Sunday, June 7, 2009

THE HIKE (Part II)

Soooo...where was I??

Oh yes. We're lost. Now, back home after this ordeal was over, I was informed that we in fact were not lost but simply off trail. I'm not really sure I understand the difference...

Anyway, since lunch we've been "off trail" and are hiking what I would consider very steep grades trying to find the trail again and moving in what we believe to be the general direction of Diamond Lake which we've now decided is going to be as far as we'll probably get tonight.

Man was it slow going!! The snow that started out as intermittent and refreshing is now several feet deep and quite a challenge to walk through.

A few hours after lunch, still not 100% sure where we are we run into another group of hikers who are similarly "off trail" due to the snow. We decide to join forces continue together, still aiming to make Diamond Lake to make camp.

It is at this point that I begin really feeling the hike. As I mentioned I'm athletic but everyone else with me has done some sort of endurance sport at the collegiate level and suddenly I'm looking really out of shape. Not to mention that I'm at least 6" shorter than everyone else. I wouldn't have ever thought this would be an issue but when you're taking up the rear on a slippery, snow covered trail it's really difficult when your stride is significantly shorter than everyone before you. This is the suck part of the hike. I'll breeze over it.

We hiked, it sucked. We didn't make Diamond Lake before dark. We camped in the snow. For dinner we made pocket stew's and mine didn't get fully cooked so I ate raw potatoes and onions. Well I nibbled on, not really ate. I went to bed early so that my foul mood didn't spoil everyone else's evening.

Everyone else however had an awesome time. They saw the day as an adventure! The only really down side was that they had to camp on snow because no one really packed anything warm enough for that. But in general fun was had by all and they capped off the long day with the tequila K brought.

The next day was much better. I slept off my bad mood and morning brought warm sun shine and promise of a better day. We leisurely got up and had breakfast and I made up for the lack of dinner with lots of oatmeal cocoa and smores :) M got a little more creative. M decided that since she likes apples and she likes marshmallows that she's LOVE a marshmallow stuffed apple!!!

Before


After
She's a little disappointed that the marshmallow melted out and she ended up with a very sticky baked apple. She said that it was good though.


Here's K tending our incredibly deep fire pit. I think this illustrates just how deep the snow was.


Much happier hikers around the pit. The group that joined us already headed home. We think they were jealous that we had real food. They ate dehydrated MRE type food for every meal (powdered stroganoff was their dinner the night before). It looked like it sucked. We had real food. We might have kind of rubbed that in their face a little


My fiancee, A, in the PIT OF MORDOOR! It was kinda cool.

Next we took a little hike to see if we could spot this mythical Diamond Lake. 5 miles in my tokous!


Legolas what do your elvish eyes see??

Not the lake, that's what!


M! Step away from the edge!!! Your senior design project isn't that bad!!!!

But they think they have good idea where it is...
(Doesn't it look like B's up to something here??)

"Well? Cummon guys!! Lets get movin'!!!!!"

To be continued...

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Just Your Average Evening In Fremont!

Just a little note.

Lately Seattle's been having a heat wave!! In fact today's high is supposed to be 92!!! <-- This is very rear in the middle of summer let alone in May. In Seattle May is not a summer month, May is usually, undeniably spring.

This however means that all of our homes, which are not equip with AC, especially in my cute Bohemian neighborhood full of "Vintage" homes (no joke add on craigslist said a home had "vintage charm" but that's for another post), are too hot to actually be in. As a result everyone is out enjoying the weather. Also another thing to note in Seattle this time of year the sun doesn't actually set until about 9:30 a night which is AWESOME!

Last night I am walking my dog in the very beautiful eveing at about 9pm around the block by my house. I encounter belly dancers practicing in full get up at the local elementary school. I also saw an adult kickball game (What?! really this exsists?! Where can I sign up?!) where one team was called "Ball Deep" and the other teams uniform was very elaberate costumes. The catcher was dressed up as Murcury and there was a guy in the infield wearing very small blue shorts but that's ok because he was PAINTED BLUE FROM HEAD TO TOE! It's wednesday. That crap's a pain to get off. You think thursday's are blue days at his work? Like causual Friday but with body paint??

I also get to walk by where they are making the solstice day parade floats. So cool!! If you live in Seattle I really encourage you to go to the Fremont Fair and Parade. The with local organic produce and street performers, "the weirder the better" encouraged to come in this funky little neighborhood it's always a blast. Plus the parade has naked people what more could you ask for??

Well that's all I got time for but an interesting walk no?

Back to the grind....

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

So Busy!!!

Gah! The next two (or five) weeks are going to be a little bit overwhelming.... On the 5th I have my Senior Design presentation (crap, that's this Friday isn't it?!) and then on the 14th I GRADUATE!!!!!!!! AND THEN!! On the 16th I go to Africa!! I'll try to post little updates here and there. It will most likely be incoherent, sleep deprived ramblings. Sorry...

To tide you over here are some super fun links:

The Pioneer Woman
Bakerella
Cake Wrecks
Gourmet Amigurumi
My Paper Crane

These are the blogs I would read everyday If I had time. Unfortunately I don't so it's usually a once a week blog binge (and it's ooohhh soo good!). I hope you enjoy them as much as I do :)