Alva, Wyoming

Small cabin near the quiet and small town of Alva, Wyoming - nestled among the oak, lots of deer - needs work. ~N

Lord of the Rings

Several weeks ago B lost his wedding ring - probably kayaking and definitely not at some country and western bar - honest. Today W, our 3 year old grandson, sent me a ring that he found to replace it. Plus, a pretty accurate drawing of how N and B look to a 3 year old. We aren't too sure what the 'talking rainbow' is in the upper right.~B

Hangin' out in Wyoming

They do it a little differently here in eastern Wyoming - I'm not sure why they hang up dead racoons by the side of the road . . . ~N

Ramon and Gypsy

Deep under the city, in an empty garage, silent, alone and patient, Ramon's car waits as he struggles through the night in a small cubicle to raise the funds Gypsy demands to pursue her reckless wanderings. ~B

Mountain Lite

I left Libby, Montana early this morning. It was chilly in the 40's with mist and fog hiding in the trees just waiting for the early sun to brighten things up. ~N

Ramon

High on a hill overlooking Mission Valley, N's new pool boy (toy) Ramon carefully cleans the walls of their 'love puddle'. ~B

The Briar Patch, Washington

I stopped this morning by the side of the road, for breakfast. I picked this whole cup of wild blackberries hardly moving to a second bush. ~N

Huh?????????????

Tucked in an alcove at the SeaTac airport is a ??????? No plaque, no explanation, no nuthin'! ~B

Stuffed Staff

Sadly we checked out of the awesome Desolation Resort (near Lund, BC Canada) this morning. Two stuffed black bears from the local woods, stand guard behind the registration desk - "Shot by the owner", added the clerk with a frown on her face. ~N

Morning on Okeover Arm, BC

As the fog crept up the Arm, it intruded between the sun and the dock. ~B

Lund, B.C. Canada

They stand at attention - leaning, old, rusty and dated, like WWII troops . . . rural mailboxes waiting for the daily mail truck to swing and squeak their hinges. ~N

The Watchers

Residing on the dock at Desolation Resort are a number of critters guarding the premises from those who arrive by sea. ~B

Oyster Sea Farms in B.C. Canada

Today near Desolation Sound we paddled through oyster sea farms out in the middle of the bay.

On the shores nearby are huge garbage piles (20 ft+) of empty oyster shells. ~N

Desolation Resort, British Columbia

In the broad Desolation Sound area, on the Okeover Arm, we stumbled across the small, unheralded Desolation Resort. With 9 pristine chalets scattered in the woods along the shore, it's among the best we've ever found. Here is the view from our deck. This evening we paddled on the glassy water along the wild shore. ~B

It's Your Perspective

B.C. Canada - start or end, the thin narrow road through the woods (Hiway #101) goes no farther. ~N

Oh Canada!

Even with Canada's celebrated social support systems, some still fall through the cracks. Even in the small coastal town of Gibson's Landing in British Columbia, some needs aren't being met. ~B

Flag Day

Driving through Blaine, Washington today, someone has made a unique flag holder on their lawn overlooking the bay. An hour later we crossed the border and drove into Canada. ~N

Public Art in Bellingham

On a building wall near the Whatcom Museum in Bellingham, we found a mural celebrating the culture of the native americans who first lived is this area. ~B

Orion on Top

Like Powell's Books in Portland and Tattered Cover in Denver, Village Books in Bellingham, WA is an incredible bookstore spread over 3 floors of a 100 yr old brick building in the historic area.


Nice to see Orion magazine gets one of the top eye level spots in the "Travel, Environment, Earth Sciences" carousel. ~N

Reflections

At Squalicum Marina in Bellingham reflections danced on the smooth oily waters. ~B

Lopez Island Spiders

Walking at dawn we found a field of spider webs. ~N

Dockside

On a small commercial dock in Anacortes, amid a jumble of broken down equipment, rusty hulks and heaps of deteriorating dock lines, through the rotted window of an old boat, silhouettes of cranes and masts are outlined against the evening sky. ~B

Lopez Island, WA

We walked along the beach as we waited in Anacortes WA for the ferry to Lopez Island - we almost stepped on this huge jelly fish.

All the kayaks! We may never leave Lopez Island! ~N

Cascades National Park

Hiking the Jackita Trail we walked alongside Canyon Creek. As the sun came through the trees, it struck the rushing water creating an impressionist view. ~B

Lake Chelan, WA

We drove into the small Washington town of Chelan last night - it hugs the edge of a huge lake on the eastern side of the Cascade mountains. The breeze was slight, the light was low and this old dock was rotten and falling down. ~N

Leavenworth, WA

A dying town decided to re-brand itself and Leavenworth WA became a bit of Bavaria in the Cascades. As one writer put it - "It's Bavaria without the airfare". But beyond the yodeling and oompah muzak, a touch of the old Leavenworth remains. ~B

Near Mt. Ranier in Washington

Today we hiked near Mt. Ranier, above the valley where the National Park's Visitor Center is located. ~N

Shaniko

In north central Oregon is the small, dying town of Shaniko. The hotel and cafe are closed and up for sale. The RV resort - a dilapidated building a few hundred yards from the center of town - is for sale. Buildings are shuttered and businesses are closed. Currently there are 27 inhabitants, but that's expected to drop to 11 and, perhaps, not rise again. One of two active businesses is a lonely trailer offering espressos. It's run by an elderly man with few teeth and the feeling that his town is dying around him. ~B

Bend, Oregon

Caitlin Skypes with Jason. ~N

Looming Giant

Looming above a small town, Mt. Shasta was considered the most active volcano in the Cascade chain - until Mt. St. Helens blew. With three main peaks of over 11,000, 12,000 and 14,000 feet, she is a formidable presence. Last active in 1915, Shasta will someday rumble again. But until then, the small and pretty town of Mt. Shasta City will continue as an active outdoor destination and a surprisingly upscale village. ~B

Delta Dreams

In the Sacramento River Delta, tucked beside and below a levee, sits an abandoned single lane town established by Chinese laborers over 100 yrs ago. Only tourists stroll the empty walk ways now . . . someone has placed an enlargement of a historic photo in an 'out of business' store. The old Chinese worker stares into my camera with obsolete dreams and hopes for America.

The Racers

Last week at the velodrome a tight grouping of riders flashed past us in the final sprint to the finish. ~B

Bend or Bust

Today we drove, drove and drove - from SD to Tracy. It was 103 degrees through CA's central valley . . . hot dusty rolling mountains topped with graceful sagging power lines. ~N

Gettin' Buff

Changing directions ~ we decided to get in shape so we added cycling to kayaking. That lead to new bike racks and needed storage for extra gear. Are Sherpas next?? Or even, god forbid, spandex!!! ~B

Visions of Past

Today we shopped at bike shops for new more comfortable seats. By one counter, in a locked plastic case were the beautiful colors of Chris King components. ~N

Poopies

At the end of the point of land over La Jolla Cove, cormorants have roosted amid their poop for generations. Key suggestion - stay upwind! ~B

Double View

Today was a perfect summer day - warm above the water, cool and clear below the water. ~N

View from Below

Laying on my back on the bottom of the pool, looking up through my bubbles at the deck above. ~B

A Latin Fair

Bright colored threads adorn purses, skirts, blankets and blouses. Long tables at the fair are full of festive, lighthearted carvings . . . but in a shadowy corner a gaunt watcher looks away. ~N

Empty Spaces

A high rise in La Jolla. Large balconies with views. Empty, unfurnished and unused. ~B

A Coffee Break Broken

In the late afternoon a man scrounges through the trash can in front of a Starbucks. He finds coffee cups with small amounts of coffee and pours the leftovers into a single cup before he carefully walks away with it. ~N

Back of the Bay

Away from the condos and resorts, on the backside of Mission Bay, is a marina, a boat yard and a few stores. And adjacent to the parking lot, inside of a cyclone fence draped in a blue tarpaline, sits a lonely tiki bar. The patrons are locals and the usual mix of boat yard workers, sailors, and old men with no particular place to go. We liked it. ~B

Yakking on Lake Morena

The hour was early, the air was still and the water was like glass. We paddled for several hours on the lake and near the dam. Our new kayaks are awesome! ~N

Splish-Splash

Today N and I finally bought two inflatable kayaks - for exercise and to explore both San Diego area bays and lakes, plus maybe a few small lakes in the Eastern Sierras? From West Marine, but really Advanced Elements Advanced Frame singles - 10' 5" long and 34# inflatables. Highly regarded, but with a learning curve on set up and storage. Tonight we put one in the pool and gave it a try. Tomorrow - Lake Morena. ~B

A Pause to Pose

On the walkway above the beach, a young couple stops and sits for a local artist. ~N