, Kj and Kelli and I took off up to the mountain for one last little happy outdoor time together before I left for Utah. Even though it was the end of April, the snowpack was still too thick for there to be much in the way of hiking trails available. So we went snowshoeing which is even better!
Here is Kelli all fired up to blaze some trails:
Actually that's the wrong way :( There are no trails that way. Just more jagged mountains.
Aside from one other group of people we passed, the three of us were the only ones out there on the trail. My favorite thing about snow and nature is the utter silence. Or rather, not silence, but the complete absence of human or manmade noise. All you hear is the soft crunching of snow beneath your feet, the wind rushing through the valley, the owl hooting and echoing through the trees, the rocks cracking against eachother as they slowly erode and roll down the hill.
We hiked out to this viewpoint of a glacier-carved valley:
Kj fixing a loosened snowshoe strap:
Waiting for success with these shenanigans as my REI rentals needed no such adjusting. Caw!
It was a great day and a great way to unintentionally celebrate Grandma Pat who we found out later had passed away that morning. These things are what life is all about. Thanks Kj and Kelli!
"Bratwurst and shillelaghs, paging Dr. Freud"
Finally finished this. Had it laminated, so hopefully it won't yellow or age anytime in my lifetime.
Here is my Scandinavian line:
Middle section:
And my Scottish/English side:
They're alive!
Monday, April 6, 2009
After being buried in snow this winter and not seeing the sun for months, after being given up for dead:
Happiest flower.
I SMELL SUMMER!!!
Went for a run this morning after 3 weeks off of the foot and boy am I out of shape already. Huffin and puffin after ONE mile... ridiculous. Only made it 1.5 miles. Foot kinda hurts. Gonna try to take it slow this week and only go every other day to see what happens.
Gorgeous day, you can smell sweetgrass everywhere.
Cushman powerline trail I like to run on (it's nice and hilly):
