Backpacking over the 4th

We took full advantage of the three day weekend and went backpacking.It was a spectacular weekend, despite a few unexpected challenges.

(minor) Challenge #1 . Jen had some symptoms of heat exhaustion on the way in. Neither of us were expecting an alpine hike to be so hot. The first part of the trail was uphill, exposed and dry, and one of us (not Sara) wasn't drinking enough. Fortunately, we both saw the signs, and stopped to rest the shade until a full recovery was made.

(moderate) Challenge #2 . Fall Creek trail... part of the trail is missing in an avalanche/blow down. We knew this ahead of time and decided to use the map and compass to find the trail again on the other side of the blow down. It took over an hour of hiking over huge downed trees and limbs, but we did indeed find it. After we navigated through that mess, we decided to do a loop that would add a couple miles to our hike but prevent having to go back through the blow down....little did we know....

(major) Challenge #3 . Cascade Creek trail... the trail from Hell itself. Ok, I exaggerate. It could have been worse, it could have been poorly marked, poorly graded, unmaintained, dangerous AND buggy. But fortunately there were few biting bugs. The trail had not been maintained and the landscape is lush and overgrown, which meant we lost the trail at least once in every 1/4 to 1/2 mile of 2.7 mile trail. Further, it was mostly overgrown with thorny plants, like wild rose and hawthorn, it was no fun pushing through those. Not even the switchbacks were clear, and the trail grade was so steep in places that we should have opted to turn back....in other circumstances we would have...but

(moderate) Challenge #4. We were losing daylight....The combination of a losing the trail over and over and the dangerous conditions meant we were hiking less than a mile an hour...at 6:00 pm...with 4.5 miles total to go. It would have been 7.5 miles if we had turned back but would have been just as difficult to re-find all the painstakingly found trail pieces we had lost and found again. So, we pressed on, in hopes of not having to spend the night out. And to add insult to injury....

(minor) Challenge #5. Jen had had a blowout...at mile 4...with 8 to go....which required 3 repair attempts. Only the very back of the heel of my boot was still attached, making for an unpredictable, unstable, slippery foot fall. Ok, so it sounds like misery. But, it wasn't all that bad.

1. We both were well hydrated, not starving, and in good physical condition to press on slowly and carefully. We are experienced in woods and not prone to panic.

2. We had emergency provisions with us, an emergency blanket, water, fire starters, other first aid and common sense. Spending the night in the woods, would have been uncomfortable and annoying but not life-threatening.

3. The valley ran west to east, so we had sun until 9 and dusk didn't fall until after 10pm.

4. We knew if we made it off the Hell trail, and across the river safely, then the 2.5 miles (and second river crossing) back to our camp was well marked, gently graded, and we could do in the dark...if need be.

Which is exactly what we did...and after a tense moment in the black dense foliage by the river, we emerged from Hell, crossed the river, jogged/hiked the 2.5 miles down the trail to our camp (with the sole of Jen's shoe flopping the whole way), crossed the river again and made it safely back to home base.

And let me tell you...a 10pm sponge bath in a glacial stream and dehydrated beef stroganoff never felt or tasted so good!

Overall, it was a fantastic trip. It was one of the most beautiful hikes we have ever been on. There were over 20 different varieties of wildflowers, more than I have ever seen. The view from the pass was amazing, I can't wait to hike up again and go all the way to the peak.

The pictures just cannot do justice to the immensity and feel of being on the pass with three valleys visible below and huge mountain ranges in the distance.
As for the Cascade Creek trail... we are a little annoyed. Our map indicated it was maintained, the Forest service website says its open and maintained....but it clearly has not been maintained for at least couple of years. There was more than one seasons overgrowth on that trail, there were no warnings or updates about the trail at the trail head, on the website or at the trail markers.

Of course, unintended adventure will be easily avoided in the future by calling the ranger station to ask about the last trail maintenance for every trail in the area we intended to hike into. It won't be hard to do.

Oh! How gay it all was...

Seattle Pride 2009...sometimes its nice to feel like the straights are the oddballs.

Pride was a blast! Mostly because of one man. Sara's boyfriend M came and stayed with us. He is my favorite boy EVER (besides my brother). But don't tell him, I don't want his head to get big.

Pretty isn't he?

We were the three musketeers...except for the part where we all stick together. We would sort by gender and part ways every now and then. It was for the best...lesbians go to bed early...especially us girls.

Instead of bore you with the gay ol' details, I will just tell you my favorite part...Sitting at a sidewalk table at the Broadway Grill watching all the hubbub. We were there for close to 4 hours (and 3 mojitos) with friends coming and going the whole time. It was a delight.
They are trouble these girls, big gay trouble! All the pictures are (of course) here.

Nehalem Bay

We went camping this weekend. Well, Sara calls it camping, I call it 'staying in an RV'. It was the first time I have stayed in an RV... ok, the second time.

The first time I was 9, my Great Aunt Tennie and Great Uncle Leonard came to visit from Texas. I went to stay with them in the RV and forgot clean underwear. That was also the first time I remember going to a church. I was fairly certain God knew I didn't have on clean underwear. And if God didn't know already, Aunt Tennie would have been the first to tell him...she certainly wasn't shy about telling all those other strangers. The whole experience was terrifying to say the least.

But, This time around was fabulous! I am still not sure I understand the appeal of the high-density campground, but I now fully understand the convenience and luxury of the RV!We met up with friends from Oregon, C and F, and their young-uns, A (who is BIG now) and C (whom we had not yet met)! There were fires, smores, kite flying, hide and seek in the dunes, books, food, naps and crafts. Big fun! Photos are here.

Soap Box Issue: Health Care Reform

There is a lot of health care talk in my family... mom is a social worker in the emergency room and a specialist in geriatric care/services and dad is an emergency room doctor.

I clearly remember more than one occasion as a child, when I was downtown with my dad and a street person would call out his name, come over to shake his hand, say they were feeling better or just say hello.

After the the exchange had passed, he would tell me a little of the back story... That person was schizophrenic, suffered from depression, was bipolar, or just down and out. And with no other resources for basic care available, they would show up in the ER with an otherwise preventable illness.

So, that said, it is with great pride and admiration for the just, considerate, concerned person my father is that I post this letter he wrote addressing Single Payer Health Care. I think he says it more eloquently than I could hope.

Read it, think about it and if you get a chance, talk about it and share it.

Friends,

Americans have the world’s most technically advanced hospitals, the best educated doctors and health care workers, yet we spend twice as much per capita on healthcare as any other nation and only rank 37^th (same as Cuba) in overall quality of health, such as life expectancy and infant mortality. We are not getting our money’s worth.

I am writing to ask you to support Single Payer Health Care as introduced in the US House of Representatives in HR 676 and in the US Congress as Senate Bill 703.

These bills are similar and if passed would provide health insurance for all citizens and legal immigrants and designate Medicare to be the single payer of health care bills: Medicare for everyone.

Medicare's overhead expenses are 4%. Private insurance companies overhead is between 20-30%. The change to ‘Medicare for everyone’ alone would save about $350 billion a year, more than enough to insure all the currently uninsured.

Patients will still choose their own physicians as they do with Medicare now. The physicians work for themselves as they do now. The only thing that changes is that the 20% of the health care dollar that now goes to profits for private insurance companies will go instead to insuring the uninsured.

President Obama has moved away from the Single Payer Health Care issue. While he has not given his reasons,I suspect he wants to cooperate with big insurance companies rather than battle them. It is time to remind him and his administration that Single Payer health care is the best option.

Further, the majority of physicians support this plan. In March 2008, the University of Indiana Medical School surveyed physicians around the country and found 59% supported single payer health care. Many other studies have shown that the majority of physicians want a change in health care insurance system as do the majority of Americans.

Physicians for a National Health Plan has online resources and information to answer any questions about how this plan would work. For interviews with some of the nations top health policy thinkers please watch the informative documentary “Health, Money and Fear” available online.

Please write to your Congressman, Senator and President Obama and tell them that the American people want to join with other nations of the world by making affordable health care available to all Americans.

Please pass this letter along to others concerned about health care in America.

President Barack Obama

To find your Representative try this link.

To find your Senator try this link

Catching up: a pictorial

Golden Gardens Park for soft serve, sailboat watching and a sunset...

Mothers Day weekend with both our mothers...everything we tried to do was closed (the museum, the conservatory and the restaurant) but it was fun anyway!

Escape to the coast with my sister and bro-in-law...gorgeous beach camping.

Sunset at Fremont park

This little visitor barely stopped moving long enough for us to get a photo!

This little visitor was used to being in the eye of the camera!

I know this quick recap doesn't do our adventures and visiting justice...but its been busy around our house lately. Maybe sometime soon, I will get a chance to tell you about the raccoon in the vestibule of my sisters tent, the fabulous mothers day brunch chez Jen and Sara, how exhausted we were trying to keep up with 5 year olds and fierce wind and sunset rainbow we saw at the park last week.

For now, you can make up your own stories...they might even be more entertaining than the sneak peeks!

Quick update

We finally got the new doors on the laundry closet...and here is a long overdue photo of my lovelies. My precious, precious lovelies.

I know. They are mirrored closet doors, but trust me on this. It works in our living room across from our 10 foot window.

The photos of the process are here.

Drilling through the tile was no easy task... it made me wish we had had a corded drill. Even with the drill bit with a carbide tip, we had to recharge the battery pack 3 times before we got through the tile.