Adventures

Today was quite fun! I met my brother Brad and his wife Jess at Potlatch State Park. We then drove Brad's truck to the upper trailhead for Mt. Ellinore. I am so happy that we didn't take my new prius, I don't know if it would have made it...there were some fairly large potholes. I guess that I might miss my jeep in situations like that.

It is strange the tricks that your memory plays on you. I climbed Mt Ellinore 2 years ago. I remembered how tough the climb was in places, but I had forgotten how you really don't get any reprieve from the climb (on the way up and then again on the way down). But the view from the top, I remembered. WOW, it is so incredible, and so worth the pain to get there and then to back down. But boy is there pain on the way down!

The bug spray only helped a little against the monster flies that buzzed around and tried to bite us. And somehow, during the application of sunscreen, I missed the back of my calves -- ouch, they are very red and tingly. The only other area that got sunburned was a little area on the back of my neck.

From the top of Mt Ellinore today we could see: Mt. Olympus, Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens; and just the tip of Mt. Hood too (only with binoculars). We could also see Seattle, and in the other direction I think that we could see part of Grays Harbor. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. Amazing! We also saw a mountain goat it was about 30 feet away; we heard that there were quite a few earlier in the day, but by the time we were high enough, most had moved on.

The craziest thing that happened today was at the trailhead before we started. I used the outhouse. For those of you who haven't been there, it is hard to describe. There is a nice picture window opening (no window anymore) so that while you are seated on the toilet you have a beautiful view of Mt Rainer -- that is unless there is someone is sitting on the bench just outside, blocking the view (hopefully facing Mt. Rainer and not the outhouse)!! So...I closed the door and easily slid the latch to lock it. Well, when I tried to slide it back to unlock it, nope, it would NOT budge. I pushed, pulled, had Brad lean against the door, all with no luck at all. Thank goodness for the broken window! Brad tried to reach in to unlock it - no luck. Brad finally got a large stick that I used like a battering ram to get the lock open. I was starting to get nervous - What would have happened if the broken window wasn't there!? I guess that I might still be there. What drama to start out the day! Thankfully, the hike then proceeded without drama or incident.

I remembered Leslie telling me about how she collected wool from the mountain goats along the trail and then spun it into yarn. I have never really had a desire to learn to spin. Until now. I found so much wool today! I can't wait to find out what to do with it now. I guess it is time to call up some of my knitting friends who also spin and ask for some help and learn what to do.