Drivers

I spend way too much time driving. I am starting a list of the different kinds of drivers.

1. Latent race car drivers (always racing to make the next light)
2. School bus drivers (typically a mom driving a huge van or SUV with of 1 or 2 kids)
3. Old people (drive cautiously, down the center lane of the freeways to avoid the on-ramp traffic and the high-speed traffic)
4. Really old people (drive at leat 10 mph slower than traffic flow)
5. Foreign born (drive like old people)
6. Laggards (refuse to keep up with the traffic flow, but drive in the left lane anyway)
7. Scared (drive a lot like old people)
8. Cell phone (drive with half a brain)
9. I almost forgot, Good drivers (attentive and polite)
10. ???


Your turn.

Circle Lake

I backpacked into Circle Lake this weekend, to help my dad collect unusual alpine flowers for the University of Washington herbarium. It was a great trip, and I will post more photos later, but I thought this view was/is spectacular. The last time I was at this spot with my dad, he was 82, and I thought it was his last trip there. Surprise, he was back there this weekend, at 86! And he did great! For perspective, to reach this spot, we had to hike about 6 miles on trails, and about 2 miles off trail on rugged terrain. That route includes 4700 feet of elevation gain. I remain impressed with his strength, balance and agility, and his thorough knowledge of Washington State wildflowers, shrubs, and trees.

Arrogance

Not sure if these are all forms of arrogance, but here goes.

It takes a lot of arrogance for a politician to sit in, for example, Moscow during the Soviet Union days and plan the economy for the entire nation for 5 years.

It takes a lot of arrogance for a guy to think his aim is sooooo good that he does not need to lift the toilet seat to pee (I'm talking about adult men, not ignorant little kids).

It takes a lot of arrogance for a chubby gal to think she looks good in low-cut hip-hugger jeans (with her behind and her belly hanging over the belt line).

My apologies if those mental images grossed you out.

Blogger.com is #5

"15 websites that changed the world." You are reading from #5.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,1843263,00.html

Grampa Speed

Happy 110th Birthday, Grampa Speed!

May you rest in peace!

A Nice Wedding

I like weddings. Last night, my bride and I happily attended the wedding of the daughter of the best man at our wedding. My, how time flies!

The happy couple: a manly man and a beautiful woman, what more could we ask for?

And the father of the bride wore... shorts? Yup, a costume malfunction resulted in his wearing shorts to the reception.

And at last the bride had a chance to eat her dinner (and she was interrupted by someone trying to photograph her!)

Los Angeles Photos

I took a business trip to downtown LA this week, and, with a little help from Soto, I can finally post my photos. My LA "tour guide" told me that LA has restrictions on building height as a function of lot size, which gives downtown LA a much more open and airy feel than cities like NY and Seattle.

I ate lunch in this quadruple circular building. Very confusing inside due to circles and symmetry.

Nice decorative arch.

This photo makes LA look more crowded. My tour guide said the tall building on the left (with round top) is the LA library, and large contributions by a private citizen convinced the city council to accept that it would break the height rule, so it is taller and narrower than others.

Probably my nicest photo of a building.

LA concert hall, reminds me of Seattle's EMT.
Pretty island in a pond.

Reflections...

Los Angeles

This blogsite will not upload my photos today. Don't know why. I tried twice, at least 6 hours apart. When it does, I'll post some interesting photos of downtown LA, buildings, art, flowers. I am giving up trying tonight.

Stehekin on Lake Chelan

I took a vacation trip to Stehekin, Washington with friends and family. Stehekin is operated by consessions inside the North Cascades National Park. Here is a view of "downtown" Stehekin, a lodge and restaurant.

The only ways to get to Stehekin are by hiking (about 20 miles), by boat up Lake Chelan (50 miles long, two boats, 2 or 4 hour ride), or by float plane from Chelan (50 miles away, half-hour ride).

The float plane is a 1952 DeHavilland Beaver with a wonderful-sounding 9-piston radial engine.

We rode the float plane into Stehekin and left on the Lady Express. Here is the view from the marina at Stehekin, looking at McGregor Mountain.

There are a variety of activities available at Stehekin, and this sign lists many of them. Our group biked, hiked, canoed, kayak, and laid in the shade letting the breeze keep us cool.

The Stehekin Valley "Ranch" had a certain rustic flavor to it. Note the hot coffee sitting in front of the fire, and the sawdust floor.

Stehekin had nice sunsets, and starry skies at night.

Looking back at Stehekin as we left on the Lade Express.

If this sounds like an advertisement for Stehekin, it kinda is. It was beautiful, the staff were friendly and helpful, the rooms at the lodge were clean, but the place was almost empty. Not many people are visiting this year. Gas prices? Dunno.

Snow Photos

Crossing snow at Panhandle Gap on Wonderland Trail.
Ohanapecosh Basin on Wonderland Trail.

Wonderland Trail

Last week, with three friends, I did half of the Wonderland Trail, the trail around Mt. Rainier, from Ipsut Creek east to Box Canyon. Almost 40 miles, with about 11,000 feet of elevation gain and loss. I'll boil down 5 days of hiking and 400 photos to a half dozen photos.

Willis Wall from Mystic Lake at sunset:

Many-flowered Indian Pipe (Heather family, uncommon, unusual, but widespread):

"The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music."

Avalanche Lily (Lily family, normally seen within a week or two of snowmelt, uncommon to see day after day in August):
Why do humans gather together instead of spreading out? This gaggle consisted of hikers from three groups, and there were many other places nearby to get water and sit in the sun. The Ohanapecosh River is crashing through the gap between the rocks and the heather in the foreground.
Meadows with wild flowers, blue skies, mountains, snow, rocks, glaciers, WOW!