Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Christmas 2008, Missing Tiana


Perhaps now is a good time to reflect on my very lovely and my very special 17 year-old daughter, Tiana, who is spending her first Christmas away from home. Equally meaningful, to me at least, is that I'll be spending my first Christmas ever away from Tiana whom I miss now as much as I did in early October, when she first went away. Which is to say, a lot.

As most of you who read the blog know, my wife and I had been seeing serious and dangerous behavior from Tiana for the last year. It culminated in early October when we had her removed from her bedroom in the middle of the night and transported to a treatment program in Oregon, where she was involved in a hardcore wilderness-based protocol of drug abuse and behavior therapy, during which we were only allowed to see her once. At the end meeting, after the 51-day treatment program, we made the very difficult decision to commit Tiana to another six months at an affiliated therapeutic boarding school. That day, when Tiana was transferred to the school, was one of the most difficult of my life. Adding to the poignancy of the event was Tiana's incredible stoicism and acceptance of staying at the very rustic and demanding school, where she will be until at least late spring.

A few weeks later, in mid-December, we again drove down to see her at what's called a "Parent's Weekend." Part of this event was a workshop/social gathering of all the kids' parents with selected staff members. That went well, as I had a chance to meet some of the other parents and hear the stories of their kids. It ran the gamut from one dad who was totally freaked out by his son's occasional marijuana use to the somewhat more reasonable concern of the mom who was dealing with a daughter's addiction to heroin. One of my bigger fears going into this therapeutic program was that Tiana might not fit in with the other kids, for one reason or another. That concern has been totally put to rest as she has really proven to be the dictionary definition of the average participant.

After the parents meeting, which lasted until about noon, it was time to bring in the kids for a group lunch. It was a very cold and wet day and yes, my stomach was in knots about meeting Tiana again. Would she look happy or sad? How would she react when she saw me? How would I react when I saw her? The parents went outside of the assembly yurt and the kids slowly filtered up the muddy trail, reuniting with their parents. Tiana sort of appeared out of the mist--I hardly even noticed her. She ran right up to me and gave me a big hug. We both started crying but she regained her composure before I did and said "Don't worry dad--I'm doing good. I'm happy." Grammar aside, the words meant so much to me that I could hardly bear it.

The rest of the afternoon was spent on pleasant walks around the school's campus, interesting one-on-one talks with Tiana, and reviewing her school work, which she was very excited about. While Tuuli and I were wondering to ourselves how we would spend all that time together, the day went by very quickly, and before we knew it, it was time for dinner, after which we headed back to the motel in Albany. It was a very emotional day and on the ride back to town I reflected on how well it went and how well-worth saving Tiana truly is. She may never fulfill her utmost potential (neither did I) and her road into adulthood may not be smooth, but at least I feel strongly now that she has a chance, that she'll have the tools to lead a happy and fulfilling life.

Now might also be a good opportunity to review the costs we've incurred to date and the strain that has put on our budget and on the family's psyche. The first 51 days of the program came in at $450/day. Santiam School is at $5900+ per month, with a 6-month minimum and a 7 month average stay. There is a gear charge of nearly $1000 for Tiana's clothing, sleeping bag, etc. There is the cost of the motel we need to stay at for at least 2 nights a month. At Tiana's request, we will need to renew her Concerta medication, which is $145/month + the cost of the psychiatrist who needs to prescribe it, at $175/hour. There are other costs for miscellaneous gifts and extra gear, gas money, etc. I'm often asked, and sometimes wonder myself, if there had been a less expensive option. I don't know, but I think about it quite a bit. I'm comfortable with the program and I know it has a good reputation. There are kids enrolled at Santiam Crossing from all over the country, including Hawaii and even up to to Winnipeg, Canada. And it's not just rich kids of rich parents, but families from every socio-economic group. When we originally made the decision to send Tiana away, it was something that had to be done real quick--we didn't have time to do a lot of research. I feel very fortunate that we chose as wisely as we did. She's close enough where we can drive to see her in 4 or 5 hours, unlike some parents who have to take a transcontinental flight. When you add up the costs, they're staggering, at least to someone of our financial means. How we're going to survive, especially given the current economic climate, I have no idea. Is it worth it? Is it worth the strain on the marriage and the disruption to the family? Is it worth $60-$70,000 for Tiana to live in a very primitive environment, without even running water, for 8+ months with no guarantees that things will be better? I don't know, but the picture at the top of this entry tell me it's worth the chance.

But now it's Christmas. And I miss her. And I hope she is doing well and knows that I love her.

PS--Happy Birthday Mom!!

Monday, December 22, 2008

Arctic Adversity 2008


It was going to be the cold snap of the century, hurricane force winds, six feet of snow, floods and a dust storm all rolled into one. But friends Jody and Adam and I left Seattle for a weekend of I'm not exactly sure what in Cle Elum Saturday morning anyway. In the end, the biggest adversity was a broken snowshoe.

Under sunny skies, we arrived at our cabin in Cle Elum a little after noon. The outside temperature was 7 degrees, the inside temperature was about 8. Jody made a fire while Adam and I shoveled the driveway. We drove the car in next to the house, unloaded our gear and tried to get warm. We screwed around for a little bit, turning on various heaters and thawing out the water pipes. In about half an hour, we were off to Ellensburg where we had a nice lunch at the Dakota Cafe. Light snow began to fall, then heavier as we walked the downtown area. A little shopping at the local outdoor shop, a quick tour of the town's quirky museum and it was beginning to get dark. We drove back to the cabin on the canyon road, found the house pleasantly not on fire, and shortly after arriving, left again for Roslyn to find some dinner.

Much to our dismay, Village Pizza inexplicably was closed for "Christmas Vacation" so we back-tracked into Cle Elum where we had a nice dinner at a new restaurant on Main St called "Beau's". We walked around in a fairly heavy snowfall that didn't quite make it to the predicted blizzard status and headed back to the house where we watched a lame Charlie Chaplin movie (The Gold Rush) and watched weather reports of impending doom that we all knew would never materialize. It should also be noted that a little earlier we parked next to the Timberline Motel, poached their wifi for a few minutes while Adam and I made adjustments to our virtual sailboat race on my laptop computer in the front seat of the car. The snow continued, the car radio said the pass was closed and not expected to open to Sunday afternoon, "at the earliest." Somehow, it just didn't seem like a real storm was imminent.

We bailed on our idea of taking a sauna as the downstairs water had still not thawed. A little after midnight, I headed up to the unheated attic and had a very cozy and sound sleep in Tiana's old bed, with the window cracked open just a little. Next morning, we made breakfast and went on a nice hike behind the house as we waited for the pass to open. One of my barely used snowshoes broke, Adam fixed it with a spare shoelace. I'm afraid he will now be know as "MacGruber" based on the SNL skit of the same name.

While hiking, we learned that the pass had opened and we headed back to the house, postholing every step of the way in 2+ feet of powder. We watched a bit of the Seahawks game, had a bite to eat, jumped in the car and made an uneventful passage back to Seattle, stopping by briefly at Adams' parents houseboat next to the CSR yard on Lake Union. While we were gone, indeed a fair amount of snow had fallen and was still falling in Seattle, but the storm totally failed to reach expectations, as is typical of most hyped-up weather events.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Iron Mountain Trail



November 29, 2008


Again, things were quiet on the North Fork Teanaway road this drizzly, but warmish, Saturday morning in late November. The leaves now had all fallen from the aspens and cottonwoods and the larch had lost all their gold needles. With the gray skies and the flat light, there was little color to be found--perfect for keeping the dust and the crowds.

Trail 1394 starts about a mile before road end. Parking is on the south side of the road, the trail starts on the north. It starts up and it continues up, with nary five feet of flat until you get to about 5000. Views today were mostly of the fog, with some thin clouds swirling around the dramatic nearby Palisades and other massive granitic outcroppings, so common in this area.

The trail itself is fairly nondescript, winding it's way up a wide ridge in a thin pine forest. Spring and summer would be better, with a profusion of wildflowers, no doubt, spreading across the rocky forest floor. As previously mentioned, at 5000' the trail flattens a bit and views of the un-named pass and the top of the ridge open up. On a clear day, the view south and west would be rewarding. Today, through a pocket in the clouds, I settled for a weak rainbow, stretching across the creek bed, far below.

As the temperature was rising, snow was melting from the trail, exposing a solid sheet of ice below, much like a frozen stream. Just as I had slipped for the 16th time and was ready to turn around, a cold wind was felt blowing down from the pass, leaving the snow intact over the trail, making it easier to walk. At 6000' or so, the snow became quite deep and as it was now approaching mid-afternoon, I had a quick snack and started back. The pass itself, which I dearly wanted to see, was about a mile ahead and I'm sure, in clear weather, would have had spectacular views north to the Stuart Range.

After an easy and quick hike back down, I arrived at the car at about 330.

Monday, November 24, 2008

November 24, 2008


51-day reunion. Six months to go.

Oh boy--this is one of those days that you just dread, yet somehow look forward to. And not looking forward to getting it over with, but genuinely because you anticipate a positive result. This day brought out the best of those two opposing emotions, with the good clearly outweighing the bad.

After not seeing Tiana for 30 days, we were led to a small yurt on a hillside. There was a bright spot in the fog just overhead and the grounds of the school were beautifully quiet. We opened the door and sitting on the floor across the room was Tiana and her friend Marsha, who was also graduating from the program. Both kids were chatting excitedly and smiling as we walked in and Tiana immediately jumped up and gave Tuuli and I a big hug. Of course I immediately burst into tears (good self-control, Frank!) and the three of us just held each other for a long time, as our annoying dog was heard howling in the distance.

After a few brief formalities, the girls both went through their experiences of the last 30 days, what they had learned and what their goals were, going forward. Tiana went first and did so much better than our first meeting--I was quite pleased and very proud. Part of my prior dread was averted--Tiana did not make any kind of fuss about wanting to come home, and indeed, almost seemed to embrace the idea of another six months of boarding school. The dread that did materialize was my emotional response to her new-found maturity and self-confidence. I was just so, so happy to see the old Tiana, off all her medications and recreational drugs, physically fit and not consumed with her appearance. At one point she asked me if I liked her hair, as unkempt as it could possibly be. My response, with a wink, was "You know I do."

The rest of the afternoon was spent meeting new staff and getting Tiana and Marsha ready for their transition to the school part of the program. It all went very well, with Tiana in generally good spirits. At one point she told me she was going to work hard and get as many credits as she possibly could. She also told me, at least in so many words, not to worry--that she would be OK. That had a huge impact on me for one simple reason: empathy. One of Tiana's greatest failings, at least to me, was what I perceived a total and complete lack of understanding another person's point of view. Today was perhaps the first time ever that I saw she was able to understand my deeper feelings and relate to me on an emotional level. Perhaps it was just a random thought on her part, but for now I choose to believe it was the biggest sign of progress I have yet seen.

I also want to thank Savanna for making the trip. There were some emotional connection between the two girls that was good to see, including a hesitant hug that I had sort of dreamed of someday seeing.

The goodbye's were heartbreaking as Tiana was heading into a new, challenging realm that was very much an unknown for both of us. The long ride home gave rise to more introspection and a terrible emptiness that Tiana would not be home for the holidays, but contentment that everything is working toward a greater good, if we just give it time.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Kendall (I Thought It Would be Steeper) Katwalk, Nov 22, 2008



I've been wanting to do this hike for years, but was always put off by stories about it's popularity and overuse. I don't mind encountering a few kindred spirits on any given trail, but due to it's proximity to Seattle and the appeal of the views and the Katwalk itself, I just couldn't get stoked about meeting as many as a couple hundred hikers on an typical summer/fall afternoon.

Finally, the timing was right as it was raining in the city, with cold rain and warm snow forecast for the mountains. As it turned out, we had just a little rain at the end of the hike, with occasional dry snow showers the rest of the time, and a bit of clearing thrown in here and there. Anyway, the strategy turned to perfection for as soon as we hit the Kendall Katwalk spur trail, we were breaking through virgin powder and didn't see another soul until we were merging onto the freeway.

The trail starts off with a couple mild, but fairly long switchbacks. With me were friends Adam and Jody, two avid hikers from Seattle who were braving the warmish beginning of the hike, at least, in just their long sleeve shirts. After 2.75 mostly uneventful miles, one can continue straight into the Commonwealth Basin, popular with snowshoers, or hang a right to the Kendall Katwalk. The trail becomes steeper and more interesting now, with occasional switchbacks through old growth forest and open views. On this day, the weather was highly unsettled with temps in the mid-to-upper twenties, light to fairly moderate snow falling and mostly overcast skies, with a bit of blue sky sometimes showing through.

Numerous creeks are crossed, some of which could be an issue during times of warmer temperatures and higher runoff. One creek in particular was very picturesque with a wide ribbon of water falling over a solid sheet of rock a couple hundred feet above (more about that later!). At 4700' the trail reaches a saddle and flattens briefly, offering views to the east and north to Kendall Peak. After a short while back in the trees, views open up and rock fields are traversed as the trail switches back up the west face of Kendall Peak. At this point we were postholing through 12-18" of dry snow and as we were now nearing 5000', the temps were dropping considerably. Finally Adam and Jody had their jackets on. It was snowing hard.

At 5400' and nearly 4.5 hours and 5.5 miles from the trailhead, we reached the Katwalk, a quarter mile section of trail blasted out of solid rock. The trail is amply wide with steep, but not sheer, dropoffs to the west. Views might have been spectacular on a clear day, but today about all we could see through the snow swirling up from the valley were a couple frozen ponds far below and the hazy outline of a steep ridge across the valley. We lunched at the north end of the Katwalk, where because my precious beef jerky was frozen and inedible, Adam insisted that I take his store-bought wrap. I declined his generous offer and moments later he was heard telling Jody that he thinks the wrap had gone back and asking her if it smelled funny. I found that quite amusing.

After a 20 minute lunch break, just long enough to bring on a serious chill, we headed back across the Katwalk, fingers freezing as I tried to take a few pictures. In fact, my fingers became so numb that I somehow lost the grip on the camera case I was holding and without realizing, totally dropped it. Even though it was probably just 30 or 40 yards back, I had absolutely no ambition to go back and look for it.

Back into the relative warmth of the deeper forest, Adam suggested we cut a long switchback, which the GPS showed should save nearly a mile of hiking. Seemed like a good idea and as we headed cross country things were going great until we came to the same impassable cliff over which the previously mentioned waterfall was flowing. As it was now getting fairly late in the day, we were reluctant to backtrack to the trail. Luckily, Adam was able to find a quite sketchy way down a very steep, but passable, section of the 200' face, hanging on to tree roots and bushes the entire way.

Finally we were on the trail and a couple hours later, in total darkness and with flashlights blazing, we were back to the parking lot, tired but exhilarated from a 7-hour walk in the mountains.

Logistics: Drive to Snoqualmie Pass on Interstate 90 (east) and get off at Exit 52. From the exit, turn left and cross under the freeway onto Alpental Road No. 54. In a short distance, follow a spur road on the right (should be signed PCT) a few hundred feet to the main parking lot, restroom and PCT trailhead, elevation 3,000 feet. If the trailhead is inaccessible due to snow, look for a wide, plowed pullout along the road, usually about 1/4 mile from the freeway. If there are no safe pullouts, you can park on the south side of the freeway and walk to the trailhead, or so they say.

Trail data: From the trailhead to the overlook it is 11 miles round trip with 2,700 feet gain, plus 300 feet gain on the way out From the trailhead to the crest of Kendall Ridge it is about a 1,700-foot gain. From the trailhead to Commonwealth Basin, it is about 6 miles round trip. Don't forget your parking pass and don't attempt the Katwalk in winter--there's way too much snow and the area is prime country for avalanches.

Friday, November 14, 2008

November 14, 2008



Another six months. I'm proud of you Tiana, and I love u.

:-(

Monday, November 03, 2008

Introspection Pass




November 2, 2008

One hour from Cle Elum, the North Fork Teanaway Road ended at the Esmerelda Basin parking lot. Wildly popular in summer as a jumping off point to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area, on this dark and rainy morning it was eerily quiet, as in absolutely no cars in the parking lot. That was just an exercise in curiosity on my part—my trailhead was actually a couple miles back at the equally desolate DeRoux Campground, Trail 1392, and my ultimate destination, an un-named, 1 mile off trail 1393A, about 4 hours away.

Starting elevation was 3200’, under mild, but drizzly skies. The trail begins flat in a thin pine forest, crosses DeRoux Creek and in a mile and half comes to a junction with trail 1392A. Here we hang a left, leaving the creek and start climbing—1200’ in less than a mile. Clouds were close at hand, rain falling harder, as the trail switchbacks up the ridge to Introspection Pass.

At the pass, a decision had to be made. Views to the south were obscured by scudding clouds and fog, and though I could clearly see the trail winding down the other side of the ridge, the view suddenly ended in a dark sea of green pines and firs. At this elevation, well over 5000', the weather was currently in a highly-changeable mood. On one side of the pass, the wind was coming up, blowing in snow from across the valley. Temperatures were dropping. The question was to go forward toward my dubious destination, into uncertain weather, or to retreat back to the north side of the ridge, in the lee of the wind and snow.

I sat on a convenient log to ponder my choices, as the snow and sleet mix continued from the southwest. It didn’t take long for me to make a decision. I was tired, beat-up and soaking wet from the long slog up the ridge. In the foggy, miserable weather, there was but little chance that I would ever find my destination, a tiny, one-acre, non-descript lake in the middle of nowhere. It was still another 2 hours down the trail, I would be losing my hard-fought elevation gain. all the while dealing with grumpy weather. It wasn’t worth the risk. The sensible thing was to regroup into familiar territory, where I was sure of my footing, and sure of the way back to safety.

The cold rain continued as I worked my way down the switchbacks, but as I got lower on the hill, it turned into almost a kind of warm mist. Just as I was getting into a zone and wishing the hike would continue, the trail came to a junction and I decided to take a spur to Gallagher Head Lake, 3.5 miles to the northwest. I had been to the lake once before from the Cle Elum River side, but that was probably 15 years ago. Two hours and 2500' of elevation gain later, I got a quick look at the lake and started back to the car. I arrived at the trailhead at approximately 2pm and was home by 3.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Tiana Finishes Wilderness Expedition

Tiana has finished a very demanding 21 day wilderness trek and we finally got to see her Saturday at the Catherine Freer base camp, about 30 miles east of Albany, Oregon They have a very nice facility there--100+ forested acres, several lakes, a nice river that runs through, several structures, etc. The weather was cool and clear. We had our group meeting with 7 kids, 4 counselors/therapists and about 10 or 11 parents.

My first impression on seeing Tiana as she walked through the door is that she looked very tired. Her face was puffy like maybe she had been crying the night before. She didn't appear to have lost much, if any, weight (I sort of thought she would). Most of the other kids seemed a lot cheerier and happy to see their parents. Not so much with Tiana. As per usual, she wouldn't make eye contact with me.

In this group setting, the kids would face their parents and were expected to tell them what they learned during the first three weeks, what goals they had for the next 30 days and what their long-term plans were for staying clean, amongst other things. They were also supposed to give a full and complete list of disclosures of their past behaviors, including things that the parents probably weren't aware of. This was a very emotional thing for most of the kids to do, but you can see the benefits to everyone concerned--the kids get a lot off their minds and are able to start with a clean slate, and the parents get their worst fears confirmed (or refuted, but mostly confirmed) and can move forward.

Tiana in no cooperated when it came to be her turn. The therapists were very understanding, as they know Tiana is shy and has difficulty communicating under the best of circumstances, but they were also firm, strongly encouraging her to engage. She would just say she wasn't ready to talk, or she just "didn't want to," and we just couldn't get her to open up. She kept insisting that everything was in her journal and that we could read about it there. Finally, after wasting almost 2 hours of the group's time, we just gave up. I think it was a good lesson to the Freer staff about what we as parents have been dealing with.

We then had about 10 minutes to spend just with Tiana and that was a very emotional time for me and her. She just seemed so lost and I had no words to help re-assure her. Whatever issues she's dealing with must just seem overwhelming. We hugged and she let me kiss her on the cheek, I told her I love her and believed in her, and with great difficulty and emotion, she said she love me too. And then she was off. She just looked so sad and distant when she walked away, but never did show any strong emotion about not coming home.

The activities they have planned for the next 4+ weeks include rock climbing, surfing and horseback riding. They'll be receiving individual and group therapy on a daily basis and will still be sleeping in tents at night. Not the ideal lifestyle for Tiana, but I hope she is able to make some progress. She needs to get her self-confidence and her self-respect back.

The capper to the whole ordeal was getting back home and reading through her journal. It was very well written, articulate and clear, but several pages had been ripped out. Obviously, the version the field staff had seen (and more or less approved) was different from what we got. There are still a lot of things that she hasn't come to grips with and I'm very concerned about what they might be. I still feel very badly that as parents, we have really failed her.

Love to all,

Frank

Monday, October 06, 2008

Tiana's Gone

So for those of you who don't already know, yesterday we had an intervention.

At 330am, we woke up our soon to be 17 year-old daughter and informed her of our decision to send to her to a wilderness therapy program in Oregon. At first she didn't quite believe, simply rolled over and said "I'm not going to Oregon." When the transport crew entered the room, she slowly came to an understanding of what was going on. Ten minutes later it was virtually over, as Tiana stoically walked to the waiting van in slippers and her hastily arranged clothes.

We saw her again about 5 hours later when the programs administrators brought her into a conference room crowded with other families and school functionaries. It was the first of several emotional encounters and truly the beginning of a somewhat traumatic day. Quickly we were briefed on the program and then the lead therapist Socratically questioned all family members and kids so we all had a sense of what had led these diverse people to the program. It was very non-judgemental and was easier than I thought it would be. Tiana totally refused to participate. The counselors mentioned that this was her one chance to defend/explain her actions, but she still wouldn't cooperate.

Four grueling hours later we were done and the time came for saying goodbye to the kids. Because Tiana had been a little delayed in the process because she had to get a physical, she was the only one who still had her regular clothes on. The other kids had been searched, issued new clothes and were ready to start the 12 hour car ride to the trailhead. At this point Tiana was clearly angry and would not talk to me, but was still very much in control. She walked into the clean room, never looking back, and that was the last I saw of her. Her personal effects were returned to us about 15 minutes later.

By 230 or so we were on the road, leaving Albany, Oregon with very heavy hearts. It was a quiet car ride home as the skies were dark and rain often falling as we worked out way north. By about 645pm we were home, exhausted from the last 48 hours but feeling good that we had followed through with this extremely difficult decision.

What's next? After 21 days of full-on wilderness backpacking, with group therapy sessions twice a day and lots of introspective time and journal writing, the group of kids will come back to civilization and will meet again at a camp near Albany. Tiana will either be forwarded to the next, less-intesive 30 day phase of the program, or she may be encouraged to repeat the strenuous 21 day program a second time. Either way, she will stay in Oregon at least for another 3-4 weeks.

After the 30-day program, she will again be evaluated and the therapists will recommend the next course of treatment, which is usually 6-9 months in some kind of less structured therapeutic setting, a half-way house, so to speak. If Tiana makes real progress during the 30-day program, and we're able to make some changes at home and arrange for her education, there's a chance they'll recommend she return with us to Seattle.

I compare this with my mom's death many years ago, in terms of emotional intensity. I guess that's a little melodramatic, as in the universal scheme of things, this hardly registers. I know it's the best decision for Tiana, but I miss her so, so much. How many times in just the last few days have I heard somebody coming up the basement stairs, thinking it was her, or woken up in the middle of the night, thinking I heard something downstairs? And all the little personal things laying around the house, the birthday cards that are arriving, or the presents I had bought her months ago, still sitting in the garage....

Each day since she's been gone, I've been sending her an email, telling her about what's going on up here, the weather, and of course sprinkling in a few thoughts about how much I care about her, what we can do to improve our relationship, etc. It's silly, but it makes me feel much better and maybe will mean something to Tiana. Someday.

We'll be getting our first detailed report of Tiana's progress this Friday and I will post updates to the blog.

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

For Tiana


Shotgun in the Closet (Waiting to Go Off)

You haven't looked me in the eyes since you were twelve
Those eyes that used to sparkle
Are gone now, not working for you
Wonder all around
Is lost, replaced by darkness and dark circles

Could I have done more – probably
I could have done less
Somewhere things got away and it was easier
To stop trying so hard
And I guess that's what we did

You captivated me when you were on
And made me feel so good, and lightened
My heart
But it never lasted
And was followed by what was worse

Could we have had a normal conversation?
I don't think so, because you're shut down
To any common ground
And like me, stopped trying
It wouldn't have been so bad

You're the shotgun in the closet
Waiting to speak
Are you loaded again?
Can you come outside and live
Or stay in the corner, inert, alone

Stolen cash and ipods
Stolen hope and youth
Club on the car wheel
Dreams dashed
Because I couldn't get through

Where else have you been
Whose sheets have you seen
When the sun comes up
And you're caught in between
Morning and night?

We can't, you and I,
Want, wish, wait, hope and pray
Anymore, if you ever did
The time
Has come for Saving Private Tiana

Open up your heart and soar
Don't look down!
Listen to the artist, the creative spirit
Throw out the demons
And everyone that doesn't inspire you
Tattoo this on your soul: I never stopped believing!
You can do it
It will be hard
i luv u

Is there something inside that remembers?
--Dad

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Rattlesnake Lake to Cle Elum Bike Ride 2008





We started riding at about 830 and arrived in Cle Elum at 330. In between was 53 miles of the usual mix of good and bad, difficult and easy, fun and boring. After nearly 10 years, the Iron Horse Trail has lost most of its intrinsic appeal and really the only things left are companionship with my brother in law Greg and the physical/mental challenge of the ride.

The first 20 miles are all uphill, albeit at a grade of only about a 100 vertical feet per mile. It doesn't seem like much, but when one is constantly peddling, never being able to coast or sit up on the bike for even one second, it takes a toll. For me, it's always my back. Even though I carry a relatively light pack, after ten miles it feels like a bus. Though my arms and legs are fine, my back tightens up and I can go no more than 6-7 miles without taking a break. Greg is very patient and sets an easy pace and doesn't mind the stops. He tells me that this year's stops were no more than usual, but it seemed like they were quite frequent between Rattlesnake Lake and Hyak.

Once we get to the tunnel, the grade flattens and immediately I feel better. On the east side, we're greeted with warmer temps and a very light wind. The next 12 miles or so is a slight downhill grade and before I know it, we're at Easton, where the trail straightens and basically follows the freeway into Cle Elum. I had trouble in two spots that had loose gravel, getting bogged down and nearly falling at the first spot and then dumping the bike in the second bit, but landing on my feet. I discovered that my rear tire was nearly completely flat and was simply not able to move through the loose rock.

The next hour and a half was at a pretty good pace, though I had some difficulty in keeping up as the tire had a slow leak and we had to stop several times to pump it up. Nonetheless, we soon rolled into the familiar South Cle Elum train station and a few minutes later were taking the traditional end of ride pictures at the house

I must thank Greg for setting the pace for the entire ride this year. He's in better shape than me and it took a load off my mind not to have to lead. Still I survived the ride in good condition, feeling just quite tired on Sunday, but otherwise no aches or pains. Greg said our moving average was 9.8 mph this year. down a little from previous rides.

In the end it was a particularly bittersweet ride that I'll probably remember more for the drama that's unfolding around Tiana than anything else, but still, it just felt good to be on the bike.

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Miller Peak, August 30, 2008 (Jammin' Pass Loop)



A couple weeks ago, I was up in this area, about two peaks over, and temps were in the low 90s, even at 6000+'. Today as I started out on the Miller Peak trailhead at around 1030 am, it was 40-50 degrees cooler. I'd been putting off this hike as the trail is open to and quite popular with, motorbikes. But I wanted to strike it from my list as it is the easternmost hike in the Teanaway realm and the last hike in the region that I hadn't completed.

Almost immediately I had second thoughts as a group of 10 riders passed me within 500' of the actual trailhead. But they were all respectful and friendly so I continued on. As it was, I only saw two more riders during the next 13+ miles.

As most trails in the Teanaway basin, the Miller Creek trail starts easy and flat but within a couple miles starts climbing up the ridge smartly, often through surprising patches of first and second growth forests. Various creeks and streamlets are crossed and as elevation is gained and trees thinned, views open up to the south and the north revealing Mt Rainier nearly covered in mist and the Stuart Range, peaking out above the Navaho Peak ridge. At 5000 feet you can relax a little and catch your breath and drink in the beauty of the high country. A light wind rustles through the dried arnica, their bright yellows flowers long since gone. A marmot whistles in the distance, hiding amongst the acres of bare rock. Various peaks and ridges, in virtually all directions, fill the camera frame and best of all is Miller Peak, looking not all that far away.

The last 1000' to the summit is straight up over loose rock, but once on top, one finds a little flat area with a few trees and plenty of cozy places to sit and soak in the scenery. Cell phone reception is possible here, so it's a great place from which to send a picture message to that friend who couldn't be with you.

Below the ridgeline to the south was an enticing side trail not indicated on the maps or GPS, which for that very reason had great appeal to me. Down I scrambled, nearly 1000 feet, and soon I was heading east on this seldom used trail, which I hoped would eventually hook me up with the Bear Creek trail, leading me back to the car in a nice, long loop. The trail was very pleasant, following just below the ridge with wide open views to the south and wast. I was a little concerned when the trail did not descend into the Bear Creek valley, but continued east. I kept expecting it to change direction, but it never did and pretty soon the trail just petered out, leaving me with very nasty scramble down a steep ridge to the very headwaters of Bear Creek, which I followed for nearly two miles, before picking up an old, un-maintained trai (probably the original Bear Creek Trail). Eventually that led to the main trail and by 6 pm I was back at the car, worn out after more than 7 hours of hiking.

I'm calling this "Jammin' Pass" Loop as I was listening to a Bob Marley tune when I passed a very clear defile in the ridge which seemed like a passage between north and south, a portal from my familiar stomping grounds of the Teanaway Valley through a hole in the ridge north to Chelan County and the unexplored regions of Ingalls Creek and the Stuart Range.

Monday, August 18, 2008

New Cat in the House


So they tell me we got a new cat. I know it's true because I've seen the scratching post, the kitty treats, the little cat abode, the cat toys, the litter box and the receipt from the spay and neuter clinic.

The cat has been in hiding since being brought home by Tuuli and Savi last Saturday when I was on my Earl Peak hike. The attached photo, taken by Tiana, looks suspiciously like our last cat, Kanga, but I'm assured it is a new, so far nameless, kitten. Kitten might be stretching it as I'm told she's almost a year old. Nonetheless, I'm convinced that we do have a new cat, so now if we can just do something with the dog, I might actually get a chance to see her.

Tiana's Driving!

Well, it's been almost a month since Tiana got her driver's permit and I'm happy to report no serious injuries have yet occurred. She's been doing great, the only exception being one time when we were practicing backing up, she got the brake and gas pedals mixed up and I had to slam on the emergency brake before we hit a neighbor's minivan.

We started our lessons at the Fisherman's Terminal complex on a quiet Sunday evening. We went over the basics and soon enough Tiana was at the wheel, navigating through the empty parking lots, the side streets and the adjoining Burlington Northern Railroad facility.

A few days later, she was on her first real street (Commodore Way) and a few days after that she negotiated her first real traffic and her first traffic light intersection. Pretty soon we were driving through Magnolia and Discovery Park. The only trouble Tiana was having was making tight turns, but she was doing fantastic in the light traffic that Magnolia had to offer. I asked her if she wanted to try driving home by herself and before I knew it we were going down Nickerson, past SPU, over the Fremont Bridge, through the heavier traffic of Fremont proper and up 8th Ave NW, all the way to the house. It was a great experience!

Next was another trip through Magnolia, then a run down to Baskin Robbins on busy Elliott Way. Again she managed the trip home just fine. Yesterday she drove cross town to Magnuson Park, up Sand Point Way a few miles, back down Sand Point Way past the village, through Montlake to Leschi and then up Madison, across Capital Hill/Broadway, over the University Bridge, through Fremont and back home, all without the slightest problem.

Soon we'll work on changing lanes, merging, backing up and parking. When she's comfortable with those skills, we're off to the freeway. So far I'm really proud of her and pleased how responsible and careful she has been. She's able to keep up with traffic, yet senses when it's appropriate to slow down. She doesn't follow too closely but knows enough not to allow too much space for other cars to cut in front of her. She just has a good feel for the road.

Photos to come!

Earl Peak, Aug 16, 2008



It started off hot, at the trailhead, through the tall trees standing shady beside Standup Creek in the Teanaway valley. It stayed hot, through the 3500' of elevation gain, as the trail switchbacked through thinning pines and rocky outcrops. It ended hot in the town of Cle Elum where we stopped for some burgers and were greeted with 95-degree temperatures, even at 6pm. Did I make the point? It was hot!

After picking up friends Jodi and Adam at Shilshole Bay Marina, we stopped by the boatyard and grabbed co-worker Adam V, who will be henceforth known as Adam V. We were on the freeway by 8, at the Cle Elum house/base camp around 930 and by 1030 we were hiking.

The trail starts off easy on an old logging road, skirting the west side of Startup Creek. After a couple miles and several creek crossings, the trail starts getting a little rocky and a little dusty, but mainly it starts getting a lot vertical. Fortunately, even as we were grinding our way up the south face of the 6000+ foot ridge, there were often respites of shade. If not the 85 degree temperatures would have killed us, or at least me.

Even more important to our little group than shade was the amazing abundance of water, which seemingly was never more than a few minutes away. Apparently, as we were to find out later, this area is filthy with springs, which formed year-round creeks as well as water that would just seep from the earth. On our way back down from the summit, we were hoping to reach the source of Startup Creek, which we could see just below the top of the ridge.

A few more grueling switchbacks and we were at the saddle where the Earl Peak hiker's trail starts. Views here were fantastic, north to the Stuart Range, including Mt Stuart and Mt Sherpa and south towards Mt Rainier, which was barely visible through the smog.

It was now almost 230 and after investigating the ridge that led to the Earl Peak, we decided to skip the summit and instead concentrate on the magnificent field of springs that were just below us. We were at 6500 feet and had enough up for the day. The springs were very intriguing, mainly because they were down (though just a little), they were wet and they presumably were cool and refreshing, which indeed they were found to be.

The field around the springs were rife with tall grass, wildflowers and dozens of cracks leaking water. One spring in particular was pouring straight out of the earth like a faucet and it's water was much cooler than some of the other springs. I filled my water bottles and drank straight from the spring until I had my fill. It was like nirvana (not the rock group), sipping the cool bubbling water as the sun beat down on the shadeless meadow.

After frolicking around for a while, it was time to get serious and descend the 3500' we had just gained. Losing patience, Adam V, methodically and much like a young mule, blazed the way down, reaching the car probably 45 minutes before the rest of us. We drove into Cle Elum, stopped at the Dairy Queen where I got perhaps the Absolute Worst Burger in the World. From there it was back to the house where we decompressed for an hour and half before heading back to Seattle, where we arrived at 930.

It was a hot, full day--very enjoyable thanks to the excellent company of the two Adams and Jodi. Since Jodi didn't get a spring named after her, I propose we call the meadow in which they were located "Jodi's Field."

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Cruising 2008



It was an abbreviated cruise this year aboard my brother's 42' classic wood power boat. Savanna and I took sister Sue and brother in law Greg up to Anacortes Friday afternoon August 8, where we met brother Tim and sister in law Cathy at Skyline Marina, home of the world's longest fuel dock, at the very end of which Maraian II sat.

After a quick run to the local mini mart for Savi's provisions (mostly Cheetos and candy bars) and some cash, we were off to points west. A couple hours later we were through Mosquito Pass, sort of the unofficial entrance to the San Juans proper. After deliberating amongst the crew as to where to spend the night, we ended up anchoring at Stuart Island in a well-protected bay. It was a late night and by the time we had thawed out and eaten our lasagna, it was well after 9pm. Weather was calm but a little cloudy.

We were somewhat disappointed the next morning when the infamous bakery barge failed to appear with the much-anticipated cinnamon rolls, but we consoled ourselves with a pound of bacon and some fresh scones, which Susie and Greg prepared down below in the cozy galley. After more deliberation, we were off to points south which included better cell phone coverage, Friday Harbor and the start of the Shaw Island sailboat race, where we expected to meet up with several friends and co-workers.

The start of the race was the usual jumble of fast and slow boats, experienced and novice skippers and the occasional ferry boat cruising thru the congested start line. After exiting the harbor, some boats chose to go clockwise around Shaw Island on a spinnaker run, others chose to beat into the wind, going counter clockwise. The latter course was later found to be the best choice, as few of the boats going north even finished, due to calm winds and fluky currents.

Back in cruising mode, we headed north to Orcas Island where we spent a rainy, blustery afternoon and evening at the Deer Harbor Marina. Still was enjoyable as we had time to run the skiff over to Jones Island where we hiked around for a while and were able to stretch our legs in the vicinity of the marina, mostly be dodging local traffic. The marina also had a small store which served ice cream and french fries, the ultimate balanced diet for Savanna. We also enjoyed walking the docks, looking at all the different boats. I was telling Tim it was strange for me to be seeing the boats in their natural habitats, being so used to seeing them in the yard from the bottom up.

Next day we were up and cruising fairly early as Tim had to drop Kathy off in Anacortes so she could get back to work Monday morning. That accomplished, we continued into LaConner where we stayed at the dock Sunday evening, after having a great dinner at the local pizza brew pub. It was up very early the next day and by 630am we were well on our way back to Seattle. We all took turns with the steering, including Savi, and arrived at the locks in early afternoon, for a quick transit through to his marina. Tuuli picked us up at 2pm.

Monday, August 04, 2008

Centennial Trail Aug 2 2008



While we were momentarily flummoxed that the 17.5 mile trail we had planned on riding this morning ended after just a couple blocks into a non-descript service station parking lot, we soon enough realized the error of our way and were on the trail proper, heading out of Snohomish town to points north, and perhaps somewhat west.

Truly, the trail proper starts at a signed trailhead just outside of downtown Snohomish, goes for a couple blocks and abruptly ends. Thank goodness my sister Sue had the audacity to ask a postal employee where we could again pick up the trail and after a short detour we were there. One would think that this 6-block missing link might have been better described and/or signed, but such is the life of the intrepid bike trail explorer.

Northbound out of Snohomish, the trail is the typical rail conversion following valley bottoms, easy slopes and longish straightaways. We rolled along at an easy rate for the first ten miles or so, stopping for short photo opps next to slow moving streams, scenic overpasses and finally beside a quiet lake at about the 11 mile mark of the ride. At that point, the subdivisions gave way to more grazing and farming land, the sky was lowering with the threat of sprinkles and Sue had had enough riding for the day. Brother-in-law Greg and I seized the opportunity for a high speed run to the end of the trail and made the 14 mile round trip in about an hour.

Sitting on a bench overlooking the lake, the three of us snacked and rested for a few more minutes and soon on our way back to Snohomish, arriving a couple hours later. Wandering around the quaint riverside town we soon found a nice brew pub where we had a couple well-deserved beers and a nice lunch. An hour later we were back home, with plenty of the afternoon left to relax.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Boot Buster Ridge--Best Hike Ever!



Saturday, July 26. I had been watching the penultimate stage of the Tour de France at my sister's house and didn't arrive in Cle Elum until nearly 11am. By the time I got packed up and drove the 40 minutes to the North Fork of the Teanaway, it was a little after noon. The trailhead parking lot, just west of the Beverly Creek campground, had 8 or 9 vehicles as the Koppen Mountain hike had just been featured in the Seattle PI as Karen Sykes' hike of the week. I figured most of the people I might meet on the trail would be on there way back down by now and once I got to the top, I'd have the whole ridge to myself.

The trail starts out flat enough and was cool and shady as it paralleled a small creek surrounded by tall trees. Some very early blueberries were out, indicating how warm the early summer has been. And Karen was right about the abundance of flowers on this trail--at all elevations they were absolutely astounding, both in quantity and variety. Indeed, I don't recall any hike east of the Cascades where flowering plants and shrubs were so prevalent. After a couple miles and a couple easy crossings of the creek, the trail starts up, at first in easy traverses still shaded by trees, later becoming steeper switchbacks, more open, dusty and hot. As the trail tops out views to the north and east become expansive and feature the Stuart Range and the dry, rolling hills towards Ellensburg and the Columbia River.

After all the hiking I had done in this region, I was thrilled to be on the west end of this particular ridge. The ridge itself runs 6 or 7 miles in a semi-circular configuration and my plan was to follow the ridgeline itself roughly to its eastern terminus, where I had been before, and then to take a different trail back to the car, making about a 12 or 13 mile loop. The first few miles on top were an absolute delight, as I followed a rough trail which had sidetrails to the various mini-peaks in the area, many of them in the 5500' range, all with fantastic views in every direction, including to the south where Mt Rainier would have been visible, but for the high clouds that had begun to roll in.

It was an ideal ramble with nice warm weather, plenty of wildflowers and views and no other hikers, giving me a wonderful sense of solitude and isolation and great photo opportunities. I had gone a few miles along an ever diminishing climbers' trail and started to get concerned that I hadn't run into the main trail that would lead me to the junction for the loop trail back to the car. I suddenly realized that it was very late in the day, nearly 4pm and I was getting a little concerned about the time. Here I was in the middle of nowhere and if I had to backtrack it would be nearly 11 miles back to the car. I used my best instincts to head in what I thought was the right direction, but was really starting to second-guess myself, thinking that somehow I missed the cutoff trail. I was also running short of water and food. I was getting a little paranoid--funny how your mind plays tricks on you.

I started walking faster and vowed I'd go just another half hour and if I didn't run into familiar ground I would turn back. Just as I reached that limit I sensed the trail was starting to look a little more used and then I saw signs of recent trail maintenance and finally was confident that I was on a main trail, though I wasn't positive which one it was.

Sure enough, half hour later I came to the sought after junction with the Jungle Creek trail, where I had been many times before. I was now in a very good mental state, knowing where I was and that I would be back to the car well before dark. And to top things off, just as I was finishing my last PowerBar, I heard a rustling noise behind and as I turned, expecting to see a mule deer, I caught a glimpse of a fairly good-sized bear, in full retreat mode, running into the gulley just south of me. What a thrill! Hadn't seen a bear while hiking for nearly 20 years.

The four miles back to the car were mostly steep switchback amidst long, late afternoon shadows. I got back to the car at about 645pm, having been on the move for over 6 hours with very few breaks. Highlights of the trip were how strong I felt after such a long hike and so much elevation gain (over 3500'), the solitude, the anxious thrill of being way off-trail, and of course, spotting the bear. Downsides were the inaccuracy of my GPS, blisters on my big toes, not quite enough water and the breaking down of my precious Vasque boots on top of the ridge, giving this post its title.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Mid-summer update

Well, it's not quite mid-summer, but the nights are cooler, the days are shorter and football season is just around the corner, so it must be close. Besides, so much has happened since the last post that it's just time for an update.

Since the end of May, I've been on several hikes, including one over-night trip, but the snow has been so persistent that the high-country isn't even close to opening up. Still, my excursions have all been very enjoyable and I'm looking forward to another trip this weekend.

Not too much to report around the house. I'm tearing out all the wall to wall carpeting and will be refinishing the pine floors under. The summer at times seems interminable with Tiana and Savi constantly underfoot and unwilling to undertake any activities or interests. Savi is the bigger offender--she has Ultimate Frisbee once or twice a week, but that's about it. She spends the rest of her time in the basement playing video games. She did go to CE with Tuuli last weekend, and the week before that She and Tuuli went to Finland for 9 days, so at least that's something.

Tiana has been going to summer school at Ballard High and I don't think she's missed a class yet. The new medication is helping, I think, but she has such a long ways to go from where she was that I sometimes wonder if her true, wonderful nature will ever fully develop. She and Tuuli have been getting into more and more fights lately, with a real doozy occurring last weekend. To make her feel a little better, I took her out for her first driving lesson last night (she got her permit Friday). She did pretty well and seemed to enjoy it quite a bit. Unfortunately, we haven't seen her today since she went to school, and it's now 730, so I'm a little worried she may be having a set back. Up until now, she's been pretty good, hanging out with her friends on weekends, but otherwise being quite responsible during the week, getting up early in the morning, etc.

The attached video is a little waterfall I found, off-piste, on a recent hike. It emptied into a shallow pool and was the perfect height for a shower, which I took shortly after I snapped the picture. It was very brisk, but felt very, very nice after a hot, dusty hike.

Work is going fine, although it has slowed down very much since 4th of July. I'm working a little bit on my boat, which I hope to sell before summer is over.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Stafford Creek



I've been looking forward to this first hike of the spring since the last hike of the fall (December 2007). Personal circumstances, namely my daughter's ongoing difficulties, made this getaway even sweeter.

Stafford Creek is a tributary of the North Fork of the Teanaway, about 30 minutes by car from Cle Elum. I arrived at the trailhead at about 2pm, promptly buried three beers in a nearby snowbank for later retrieval and hit the trail proper at 230.

Stafford Creek at this time of year is a raging mini-river and the recent warm spring sun made the flow as strong as I had ever seen it. I was just hoping that I wouldn't have to actually cross it. The map showed that the trail pretty much stayed on the east side of the creek, but you never know with washouts, etc. As it turned out, there was one crossing, but a large downed log made for an easy bridge.

The trail is relatively low, starting at about 3300'. While there was a little snow in the shadows, the going was easy for the first two miles with just a few switchbacks resulting in an elevation gain of just 300-400 feet. Nearing 3 miles, snow started showing on the trail, several feet thick in places, and with the warm temperatures making the snow very soft, the going was a little tough. At about 4 miles, as the trail passed high above the creek, I saw a little clearing far below and worked my way down the steep hillside to investigate.

I found a fairly flat spot, hard by the creek, with just enough room for my tent. There was a nice log to lean against, plenty of firewood if I wanted to start a fire and several cozy rocks to snuggle up to. Most important, it was very private with a nice open slope across the creek where I thought I might see some marmots.

By 6pm I had the basic tent set up and was sitting down with a glass of wine, watching the water boil by. A few minutes later, I felt the first rain drop. I hurriedly put up the rain fly and 15 minutes later the skies cracked open and the rain began in earnest. I threw all my gear in the tent and got cozy, preparing to make dinner. I fired up the stove and a few minutes later was enjoying a nice beef stroganoff.

As usual, I had an impossible time sleeping, even with the full-sized pillow I had brought along. To make things worse, my trusty radio failed to pull in any stations, so I was left to fend for myself, with the nearby roar of the creek my only solace.

It rained all night, but I did manage to stay dry and by 8am the sun was out and all was well. I cooked up a little breakfast, broke camp and hit the trail, getting back to the car in just 90 minutes. My precious beers were still there, though I had misjudged the strength of the sun, which had melted out the snow, totally exposing the cans to plain view.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

I'm a Slacker



It's been out for a few months now, but momentum is rising quickly for the new Slacker portable music/radio player and the accompanying Slacker.com website. I'm right on board with that flood of interest--I think this is going to be the next big thing in the media player business.

Let's start with the basics: The idea behind the service is that instead of selling us mp3 downloads, Slacker.com offers professionally pre-programmed radio stations offering dozens of musical genres that can be listened to either on your home computer or downloaded to your Slacker portable player via any available wi-fi hotspot or through your own home network.

You never really own the music, so there are no DRM issues There are no download hassles as new music that Slacker thinks you might like is constantly being downloaded in the background, normally via wi-fi, though a USB connection is also available. The basic service is free and it's a great way to discover new artists or listen in greater depth to artists that you already like.

Slacker also let's you create your own personal radio stations. Just select artists that you want featured on "your" station and Slacker will build a radio playlist around them. Slacker then fills in the gaps by adding content it perceives as complimentary. For example, I created a station featuring the Rolling Stones. Slacker added content like the Beatles, Cream, the Kinks, the Who, etc, all of whom are artists I like. It also added some more obscure artists representing the same genre/era, many of which I enjoyed hearing for the first time.

The portable player, which is an important part of the Slacker business model, has been getting generally positive reviews, and is available in 3 models, ranging from $200-$300. The more expensive units allow you to listen to up to 40 different stations and gives you more memory for your own music. The player has a huge screen for viewing album art, biographies and the standard issue dynamically driven graphics. I'm not a huge fan of the player's design, and I understand it is rather cheaply made and that the earbuds are a disgrace. Still, most reviewers say the player is entirely functional and is a good mirror of the website. I'm thinking the second generation player will be a big improvement, but there's no word when that might be available.

While the basic service is free, there is a premium service available for $10/month. The subscription entirely eliminates little 10-second Slacker ads that occasionally pop up and also gives you the option of skipping as much music as you like. With the basic service, you are only allowed to skip 6 songs per hour. The premium service also allows you to seamlessly mix in your own music collection with Slacker's radio collection.

Downsides: Slacker is not for you if you like to have total control over your playlists. Even though the Slacker portable player allocates .5gb to 2gb of memory for your own mp3s, the main premise behind the service is that Slacker chooses the music it thinks you want to hear. There will be clunkers (which you can skip) and you can "teach" Slacker what songs/artists you like/dislike by clicking on the "heart" or "ban" buttons, but in the end it really is more like that favorite radio station you listened to as a kid, minus the DJ rap, commercials and the heavy rotation of that weeks' top 40. To me, that's a good thing.

Another thing I really like about Slacker is the artist bios. They are well-written, informative, interesting and can be viewed either on the portable player or the website.


All in all, I love the Slacker concept. At home, I have my laptop hooked up to my stereo and the music plays all day from Slacker.com. If I'm in the mood for something different, I just change stations. But it's the dedicated player that completes the service and sets it apart from other personalized media. By using wi-fi, which has become virtually ubiquitous in the home, workplace and any number of other public locations, loading fresh content is seamless and virtually hassle-free. Being able to add your own music to the player makes this, and not the latest iPod, the perfect music player.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Spring Reign 2008


Having been to the country's biggest Ultimate Frisbee tournament for the last four years, I thought I had seen every kind of weather possible. At this huge sports field complex on the banks of the Skagit River in Burlington Washington there have been frigid north winds coming down from Canada, thunderstorms that would roll through like freight trains, gale-force winds, hail, and of course, rain. But after a pleasant first day of the event, which drew teams from as far away as central Canada and San Bernadino California, on Sunday, we were about to "make history" as long-time Ultimate Coach Ben Goldfarb predicted as the day began.

I woke up at about 630 this morning at the Cocusa Motel, where Savi and I had stayed Saturday night. With yesterday's prediction of good weather, I made a pot of coffee, not even thinking to check outside. I finally peaked outside as it was getting lighter and was shocked to see the motel grounds covered in white, with the tropical blue of the swimming pool glistening in the snowy courtyard. Wet snow was coming down hard and piling up at a somewhat alarming rate, at least as far as the tournament was concerned. I walked to the nearby grocery store in a near blizzard, not believing this most unusual weather for April 20. As everyone says whenever the weather is unusually cold, "Must be global warming."

A couple hours later, the snow let up and some blue sky showed, but the damage had been done. The fields had an easy 3-4 inches of snow and it wasn't long before all the consolation games had been cancelled. Indeed, just a few of the championship bracket games were played before the tournament was cut short. Conditions, as one could imagine, were horrible. Frozen fingers, treacherous footing, indistinct boundary lines. Still, as is the spirit of Ultimate, players remained upbeat and made the best of it. Dozens of snowmen were made, huge balls of snow were rolled behind cars as a prank, and when the sun came out, sunscreen was applied with winter gloves.

It was unfortunate for the hundreds of friends and family who had driven to Burlington, only to find most of the games cancelled, but for those of us already there, it was a wacky wonderful day that we'll remember for a long time to come.

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

From Kona with Love






BIG ISLAND VACATION, PART TWO: Entering our fourth day here in Kona, on the sunny side of the island. Nice, though somewhat cramped, one-bedroom condo right on the water, with the surf barely 20' away from our 3rd floor lanai. View is facing south over a craggy lava beach and immediately in front of our room is a little tidal pool where two sea turtles have been hanging out.

The town proper, or at least the crazy-busy, mile-long tourist strip (Ali'i Way) starts just a couple blocks to the north, so all the restaurants and shops are well within walking distance. The city of Kona, unlike Hilo on the other side of the island, is in a development frenzy, with condos, shopping centers and new roads coming in everywhere. The older part of town, especially the settled areas along the waterfront, are quite peaceful during the day, and very busy at night. There's a very nice farmer's market and interestingly, the oldest missionary church in the islands is located along the main drag, a surprisingly massive structure dating back to the 1820s.

We've been doing a lot of snorkeling and swimming. The air temperature has been getting into the low 80s and the water temperature has been right around 78 degrees. Yesterday was a fun day as we went out on a catamaran sailboat for a dive trip to a couple primo spots accessible only by boat. The boat was rated for 26 people, but there were only 5 others onboard and with a crew of 3, it made for a great day. We did some real sailing, got close to a humpback whale and even closer to a large hammerhead shark. We went to two snorkeling sites, including one right in front of the Captain Cook Memorial, where the famous explorer was killed by the natives when they discovered that he wasn't one of their long-lost gods. The captain of the charter boat was giving me a little history lesson and informed me that even to this day, the memorial site is actually sovereign British territory.

I think the girls have been more or less enjoying themselves, though finding some place we all want to eat is a challenge. Tiana likes the buzz on the main street and last night she actually ran into somebody from Ballard High School. Both girls have been doing a ton of snorkeling, which has been a great activity. Today I think that Savi and I are going to try to find a beach where we can do some body surfing. We have to be careful not to get too much sun. Tiana hasn't had any problem--she's getting a very nice, very dark, tan.

That's it for now!

Thursday, March 27, 2008

My Mom and Dad's Honeymoon Cottage?



BIG ISLAND VACATION, PART ONE: So we've settled in for a three night stay here in greater Volcano Village, a small town just outside the entrance to Volcanoes National Park. Elevation here is 4000 feet and it's been heavily misting off and on since we got here last night. Spent most of today exploring the easily accessible areas of the massive park, including visits to numerous steam vents and lava tubes, the Visitor Center and a run down to the ocean.

A highlight (for me at least) was a visit to Kilauea Military Camp, which was set up almost 60 years ago as a rest camp for military personnel. The significance is that my Dad spent his honeymoon in one of the many cabins, all of which are still standing today. (Sidenote: Mom and Dad's honeymoon was in February, I was born in November of the same year. Could I have been conceived in this very cottage?) Through a little research and some help from Dad, I think we were able to locate the exact cabin in question (see photos, which upon close inspection show that the chimney stones are identical, though the cabin exterior has changed), which was very cool. The whole complex seems caught in a timewarp, with the original PX, theatre, bowling alley, chapel and cafeteria still in good condition and still being used on a regular basis.

The big news on this side of the island is a new, and very powerful, vent that has opened nearby, that is emitting a great deal of sulphur dioxide, threatening an evacuation of the Village if the prevailing wind changes.

The temperature at this elevation has been in the 50s and 60s, the house we're in is very comfortable with 3 bedrooms and 3 TVs and wireless Internet. The property is very lush, almost jungle-like with numerous birds (including the goose-like Nene, Hawaii's state bird) and other critters roaming about. There is still quite a bit of visible snow on the top of the volcanoes, which I'm told, is unusual for this late in the season.

We'll be leaving for a 6 nite stay in a waterfront condo in Kona on Saturday. We'll go to the famous lava flows tomorrow.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Ultimate Season Starts with Double-header



The Ballard High School season got off to a fine start Saturday morning March 15th, with decisive wins over Everett High and Garfield. Marymoor park was cold and wet but there was no wind and the Field Turf made playing conditions excellent. Savanna started both games and played well, throwing several scoring points, including one that she curved well out of bounds to get around some sideline defenders, only to come back into play for a nice point. The team is led by some excellent junior and senior boys, but Savanna and her best frisbee friend and fellow freshman, Sarah, more than held their own.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Rock Climbing in Upper Yakima Canyon


It's been a while since I've done any real rock climbing, and though the little 700' scramble I did yesterday in the upper Yakima Canyon probably doesn't really qualify as real rock climbing, it's close enough for me and makes for a better headline.

Between Cle Elum and Ellensburg, along the beautiful Yakima River, runs highway 970, a lonely but well-kempt stretch of roadway where in the space of 25 miles the landscape goes from alpine forest to arid plain, with a knockout, but compact, bit of river canyon thrown in for good measure. Along this mini-canyon, which stretches in its truest form for no more than 10 miles, you'll see bald and gold eagles, hawks, turkey vultures and all sorts of land creatures from elk to marmots, who love living in the sunny, south-facing broken rocks just north of the highway.

To the south runs the Burlington Northern train tracks, the river, and over the southern ridge, just out of sight, the busy I-90 freeway. But in the canyon, all is quiet, excepting the wind which generally blows west to easy, bending the pines in distinctive arches and blasting the ridge tops free of virtually all vegetation.

Most of the land to the north is undeveloped, private ranchland, into which it's probably not recommended to venture too deep. But the land adjacent to the highway is pretty much a free-for-all, with the best rock mounds and the best views from the steep, rocky ridges, intersected with plenty of interesting ravines and gulches.

I found a likely looking spot on a lonely bit of highway, where the ridge summitted in an interesting point of large boulders, and where adjacently laid a narrow ravine where the going might be a little bit easier getting down. I visualized a path to the top and worked my way up through loose, rotten rocks, the way never getting dangerously steep, but steep enough and tricky enough to be challenging, even a little frightening. A mis-step might not have meant catastrophe, but easily could have resulted in a nasty fall. Handholds and footholds could not be trusted, and as so often is the case, after getting about three-quarters the way up, I realized there was absolutely going to have to be another route down.

Amongst the sun-flooded, wind-blasted rocks, bits of dirt showed some Spring Beauty flowers emerging, but otherwise all was still sterile on this late winter afternoon. After a little more than an hour, I made it to the top where the wind nearly blew me down. I sat on the precipice of the rock-stack for a few minutes, just to catch my breath and then headed west along the ridge to the ravine, where I founded a spring issuing forth a healthy bit of clear, cool water, which shortly thereafter was swallowed up by the dry earth.

I worked my way down the gulley, fighting through all manner of bushes and short trees, until I reached the base of the cliffs and the short walk back to the car.

Monday, February 25, 2008

Chilly Hilly 2008


Well, here it is Monday evening, the day after Chilly Hilly 2008 and my riding partner, Greg, has to burst my balloon by reminding me that two years ago we averaged a pace that was nearly 10% fast than this year's. And I thought I had done so well yesterday.

Started out at the traditional meeting place (Romio's pizza on Dravus) at 7:15 and by a little after 7:30 we were firmly in line at the ferry dock, along with well over a thousand others. We always joke that they try to segregate the classes of riders into different lanes. It's all a big joke--nobody pays much attention to the recommended speed groupings when they first arrive, and by the time the ferry is being loaded, it's an absolute free for all, with no organization. But that's part of the fun.

The weather was reasonably warm, though there was an ever so slight drizzle trying to make its presence felt. We offloaded onto Bainbridge Island on dry roads, however and within minutes, the weather wasn't a factor as we weaved our way through the myriad of bicyclists in the opening frenetic miles of the ride. Greg found the crush a bit much; I enjoyed it greatly and thought it wasn't as crazy as years past. I did think it took an unusually long time, however, for the crowds to thin out.

The first 10-15 miles went quite well, and then I hit a bit of a wall as the adrenalin wore off and we cruised past the first official rest stop. I was being passed left and right, especially on hills, and was very frustrated. When I started getting passed on the flats, I knew something was wrong. I blamed it on a slightly flat rear tire which I didn't want to take the time to pump up, for fear of being passed by even more riders. I also began worrying about the infamous Baker Hill, which was coming up in a few miles (and which proved to be anti climactic).

We finally made it to the next rest stop, and actually did stop and rest for a few minutes. I felt much better after changing my sweaty shirt and gloves and pumping up both tires to maximum pressure. Baker Hill soon followed, and by then 80% of the ride's elevation gain was over. The remaining miles had their moments, but nothing that slow and steady couldn't conquer. We just missed the early ferry, so we didn't get back to the Seattle side until around 1 pm. It was then a terrible grind home, dead into a strong north wind. As Greg said, not a pleasant way to end the ride. I was cranky the rest of the day and well into Monday--these rides are so brutal, mentally, when you don't put in the proper training....

For the record, our average speed was 13.1 mph compared to 14.38 mph in 2006.

Thursday, January 31, 2008

January 30 CSR Ski-In


In one of the craziest snow days of this or any other winter, 8 proud members of the CSR crew, including yours truly (far left) had an epic ski day at Stevens Pass. With 15" of new snow in the previous 12 hours (and over 3 feet in the last several days), there was light uncompressible powder everywhere you looked. With plenty of untracked snow and no lift lines, it was an amazing day.

After battling up Highway 2 in heavy snow, overcast skies were somewhat clearing when I got to the lodge. I hooked up with my friend Randy and we immediately headed to the backside of the mountain, where pretty much I found way too much snow for my liking. Managed to fake my way down a couple runs (thanks for your patience Randy!), and then headed to the front side where the groomed runs made things a little easier.

Conditions on the hill varied from no or very light snow with good visibility, to an absolute white-out. Temps were in the mid-20s and I was talking to a regular who said it hadn't gotten above 25 for the last couple weeks, making for pristine snow. Deep snow was everywhere and indeed the Cascades have just been hammered: Snoqualmie Pass has been closed for two days and now I hear that Steven has been closed for most of today.

No aches and pains either, even though my thighs were absolutely on fire at times yesterday. It was a very fun, but somewhat expensive day and I'm looking forward to going again.