Global Mala

Thursday I brought Zara and Christine to the Puyallup Fair. Supposedly it's like the 3rd largest fair in the nation but it was just like every country fair I've ever been to so I'm not sure I believe the hype. I had to bully the girls into going on the roller coaster. Not surprisingly we waited 45 minutes in line for a ride that lasted 45 seconds. Luckily my orange straw cowboy hat did not fly off my head as we barreled down the loop-de-loops. After all the fried dough and mongolian stir fry I'm not sure it was the best idea but we endured. On Saturday, I participated in Global Mala, an international yoga event in support of international peace day. We performed 108 sun salutations (basically 108 upward facing and downward facing dogs) in an hour. Our small yoga class of 10 individuals, in Ashford, Wa, nestled at the bottom of Mt. Rainier, connected with the collective conscious for world peace. I like feeling that with simple movement and meditation I made a small difference toward changing the negative thought processes that are destroying our existence (even if it means I ripped my hamstrings to shreds, it's a small price to pay for world peace). The event appropriately aligned with the fall equinox. Happy Moban! It's Harvest time. Let us reap the rewards of our efforts this year!

Picture Update

See the twins in the background?

Thieving Munks!!

Happy B-day to Me!!

Paradise on my B-day

Comet Falls- 10 mile hike to Longmire

Sunset at Sunrise

(pic from livingwilderness.com by Kevin Ebi)
Why is it that when you see the most spectacular sunset of your life you don't have a camera? I'm convinced that there is a cosmic rule that in order to see wonderous sights you must forget your camera at home. Last week I saw a bear about 20 yards away from me when I was hiking from Longmire to Paradise. Did I have a camera? Of course not. Because that's the rule. So, I am borrowing the above pic so you can see a glimmer of the inspiring sunset I saw.
The sunset I saw was even better than the picture. There where no clouds and so much more purple. It was fantastic. I shared this wonderful sight with Bogdon, a Romanian, I met at 6 o'clock that morning, who of course forgot his camera as well. We headed to Sunrise on the east side of the mountain, early last Monday morning, to help close the gift shop for the season. After work we hiked 4 miles to sit atop a ridge just below Mt. Rainier. So picture a 14,000 foot snow covered mountain (there's a lot more snow on the mtn on the east side at Sunrise) just to the left of the picture and to the right a wide lush valley, with the Cascade Mountains a silouette beyond the valley. The bright, perfect half moon pinned up behind us. We agreed that even from opposites sides of the world it was the most beautiful, natural sight either of us had ever seen. Believe it or not, it gets better. Just minutes after a skitish, little field mouse reveals itself from under a rock next to our feet, a preditor bird begins to circle above our heads then disappears. Moments later, the bird returns with it's mate and we realize they are OWLS!! We must have been sitting in a favorite and prosperous hunting spot. They continued to circle above our heads waiting for us to leave so they could engage in their idea of fine dining. That poor mouse was probably digested before we hiked to the bottom of the ridge. Of course, this beautiful experience had it's downfall. We had to hike the 4 miles back to Sunrise in the blackness of night. Everytime the flashlight caught a shadow I jumped thinking it was a bear. Bogdon didn't help matter because we started talking about how Dracula was from Romania and I was convienced that he was going to turn into a werewolf even though it was only a half moon. Then I was really hoping he would turn into anything carnivous when the bear attacked. Actually, I was laughing so hard at the idea of this slight youth turning into a bat or wolf that we were back at Sunrise safe and sound before I knew it.

Party like it's 1999

Yeman, Vicky and Steph

Me and Zara-I'm going to adopt Zara to get her to stay in the country.

Steph and Me- If I were a lesbian I would run off to California and marry her!

Steph getting a tip from John. Rich looks like he's enjoying the show.

The Longmire Gang singing karaoke

The Highlander is the local watering hole here in Ashford. This weekend I made my first appearance, but not last, at this typical redneck bar. It was a bon voyage party for Yeman, a hottie turk, who buses tables at Longmire and is leaving to go back to Turkey on Friday. Stephanie and I fell on our asses because we were laughing so hard at a couple of our co-worker singing karaoke. We all had a blast singing karaoke and groping each other in a drunken stupor. We closed the bar down and I got home at 3am. I haven't had so much fun in months as the pics will confirm. Of course, prior to the party I hiked six miles up to Paradise so my legs were like butter, add a couple glasses of wine and dancing was like that jello commercial. Wiggle wabble.

Mom and Me At Sunrise

Lupine Meadows at Sunrise

Mom and Me at Mount St. Helens

Valley Below Mount Saint Helens

Snow Lake at Mt. Rainier

I Blew My Top at Mount St. Helens

Mom and I went up to Sunrise last Wednesday. Sunrise is on the east side of the park and sits at 6400 feet. It is a 2 hour drive from Longmire. It was a sweltering hot day. We hiked up to Frozen Lake which was a mild 3 mile round trip hike. We saw a five point buck standing in the lupine meadows with the mountain in the background. It was a national geographic moment that was completely missed by my camera. On Thursday, we drove 3 hours to Mount St. Helens. It was devastatingly beautiful. The valley is a wide barren river of ash surrounded by slopes of fallen trees and new families of evergreens. The blue lupine were the first flower to regenerate the area after the explosion and dot the landscape. Our living planet reminds us that life can change abruptly but time slowly creates new hope. Saturday, we visited the Grove of the Patriarch, the site of my previous encounter with the Frog Prince, and then hiked to Snow Lake, a 2 1/2 mile hike to a beautiful glacier fed lake. It was another oppressively hot day that made us melt and ultimately ended with Longmire's infamous blackberry cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream.

Trans Canada

Mama Grillo flew into Seattle late, very late, Tuesday night. We made a mad dash for the Canadian border on Wednesday to go visit Matt and Christine. It was a relatively easy 7 1/2 hour drive to Vernon, British Columbia especially with the new toy Mom brought, the TomTom. Vernon is located in the Okangogan Valley which is now refered to as the Canadian Riveria. It was a blistering 95 degrees which I guess is how it always is with almost no rain fall. I was so excited to go swimming which has been a much missed summer activity. There are several large lakes with lots of motor boats zooming around in the Valley. The lakes are nestled into dry, yellow-brown hillsides dotted with modular homes hanging on for dear life. We had a wonderful time hanging out with them and will miss them as they are heading to Japan at the end of the month. Our trip back over the USA border was uneventful. Thank God! b/c I forgot I had my bow and arrow in the back window of my car under a blanket! Of course, I had my excuse ready if they found them and inquired why I had my bow and arrows.
I AM THE Sasquatch Hunter!!