Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Endangered U.S. Destinations
So my homepage for Internet Explorer is MSN, which is usually a little annoying, but I don't use IE much. Sometimes though, there are useful cover articles with practical tips for saving money or catchy ones like rankings of second-string quarterbacks. Last week, "America's Endangered Destinations" caught my eye. The article features 15 different U.S. sites that are currently threatened by human encroachment and development, sea level rise, and/or global warming. Luckily I have had the opportunity to visit a number of places listed, including Washington's old growth temperate rain forest. The article helped bring the damage we are doing to the environment even closer to home - many treasured areas and ways of life will be destroyed and may be gone even by the time my generation reaches middle age. My children may never have the opportunity to see glaciers in Montana or alligators in the Everglades or the Old North Church on the Freedom Trail in Boston. What will the lives of future generations be like without these places of national identity?
Monday, September 22, 2008
Alicia Keys and Seattle Underground
I was lucky enough to see Alicia Keys in concert for the second time this past weekend. She has an amazing voice and even her backup singers sounded great. She is definitely one of my favorite artists - her range, vocals, and songwriting are all superb. Unfortunately, she didn't sing one of my favorites from her new album, but I did enjoy singing along to "I am superwoman, yes I am, yes she is, still when I'm a mess, I still put on a vest with an S on my chest, oh yes, I'm a superwoman." Empowering!
I also played tourist last Friday and went on the Seattle Underground Tour for the very first time in my long affair with Seattle. The underground itself was not very spectacular, but the history of early Seattle was fascinating. Arthur Denny arrived in November of 1850 at the tide flats of Elliott Bay, where he stayed with 29 family members through the Seattle winter without solid shelter. He must have been a pretty tough guy to have stuck around through the rain and cold and wet in the mud along Elliott Bay without a proper roof and no REI to stock up on rain gear.
Early Seattle sounded like a pretty miserable, soggy, and stinky place. For a long time, the city had no sewer system, and at high tide, not only would raw sewage stream through the downtown streets, but if you flushed your new "crapper" toilet, sewage would spew five to eight feet out of the bowl. Our tour guide told us that the newspaper published the tide schedule on the front page every day so people could plan when to flush their toilets. Yuck!
Another interesting part of early Seattle history is Henry Yesler. Most Seattleites will know about Yesler Way and Yesler Terrace (and how they are both good places to use your car alarm, or avoid entirely) and how Henry Yesler ran a saw mill and used "skid road" to skid the logged old growth trees from downtown Seattle to the shores of Elliot Bay. I also learned on Friday that Yesler was a seriously unpleasant man, but Seattle still elected him mayor three times. In his first term as mayor, Yesler instated the first state lottery. He also won that first state lottery. He sued the city of Seattle for a formidable sum, and then the lawsuit, requiring only the mayor's signature to either accept or deny it, came across Yesler's desk - you can imagine he quickly became a wealthier man.
On June 6, 1889, 25 blocks of downtown Seattle were destroyed in less than a day by a fire started from an overturned glue pot. At this point, city planners recognized the need to raise the level of the city to avoid the problem with the tides. However, business owners were quickly losing profit, and began rebuilding immediately at the original street level. But city planners built the street up 8 to 32 feet over the old roads, with the sidewalks and the ground floor of businesses below at the original street level. Eighteen people died falling from the street in the few years before the city filled the sidewalks and finally businesses raised their storefronts to the second story. So what you see on the Underground Tour are the post-fire ground level storefronts from pre-1900 Seattle. The city also decided after a 1949 earthquake they would dispose of debris and trash in Underground Seattle - so it's pretty messy down there.
Learning about the rather unpleasant beginning to my favorite city was very interesting, and made me appreciate living in current Seattle. If you are in the area - the $15 and 90 minutes are definitely worth it for the tour.
I also played tourist last Friday and went on the Seattle Underground Tour for the very first time in my long affair with Seattle. The underground itself was not very spectacular, but the history of early Seattle was fascinating. Arthur Denny arrived in November of 1850 at the tide flats of Elliott Bay, where he stayed with 29 family members through the Seattle winter without solid shelter. He must have been a pretty tough guy to have stuck around through the rain and cold and wet in the mud along Elliott Bay without a proper roof and no REI to stock up on rain gear.
Early Seattle sounded like a pretty miserable, soggy, and stinky place. For a long time, the city had no sewer system, and at high tide, not only would raw sewage stream through the downtown streets, but if you flushed your new "crapper" toilet, sewage would spew five to eight feet out of the bowl. Our tour guide told us that the newspaper published the tide schedule on the front page every day so people could plan when to flush their toilets. Yuck!
Another interesting part of early Seattle history is Henry Yesler. Most Seattleites will know about Yesler Way and Yesler Terrace (and how they are both good places to use your car alarm, or avoid entirely) and how Henry Yesler ran a saw mill and used "skid road" to skid the logged old growth trees from downtown Seattle to the shores of Elliot Bay. I also learned on Friday that Yesler was a seriously unpleasant man, but Seattle still elected him mayor three times. In his first term as mayor, Yesler instated the first state lottery. He also won that first state lottery. He sued the city of Seattle for a formidable sum, and then the lawsuit, requiring only the mayor's signature to either accept or deny it, came across Yesler's desk - you can imagine he quickly became a wealthier man.
On June 6, 1889, 25 blocks of downtown Seattle were destroyed in less than a day by a fire started from an overturned glue pot. At this point, city planners recognized the need to raise the level of the city to avoid the problem with the tides. However, business owners were quickly losing profit, and began rebuilding immediately at the original street level. But city planners built the street up 8 to 32 feet over the old roads, with the sidewalks and the ground floor of businesses below at the original street level. Eighteen people died falling from the street in the few years before the city filled the sidewalks and finally businesses raised their storefronts to the second story. So what you see on the Underground Tour are the post-fire ground level storefronts from pre-1900 Seattle. The city also decided after a 1949 earthquake they would dispose of debris and trash in Underground Seattle - so it's pretty messy down there.
Learning about the rather unpleasant beginning to my favorite city was very interesting, and made me appreciate living in current Seattle. If you are in the area - the $15 and 90 minutes are definitely worth it for the tour.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Cascade Pass
I hiked the Cascade Pass trail, and part of the Sahale Arm trail, on Saturday, September 13 with my parents. After a rather dismal hike (or at least muddy) to Surprise Lake, I was excited that the weather was predicted to be low seventies and sunny skies, which was essential for a view hike. Cascade Pass is my first North Cascades hike, which means more driving but also more spectacular views.
After nearly three hours in the car and 23 miles on the narrow, winding Cascade River Road, we arrived at the Cascade Pass trail parking lot. Mt. Johannesburg towers over the parking lot, with its spiked peaks, glaciers, and lofty elevation of 8,200 feet. Throughout much of the hike we could hear the crashing and cracking of ice melting in the hot sun.
As you climb, you get a better view of the Cascade River Valley. Over these peaks some brave hikers scramble to Boston Basin.
The Cascade Pass trail is 3.7 miles each way, with an elevation gain of 1,800 feet. You have to traverse 34 switchbacks (with views of Mt. Johannesburg, Cascade Peak, the Triplets, and the North Cascades on the way) before you near Cascade Pass. The trail levels out less than a mile from the Pass, where you emerge from the trees almost 1,800 feet closer to the peaks of Mt. Johannesburg.
You have to cross an impressive scree on the way to Cascade Pass. Not a place I'd like to be during avalanche season. I was smitten with the fall colors already emerging, and tried to capture them wherever possible.
Mt. Johannesburg, Cascade Peak, and fall colors.
Cascade Pass is just around the corner!
As if the views could get any better, we finally reached Cascade Pass looking east towards the Stehekin Valley trail. Cascade Pass was used often by Native Americans as a coast-inland trade route. There was not much snow left this late in the season. We stopped for our lunch break at the Pass - there are a number of stone benches conveniently placed near the 5,393 elevation marker.
Fall colors showing in mid-September. These steps climbed to the rather primitive outdoor toilet available at the Pass.
The road to Stehekin. Stehekin is 31.9 miles from the Cascade Pass trailhead. It was fun see the other access point of the Stehekin Valley after the Chelan trip. Maybe next year I will backpack from Cascade Pass to Stehekin.
After lunch, we decided to climb part of the way to the Sahale Arm for a better view. The climb and views were both breathtaking. We gained about 700 feet in a little over half a mile, but we also saw views like this one.
Sahale Mountain, Sahale Arm, and Sahale Glacier. Many hikers passed us with crampons, ice axes, helmets, and other glacier crossing tools. Though I wished for more time to travel closer to Sahale Mountain, I didn't envy their trek across the glacier.
Sahale Arm trail.
Doubtful Lake, about 800 feet below.
Looking back toward Cascade Pass, we spied five mountain goats along the Ptarmigan Traverse trail on the south end of Cascade Pass with my binoculars. The sheer speed at which they moved along the rocky inclines was impressive. I was very excited to finally see mountain goats (since I didn't see any in Chelan), and also happy to use my binoculars! We could see hikers picking their way slowly across the Sahale Glacier as well.
I had to crop off the top of Mt. Sahale, but I think this panorama gives an idea of how specular and expansive the views are.
Looking toward Stehekin Valley. The strenuous climb was well worth it.
The trek back down to civilization. If you look in the far left of this photo, you can see mountains and a glacier. This photo shows the diversity of the last stretch of the trail near Cascade pass. 
I had a wonderful time hiking with both my parents. I have to give credit to my mom, who discovered shortly after beginning the hike back to the car, that her hiking boot sole remained attached to her boot only at the toe. She inventively used a zip lock bag from lunch to hold the boot together for the rest of the over three mile hike to the car.
All in all, the Cascade Pass trail was one incredible hike. This was my first real mountain hike - I felt so small yet powerful standing at 6,000 feet looking across miles of mountains and valleys. After such a hike, it feels strange to hear the roar of cars on pavement instead of ice and snow cascading down mountain sides. To smell exhaust fumes instead of crisp mountain air and heather. I am already eager for more hiking and look forward to taking another brief moment from the chaos of everyday city life.
After nearly three hours in the car and 23 miles on the narrow, winding Cascade River Road, we arrived at the Cascade Pass trail parking lot. Mt. Johannesburg towers over the parking lot, with its spiked peaks, glaciers, and lofty elevation of 8,200 feet. Throughout much of the hike we could hear the crashing and cracking of ice melting in the hot sun.
As you climb, you get a better view of the Cascade River Valley. Over these peaks some brave hikers scramble to Boston Basin.
The Cascade Pass trail is 3.7 miles each way, with an elevation gain of 1,800 feet. You have to traverse 34 switchbacks (with views of Mt. Johannesburg, Cascade Peak, the Triplets, and the North Cascades on the way) before you near Cascade Pass. The trail levels out less than a mile from the Pass, where you emerge from the trees almost 1,800 feet closer to the peaks of Mt. Johannesburg.
You have to cross an impressive scree on the way to Cascade Pass. Not a place I'd like to be during avalanche season. I was smitten with the fall colors already emerging, and tried to capture them wherever possible.
Mt. Johannesburg, Cascade Peak, and fall colors.
Cascade Pass is just around the corner!
As if the views could get any better, we finally reached Cascade Pass looking east towards the Stehekin Valley trail. Cascade Pass was used often by Native Americans as a coast-inland trade route. There was not much snow left this late in the season. We stopped for our lunch break at the Pass - there are a number of stone benches conveniently placed near the 5,393 elevation marker.
Fall colors showing in mid-September. These steps climbed to the rather primitive outdoor toilet available at the Pass.
The road to Stehekin. Stehekin is 31.9 miles from the Cascade Pass trailhead. It was fun see the other access point of the Stehekin Valley after the Chelan trip. Maybe next year I will backpack from Cascade Pass to Stehekin.
After lunch, we decided to climb part of the way to the Sahale Arm for a better view. The climb and views were both breathtaking. We gained about 700 feet in a little over half a mile, but we also saw views like this one.
Sahale Mountain, Sahale Arm, and Sahale Glacier. Many hikers passed us with crampons, ice axes, helmets, and other glacier crossing tools. Though I wished for more time to travel closer to Sahale Mountain, I didn't envy their trek across the glacier.
Sahale Arm trail.
Doubtful Lake, about 800 feet below.
Looking back toward Cascade Pass, we spied five mountain goats along the Ptarmigan Traverse trail on the south end of Cascade Pass with my binoculars. The sheer speed at which they moved along the rocky inclines was impressive. I was very excited to finally see mountain goats (since I didn't see any in Chelan), and also happy to use my binoculars! We could see hikers picking their way slowly across the Sahale Glacier as well.
I had to crop off the top of Mt. Sahale, but I think this panorama gives an idea of how specular and expansive the views are.
Looking toward Stehekin Valley. The strenuous climb was well worth it.
The trek back down to civilization. If you look in the far left of this photo, you can see mountains and a glacier. This photo shows the diversity of the last stretch of the trail near Cascade pass. 
I had a wonderful time hiking with both my parents. I have to give credit to my mom, who discovered shortly after beginning the hike back to the car, that her hiking boot sole remained attached to her boot only at the toe. She inventively used a zip lock bag from lunch to hold the boot together for the rest of the over three mile hike to the car.All in all, the Cascade Pass trail was one incredible hike. This was my first real mountain hike - I felt so small yet powerful standing at 6,000 feet looking across miles of mountains and valleys. After such a hike, it feels strange to hear the roar of cars on pavement instead of ice and snow cascading down mountain sides. To smell exhaust fumes instead of crisp mountain air and heather. I am already eager for more hiking and look forward to taking another brief moment from the chaos of everyday city life.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Cool Cat
There are a number of cool car shows around the Seattle area. Most recently, I went to the small Elks Car Show in Ballard and the Edmonds Car Show - "Hot Autumn Nites" - on September 6. Another one is the Kirkland Concours d'Elegance, which I missed this year since the Edmonds car show was pretty impressive. I love classic American cars, and like to tell stories of my dad's 1964 Chevrolet Impala SS (same color as the one below from the Edmonds car show) he had when I was still a babe in arms. 
Some other family cars include a 63 Impala, 66 Caprice, and Pontiac GTO. Someday down the road hopefully I will have my own classic car to cruise on sunny summer afternoons. But for now, marveling at car shows will suffice.
P.S. I hiked Cascade Pass on Sept. 13 - it was amazing. I took 300+ photos so I am still choosing the best photos for my blog post coming soon!
Some other family cars include a 63 Impala, 66 Caprice, and Pontiac GTO. Someday down the road hopefully I will have my own classic car to cruise on sunny summer afternoons. But for now, marveling at car shows will suffice.P.S. I hiked Cascade Pass on Sept. 13 - it was amazing. I took 300+ photos so I am still choosing the best photos for my blog post coming soon!
Friday, September 12, 2008
Northwest Photos
These photos are just too good not to share. Seattle Times today has a "Pix From My Weekend" compilation with 99 photos sent to them by readers from around the Puget Sound and Washington coast region. There are some absolutely amazing photos. They really make me want to get a tripod and digital body for my Nikon SLR camera.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Surprise Lake
Over Labor Day weekend, I hiked the Surprise Lake Trail in the Alpine Lakes Region of the Washington Cascades. The Surprise Lake trail head begins a few miles past Skykomish on the way to Steven's Pass on Highway 2. The National Weather Service was predicting "unseasonably cool" weather in the mountains for Labor Day weekend, so we were prepared with warm clothes, hats, gloves, and rain coats. The trail is approximately 4.7 miles each way, with another 1 mile past Surprise Lake to a smaller Glacier Lake.
The trail begins under power lines that you can hear hissing and crackling. After a short time, however, you enter dense forest. The air was a crisp 50 degrees and fog lingered among the cedar trees along the trail. After a short distance, the trail converges with Surprise Creek and then parallels the creek for about a mile. At one point, you have to use a fallen tree as a bridge to cross the creek.
The entire length of the trail is green and lush. We also encountered a number of large house-size boulders on the climb to Surprise Lake. Many of these even had trees growing out of the top of them.
At about two and half miles along the trail begins steep switchbacks and more difficult climbing. Much of the upper trail is rocky and requires careful stepping and concentration. Also about this time on our hike the precipitation started to turn from a fine mist to real big ol' fat rain, so we stopped to put on our raincoats. We were optimistic that the rain would clear and we'd see some mountain views - but unfortunately the rain only increased in intensity over the rest of the day. We met some backpackers on their way down who said that it snowed overnight at Surprise Lake - on August 31!
After a difficult climb, we reached Surprise Lake just in time for lunch. Surprise Lake is a long lake, so we were only able to see one end. The water was clean and clear - no algae, life, or fish growing in the frigid alpine lake. I was a little disappointed since the fog was pretty much socked in and we couldn't tell if there were any mountain views around the lake. It was a nippy 38 degrees at the lake, so we ate our lunch quickly before getting on the move again. 
We decided to hike the extra one mile to Glacier Lake, which turned out to be a great decision. After gaining a little elevation, the Glacier Lake trail traverses a boulder field with even larger boulders than the lowland area of the hike. We stopped for a few photos then scrambled down the steep hillside for a view of Glacier Lake. Still raining, we stopped only for a moment, took a few photos, saw a number of pikas, then set off on the journey back the car. The jaunt to Glacier Lake was my favorite part of the hike.
A true mountaineer braving the cold and rain at Glacier Lake.
The hike back down turned out to be tremendously more difficult than the hike up. With the continuous rain and quite a few Labor Day weekend hikers, the trail was muddy and slippery. My summer hiking boots weren't particularly well-suited for the wet and muddy trail, but we took our time and each of us only slipped once (quite a feat considering the condition of the trail). With the extra distance to Glacier Lake, we hiked 10 and half miles in all and were feeling a bit weary by the end of the hike.
Though the weather wasn't great, I'm glad I finally made it on the Surprise Lake hike and pushed myself to do a more difficult trail. Next up: Cascade Pass!
The trail begins under power lines that you can hear hissing and crackling. After a short time, however, you enter dense forest. The air was a crisp 50 degrees and fog lingered among the cedar trees along the trail. After a short distance, the trail converges with Surprise Creek and then parallels the creek for about a mile. At one point, you have to use a fallen tree as a bridge to cross the creek.
The entire length of the trail is green and lush. We also encountered a number of large house-size boulders on the climb to Surprise Lake. Many of these even had trees growing out of the top of them.
At about two and half miles along the trail begins steep switchbacks and more difficult climbing. Much of the upper trail is rocky and requires careful stepping and concentration. Also about this time on our hike the precipitation started to turn from a fine mist to real big ol' fat rain, so we stopped to put on our raincoats. We were optimistic that the rain would clear and we'd see some mountain views - but unfortunately the rain only increased in intensity over the rest of the day. We met some backpackers on their way down who said that it snowed overnight at Surprise Lake - on August 31!
After a difficult climb, we reached Surprise Lake just in time for lunch. Surprise Lake is a long lake, so we were only able to see one end. The water was clean and clear - no algae, life, or fish growing in the frigid alpine lake. I was a little disappointed since the fog was pretty much socked in and we couldn't tell if there were any mountain views around the lake. It was a nippy 38 degrees at the lake, so we ate our lunch quickly before getting on the move again. 
We decided to hike the extra one mile to Glacier Lake, which turned out to be a great decision. After gaining a little elevation, the Glacier Lake trail traverses a boulder field with even larger boulders than the lowland area of the hike. We stopped for a few photos then scrambled down the steep hillside for a view of Glacier Lake. Still raining, we stopped only for a moment, took a few photos, saw a number of pikas, then set off on the journey back the car. The jaunt to Glacier Lake was my favorite part of the hike.
A true mountaineer braving the cold and rain at Glacier Lake.
The hike back down turned out to be tremendously more difficult than the hike up. With the continuous rain and quite a few Labor Day weekend hikers, the trail was muddy and slippery. My summer hiking boots weren't particularly well-suited for the wet and muddy trail, but we took our time and each of us only slipped once (quite a feat considering the condition of the trail). With the extra distance to Glacier Lake, we hiked 10 and half miles in all and were feeling a bit weary by the end of the hike.Though the weather wasn't great, I'm glad I finally made it on the Surprise Lake hike and pushed myself to do a more difficult trail. Next up: Cascade Pass!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
I Heart Number Eight
Last Friday I went to the Seahawks versus Raiders preseason game at Qwest Field. Though I am already longing for the warm summer nights that I know are gone - I was thrilled to finally pull my #8 Hasselbeck Seahawks jersey from my closet where it has been hanging since that fateful day of blizzard conditions in Greenbay on January 7, 2008.
At Friday's game, I cheered, clapped, shouted, booed, speculated, and hoped this year would be better than the last. Since Mother Nature is taking away sun and summertime, maybe she'll grant Seattle a run game or a stronger offensive line or a healthy receiving corps or a dynamite Hasselbeck. Maybe! And isn't that the joy of the beginning of any sports season? Who knows where we will be in 17 weeks! Ah the excitement... Best of luck to the other doomed teams - I'll see you out there with my foam finger, Hawks jersey, and battle cry!
At Friday's game, I cheered, clapped, shouted, booed, speculated, and hoped this year would be better than the last. Since Mother Nature is taking away sun and summertime, maybe she'll grant Seattle a run game or a stronger offensive line or a healthy receiving corps or a dynamite Hasselbeck. Maybe! And isn't that the joy of the beginning of any sports season? Who knows where we will be in 17 weeks! Ah the excitement... Best of luck to the other doomed teams - I'll see you out there with my foam finger, Hawks jersey, and battle cry!
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Lake Chelan Vacation
I spent the week of August 18 in Chelan, Washington with three friends. We stayed Saturday to Saturday and had a great time, though the trip turned out to be a little different than we had planned.
Our first two days in Chelan were hot and calm. We spent Sunday on the water, intertubing, floating, swimming, and going off a neighbor's 10-foot water slide (yipee!). I discovered that I remember how to dive, and practiced the Michael Phelps dolphin underwater swim. On Sunday, we found a water thermometer hanging off a neighbor's dock - it read 72 degrees. Not bad for chilly Lake Chelan - it felt great on a 95 degree day. We also discovered that across and up the lake a bit from our cabin was a smooth rock hanging about 20 to 25 feet over the water. Teens were jumping off the rock in hoards, and the water was incredibly deep at that spot, so we decided we would make it back to jump before our vacation was over. Sunday night we went to Slide Waters, the small water park in Chelan. I felt like a kid again zooming down water slides.
Monday started off warm, but the wind picked up in the afternoon. We rented a wake board but with the wind and our inexperience, no one got the chance to really try it out. By the evening, a thundershower rolled through Chelan, and we felt a little down because it kept us out of the water.
Tuesday we went wine tasting with Lakeside Limousine Tours. We had a blast - and felt very cool being driven to wineries in a limo. Many of the wineries in the Chelan area have some of the best views of the lake and delicious food. Some of the wineries we visited include: Tildio Winery, Benson Vineyards, Nefarious Cellars, and Vin du Lac. Vin du Lac tasting was outdoors under a trellis with gorgeous views of the lake.
Wednesday the weather didn't look great, so we decided to take the Lady of the Lake ferry to Stehekin, the northern most point and source of Lake Chelan. When we arrived in Stehekin, it was pouring down rain, so we hopped on the Rainbow Falls tour (school) bus. After the tour, we bought sweatshirts to stay warm, explored downtown Stehekin, marveled at the car graveyard with license plate tabs dating all the way back to 1991 (that I saw), and enjoyed the views and remoteness of the tiny town. After three hours, we caught the Lady of the Lake ferry back to Fields Point Landing.
Thursday was still windy and cool, so we stayed mostly out of the water and barbecued, played games, and relaxed. It was refreshing to be away from a computer and television. Friday rolled around and we woke to calm waters so we motored the boat to downtown Chelan for a hearty breakfast. The clouds burned off by noon and we made the decision to spend the entire damn day on the water, for better or worse.
We headed first to the jumping rock. Our boat captain stayed behind to take photos of the rest of us daredevils. We swam to shore, climbed the rocky terrain, and prepared to face certain death. Just kidding! But that's what I felt like. Heart racing and nervous as heck, it took me a long time to muster the courage to jump, though I did finally take a measly step off those rocks and plunged into the water. It was so much fun - I'm glad I did it. We spent the rest of the day boating, swimming, and intertubing. The day was incredible and we stayed on the water until the sun dipped behind the hills.
Saturday came and we were sad to have to leave our oasis so soon, especially since it was hot and the water calm. On our way home, we stopped outside of Leavenworth to float down the Wenatchee River - something the four of us have down for three years in a row. We had a blast and enjoyed resting on a sandy spit along the river, though it was bittersweet since it meant our vacation was over.
I love Lake Chelan. I am a bit sad to not have our vacation to look forward to anymore, but the memories and photos will help me get through the dreary Seattle winter. Until next year, Lake Chelan!
Stehekin Landing and Lodge
Rainbow Falls in Stehekin - 312 feet of cascading water
A view of the beginning of Lake Chelan and the North Cascades shrouded in clouds.
We saw bighorn sheep on the ferry back to Chelan. There is so much more wildlife in Chelan than Seattle - we saw the bighorn sheep, fish, bats, frogs, lizards, and a variety of squirrels. 
Looking north on Lake Chelan from the Lady of the Lake ferry.
Cruising.
Tubing buddies.
Panorama from the cabin deck. 
Looking north from our cabin deck.
Sunset and floaties.
Our first two days in Chelan were hot and calm. We spent Sunday on the water, intertubing, floating, swimming, and going off a neighbor's 10-foot water slide (yipee!). I discovered that I remember how to dive, and practiced the Michael Phelps dolphin underwater swim. On Sunday, we found a water thermometer hanging off a neighbor's dock - it read 72 degrees. Not bad for chilly Lake Chelan - it felt great on a 95 degree day. We also discovered that across and up the lake a bit from our cabin was a smooth rock hanging about 20 to 25 feet over the water. Teens were jumping off the rock in hoards, and the water was incredibly deep at that spot, so we decided we would make it back to jump before our vacation was over. Sunday night we went to Slide Waters, the small water park in Chelan. I felt like a kid again zooming down water slides.
Monday started off warm, but the wind picked up in the afternoon. We rented a wake board but with the wind and our inexperience, no one got the chance to really try it out. By the evening, a thundershower rolled through Chelan, and we felt a little down because it kept us out of the water.
Tuesday we went wine tasting with Lakeside Limousine Tours. We had a blast - and felt very cool being driven to wineries in a limo. Many of the wineries in the Chelan area have some of the best views of the lake and delicious food. Some of the wineries we visited include: Tildio Winery, Benson Vineyards, Nefarious Cellars, and Vin du Lac. Vin du Lac tasting was outdoors under a trellis with gorgeous views of the lake.
Wednesday the weather didn't look great, so we decided to take the Lady of the Lake ferry to Stehekin, the northern most point and source of Lake Chelan. When we arrived in Stehekin, it was pouring down rain, so we hopped on the Rainbow Falls tour (school) bus. After the tour, we bought sweatshirts to stay warm, explored downtown Stehekin, marveled at the car graveyard with license plate tabs dating all the way back to 1991 (that I saw), and enjoyed the views and remoteness of the tiny town. After three hours, we caught the Lady of the Lake ferry back to Fields Point Landing.
Thursday was still windy and cool, so we stayed mostly out of the water and barbecued, played games, and relaxed. It was refreshing to be away from a computer and television. Friday rolled around and we woke to calm waters so we motored the boat to downtown Chelan for a hearty breakfast. The clouds burned off by noon and we made the decision to spend the entire damn day on the water, for better or worse.
We headed first to the jumping rock. Our boat captain stayed behind to take photos of the rest of us daredevils. We swam to shore, climbed the rocky terrain, and prepared to face certain death. Just kidding! But that's what I felt like. Heart racing and nervous as heck, it took me a long time to muster the courage to jump, though I did finally take a measly step off those rocks and plunged into the water. It was so much fun - I'm glad I did it. We spent the rest of the day boating, swimming, and intertubing. The day was incredible and we stayed on the water until the sun dipped behind the hills.
Saturday came and we were sad to have to leave our oasis so soon, especially since it was hot and the water calm. On our way home, we stopped outside of Leavenworth to float down the Wenatchee River - something the four of us have down for three years in a row. We had a blast and enjoyed resting on a sandy spit along the river, though it was bittersweet since it meant our vacation was over.
I love Lake Chelan. I am a bit sad to not have our vacation to look forward to anymore, but the memories and photos will help me get through the dreary Seattle winter. Until next year, Lake Chelan!
Moonrise over Lake Chelan our first night on vacation.
Stehekin Landing and Lodge
Rainbow Falls in Stehekin - 312 feet of cascading water
A view of the beginning of Lake Chelan and the North Cascades shrouded in clouds.
We saw bighorn sheep on the ferry back to Chelan. There is so much more wildlife in Chelan than Seattle - we saw the bighorn sheep, fish, bats, frogs, lizards, and a variety of squirrels. 
Looking north on Lake Chelan from the Lady of the Lake ferry.
Cruising.
Tubing buddies.
Panorama from the cabin deck. 
Looking north from our cabin deck.
Sunset and floaties.
And to prove I actually jumped. Hopefully you can't see the grimace on my face. And I look like a total dork because I'm trying to keep my arms at my side and toes pointed to avoid slapping the water uncomfortably. Yay for conquering fears.
Friday, August 29, 2008
The Tipping Point
If I may draw from what I have learned working for the National Girls Collaborative Project, I believe the U.S. has reach a tipping point. Quoting the NGCP Replication Guide: "Gladwell (2000) describes the tipping point as the point at which small, targeted strategies or activities that happen unsystematically become widespread, causing a cultural shift that drives systemic and inherent change" (1).
Today John McCain declared his running mate to be Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. No longer is our presidential race simply a competition between middle-aged and elderly upper class white men. There has been a cultural shift - it is now critical for presidential hopefuls to represent more than just these white men. The glass ceiling is not simply cracked: it has been smashed repeatedly with only fragile remains still in place.
Minorities, women, and other underrepresented groups still have more ground to gain, and the wage disparity between these groups and white men still remains significant. But today is an exciting day. No matter who is elected, November 4, 2008 will be a historic time for the U.S. Either way, a woman or an African American will sit in one of the two most powerful positions in the White House, making executive decisions that shape our nation and future. We have reached a tipping point, and I am hopeful and excited for the future.
Today John McCain declared his running mate to be Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. No longer is our presidential race simply a competition between middle-aged and elderly upper class white men. There has been a cultural shift - it is now critical for presidential hopefuls to represent more than just these white men. The glass ceiling is not simply cracked: it has been smashed repeatedly with only fragile remains still in place.
Minorities, women, and other underrepresented groups still have more ground to gain, and the wage disparity between these groups and white men still remains significant. But today is an exciting day. No matter who is elected, November 4, 2008 will be a historic time for the U.S. Either way, a woman or an African American will sit in one of the two most powerful positions in the White House, making executive decisions that shape our nation and future. We have reached a tipping point, and I am hopeful and excited for the future.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
I'm Baaack!
I'm back from a week in Lake Chelan. The vacation was great - though a little different than we had planned due to some iffy weather. And there is torrential rain today in Seattle - it seems like summer might be coming to an end already. So sad. I'll post on Chelan with photos soon! Stay tuned...
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