Loreto, Baja, Mexico

Baja 2010 #1

I had a good day in San Diego and recovered a bit from the constant travel. I felt like I entered Mexico when I stepped into the Greyhound bus station in San Diego - everything was in Spanish and there were very few gringos around. It was, per usual, very confused. There were no signs and no announcements. A bus showed up from a different bus line, with no sign on it, but everyone seemed to be getting on it. I went and showed my ticket to the driver. He hummed and hawed and finally said "ok", kept my ticket, and waved me on. It didn't inspire confidence! Just to double check I asked another attendant if the bus was going to Tijuana. He said yes. Actually, that was a mistake - never ask a yes/no question in this kind of situation. Instead, I should have asked where it was going. But it did go to Tijuana so it was ok.

It was the most low key border crossing I've had. No one looked at my passport, my luggage, or me. Everyone else got off the bus at the border, I think transferring to a bus to the Tijuana airport. I thought they got off to go through customs so I started to follow. The bus driver said "where are you going". I wasn't sure if he meant that as a question, or if he meant I should be staying on the bus. I said "uh, Tijuana?". Playing the straight man, he replied "we're in Tijuana". I said "terminal central" and he pointed back onto the bus. I sat on my own for a while and finally he got in and drove me to the bus terminal.

Being quite uncertain, I had allowed plenty of time, so I had almost three hours in the bus terminal. Thankfully it was clean and not too packed. I didn't see another gringo the whole time I was there. I guess not many tourists take the bus!

The bus was full, but reasonably comfortable, and air conditioned (too much, as usual). I managed to sleep most of the night. I woke up to a beautiful pink sunrise over the cactus, and the sounds of someone in the back of the bus retching violently and repeatedly, and not trying to be discreet about it. I had to sympathize - at one point I'd started to get motion sickness myself. I never get car sick, but on the windy, bumpy road, with the wallowing suspension, it was a little too much like being on a boat. And I do get sea sick. Luckily we stopped at a critical point and I got some fresh air and a Gravol and was ok after that.

18 hours later, getting off the air conditioned bus in Loreto was like stepping into an oven. It was something like 37 c (~ 100 f) and very humid. I walked the several kilometers to the hotel, starting the dripping sweat which seems to be the norm here.

[Shelley] My experience going through US customs was much different than Andrew's entering Mexico. Full body scan, thorough search of bags, the whole nine yards and more. I couldn't get to Los Angeles early enough to get to Loreto the same day so had a full afternoon and evening to kill. I took a trolley from the airport hotel strip to Manhattan Beach where there was a beach volleyball tournament going on. I had to laugh when I saw the truck on the beach with the LAPD logo on it, wondering how hard it would be to fill those special duty positions!

The next day I arrived at our bungalow in Loreto about 5 minutes after Andrew did. Pretty amazing considering I spent 2 days coming by air and he spent 6 days coming via bus and train.

Heat and humidity slammed us both as we got off our respective modes of transportation.

Sukasa Bungalows very nice. Thank goodness for air conditioning!

We did our first two dives today with Raphael at Dolphin Dive Center. This is our third time to Loreto but my first time diving here although Andrew has dived with Raphael on previous visits. On the way to Coronado Island (always a favorite due to the sea lions) we stopped to watch dolphins playing.

A fast current was fun on the first drift dive. . . zoom zoom! The sea lions were humorous zipping around us. Lots of other cool things to see too (check out the photos).

Second dive was even crazier than the first. Again strong current and Raphael did his best to keep us out of the "washing machine" but still a strenuous dive. Interesting radical changes from warm water to cold and back! Like switching the shower from hot to cold.

Weather perfect for being on the water but now dripping with sweat any time without a/c.

So Far So Good

I'm sitting on the patio of the Brickyard Cafe in San Diego - my favorite coffee spot here, although it's been a few years. A breakfast burrito and a latte (both excellent) on top of sleeping in a bed, have rejuvenated me.

The train was two hours late leaving Seattle yesterday morning. That plus getting there an hour early equated to a long wait. On the positive side, I went for a walk and stumbled over the waterfall park. It's right next to Pioneer Square and I'd walked past it several times without noticing it - it's completely fenced/walled in. It's small but very nice - definitely worth stopping by if you're in the area. UPS (the company) started on this spot and built the park.

The train ride wouldn't have been bad except that right behind me was a woman with five kids ranging from two to seven years old. Usually the train is pretty quiet but, as you can imagine, this time the peaceful moments were few and far between! As rowdy as the kids were, the mother was almost as annoying with her constant (and totally ineffective) exhortations - "enough, be quiet, stop, that's it, shhhsh, I've had it, that's enough, you're in big trouble, sit down, behave, leave your sister/brother alone". I have a certain amount of sympathy for her and the kids - 36 hours in a chair is rough for anyone. I just wish I'd been seated somewhere else! (the train was full so I couldn't move). My earphones got a lot of use.

I was hoping to find a latte and wifi at one of the stops along the way but I wasn't too successful. I knew I could get coffee and wifi in Portland but with the train behind schedule the stops were too brief. I finally found wifi in San Luis Obispo and as a result almost missed the train! I looked up from emailing and noticed everyone was gone. They slammed the doors as I was running back to the train. Thankfully someone saw me and reopened the door to let me on. It would have been really embarrassing to get left behind!

I was a little concerned about being late since I only had an hour to change trains in Los Angeles. But we actually arrived about 20 minutes early. Of course, I immediately went in search of a latte. Despite being a huge station, there was nothing. There was one kiosk that looked like it might serve espresso but everything was closed at 9 pm. I ended up going to the only place that was open - a somewhat "fancy" restaurant. (white table cloths, at least) After a glass of Oregon Firesteed Pinot Noir and a salad, I realized I might be able to get a latte here. Sure enough, success at last. (I'm not addicted, honest! At least, not as bad as the smokers who have to dash off the train at each stop.)

I thought the LA train station might be pretty seedy but it was actually quite respectable. It probably helped that they were actively kicking out anyone without a ticket.

When I came out of the restaurant the train was just starting to board, good timing. Just a few more hours. Unfortunately, there was a group of young people coming home from a concert already inebriated and continuing to drink, loudly. Despite the noise, and the coffee, I still managed to sleep most of the three hours. Nothing like being really tired!

I stayed at the Bristol Hotel (first time). I wasn't too sure about walking from the train station at 1 am but it was a main street and there were still quite a few (respectable looking) people around. The hotel is right across the street from the Greyhound station and on the edge of the "good" part of town - ritzy Horton Plaza mall one side, bail bonds on the other side (discount for military!?). But it turned out to be quite nice for the price.

A few years ago I took some nice photos of sparrows at Brickyard. There are still sparrows hopping around there, cleaning up the crumbs. They're a scruffy bunch, a bit like a gang of street kids, but likable all the same.

My Greyhound bus to Tijuana leaves at 5 pm and then I catch a Mexican bus to Loreto at 9 pm. I haven't taken the bus in Mexico before, but it's always worked well in South America. It'll be nice to meet up with Shelley and stay in one place for a while. And I'm looking forward to the diving. Now I just have to decide where to go for lunch - decisions, decisions :-)

Back on the Move

The countryside streams by. A fox in the tall grass. Hawks perched on fenceposts. A deer standing motionless beside its reflection in a beaver pond Everything is unusually green for late summer. I'm on my way to Baja, Mexico to scuba dive with Shelley. It's six days by bus and train. North America is a lot bigger this way.

Supper in Edmonton. I try out the Sabor Tapas Lounge - mixed salad, figs and blue cheese, a trio of bruschettas, a glass of Malbec, and chocolate cayenne mousse for desert. The service was a little slow, and the waiter somewhat aloof, but the food was good and the atmosphere nice. I'd go back. The slowness wouldn't have been an issue if I didn't have a bus to catch.

The plan was to pick up a latte for the road, but both the Starbucks and the Second Cup are closed :-( No big deal, I'd stopped at Cafe Sola on the way to the bus in Saskatoon.

The sun is sinking as we leave Edmonton. The days are getting shorter as summer passes.

The buses aren't full and I have two seats to myself the whole way - more comfortable if not so energy efficient.

Kamloops is foggy and quiet at 6 am. I cross the acres of empty parking lots to reach the Starbucks. This early I even snag the comfy chair :-) Afterwards, waiting for the bus, I watch a Clarks Nutcracker feeding in a pine tree beside the station.

I have almost five hours in Vancouver between buses. I walk down the north side of False Creek to Yaletown and have lunch at Provence. The antipasti looks interesting so I have lentil tofu salad, risotto balls, and peppers stuffed with goat cheese. A harbor seal pokes his head up and looks around then disappears. I take the Aquabus across to Granville island, wander through the market, get a chocolate almond croissant from the French bakery and head over to Pedros for coffee.

It was cloudy and cool earlier but now it's cleared, the sun is out and it's warm. People are feeding the pigeons and ducks and Canada geese. I say hello to the turtles in the pond. The great blue heron is in its usual spot.

When I get back to the train station there's a farmer's market set up. I enjoy wandering through.

The last leg to Seattle is uneventful other than the excessive air conditioning. It seems to be way too common to freeze to death on buses. I start to think it's just me but everyone else is putting on their sweaters and jackets too. The driver always says "if you're too hot or cold just let me know" but I've tried and it's never made any difference, so I've given up. The AC seems to have only one setting - full blast.

It was almost 9 pm by the time I got to Seattle. I'd booked a different hotel this time - the Executive. It was cheaper but got good reviews so I thought I'd give it a try. The building is older and the rooms basic but it seems nice enough.

It was almost 9:30 by the time I checked in so I asked where I could get something to eat. The clerk must have judged me by my backpack - she suggested Subway or ordering pizza delivery. I went across the street to Sazerac and had a nice sweet potato soup and apple and cheese salad with a glass of Oregon Pinot Noir. I think that beat her suggestions!

Next stop is bed. It's been a good trip so far, but I'm tired. Tomorrow morning I get on the train for a 40 hour ride to San Diego.

West Coast Photos

Some miscellaneous photos from Portland, Oakland, Seattle, and Vancouver.

2010-07/08 West Coast

Seattle

I stopped overnight in Seattle on my way back from Santa Clara. On the way in Mt. Rainier was looming over Seattle so big and clear that it looked like it rose from the edge of the city. Awesome!

I stayed at the Best Western at Pioneer Square because it was close to the train station. It was ok but seemed very overpriced for a pretty ho hum hotel in a somewhat seedy area. I stayed at much nicer places for less money on this trip. On the positive side, I had a very good late supper at Cafe Paloma just a few doors away.

I haven't been in Seattle for a long time. Lots of coffee shops :-) I had my morning coffee at Trabant which got good reviews and had free wifi. The funny part was that when I gave him my travel mug he said "you want me to put your latte in that?". Gotta love snobby coffee shops.

I only had the morning so I headed over to Pike Place Market. They were just opening which was nice since there weren't many people. All the flower stalls were gorgeous on the morning light. I walked through the market and down the hill to the aquarium, which turned out to be very good. I loved watching the big octopus moving around. (usually they're just hiding). It was getting busy by the time I left. Zoos and aquariums are always full of kids, which is great (although annoying!) But how come adults outgrow it?

I stopped for an early lunch at Fonte Coffee Roaster and Wine Bar. Coffee places can be a little grungy but this place was more like a trendy wine bar. The coffee was amazing, the best I've had in a long time. My frittata was excellent as well.

I hit one last coffee shop on my way to the station to catch the bus to Vancouver I couldn't resist a place called Cafe Zeitgeist.

More Names

I left Jack London Square, that wasn't really a square, and came to my hotel in Santa Clara that's at Rivermark Village. As you can probably guess, it's not, by any stretch of the imagination, a village. It's another shopping center. On the positive side, it does have a few coffee places and restaurants.

I arrived at the Great America Amtrak station. (Except it wasn't a station, just a stop.) When I hear "Great America" I think it must be a museum or a monument or something. If you're thinking there's a pattern and it must be another shopping center, sorry, it's not. This time it's a giant amusement park, like Disneyland. What a name. Is that really what makes America great? Probably a lot of people think so.

Also on a positive note, I managed to walk most of the two miles from the train to the hotel on trails in a park along the Guadalupe River. Much nicer than the roads Google suggested, although it was their map that showed the trails.

Timberline Lodge

by Shelley

After our hike around Mount Hood on the Timberline Trail, we stayed at the historic Timberline Lodge at the base of the mountain. Although we don't usually do tours, we decided to take in two of them on our last day.

The first was a tour of the lodge itself. The lodge was constructed in the mid 1930's, during the Great Depression, as a Works Progress Administration project that hired unemployed craftspeople. Built entirely by hand, it's made of local and recycled materials -- large timbers from the forest, local stone, and old railway iron, just to name a few. There are beautiful carvings and other artwork throughout the lodge. Most of the stairwell posts had animals or birds carved in the top of them. A very large and heavy (1800 lbs) door leading outside onto the second floor balcony, still moves smoothly and easily -- a credit to superb craftsmanship!

In the center of the lodge is the "Head House" with a massive 6-sided, 3-storey chimney rising up through the middle. On the top two floors there are windows all around for magnificent views of Mount Hood itself or Mount Jefferson and other volcanoes to the south.

The furniture and other fixtures are also reminiscent of history -- right down to the large old fashioned wind up alarm clock that went "tick, tock, tick, tock, tick tock" all night long until I finally wrapped it in a towel and hid it in the bathroom before it totally drove me round the bend!

The second tour was of the Lodge's Wine Vault! We were the only two who decided to take part in this one so I think the tour "samples" were a little more generous than they might normally be! The Vault features many high quality products from local Oregon wineries as well as those in Washington and a few other parts of the world. One of our favorites was an Oregon blend called "Purple Hands". All were colorfully displayed along one wall of the Vault. We enjoyed several other Oregon wines throughout our trip!

Timberline Lodge

Urban Blend

I arrive at my hotel in Oakland too early to check in. But there's wifi in the lobby and Yelp finds me a few nearby coffee shops. Urban Blend looks interesting - it's in an old gas station.

It's definitely not a tourist place, even though the fancy shops are only a few blocks away. The counters are rough and a coat of paint wouldn't hurt. But the coffee is good and I snag a comfortable old couch.

The guy working behind the counter speaks Spanish to many of the regulars. He seems like a good guy. A young girl orders a drink and then can't pay (they don't take debit). He lets her go. She says she'll come back and pay, but I wonder. Two other guys come in and talk him into giving them free coffee. One of them cleans the tables in return.

I leave a generous tip. Obviously, I can afford it more than the other customers. I'll come back here if I get a chance - I like the feel of the place. It reminds me a little of Mexico.

Moving On

I'm on the train from Portland to San Francisco. I continue to enjoy traveling by train. I'm sitting in the observation car in the slanting evening sun watching the forest covered hillsides go by. A deer looks up as we went by. The moon is almost full, hanging low. The sky colors as the sun sinks. Flying I would have seen nothing but the drive to and from the airport.

As much as I enjoy riding the train, as I look out at the forest I can't help think I'd rather be out there hiking through the trees instead of sitting here watching them through the window.

I'm almost sorry to leave. The more time I spend in Portland, the more I find to like about it. I stayed at Hotel Fifty during the conference - not quite as fancy as Riverplace but still right on the river and closer to the conference center (and cheaper). I spent more time in the Pearl district this trip, initially because the Patagonia and REI stores were there. I ended up returning several times simply because I liked the area.

The train gets in to Oakland in the morning. I decided to stop there for the weekend since Santa Clara (where my conference starts Monday) doesn't look too interesting. Oakland has a market on Sunday and I can always ride the ferry across to downtown San Francisco. The train station is near Jack London Square. Naively, I thought this would be a "square", but it looks like it's a shopping center. Kind of like a "villa" isn't a villa and an "estate" isn't an estate. Sigh.

View from Fenouil

Had supper at Fenouil in Portland tonight. Great meal, and great to be able to sit outside in the warm evening and watch people walk and play in the park. Hard to beat.

Photos from Mt. Hood

2010-07 Mt. Hood

Sustainable Ecotourism

These folks asked me to mention their organization and awards. They seem like a legit organization, so I will:

http://www.ecotourism.org/innovation-awards

Although, to be really sustainable, I think tourism (like many other things) has to be more local. No matter how you do it, flying half way round the world for a holiday is not exactly sustainable. At least until we can power it with something other than fossil fuels.

I notice their conference is in Portland in September. Shelley and I are thinking about going diving in Baja at the end of August, beginning of September so if I'm in the area, I'll have to check it out. (Travelling by train and bus isn't all good either, but at least you pay a cost in time that makes you think twice about what you're doing, unlike flying.)

Sinking Baselines

One of the most depressing ideas I've encountered recently (and for someone who follows environmental issues that's saying something) was in Endgame by Derrick Jensen.

When dire predictions about the deterioration of the environment come true, you'd at least like to be able to say "I told you so", in hopes that people might learn a lesson. But it doesn't work that way. Each generation takes the current conditions as their "baseline" to compare things to. In an abstract way we might be vaguely aware that there used to be millions of buffalo or carrier pigeons. But we never saw them and we don't dwell overly on their loss. We might notice that the pristine lake we knew as children is now ringed by huge "cottages" and plagued by jet skis and power boats. But our kids have never known it any different and have no idea what's already been lost.

We go to East Africa (or anywhere else) and marvel at the wildebeest and zebra, elephant and giraffe (or whatever wildlife is left), not thinking about how they're a sad fraction of what they used to be. Each generation sees incremental loss, but few see the total cumulative effect.

And so we destroy our environment, the ecosystem that we forget supports us even in our high tech "civilization", until it's too late and all we have left is old stories of the Eden we once had.

"It was here that I first clearly realized that land is an organism, that all my life I had only seen sick land ...

"In short, twenty years of "progress" have brought the average citizen a vote, a national anthem, a Ford, a bank account, and a high opinion of himself, but not the capacity to live in high density without befouling and denuding his environment, nor a conviction that such capacity ... is the true test of whether he is civilized.

- Aldo Leopoldo, 1933

Walkin' Round da Hood

Mt. Hood that is, near Portland Oregon. We just finished a five day, 40 mile (65 km) hike around the mountain, starting and ending at the historic Timberline Lodge. We lucked out with fantastic weather - glorious sunny blue skies and warm temperatures.

It's a great hike, some of it through shady green forest and some of it on open slopes above tree line. There's a fair bit of up and down, as you'd expect, but mostly quite gentle inclines so not too tough. There are quite a few stream crossings, which can be challenging depending on the flow. We took sandals and used them a couple of times to wade across. Coming straight from glaciers and snow melt, the water is about as cold as water can be! The other crossings we managed by boulder hopping or by balancing across temporary bridges of wobbly tree trunks.

Mid July is early for this trail and they'd had a late spring so there was a lot of snow in some areas. So much that the trail disappeared under it and we had to practice our navigation to hook up with it again. Mostly we did pretty well. Once we followed some faint tracks in the wrong direction and ended up much too high. But we found a nice little spot to camp and found the trail fairly quickly the next morning, a few hundred feet lower. An altimeter was more useful than a compass in this kind of terrain. I had my GPS, but the map we had didn't have much of a grid so you couldn't really relate the two. I had topo maps on my iPhone, but the GPS only works when there's a cell phone signal, which we didn't have most of the time.

With the meadows just emerging from the snow it was a little early for the wildflowers, but there were still quite a few. Lots of crocuses coming out. And beautiful rhododendrons blossoms making splashes of bright pink in the forest. Some of the forest trail was covered with a thick carpet of small pine cones. Other places there were huge 7 or 8 inch pine cones. There are some big trees in the forest, high enough on the mountain to escape the loggers I guess. The only big stumps we saw were in the Mt. Hood Meadows ski area. If you ask me, downhill ski areas don't belong in a "wilderness" area. (any more than they belong in Banff and Jasper National Parks) We didn't see a lot of wildlife but a deer passing by paused to watch us, and a squirrel came down his tree to inspect us up close. There were lots of deer tracks and some that looked like bear and big cat (cougar?).

Officially, the trail is "closed" at Elliot Creek near Cloud Cap. Not because of the creek itself, but because of the steep, unstable rubble slopes forming the sides of the canyon. Landslides destroyed the main trail a few years ago but hikers have made a new route if you're up to it. (Take the faint trail heading up from the "Trail Closed" sign.) There are even fixed ropes on the worst sections on each side. I wouldn't have minded a climbing helmet since there was a high risk of falling rock. I can see why they officially discourage people from crossing. The trail has also been damaged by landslides on the section between Ramona Falls (beautiful falls) and Muddy Fork, but you can bypass that section if you want by following the Pacific Crest Trail.

With less snow we could easily have done the loop in four days but given the conditions, five days was just right. Since it's a wilderness area you can camp wherever you like (except on the meadows) which is nice, but if you want flat ground and water nearby there are limited spots. Early in the season and mid week we didn't have any competition for sites. We only saw a few other backpackers and day hikers only at a couple of places close to road access.

I'd definitely recommend this hike. Even if you're not up to doing the entire loop, you can do sections of it as day hikes. There's even a guide for this - Around Mt. Hood in Easy Stages by LOLITS Press. (Little Old Ladies In Tennis Shoes)

Back in Portland

Took the train from Vancouver to Portland. A pleasant trip - I got a seat on the right (ocean) side of the train and it was a beautiful day. Saw quite a few great blue herons on the shore and a few bald eagles. Funny to see canada geese - on the ocean Good views of Mt. Rainier. It was a hot day outside but the train was freezing. I wish people wouldn't go quite so overboard on the air conditioning.

Usually I'd walk from the train station but I was meeting Shelley so I hopped on the Max train. It's great being able to ride the train for free in the downtown area. Saves having to figure out fares and tickets.

Shelley was waiting in the lounge enjoying a glass of wine and a goat cheese cheesecake. We relaxed and enjoyed the view of the river. The sky was clear blue. We couldn't remember seeing Mt. Hood from Portland before.

We went to Veritable Quandary for supper. It's getting to be a favorite, just a few blocks from the Riverplace Hotel, nice atmosphere and great food. It was a good thing we'd made a reservation before we left Saskatoon - it was full and the staff were hustling.

We had a nice Oregon Pinot Noir - Four Graces. I started with the wild mushroom spinach salad, delicious We let the cook surprise us with a vegetarian entrée and he did an excellent job - a wild rice risotto, morel mushrooms, three kinds of peas, fava beans, and a touch of lemon. Very yummy. We shared a single entrée so we'd have room for chocolate soufflé for desert.

That was Saturday. Today (Sunday) we have a shuttle booked to Timberline lodge on Mt. Hood where we'll stay tonight and start (and finish) our five day hike around the mountain. Probably no Internet on the mountain :-) so no more blog posts till we get back.

A Place to Live

I took the bus to Vancouver this time because the schedule worked out better and just to compare it. It was nice to be able to walk from home to the bus station. (The train station is way out of town.) And Cafe Sola is next door so I could grab a coffee before I left. I'd have to say the train is more comfortable, even if it is slower. On the bus, even with two seats to yourself, it's almost impossible to find a comfortable position to sleep. But I don't mind too much. I love to watch the countryside go by and there was a beautiful sunset.

From the train you tend see the industrial underside of cities and towns. That can be a little ugly. On the bus you pass the miles of strip malls, big box stores, and acres of parking lots filled with gas guzzling vehicles. Even uglier, if you ask me!

The bus stopped in Kamloops for breakfast. It was a beautiful sunny morning. Probably hot later but then it was just right. A touch of cool from the night but balanced by the warmth of the sun. The Starbucks didn't open till 6am so I wandered those acres of parking lots around those big box stores and strip malls. It seemed to go on forever. And not a single bench or seat or picnic table. Not that you'd really want to sit out there. There's also not a single plant or tree, just concrete and asphalt. I spotted some green behind the buildings and I thought it might be a park. No, a cemetery. Only the dead get grass and trees and flowers and places to sit.

So what kind of place would I like to see?

Well, it wouldn't have cars, strip malls, big box stores, acres of parking lots, fast food chains, "convenience" stores full of junk food, suburbs, or McMansions.

Most people would probably think I've just rejected all of civilization. If you ask me, this kind of "civilization" isn't particularly civilized.

Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to live without these things. And be happier and less of a burden on the planet.

So what would it be like? With no cars it'd be smaller, a few kilometers across maybe. So more of a town than a city. And when I say no cars I don't mean parking your car at the edge of a pedestrian area. I mean you don't own a car. Within town you walk or ride a bike. To go further there'd be public transit like trains.

Think about all the area covered by roads and parking. Imagine that turned into green space with walking and cycling paths. Without the need for streets housing could be scattered among the trees. And the "green" space wouldn't be the unnatural lawns we're currently obsessed with. It would be the local native vegetation - grasslands, forest, desert.

Ok, I'll wake up now. I'm sitting in Vancouver - about as far from this fantasy as you can get.

Kayaking at Pike Lake

Shelley and I went out kayaking at Pike Lake this morning. The river is really high and fast these days - not conducive to a leisurely paddle, let alone trying to take pictures, so it seemed like a good day to head to Pike Lake. Didn't end up taking too many pictures. We caught a glimpse of a beaver but it didn't stick around. No muskrats this time. But it was nice and peaceful on the water. A few too many water lilies in some spots though!

I must have got too close to one of the red-winged blackbird nests. The male was flapping around me trying to chase me away. Meanwhile, the female showed up with a mouthful of worms.

Walking to Work

A few photographs I took walking to work a couple of weeks ago.

Walking to Work

Urban Sunset

I looked out the window last night and saw the pink clouds. They don't last long so I quickly grabbed camera and ran outside. Our view to the West is not as open as to the East, so I don't usually try to take sunset photos from home. These were taken from the driveway.

Photos from the race

Waiting for the start:

At the first transition, from biking to running:

Coming into the finish:

Photos by Bill Wallace.

Missed It By That Much

Shelley and I and Jeff Ferguson raced in the Urban Adventure Race yesterday. This race is a score competition which means the team that gets the most points wins. We had the most points but we ended up in second place because we lost points for finishing 9 minutes late.

We were perfectly happy with second (out of about 20 teams). I'm always amazed that more of these youngsters don't run circles around an old fart like me. I know it'd be a different story if it was a straight bike or running race. Thankfully experience and strategy play a big part in this kind of race.

The weather was perfect - overcast and not too hot, not too much wind. The mosquitos were crazy though if you walked across any grassy areas.

Much to Shelley's chagrin, she slipped off at the end of the climbing challenge. Muddy running shoes aren't the ideal climbing footwear!

All the racers got yelled at by the adults organizing a kids race we had to pass by. I can appreciate warning us that there were kids around, but they were a little over zealous trying to get rid of us.

Thankfully the biking was split into two sections with the running in the middle. None of our team had been doing much biking lately other than back and forth to work, which isn't really adequate training for a four hour race!

It was a little frustrating to get the late penalty - we know that's a big mistake. We've always managed to time it pretty well in previous races. But we had a long way to get back to the finish and misjudged how long it would take us.

Other than finishing late, the race went pretty well. No more than minor delays finding any of the points, and our route choices worked out pretty well. Some of the points were in areas we were pretty familiar with, which always helps. But there were others in parts of town I'd never seen before, and that's fun too.

We only had one crash. I was trying to read the map and was debating which fork of the trail to take. I went over the handlebars but slowly and into soft grass. More embarassing than painful.

I guess Shelley and I can't have been too out of shape since we're not too stiff or sore today.

I was lucky with my bike. I went out on it this morning and only got a few blocks and my chain broke and fell off! Thank goodness that didn't happen during the race! It's a bit strange since I got a new chain about a month ago and haven't abused it in any crashes or anything. I managed to repair it with a link from an old chain and my chain tool that I've never had to use before.

Kayaking on the River

A few photos from kayaking on the river. The baby geese are always so cute.

2010-06-06 River Kayak

On one hand, it's easier to get close to the birds from the water. On the other hand, it's hard to take pictures while the kayak is drifting down stream. And one of these days I'm likely to lose my paddle while I'm concentrating on the photography!

Dancing Rainbow

Noticed the sun shining through the aquarium making this rainbow on the floor and grabbed my iPhone to record it.

Turtle Tales

The sun was shining and I was going to sit outside so I thought I'd feed Millie (the turtle) outside for a change. She could get some real sunshine instead of just UV lights.

The feeding part didn't work so well. Despite being in the same blue tub as always, she could obviously tell things were not normal and she was too distracted to eat. Occasionally she would happen to spot some food, reflex would take over, and she'd grab it. But mostly she was trying to escape. Despite being mostly aquatic, these turtles are surprisingly strong climbers.

So I decided to let her go for a walk. At first she stayed on the patio close to me, but after a while she headed off into the weeds (of which we have no shortage!) and pushed herself half under the dead leaves.

I think she'd be tough to find if you didn't know where to look. Eventually I had to pull her out to go back in her tank.

Some days she can be quite a handful, thrashing around with her sharp claws and drawing blood if you're not careful. But today she was being quite calm, even after I removed the leaves she was hiding behind.

Although turtles aren't particularly intelligent, they (like many animals) have a surprising range of behaviour, which isn't easy to predict. It makes them seem like they have a "character" even if they don't in the human sense.

[thanks to Shelley for the photographs]

Environmental Shenanigans

To the Tsilhqot’in Nation, Fish Lake is a sacred place that has sustained them for generations.

To the Taseko mining company, it’s an answer to a very different prayer: a cheap dump site for acid tailings from the proposed Prosperity gold-copper mine.

Shenanigans like this used to be prohibited by the Fisheries Act – until it was amended in 2002 to allow lakes and other freshwater bodies to be re-classified as “tailings impoundment areas”.

from Save Fish Lake — Sierra Club of BC

In other words, you can't destroy a lake, but if you don't call it a lake, then it's ok. So if I don't call it "murder" is it ok to do it?

PS. If you ask me "shenanigans" sounds far too harmless.

Out West 2

Oops, forgot the pictures in the other camera.

Out West 2

Out West

A few pictures from the trip out west we just got back from.

2010-05 Out West

As usual, we enjoyed more than just climbing :-)

• Tapas Restaurant, Canmore
• Wild Flour Bakery, Banff
• Bison Restaurant, Banff
• Modern Bakeshop & Cafe, Revelstoke
• Hooded Merganser Bar & Grill, Penticton
• Fibonacci Roastery & Cafe, Penticton
• Vanilla Pod Tapas & Wine Bar, Summerland
• Frog Cafe, Linden Gardens, near Penticton
  (the gardens looked lovely, but it was pouring rain so we didn't see much)
• Sage and Vines Bistro, Penticton
• Naramata Heritage Inn and Cobblestone Restaurant, Naramata
  (we treated ourselves to one night here before heading home)
• Blue Heron Waterfront Pub, Vernon
• Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co, Canmore
  (look for their frozen pizzas at your grocery store)
• Beamer's Coffee Bar, Canmore

As usual, we camped at the Waterworld RV Park in Penticton because it's the closest to the climbing at Skaha bluffs. But the "waterworld" is long gone, and the land has been sold, so I'm not sure how many more years we'll be able to stay here

Sask. Govt. Spends $1.5 million to Kill 71,000 Coyotes

Hey, it's not like we have anything better to spend our taxpayer money on, why not do a little ecocide. 

via 71,000 coyotes killed--what does this mean for birds?

Winter is Back!

Crazy weather from Canmore all the way to Calgary.

Evening

Cloud puffs flowing by in a clear blue sky. A pigeon silhouetted against that sky. Warm evening sunlight flooding a courtyard. A breeze tossing the newly green leaves on the trees. A table by the window. A glass of wine. Music. A good book. Mountains peeking through between the buildings. Fresh snow lingering on the peaks. Smile.

Walking

"Let us walk as free people and feel our steps growing lighter as we walk. Let us appreciate every step we take." - Thich Nhat Hanh via The Art of Meditation by Matthieu Ricard

20 km of walking through the forest. Splashes of orange and yellow lichen on the rocks. Vibrant green moss. Snow capped mountains. A night under the trees, sung to sleep by a babbling brook. The warmth of the sun after a cold dawn. Unexpected flakes of snow falling from low clouds.

And now a latte at the Wild Flour Bakery Cafe to top off the hike from Canmore to Banff. Life is good.

Turn Around

"The hardest thing in the world is to simplify your life. It’s so easy to make it complex. The solution for a lot of the world’s problems may be to turn around and take a forward step. You can’t just keep trying to make a flawed system work." - Yvon Chouinard (via Signal vs. Noise)

This is from a documentary called 180 South. Check out the trailers (be patient if the links don't work right away).

Also, linked from here, check out the Tin Shed

Mouse-Capades 2

I got up this morning, put the kettle on for tea, and opened the blinds to see if any birds were at the bird feeder. And what do I see? A mouse inside the bird feeder!

The question is whether it's the same mouse who managed to navigate from the river several blocks back to my house, or a new one. I suspect it's my old friend returned since I've only ever seen the one mouse around.

I ran downstairs, grabbed a cloth bag, this time big enough to fit over the feeder, and headed outside. I almost missed him. As I approached the tree he started down the trunk. But he made the wrong choice when he saw me and returned to the shelter of the bird feeder.

I pulled the bag up around the feeder and tapped on it to get him out. Sure enough he jumped out, right into the bag. But I almost lost him because he ran straight up the inside of the bag heading for freedom. It was a good try but I shook him back to the bottom and closed the top of the bag.

This time I took him for a bike ride across the bridge to Sutherland beach. Hopefully that'll be sufficient to prevent him from finding his way back to the free food.

Mouse-Capades

For some time we've had a mouse visiting our bird feeder (see Recurring Mouse). And not just visiting, but hanging out inside the feeder. At first, we could see his tracks in the snow heading off towards the neighbors house. But then he must have decided to shorten his commute and the tracks started leading to our house. And then I started hearing him inside the wall. Not good. Only one solitary mouse so far but I was afraid where there was one, others would follow.

I could have hung the bird feeder away from the trunk of the tree so he couldn't reach it, but the birds throw so much seed on the ground he'd still have a constant supply of food.

So I bought a couple of live traps and put them on his route between the house and the bird feeder. I baited them with cheese. Mice can't resist cheese, right? Wrong. The traps kept getting triggered but never caught anything. So I switched to peanut butter. Still no luck.

I looked out the window last evening and there he was, inside the bird feeder, munching away. I grabbed a pillow case and headed out there. I figured I could pull the pillow case right over the bird feeder so when he jumped out I'd have him trapped. But the pillow case wasn't big enough to fit over the whole bird feeder. The poor mouse was running around inside the bird feeder. I felt bad for stressing him out. Usually he goes out the back of the bird feeder and runs down the trunk, so I had the pillow case over the back of the feeder. But he was too smart to fall for that. In desperation he jumped straight out the front of the feeder - right at my chest. This is one fearless mouse! He hit my chest, I jumped, and he took off, up inside the wall of our house. Round one goes to the mouse.

But in the end I guess he couldn't resist the peanut butter and when I came home from work today he was in one of the traps. I carried him a couple of blocks down to the river bank and let him go. Hopefully it's far enough away that he won't find his way back. It'll be a tough adjustment after having all the food you can eat. I wish him well, as long as he's not inside the walls of my house!

More West Coast Photos

Photos from rest of my recent trip - from the train, Vancouver (Granville Island), Portland (zoo, Japanese gardens, Chinese gardens), and Astoria.

2010-04 West Coast

911

My big excitement for the day (keep in mind this is relative to cleaning the turtle tank) was calling 911 to report a (small) fire.

I was biking on the bike path by Preston and I noticed some smoke coming from the trees ahead. I thought it might be some kids with a fire, and that might be how it started, but there was no one there and the fire was about 10 feet across with open flames.

I went into the trees to make sure there wasn't anybody passed out or anything. Then I used my iPhone to call 911.

I wasn't sure about calling 911 since it wasn't exactly an emergency but it was the easiest. My call was handled politely and efficiently and I was handed over to the fire department. The only difficulty was explaining where it was. I would have thought they could get some kind of location from my cell phone but it didn't seem like it since they had to ask whether I meant the south or north end of Preston.

A few minutes later I could hear a siren. I wasn't sure if they'd come straight to the right spot but they drove directly to me, going the wrong way on the one-way road.

A police car showed up right away as well. I didn't recognize him - don't know as many of the patrol people now that Shelley is a big wig.

With all the rain we've had the last few days I don't think there was much danger of the fire spreading. If things had been as dry as they sometimes get it would have been more exciting. However, it was in a narrow strip of trees between the road and a plowed field with nowhere really to go.

I actually got to use the phone part of my iPhone for a change :-) But the application of technology is still lagging - theoretically I should have been able to give them an exact GPS location. And even send them live video of the fire and its surroundings so they could judge the situation. Of course, even I don't take advantage of the technology - I didn't even think to take a picture to go with this blog post.

[posted via BlogPress on my iPhone from Broadway Roastery]

Oregon Coast Trail

Photos from my recent hike on the Oregon Coast Trail.



the main web site for the trail

and the maps covering the section I did (from Fort Stevens State Park to Garibaldi)

Wallpaper Photo

Taken in the Chinese Garden in Portland.

Reminder: Click on the image to get the full size version before right clicking to save or set as wallpaper. If you right click here, you'll only get a low resolution version. Choose the wide screen or squarer version depending on your monitor.

Earth Day Video

via

Via Rail Takes the Cake

The "cup" cake that is.

I have a thing about not using paper cups. It's a tiny thing, but it's easy to use a travel cup and I hate to see the trash full of disposable cups.

It really bugs me when coffee places refuse to use my travel cup - like Amtrak or some airport places.

So I was happy when I went to get tea on the VIA Rail train back to Saskatoon and they happily used my travel mug.

As I left I noticed the steward throw a disposable cup into the trash. I thought it was a little odd, but assumed it must have been a dirty cup left over from someone else. But no, the next time I paid more more attention and again, after filling my travel cup she threw a clean disposable cup into the trash. My guess is that they're using the cups as a way to track how many drinks are sold. Argh!

I'm not sure if this is official procedure or just this person's method. I considered suggesting that it perhaps wasn't the best procedure, but I was pretty sure that would go over like a ton of bricks.

As I walked back to my seat I passed the rack of brochures about how "green" VIA Rail is. Sigh.

People You Meet

Even an anti-social loner like me can't help meeting a few people along the way, especially traveling solo.

In Manzanita I was sitting outside having my coffee when two women arrived with a one-eyed dog. My backpack must have caught her eye and she asked, Are you traveling alone? Where are you from? Are you hitchhiking? - No. Taking the bus? - No. Renting a car? - No. (At this point she was stumped.) Then how are you getting around? She was surprised when I said by foot. I have to admit it's the exception these days, especially at my age. It might sound like twenty questions, but she was just curious and friendly. She disappeared into the coffee shop. But a few minutes later she stuck her head out the door and asked me if I would like to join them. I had a good excuse not to be social since I'd finished my coffee and was getting ready to leave, but I thanked her. She went back inside and through the window I heard her friend giving her a hard time for trying to pick up strange men. She replied that when she used to travel on her own she appreciated it when people were friendly. Even though I didn't accept her offer I appreciated the gesture. Besides, she was kind of cute :-)

The next character I ran into was on the bus to Garibaldi. She was across the aisle from me. At first glance she seemed normal enough. But she didn't stop talking the whole trip. (Thankfully it was a short trip!) I heard about her trips to Europe, teaching her daughters about the evils of the city, about staying in scuzzy hotels and classy hotels, and a long story about giving some kids water and nuts and a lighter for their campfire except they didn't even have a tent, cause she'd been there too. Each piece kind of made sense but the whole stream was a little much. She even wanted the bus to stop to help someone with a flat tire!

But not everyone on the bus is a "psycho" (as Jennie would say). On the longer trip to Portland I talked with a very interesting guy. He was an electrical engineer, who worked all over, including in Alberta. He was living on a former dairy farm which he was turning back into forest, much to the annoyance of his neighboring dairy farmers, although the only concrete objection they could come up with was that his trees were shading their pasture. Yeah, right. We talked about wind power (popular) and nuclear (unlikely in this area). I asked what he thought about electric cars. He thought they could be good but was concerned about the current battery technology and all the toxic chemicals either in car crashes or when they had to be disposed of. Good point. It was an interesting, wide ranging conversation that made the trip go by quickly.

I didn't even talk to the last person. He was the bartender at the hotel in Portland. (The lounge had a great view, comfy chairs, good lattes, and good food and wine, so I stopped there a number of times.) Every time, he was busy talking about climbing. It didn't seem to matter who the customer was, the conversation always seemed to end up about climbing. He was relatively new to it and obviously totally captivated. He reminded me of myself many years ago. I thought about talking to him but invariably the question would come up of what climbing I'd done and I didn't want my long history overshadowing his first steps. It was nice to hear his passion.

Urban Nature

Had a good day today at the Oregon Zoo and the Japanese Gardens.

The zoo seemed to be in off-season mode. A number of areas and exhibits were closed for construction and renovation. But there was still plenty to see. And off-season has the advantage of less crowds and more chances to observe in peace. I think it's great when kids go to the zoo, but sometimes the screaming hordes can be trying!

I spent some time watching the penguins - Humboldt penguins from Peru. They're so comical waddling around on the ground, and so fluid swimming underwater. They can swim incredibly fast. I guess that makes sense when you need to catch fish and evade predators.

If you're at the zoo (or even if you're not) it's worth visiting the Japanese Gardens. In the summer you can get there by taking the zoo train. Off-season you can take the bus or walk. I'd always taken the zoo train before and didn't realize how nice the walk is. The park is the Hoyt Arboretum and there are all kinds of trees. The flowering magnolias were fantastic. The trails can be confusing but there are maps every so often and people are quite helpful. (The trails connect to Forest Park and go for miles if you want a longer walk or run.)

I find the Japanese Gardens very peaceful and meditative. Bit it's hard to capture with photographs.

The rose gardens are also close by, and worth a visit if they're flowering.

To get to the zoo the Max light rail goes right from downtown to the zoo entrance. The zoo is outside the free rail area so you need to buy a ticket. The easiest option is the day pass for $4.95 which you can get from the machines at the Max stops.

Between the zoo and the gardens and the walk in between, this is a very pleasant way to spend a day.

Last Leg

It never fails, whenever I start to feel proud of some accomplishment, I discover I've screwed up.

It was a beautiful sunny morning when I left Cannon Beach. I didn't get away till 8am because I had to wait for the coffee shop to open :-) Which wouldn't have been a big deal except I had to get around several points that were only passable at low tide. I wasn't sure when low tide was exactly, but it seemed to be rising already.

I made good time on the smooth beach in the sunshine. I even saw a group of Tufted Puffins bobbing in the water. They nest on Haystack Rock near Cannon Beach. (FYI: A group of puffins has many collective nouns, including a "burrow", "circus", "colony", "improbability", and "puffinry" of puffins.)

It was a little tricky getting round the final point - had to take off my boots to wade a creek and then scramble round slippery rocks with sharp barnacles over the rising water. So I was quite proud of myself when I made it to the other side.

But soon after I started to wonder if the beach matched where I was supposed to be. Sure enough, I'd gone one point too far. I'd thought I was at Hug Point but I'd really been at Arch Cape. No wonder it had been tricky - I wasn't supposed to be there!

The thing was, the route goes inland before Arch Cape. I didn't much feel like going back, especially with the rising water. With the help of my iPhone maps and GPS I managed to sneak through the yard of a beach house and follow back roads to join back up with the route. In the end it worked out well, maybe even a little nicer than the official route.

After my morning on the beach, I spent the afternoon back in the forest, muddier after yesterday's rain. Some even bigger big trees here in Oswald West State Park. Some rivaled the big stumps.

I also saw three red bellied or Oregon newts. They were all in about a 100m stretch of the trail and quite lethargic, probably because it was still quite cool in the forest.

Later, on Cape Falcon I saw five garter snakes. The first three had very dark, dull coloring, but the next two were brighter. They were out soaking up the heat of the sun on south facing slopes.

There used to be a campsite in Oswald West State Park, but a tree fell down and they decided it was too dangerous and closed it. It seems a bit odd, trees have fallen on the trail all over the place and they don't close them. And you can still picnic in the camping area. Maybe they think the trees only fall at night? I was hoping I might be able to sneak in and use the campsite even though it was closed. By the time I got there I was ready to call it a day. But the campsite is right beside the trail to a busy beach and there were people everywhere. Camping there without anyone noticing seemed improbable. (In hindsight I wonder if they might have been happy to find an excuse to close the campsite. It imagine it would have been a real surfer and party hangout.)

Q. How can you tell you're within a kilometer of a road?
A. You start to see people.

Or from the other perspective, if you want to get away from people, just walk a kilometer from the nearest road. Actually, less than a kilometer if it's uphill. There were probably a hundred people at the beach, but ten minutes walk past there were none. Which was a good thong because I was looking for somewhere to camp where I wouldn't be discovered. I eventually found a spot. I'd been on my feet for eight hours with only short breaks and I was glad to stop. Unfortunately, as is common along here, the highway is close to the coast and I could hear the traffic going by. Especially the logging trucks, which seemed incongruous with my camp in the midst of the few remining giant trees. Cognitive dissonance.

The forecast was for rain to start in the night but I awoke to a dry tent for the first time, always more pleasant to pack!

The route from here crossed the highway, climbed 1500 ft over Neahkahnie Mountain and then descended to return to the highway only a few kilometers after it left. As much as I dislike walking on the highway, I decided to forego going over the mountain since I had another reasonably long day ahead.

I wad glad it was early in the day and not too much traffic. There's almost no shoulder and the logging trucks don't like to make room for anyone. I had to shake my head at one point when there was a sign for the Oregon Coast Cycling Route. At that point there was about two inches of shoulder. Wishing don't make it so.

I reached the town of Manzanita just after 8am and was happy to discover a coffee shop open already. A latte and a muffin primed me to hit the beach.

From here the trail goes down a long peninsula at the end of which you need to get a boat to ferry you across. I phoned the number on the map and it rang and rang and rang. I looked at the alternate route - about 15 km of walking on the highway - yuck. After ringing a dozen times someone finally answered and thankfully the ferry was arranged.

The ten km down the beach of the peninsula took about an hour and a half. On the phone they'd said they pick up at the point so I called from there. From across the river she tried to spot me with binoculars. It turned out I wasn't quite in the right spot. I was supposed to head upstream a little, but not to disturb the seals. Sure enough, there was a big group of seals flaked out on the sand. I don't think I disturbed them, only one or two even got up the energy to raise their heads to look at me.

It was a quick trip across the river. The guy on the boat said they had a "walker" working for them. He came out and said hello. He'd walked the entire Oregon Coast Trail a few years ago. He was quite disappointed to hear I was only hiking for five days and tried to convince me to at least take two more days to go round Three Capes.

Soon after, the rain arrived. Never too hard, but it continued for the rest of the day off and on. It would stop long enough for me to take off my rain pants and then it would start up again.

There was supposed to be a county park campground just before Garibaldi. I managed to find it, but it wasn't near the beach and didn't seem too appealing. I decided to keep going to Garibaldi. It didn't turn out to be too appealing either - more industrial than touristy. Two rather seedy looking bars ("Bikers Welcome"), a Dairy Queen, and, thankfully, a coffee shop. Thank goodness Oregon likes its espresso! I passed the bus stop and there was a bus to Tillamook in an hour. I headed for the coffee shop. They were in the process of closing so I scarfed down a latte and a raspberry scone. Still with time to kill I stopped at the Dairy Queen to satisfy a craving for salt and grease with an order of french fries.

I thought Tillamook might offer some nicer places to stay, but if so I didn't find them. There was a Holiday Inn but it was out in big box land on the outskirts of town. So I ended up here in a rather low end motel. But it has free wifi and it's close to the bus stop. And as far as Google tells me, the restaurant next door is one of the few decent options.

So I'm showered and fed and I'm out of the rain. And I'm set to catch the bus back to Portland tomorrow. Mission accomplished, despite a few hiccups.

Location:2nd St,Tillamook,United States

Pit Stop in Cannon Beach

After a day and a half of hiking down the flat beach I switched gears and spent a day and a half hiking up and down through temperate rain forest in Ecola State Park. I camped at a walk in site almost 1000 ft above the ocean. Hard work going uphill but fantastic views. And pretty muddy in spots - after all it is rainforest! Lots of nice big trees, although sadly not as big as the huge stumps left over from logging (many years ago). Some of those big trees fall over on the trail making for some challenging clambering!

It's the weekend so 5 or 6 other people showed up at the campsite. And of course they stayed up half the night talking and singing around a fire. On the plus side whoever was playing the guitar was very talented. I, of course, didn't talk to anyone!

I had assumed an official campsite would have a source of water but no such luck. I ended up hiking downhill and bushwhacking into a steep gorge to reach a creek.

I woke to find the campsite engulfed in cloud with light rain falling. It drizzled off and on all morning but nothing too serious. Contrary to the map, I managed to stay on trails instead of roads almost all the way to Cannon Beach. A fair bit of up and down and mud, but lovely forest and great views. It was warm in the forest, but on the exposed coast the wind was blasting hard enough to make it difficult walking.

In Cannon Beach I stopped for coffee at Bella Espresso- coincidentally the same place Shelley and I had stopped last time we were here. And the same place where I had overheard people talking about the Oregon Coast Trail which planted the seeds for this hike.

I'm ahead of schedule so I decided to stop overnight in Cannon Beach. And since I seemed to be stopping for coffee every day I figured it wouldn't hurt to shower before I got too ripe. I used the cafe wifi to find a place to stay. I thought I'd been pretty clever, but I hadn't paid enough attention to the location. It turned out to be almost 2 miles south of town. Which wouldn't have been so bad except that by this point it was pouring rain. Oh well, that's what rain gear is for! I tried not to drip on the registration desk too much.

The shower and clean clothes felt good and luckily there's a bakery across the street (where I'm hanging out drinking coffee and connecting to wifi) and a restaurant two doors down. So I don't have to walk 2 miles in the rain for supper. Uphill both ways :-) Or I could eat my camping food, but somehow the restaurant seems more appealing!

Actually, it's not so bad being out of town. It's not like I wanted to shop for cheesy tourist souvenirs. I missed the bookstore, but the last thing I need is books to carry!

Hopefully it won't be raining too much in the morning. It's always hard leaving a warm dry building to head out into the rain.

Location:S Hemlock St,Cannon Beach,United States

Beach Time

This is a pretty civilized hike! I'm in Seaside having a latte and catching up on Internet.

Yesterday I took the local bus from Astoria to Warrenton and then to Fort Stevens State Park. The only problem with local buses is that they assume everyone is a local and knows the routine. I had to ask for help and directions a few times. It was foggy and drizzling in the morning but my luck held and by the time I started hiking it had stopped. The trickiest route finding was through the state park. Once you hit the beach it's hard to go wrong! By the end of the afternoon the sky had cleared and I was down to a t-shirt in the sunshine.

The beach has been great, easy walking on nice firm sand. Waves crashing, sea gulls sqawking, shore birds running and flying. Even a pair of bald eagles, one adult and one juvenile (head not white yet) feeding on a seabird carcass.

The only drawback is that vehicles are allowed on the beach. So I was never far from a big truck with a young white driver with a baseball cap and a cigarette. I'm not sure what the attraction is to driving slowly up and down the beach. Thankfully the speed limit is only 25 km/hr.

I was figuring I'd just camp in the dunes behind the beach, but when I headed up there in the late afternoon I found there were houses only 200 yards away. I found the best spot I could between the mansions and the cruising trucks Not exactly a wilderness experience, but I knew that before I started. It was actually quite peaceful once the sun went down. I won't say quiet because the crashing waves are actually quite noisy.

I slept well although it was surprisingly cold. No frost, but it felt like it. I was a bit shocked to discover far more vehicles on the beach than the day before! I soon realized the tide was out and they were digging for clams. They didn't seem to be finding much, which isn't surprising given the number of people out there.

I packed up and threaded my way between the pickup trucks. It was a nice morning. A few hours hiking brought me to Gearhart where I was forced to leave the beach and walk the highway to get across a river. This led me to Seaside where I stopped for coffee. Next I'll head for Ecola State Park.

It's very different hiking down the beach instead of in the forest or the mountains. You don't need to pay too much attention to the walking and the sand and waves go on unchanging for miles. It's gives your mind plenty of time to roam.

Location:S Ocean Ave,Gearhart,United States

Journeying On

Stepping out of the Granville Island hotel at 5:30am, I was a bit surprised to be met by rain. Not that rain is surprising in Vancouver, but it had been so nice the day before. Thankfully it barely drizzled on me. It was nice not to get soaked before the train ride!

I took the Amtrak train from Vancouver to Portland. There was a little customs and security since it was across the border, but minor compared to flying these days. The train ride was pleasant.

We got to Portland about 3pm. It was beautiful weather - sunny and warm. Lots of people out biking and running. I could easily have taken public transportation to the hotel - Portland is good for that. But it was such a nice day I walked along the paths by the river. Spring is even further along here, with lots of flowers blooming.

It took about 30 minutes to walk to Riverplace Hotel. It's in a great spot overlooking the river. And they'd given me a free upgrade to a suite. A little wasted on me by myself, but still nice.

I had an early supper in the hotel lounge (the restaurant didn't open till later). A nice roasted pepper soup with a salad. And a glass of Pinot Noir that Oregon is known for.

With Google's help I took the streetcar and then the Max light train to the zoo. The only glitch was that the electronic display of stops was incorrect and by the time I figured that out I had missed my stop. But it was no problem to hop out and catch a train going back the other direction.

I went to the zoo to hear a lecture on condor reintroduction in Arizona. It is pretty amazing how condors were down to 22 captive birds (none left on the wild) and are now gradually making a comeback thanks to reintroduction.

The speaker was good. But he was a hunter, which always seems incongrous to me. But as much as I don't care for hunting, their organizations have done a lot for conservation. For example, Ducks Unlimited and their preservation of wetlands. I'd rather they had a different motivation but conservation can use whatever help it can get.

This morning I walked back along the river to the train station to catch the bus to Astoria on the coast. I have to shake my head when I take public transportation to be more sustainable and end up on a 50 seat bus with only four passengers! This is the off season and no doubt they are busier in the summer. What they need is a more flexible system where they could switch to a smaller vehicle like a van when it made sense.

Here in Astoria I'm staying at the Cannery Pier Hotel. Shelley and I stumbled into this hotel a few years ago when we were driving down the coast and really liked it. It's in a restored cannery on a pier over the water. It's not cheap but it's a lovely hotel.

Amazingly, the weather is continuing beautiful and sunny. I just hope I get some of this nice weather while I'm hiking.

Tomorrow I'll take the bus to as close to the start of the hiking as I can. I've enjoyed the fancy hotels and restaurants but I'm looking forward to getting out on my own and hiking and camping on the beach.

Location:Marine Dr,Astoria,United States

The Joy of Travel

I love to travel, as you may have gathered :-)

My life at home is as comfortable and familiar as an old shoe. I go from familiar home to familiar work by familiar paths. I have my routines, and honestly, I like it that way. My stress level is low (usually!) and I can focus on my work and indulge my reading habit.

To travel is to leave all that behind, to embrace uncertainty. No familiar places, no familiar paths. Constant choices since there are no preset routines. There's a certain amount of stress and tension in that, and it can make people scared to step outside their comfort zone. But it's also interesting, exciting, rejuvenating. Life wasn't meant to be tame and predictable all the time.

And you can always mix in some familiarity when need be. A visit to Starbucks is a return to a comfort zone. Going back to the same city or hotel also takes away some of the uncertainty. The trick is to keep it new without being too stressful. Everyone has different limits.

This trip isn't to anywhere exotic, it's not to Asia or South America. But it's still got the essence of travel, new places, new faces, different things to do. Different sights and sounds and smells. I think we need this kind of adventure in our lives sometimes.

The train arrived an hour early in Vancouver. I'd planned to take the Aquabus but it wasn't running yet. That was ok, it's a pleasant 3km shoreline walk along False Creek, past the new Olympic village.

Vancouver always makes me feel a bit like the small town boy I am. I can't help gawk at all the big buildings and soaring bridges. And I can't help being a little jealous of the ocean and that it's not only green here but the flowering bushes and trees are in full force. Especially having left Saskatoon right after a blizzard! But that's another benefit of travel - to remind yourself that the small corner of the world where you live is just that.

It's a beautiful morning, some light clouds but the sun is shining through and feels warm. The turtles in the pond by Granville Island must agree. They've crawled out of the cold water to absorb the sunshine.

The ducks and grebes were busy and a great blue heron stood on a rock surveying the scene.

I was lucky the hotel had a room ready despite my early arrival at 9:30am. Then it was a toss up whether coffee or shower came first. Coffee won :-)

Riding the Rails

So far I'm enjoying traveling by train. It's so different from traveling by airplane. It's very casual, no id, no security, no scans, no xrays, no showing your laptop, no taking your shoes off. No endlessly repeated lectures on seat belts and electronic devices and earphones. 

There haven't been many people, in the stations or on the train. That suits me fine.  

It's very slow paced. No one exhibits the slightest signs of urgency. The train crawls out of the station and then stops 500m down the track. Inexplicable slowdowns and stops are frequent. But when you're in for the duration and you're not worried about connections, it's no big deal.

Relative to a plane, there's lots of legroom and the aisles are spacious. There's even space to turn around in the bathroom.

The passengers are a motley collection of tourists, young people, seniors, and strays like me. No high powered business types. No one in a suit. And so far, no families with kids.  

It's a bit like traveling by car. You can watch the scenery go by and you've got lots of time to think. But you don't have to drive! Or worry about road conditions or crazy drivers. Kind of nice. I like it.

I'm traveling by train because I don't think airplane travel is sustainable. It burns too much fossil fuel and so far no one has any idea how to get around that. We can have electric cars (powered by renewable energy) but electric planes aren't too feasible. Trains are more efficient and even though they currently burn fossil fuels as well, at least they have the potential to be powered by renewable energy (unlike planes).

As with most individual "green" choices, my taking the train will have little or no effect on the big picture. But as Gandhi said,  "You must be the change you want to see in the world." 

Sunrise from the Edmonton train station

Empire of Illusion

Acting, politics, and sports have become, as in Nero's reign, interchangeable. - Empire of Illusions

I recently read Empire of Illusions by Pulitzer prize–winning author Chris Hedges. I found it quite horrifying to read about aspects of our culture from wrestling to porn to universities to corporations to politics. (As you may have gathered by now, I'm afraid I'm not a big fan of our current society!)

With our access to so much information these days, there's a danger of only looking at stuff you agree with. And, like hiring people who will always agree with you, it's not very helpful. I know I'm susceptible to this to a certain degree. But I like to think I'm open to anything that's objective and has some scientific basis. That's a bias too, I guess, but it's not one I'm quite ready to give up on.

More and more I think the United States is on it's way down a major decline. It's easy to say "they're so big and powerful, that can never happen". But every other empire has declined in the end, with similar signs portending their demise. Refusing to admit this possibility is a bit like saying "I know every one else dies eventually, but not me, I'm going to live forever".

Of course, that raises the question of what's going to happen to Canada. We're closely tied to the USA and we have many of the same problems. But in other ways we're quite different. In any case, it's hard to imagine it not having major affects on us.

Anyway, if you don't mind being horrified, I would definitely recommend the book.

Stunning Insect Photos

Wow! Stunning pictures of sleeping insects covered in early morning dew | Mail Online

The bar just keeps getting higher on this kind of stuff.

via

The Blind Side

I watched the movie The Blind Side recently. I enjoyed it. It was a feel good, rags to riches, happy ending movie. Sandra Bullock was entertaining and likable as usual. But ...

I used to hate it when people would dissect movies and books and talk about cultural meaning. I just wanted the entertainment, don't give me deep meaning! That probably had something to do with hating school and how "studying" a book was pretty much a sure fire way to destroy any enjoyment you might have gotten from it.

It also probably doesn't help that I'm in the middle of reading Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle which has only deepened my disillusionment over our culture.

So I couldn't help myself from looking at this movie from a cultural viewpoint.

Rich white family takes poor black boy off the street and he becomes a football star. It's based on real people and events.

The father owns a bunch of fast food outlets. Great, he gets rich while destroying the health of a whole generation. At one point, he is asked what happens to the leftover food from the restaurants and whether they could give it to the needy. He halfheartedly supposes they could look into it, but it's never mentioned again.

The mother (Sandra Bullock) is an interior decorator/designer - someone who helps people spend money on stuff they didn't know they needed. There's a productive, valuable role in society.

They live in a huge ostentatious mansion, which, of course, is what we're all supposed to aspire to. They sit around and watch TV and drink soda pop.

When Michael (the poor black boy) moves in with them, what is the first thing the mother teaches him? Family values? No, she asks him if he knows how to shop and tells him she's going to teach him. Shopping - the number one pastime in our culture. Buying stuff you don't need, 99% of which ends up in the trash, which of course is necessary so you can buy more stuff you don't need. The loser is the environment - destroyed by the extraction of resources necessary to make the stuff, and destroyed by the pollution from all the discarded stuff.

Michael ends up in a rich white private christian school. He gets in because the coach manipulatively uses "christian" arguments in a thinly veiled cover over wanting to get a big black guy on his football team. They make this obvious in the movie, like it's a good thing to manipulate this way.

Michael only manages to get good enough marks to get a football scholarship because the rich family hires a private tutor for him.

And what is the moral of the story? That if you're incredibly win the lottery lucky, you can get picked up off the street, taken to live in a huge mansion with rich folks who will teach you to shop and buy you a big "red-neck" truck (their words) and become a rich, famous, football celebrity. (and presumably get your own mansion). A modern day Cinderella story I guess.

But it's what kids have been brainwashed to want these days - to be "discovered", to get on American Idol or Survivor, or to win the lottery. More than twice as many people apply to MTV's Real World show than to Harvard. (from Empire of Illusion)

There's not much redeeming value here. There's no message about working hard to succeed. Michael is portrayed as passive, basically just going along with these miraculous events. (Presumably the real life character had to work hard at school and at football, but that's not shown in the movie.) He's not even following a dream of playing football. At the end he's asked if he enjoys it. He evades the question and just says he guesses he's good at it.

It wouldn't be so bad if the message was "work hard and dream of striking it rich", or "do what you love and make the most of your talents". But in our culture it has become "sit around and watch TV and go shopping, and pin your hopes on being discovered". Is it any surprise that most people aren't very happy?