You can access the rest of the site at http://www.wildcelticrose.net. If you'd like to subscribe to the RSS feed, simply click on the blue RSS icon to the right and subscribe via your favorite news reader or start page. Enjoy your visit!
~
Yesterday I dragged my exhausted carcass out of bed at the ungawdly hour of 3:30 AM in preparation for a 4:00 AM departure from Tacoma to head up to Mt Rainier National Park to photograph the sunrise (the event) illuminating the mountain at Sunrise (the place
I managed to get everything ready the night before (which is why I stayed up too late) including the espresso machine so that I could brew up some “essence of the sacred bean” (with milk, vanilla syrup and a drizzle of caramel of course)
Since moving, I have not yet gotten my hiking/backpacking/snowshoeing/skiing gear organized; it’s in various piles and tubs in the gear room in the basement.
It was going to be below freezing when we got up there, and I needed gloves. Since I could not locate my fleece mittens that convert to fingerless gloves that I use for photography, I settled for the next best thing.
I grabbed a pair of gardening gloves which were quite “spectacular” with my ugly robins egg (yeah if the Robin was on LSD) blue TNF Flight Series jacket.
How’s THIS for a Mountaineer/Urban Farmer fashion statement?
It was clear when we left Tacoma, turning cloudy about the time we hit Bonney Lake; I did not despair since Sunrise is on the East side of the mountain and the weather is usually different there.
As we wound around the hairpin curves of the road to sunrise, we could see peeks of the peak alternating with fast moving clouds around each bend.
It was going to be a crap shoot.
We arrived to heavy mist and fog. We were IN the clouds. Drats!
Having the reputation of “weather witch” and insanely good luck with weather on trips, I did not give up. After a disgusting visit to the pit toilets near the backpacker parking (we discovered that the regular bathrooms closer to the visitor center were in fact open [smacks self on forehead] I gathered my photo gear and headed out towards the trail to see what I could see.
The lady Tahoma was being a tease…
As the wind whipped clouds raced past her summit, a stunning pink and orange glow began to appear.
“Don! It’s happening”.
I ran down the trial to snap a few pics, and when I realized how cool it was going to be, I raced back up the hill towards the Emmons Glacier viewpoint, camera gear, tripod and trekking poles swinging wildly.
The usual cadre of photographers was not there because of the clouds.
Myself and only three other people witnessed THIS stunning, if not unusual sunrise and magical moment in wondrous silence.
We headed down to the lower parking area where we saw the last of Tahoma for the day
An ungawdly early trip to Sunrise is never wasted. We had lakes to bag and meadows to explore before the hordes of screaming visitors descended on the park (I normally won’t go there on a summer weekend) and we headed off down the trail to Palisades Lakes.
We only saw one other person in the parking lot and he was long gone when we hit the trail. We soon discovered the tracks of a large bull elk and a couple cows. We were not far behind them as the tracks were fresh and so was this elk pee… (we found a big steaming pile of elk poop too, but I’ll spare you that photo)
We had a lovely view of Sunrise lake coming down the trial, but we bypassed that cutoff and visited Clover Lake
The wildflowers were lovely (they are past their peak, but still plentiful) along the ridge
The moon although no longer full, was still gorgeous
The meadows were absolutely stunning.
I couldn’t help but do my best, bad Julie Andrews impersonation…
We found something interesting in this little pond
Tadpoles! Seriously, you’d best get to growing legs little guys, your season is almost over, even though it just started. These have to be some seriously bad-assed frogs to live up here.
We checked out Upper Palisades Lake as a spot to come back to camp on a backpacking trip and ran into some folks I know. It appears that I can’t hike anywhere in this state without finding someone who knows me from organizations I’ve been involved with or recognizes me from my blog/magazine/website stuff. I honestly don’t know if I should be flattered or creeped out. (ran into a blog reader two weeks earlier at Spray Park)
Here’s the lake
On the way out, the pikas were frantically nesting to get ready for what appears will be an early and hard winter.
It was an AWESOME trip; 7;43 miles including a short sojourn to check out the lower Palisades lake, 2,246 feet of cumulative elevation gain, and off the trail by noon when most of the other folks were just starting out. We had the trail completely to ourselves. It was awesome.
One of the best things about living here in Tacoma is that in addition to the lovely water surrounding us on three sides, we have Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park and a host of fabulous National Forests as our “back yard”
I FINALLY got some hiking in for the first time since May when a chain of events including house buying, escrow, moving and a fractured foot/big toe kept me from getting out and doing things.
On Friday, a couple friends and I headed up to Mount Rainer National Park to photograph the wildflowers up at Spray Park. The areas on the Carbon River side of the park have always been my favorite because it is the least accessible area of the park which cuts down on crowds, litter bugs, trail cutters, flower pickers, marmot feeders, and tundra trompers (all of which drive this former NPS Ranger batshit crazy)
After a long drive in on the washboarded dirt road up to Mowich Lake, we started the ascent up to Spray Park.
We took a brief stop at the Eagle’s Lookout for the obligatory photo op with the lady Tahoma (Tahoma being the mountain’s true name) who was in her full glory.
We continued up the trial and hit the “longest alleged 0.8 miles of trail anywhere” up to the plateau.
That last bit of climb up sucks pond water, especially on a hot day, but it was worth every bit of it when we left the cover of the trees and entered the first meadow.
There were wildflowers everywhere…
And bugs… OMG the bugs. I have given up on folk, natural and less toxic methods of dealing with bugs. I’ve found that what works best for me is the standard 30% DEET (hey, I’m not going to reproduce or lactate so no harm done) Even with three doses of the stuff, I got chewed on (or sucked on in the case of mosquitos) pretty badly in areas I didn’t get enough DEET on. (above my socks, my elbows which apparently are quite tender and tasty) and behind my ears.
And a cute chubby marmot
Of course, no trip to Spray Park is complete without the short side trip down to Spray Falls.
The hike was an 8 mile round trip hike with 2,543 feet of (cumulative) elevation gain on the first day of the heat wave.
We got down about 3:30 PM and stopped in Bonney Lake for Mexican food and margaritas on the patio.
I don’t know what happened to Mazatlan after they moved to their new location, but the drinks, food and service were terrible; seriously, this was the worst Mexican food I’ve ever had, bland, tasteless and the margaritas tasted like grapefruit soda (at least they had a decent alcohol content).
*this margarita was so ashamed of the way it tasted, it had to hide it’ identity
We enjoyed our time on the patio, but from now on, we’ll wait until we’re back in good old Grit City and eat at Taquera El Guadalajara on 6th Ave.
On Monday a friend and I braved the heat and did an early morning run (5:30 AM departure) up to Snow Lake in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness of the Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest up off of Snoqualmie Pass.
I won’t get near that (or any other insanely popular) place on a weekend because I don’t care for crowds, but early on a Monday was nice, quiet and almost cool.
We were mobbed by swarms of mosquitoes in the parking area. (7:00 AM WTF?) but I had gotten better at applying bug spray so I escaped this trip with no angry itchy welts.
The heat didn’t start to hit until we were just cresting the ridge to drop down to the lake, where we were treated to blessed shade. We knew that the hike up and out would be hotter than heck, but we did manage an early enough trip that we’d be out by noon.
We walked around the lake to the junction with the trial that heads over to Gem Lake. This lake was every bit as stunning as I’ve heard.
Along with a BBQ with friends on Saturday and volunteering as a Swim Angel for the Danskin Triathlon on Sunday (that inspirational event will get it’s own post), I couldn’t have asked for a better long weekend.
I’m tired, sore, achy, bug bitten and slightly sunburned. THAT’s the way one should feel after a weekend.
~
Yesterday started out with a torrential downpour at about 5:00 AM which scared off most of the people from my Boulder River Falls hike (those that hadn’t already been scared off the day before by the forecast) That left three of us; myself, Don and Eric.
My backup plan in case of uber crapy weather was to bag some falls closer to home with hikes which were too short to make a day of in themselves.
We chose three waterfalls in the Snoqualmie Pass corridor: Twin Falls in Ollalie State Park, Franklin Falls in the Denny Creek area and Snoqualmie Falls.
Eric and I headed up I-5 blasting “Born to Be Wild”; uh yeah… we were in a mini van, which makes it that much funnier.
We picked up Don at the Eastgate park & ride, grabbed some coffee and treats at Tully’s and headed for our first target, Twin Falls.
The rain from earlier in the morning had tapered off to a light mist. I didn’t even need the rain cover on my camera bag and Eric didn’t have to play Mary Poppins holding the umbrella for me when I set my camera up on the tripod for slower exposures (to get the movement of the water)
I saw my first Trillium of the season
The falls were STUNNING!
and look, we’re DRY
By the time we were done with the hike, the rain had stopped completely and there were patches of blue sky peeking out.
We observed a moment of silence (followed by proclamations of “Sucks to be You” & peals of laughter) for those who wimped out on the trip because of the weather.
Fall #1 bagged!
After some brief snacking, we hopped into the waterfall mobile and headed over to the Denny Creek area to bag Franklin Falls.
Once again, there was no rain.
There was a bit of compact snow in some areas of the trail, but we didn’t even need Yak Tracks; it was easy hiking.
The falls did not disappoint. There was a lot of spray coming off the falls, so if we got close our lenses got soaked in short order making it difficult to get sharp photos. It was better when we backed off a bit.
We stopped along the way back to the car to take more pictures and it started to lightly rain when we got to the car.
Fall #2 bagged; and once again, we didn’t get rained on.
We weren’t too worried about getting rained on at fall #3 as the main overlook is very close to the parking area and the hike down to the bottom of the falls is only ½ mile
Luckily, my reputation as a “weater witch” held. (I always have good weather or at least better than forecast on my trips) As we drove towards North Bend/Snoqualmie to hit “the big falls” the rain stopped. We got out of the car and it was perfectly dry. (we wondered out loud how much fun the weather wimps were having at home while we were out bagging falls)
We hiked down to the bottom of the falls; it was only ½ mile, but it was quite steep.
Snoqualmie Falls are always impressive and today was no exception.
We finished off the day with well deserved munchies and beverages at the Salish Lodge (more expensive that we usually go for, but so worth it and we deserved it). As we looked out the window of the lounge we noticed that the torrential downpour had begun.
We had some great “debates” on freeway exits, directions and trailhead locations, but we all got the chance to be right at least once.
Yeah baby, we bagged THREE falls and didn’t get rained on.
~
This weekend’s Larch Hunting Expedition to the North Cascades ran the gamut from being a comedy of errors to a crisis of epic proportions and back and that was before I ever left for the trip.
Here it is in bullet points:
~I try to plan an easy day hike (rehabbing an injured ankle bone), can’t find any takers.
~A friend wants to backpack to Larch Lake
~We discover that since we can’t get a shuttle to High Camp, it would be 24 miles round trip.
~We decide that Larch Lake is not going to happen this trip.
~We spend a couple days tossing ideas back and forth and doing research
~We settle on Blue Lake in the North Cascades
~We are excited
~I call the Methow Ranger Station-Okanagan National Forest and the person who answered the phone assures me we can backpack/camp there as long as we’re 200 feet off trail/away from water (the Okanagan National Forest could learn a thing or two from the Mt Baker-Snoqualmie Naitonal Forest about how to make information easily available.
~I get a call back two days later from the person that really knows what’s going on telling me that it’s a day use area and that there’s really nowhere to camp in that area and be ¼ mile away from the lake. (there are a couple climber’s camps up high and one camp low)
~Get warned by ranger station about a large, aggressive marauding bear in the area, ripping apart tents even with no food inside and breaking into cars.
~I ask office type ranger station person if it’s a “brown” bear or a “black bear” to differentiate species. I get a lecture on the fact that not all black bears are black. DUH! That’s not what I asked, you said “brown bear” (which means Grizzly or Kodiak further North) and I want to know if I’m dealing with a species that might bite me because I’m in it’s way or that considers me a possible entree.
~Starts to wonder if the woman on the phone at the ranger station has ever seen a bear or if she has ever spoken to someone who isn’t stupid. I don’t care what color the bear is, I want to know the species.
~Still not clear on species of bear, they “think” it’s a black bear, brown in color, but it has been reported as a griz by some scared people. (confirmations that the bear has torn apart tents in clean camps garnered from WTA, whatever it is, it’s bad news)
~We decide to camp ten miles East in a Forest Service campground; I don’t like car camping, but it would make a good base camp and we’d have to haul less gear to go take pictures-also, Lone Fir is at the far eastern edge of the “Bad Bear”’s territory and I know that others in that campground do not keep as clean a camp as I do, so I’m good even if it does show up. (even car camping, I use a bear can)
~We’re both excited about the trip
~The weather forecast calls for an arctic blast to bring record low temperatures to the region on Saturday night.
~We’re excited anyway.
~I yap about said trip all week, turn down party invites and trips to the coast, stay up late to get ready
~I go to pick up my magazine check (to fund the trip) and it’s not signed (the only person who can sign has a family emergency)
~I can’t afford to drive my truck, even with two people because my money is not there
~Friend agrees to drive (I can afford half of the gas for her new little car) but we can’t have a fire because she doesn’t want to haul firewood in her new car.
~Get a text message at 6:00 AM the next morning that friend lost her wallet and can’t go (understandable, not her fault, but this is work for me and I need to go)
~I have a hissy fit (not directed at friend, she’s got enough worry and stress) because I’m pissed that my magazine check is a month late (seriously, what kind of business has only one person that can sign a check?)
*note, this WAS a big deal because I have to photograph my magazine articles a YEAR ahead of time. Waiting until next year was not an option, this photo shoot was for next year.’s issue. The larch are at peak and the weather is turning. Next weekend (when I have other plans anyway) will be too late; the needles will drop and/or the weather will suck pond water and roads/trails may be closed or dangerous.
~Another friend (also a photographer) feels my pain and saves the day by loaning me gas money so that I can go.
~Friend finds wallet but decides not to go after all, at least not overnight.
~I head out, five hours late (already mentally exhausted)
And our story continues…
We find our heroine driving North, nearly to the Canadian border eh? (Canada’s only two hours from here, so it’s not that big a deal)
Then she cuts East and heads into the heart of the North Cascades.
Said heroine (who has spent time in a LOT of spectacular mountain ranges) loses her heart to the North Cascades.
So there I am, after crossing Rainy Pass, heading over Washington Pass. Since, I was running five hours late, I didn’t have time to stop and bag a lake on the way in. I already decided that I might stay a 2nd night since I was flying solo, but wanted to get to the campground in time to get camp set up and a fire burning before the Arctic blast hit.
The fact that the lakes along the North Cascades Highway (Hwy 20) were frozen and the waterfalls were icicles before the Arctic Blast hit, did not bode well for it to be a warm evening.
But I had to stop at the Washington Pass Overlook; the trail was only ¼ mile long and I needed to stretch my legs.
I took a few pictures and took in the views.
It was there I met Debbie and Tom. They were traveling in an RV and where happy to hear about Lone Fir where I was going to be staying.
As I was driving down the East side of Washington Pass, I saw them, on the mountainside… LARCH!!! They were what I had come for!
I was so excited to finally be in a larch rich environment, that I started to sing a happy larch song (OK, “I was pretty much just yelling larch Larch LARCH!!! I’ve got LARCH” at the top of my lungs). They are elusive (they only turn golden for a short time and it’s usually when the weather turns to crap; planning larch expeditions is difficult)
I arrived at the campground, left a note for some friends that were going to pull in late and got camp set up and a fire started. (Debbie and Tom pulled in a bit later)
There was a cheeky Stellar Jay that wanted to see if I was going to drop any food. (see my previous not about bears and keeping a clean camp) Every time I got my camera ready the dirty little bird would fly off into the shrubbery. He was not very cooperative and we played this game for a while.
I got a good fire going and was quite pleased with how nice it is to do a solo trip, relying on no one but myself, being able to do anything I need to do and having peace and quiet to just be.
I made use of a treat that my friend Daria sent me last holiday season, white hot chocolate, with a dark chocolate dipped spoon and marshmallows. (I had wine as well, this was a quick warm up before bed)
It was a lovely evening in a spectacular setting.
As the temperature began to plummet and the fire could no longer fight the freezing temperature, I retreated to my tent and my 15 degree (F) rated down sleeping bag (wearing long underwear, wool socks, wool hat, neck gaiter and fleece gloves; at one point I even put on my neoprene facemask) where I did some reading before hunkering down. Since I was car camping, I was able to take the big fat 3.5 inch thick sleeping pad.
*note, the “comfort” rating of a sleeping bag is subjective at best. I think it would more accurately be called a “you won’t freeze stiff and die but will still be miserable” rating.
One of the most important factors in preventing hypothermia is not only proper nutrition, but proper hydration, which unfortunately leads to one getting up in the middle of the night to leave the (relative) warmth of their tent to answer the call of nature. (NOT fun)
I woke up in the wee hours of the morning with my wool sock clad feet aching from cold even in the 15 degree down sleeping bag. I kicked my legs around and flexed my muscles to make certain that blood was flowing and drifted back off to sleep) (*note to self, order some down booties for cold weather backpacking.
When I finally exited my tent at 7:00 AM the next morning, I discovered that my water (that was inside the tent with me) had frozen and that there was ice on the inside of the tent. I also discovered that any bits of me (mostly hair sticking out from under my hat) that were exposed to air had ice on them)
I tried to take a picture of this, but my camera was very unhappy with the cold and it didn’t want to auto focus and the shutter didn’t want to work.
No problem I thought, the “joy” of car camping (which I normally avoid) is that you can start the truck, crank up the heater and defrost things.
I tried again, more moaning, groaning and whining from the truck
The third try was a charm (barely). I kept the truck running for a good half hour to warm the engine block and charge the battery (which is the original battery that came in the truck 8 years ago and probably should be replaced)
As soon as I tried to move the truck, it died again.
That’s when I decided that I wasn’t going to stay a 2nd night.
I would be asking for trouble.
I told my emergency contact where I would be camping, where I would be hiking, and when I would be back (and what ranger station to call if I’m not heard from by a certain date and time)
But I thought about it. If I couldn’t get the truck to start on Monday, no one would think to call the ranger station until Monday night; I’d likely get checked on very late Tuesday (when the campground would be deserted) when food, firewood and fuel were running out. I would have hiked out to the highway and flagged down a passing motorist, but it’s a long way to any phones in sub freezing temperatures (I didn’t yet know exactly how cold it was)
It not only would have been trouble, it would have been dangerous and very very stupid.
I headed up the road (the truck died once) back over Washington Pass and stopped a few places along side the road to take pictures. (leaving the truck running of course) I figured that I was reasonably safe on the highway because people were driving by and I had jumper cables.
I ran into another guy who was photographing a waterfall wall full of icicles who said it was the coldest he’d ever been. Normally he sleeps in the back of his truck (he had a shell/topper/canopy) but he had slept in the cab last night and still nearly froze. I felt kinda badass for sticking it out in the tent. We joked about how similar our trucks looked with the maps in the windows, sleeping bags and photo gear all over the place and had to get back in our respective trucks because we could not feel our fingers.
I took a few sunrise larch shots on Washington Pass and headed over to the Blue Lake trail head.
Debbie and Tom were there joking about how I was “following them” they headed up the trail ahead of me.
On the way up the first set of switchbacks, I heard a “whoosh” and looked to my left (down the hill) and saw that I had been buzzed by a HUGE owl. I couldn’t tell what kind, but he was HUGE, maybe a Great Horned Owl. I suppose I disrupted his or her hunting.
I was not far behind Tom and Debbie and spent most of the trek to Blue Lake getting to know them.
We warmed up on the 1,100 foot climb.
I darn near had a larchgasm. The further up the trail we went, the more and more spectacular the larch were.
Blue Lake did not disappoint. It was a stunning deep blue green. Morning light is not the best for catching the rock formations behind it (shooting into the light) but I made it work and the back lit larch were spectacular.
After wandering around the lake with Debbie, Tom and one other couple taking pictures, I sat on a rock in the sun. It didn’t take long to get cold again once I stopped moving (it was no more than 15 degrees (F) at this time)
I ran into some other people on the trial who said it was 15 degrees (F) at Mazama so it was likely only 10 (F) degrees at Lone Fir where we camped. I checked Weather Underground, and it was 11 degrees (F) at Mazama, so who knows how cold it was at Lone Fir. I was starting to feel more and more badass by the minute, My hands and feet were also starting to get numb again.
I met my NW Hikers and blog friend Ingunn & her hubby and another friend on the way down. We missed each other in camp last night because they got in very late and didn’t see my note. At least we saw each other on the trial. They told me it was 15 degrees when they were having breakfast (well after the sun came up) so that 10 degrees seems to be a generous estimate of the temperature.
I got back down to the trail head after stopping to chat with not only them, but some other photo types and people who had camped at Lone Fir. I stopped off and exchanged contact information with Tom and Debbie (it’s always nice to make new friends with common interests)
I thought about trying to bag another lake (Ann), but it was a bit late for that, and at the rate I was going, I was never going to warm up, especially not on an icy trial mostly in shadow, so I called it a good trip and headed back home.
It was a great trip and well worth freezing my butt off for.
I’m bummed that my friend wasn’t able to make it (we haven’t been able to spend time together since the Tulip Pedal last April), but sometimes a solo trip is very nice and good for the spirit. I’m surprised how many women I met couldn’t imagine doing a backpack trip/hike/camping trip/road trip alone.
They ask me if I’m afraid, thinking I must be very brave. (no, I’m just prepared, experienced and am used to it; heck I used to be a backcountry ranger)
I explain to them, that I’m much safer out in the wilderness than I feel in the city, that I am well equipped, trained and experienced and make sure my emergency contacts know where I am camped, where I will hike, when I should be back and what ranger station to call.
But most important, I don’t take stupid chances. I know that something as simple as a sprained ankle can be life threatening in the wilderness (especially in the conditions we had) so I’m careful where I go, I watch my steps carefully, I don’t over estimate my capabilities and stay well within them. I’m at greater risk driving on I-5.
I love my friends, but there will always be a place for solo trips and the peace and chance for reflection that they provide.
On Saturday I went in to work and then worked at home a bit to get caught up from all of the “stuff” and associated time off I’ve had.
Saturday afternoon, I went out to University Place for some badly needed and long overdue best friend time.
We had a lovely afternoon on the deck, a wonderful “counter dinner” (home made fish and chips served “on the counter” and Cajun music) and then a run/walk.
There is a 10K loop around the Chambers Creek properties down through the golf course around and back (steep hills included, some day I’ll check the grade on my Garmin, let it suffice to say, it’s steep)
I wanted to take some photos of my favorite subject on the golf course, even more dear now after the attempt on its life.
Charlie finally gave up on us after Molly passed him at a fast clip (I had left the house before them realizing how close it was to sunset) and then I passed him after a brief “pause for the cause” at the park.
I ran like a mad woman (with camera gear) down to the golf course and then down the hill to the bay (note to self, prodeal new running shoes… OUCH!)
It was worth it.
The rest of the picture are available here:
On Sunday, I was up bright and early for a Seattle Photo Safari adventure. All by public transit. (I have a monthly Puget Pass for my train commute) No traffic, no gas, no environmental impact, no parking, no hassle.
It was an easy ride from the Tacoma Dome to downtown Seattle.
The first stop was the Pike Place Market. (I even took some photos of the original Starbucks location, just for my friend Jen in Texas which are on my Flickr’ page)
I had an amusing “encounter” with the “socialized cats” guy. He and a younger man set up a table with their ‘highly socialized cats”(who do amazingly well with the crowds at the market. They have a refuge of sorts for cats.
Anyone who knows me knows what a sucker I am for kitties.
So in this public market, with a cat on a stand that is there to draw attention to their cause, I decided to take a picture of the kitty (a little free publicity never hurt any cause right?)
The older guy (wearing leapord pants and a hat with cat ears on it) grabbed the cat and said, “You can take pictures but FIRST you need to know what we’re about.”
[thinking out loud here]
Uh, First… I can READ.
Second, I’m from here, I’ve listened to your schpeil many times over the years.
Third, you’re in a public place in one of the biggest tourist attractions in Seattle, If you don’t want pictures; this isn’t the place to be (and, you have no legal right to prevent it)
Fourth, bloggers and magazine writers/photographers can help your cause. (if you don’t act like a crazy asshat and drive them away)
He continued to be snotty to myself and another woman that walked up, so I turned and left.
I told him, “I know what you do, I’m from here.” and he yelled “Oh that’s different” after me.
[thinking out loud again here]
Too late asshat, you aren’t getting any free publicity from me.
After some more walking around, we headed back that direction.
I couldn’t help myself…
I knew the guy was a bit of a nut case, but I did it anyway… (I’m a bad bad girl)
I walked up to him and said,
“You know, you shouldn’t be rude to people like that; you never know who might be a writer for local magazine.”
He replied, “Well I thought you were a tourist.” (uh…. scuse me? Why set up at what is arguably the #1 tourist attraction in Seattle if you’re going to be rude and mean to tourists?)
I smiled and replied, “Well you shouldn’t be rude to tourists either.” then I turned and walked away to go about my business. (personally, I think it was good advice)
No shit, there I was, walking down the street with the crazy dude, in the leopard pants and wearing a cat hat, literally chasing me a full city block yelling at me that I “picked a fight with him” and “shoved a camera in his face” (didn’t happen-I had no interest in a picture of a crazy and unattractive guy in bad pants)
It was quite the show; and there was an audience watching him chase me.
I wonder how may donations he garnered with that performance?
Sadly, I found it amusing. (there’s something about remaining calm while someone else makes a fool of themselves I get a perverse bit of pleasure out of)
The waterfront is always good fun and well worth a wander before it gets too crowded on a weekend.
*for more insight into the seagull feeding sign, check out this YouTube video that I did a few years ago:
Next on the itinerary was the Elliot Bay Water Taxi (or whatever they call it now), also covered by the transit pass) a walk out to Alki Beach (West Seattle), lunch at Bamboo and another ride back across the water.
Next, was a trip up to Greelake to visit my friend Lisa who I’ve “known” through LiveJournal for several years.
Here she is getting the best angle on a photo possible
There was a wonderful tour of Greenlake which even included a stop to visit some neighborhood chickens.
The lake was beautiful and is a great place for people and critter watching. (I haven’t been there since I moved here 11 years ago)
check it out, water DOES roll off a duck’s back…
(check out the turtles on the log in this photo)
Lisa has the mirror image of this photo, she was taking a picture of the dogs (she’s in the background of this picture) at the same time I was.
It was a good (and long day)
Unfortunately, there was some very minor “drama” on the bus on the way back.
Apparently, when you choose to move to the back of the bus to get away from people being loudly and extremely negative (it’s their right to moan, whine, bitch, complain and swear to anyone who will particiapte, and my right to excuse myself when it’s ruining the trip) because you’ve had a good day and would like to keep it that way, you’re an asshole.
Such is life.
Anyway, it was a lovely trip and adventure and that’s what I’m going to focus on.
It is the Nikon D5000 that I’ve been going on about for the last couple of weeks. The only major thing the D-90 (for $200 more) has that this doesn’t is a motor in the camera body to auto focus older lenses. My lenses (AF) are newer and work with this camera just fine. The lack of a motor in the body decreases size, useless weight and is one less thing to worry about breaking.
It’s nice and compact, closer to the (smaller) size of my old D-40 than my newer D-80. It’s going to make an awesome backcountry camera when I finally get my D300 professional model (or whatever replaces it) next year.
A really cool feature is that it has a flip down swivel LDC screen instead of a fixed screen on the back of the camera.
I need to read up on the features; it does a lot more and is more versatile than my D-80. In addition to a faster processor, a better ISO range and more megapixels (12.3) it even shoots HD video.
Good thing I recently acquired a 1.5 terabyte external hard drive; I’m going to need it.
I’m planning on getting a magazine cover shot. I’ve already had the cover story, but now I want the shot.
My first shot was the sugared rim of a (pomegranate) martini glass
I went out to the rose garden at Pt Defiance to take a few shots in the warm low angle light just before sunset.
Check out the bug flying to the right of the flower in this one.
I’m such a sucker for back lighting
These are so cheery
The rest of the test photos are here:
Now, I need to get that hybrid bike sold (I lowerd the price to $190.00 on Craigs List so that I can get it sold and quit stressing) so that I can afford the gas for my road trip next month (Imagine the lovely photos of the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone I’ll take) and to get the truck in for service first. I’m going to check a few jewelry stores/gold buyers tomorrow to see what I can get for my old wedding ring. (it’s not like I’m going to wear it again)
Sunday, my friends Marian, Jody (and maybe Michealene) and I are going to have a public transit adventure and photo safari to Seattle and West Seattle. (taking the Elliot Bay Water Taxi across the bay)
We’re also going to hit Greenlake to visit my friend Lisa (we’ve wanted to go on a photo safari for a while now) and enjoy happy hour at Dukes (I have a gift certificate)
~
The Star Wars Trilogy was on Spike the last three nights. (if I’m going to be sick, at least I’m sick with cable TV)
There were things in all three movies that I didn’t remember or remembered differently, which is not all that surprising since the first one was 32 years ago.
When a friend blogged about Hayden Christensen (who played Anakin in the prequel) appearing in final scene of the 3rd movie, I did some checking and discovered that a lot of changes had been made in all three movies.
Here are the sites listing a good number of the changes as well as some good screen shots showing the differences.
I’ve been going more than a bit batshit sitting here on the couch being sick. It’s just not good when someone’s already grieving, stressed and depressed. I’m starting to cry for no good reason (OK, well maybe I have good reason; my mother’s memorial/ash scattering is this weekend), but I’ve got to pull it together and get healthy)
I decided that at this point, stress (which is what lowered my immune system in the first place) and depression are a greater threat to me than moving around
So I went for a very short walk over the park and conservatory in my neighborhood and shot a few pictures.
It was a good distraction, and although it tired me out, I don’t think it did me any harm, and it definitely distracted me for a while.
The sun came out and there was a rainbow in the fountain
The “Lady of the Lake” (the proper name of the sculpture is “The Fisherman’s Daughter” but she’s the lady to most of us) still holds court, and still has her head, it was missing in the water for a number of years before the refurbished her as part of the park renovation just before it’s 100 year anniversary celebration
I took a few shots in the conservatory:
The begonias outside were so pretty, I just couldn’t resist:
Erik on 
Kevin Van Dyke on 
Randy Weiser on 
