Is there Room on the Broom?

A great read-aloud Halloween story.  Illustrations are excellent.

A little physics problem for you.

A truck is traveling west on the highway at 55 miles per hour.

A farmer is selling apples at the train station.

The wind is blowing at 25 knots.

The surface area of the bike trailer is 10 inches square (in base 4).

How far can the truck travel before the bike trailer goes flying out of the back of the truck...

... and hits the man selling apples?

Or, rather, how many pieces of hardware can you lose, and still be able to lash your bike trailer together for a lovely late afternoon bike ride?

15!

Hiking Club: In Search of Fall

Waterfalls, that is.

This hike was the most beautiful of the series, so far.   Changing leaves are around the corner.

Time for a breather and a good joke.

 If this image doesn't evoke Woodland Nymph, then I can't help you.

 Pretty pleased, perching on the precipice.

 She's looking at Miles.

Clothing Optional

The cuz's introduced us to this gem on Sauvie Island.  I've never seen a public area with so many prohibitions attached.   My favorite one up there is: "area closed to all use" -- i.e. and you're just not plain allowed to be here, either, while you're here not doing the things posted.

But I guess that is daily life in these modern times.  When I'm out and about there are all sorts of things I'm not doing that I shouldn't not be doing, but would if I needed to, but since it's not posted how would I even know it was illegal?  If you know what I mean.  Like,  lifting weights while driving; or, when I'm in Klamath Falls, decapitating a snake with a cane.   Real laws.   Not doing those thing, that is.  That photo would be a good object lesson if I ever taught a Sunday School class on "it is not mete to be commanded in all things."  Because if you are, things just get out of hand and plain silly.

So we went to the "clothing required" beach down the road.  And were silly.

Fresh water beach.  Excellent!!!!  First time swimming in the Columbia in our whole lives.  We happened to be with the State of Oregon's leading Toxicologist, Dr. David Farrer, who reassured us that the algae bloom was further upstream.  Upstream?

We had a blast.

There comes a time when you don't care about your couch cushions anymore ...

Flying C, er "T"

A Real Flying C

Flying M

 Praise B

Twist and Shout

Double Trouble

The Mermaid

Space Man

Quadruple Trouble

The Jackie Chan

Brothers

Taken by Sydney.

Happy Tenth Anniversary to Us

It's been about that many years since we've backpacked together.  We chose Mount Jefferson wilderness area because of proximity.  We chose the Marion Lake and environs routes to avoid the Labor Day weekend crowds.  And we chose August, because December backpacking is for sissies.  Autumn (many thanks) watched our kids so we could go.

Marion Lake

With a late afternoon start, we set up camp only 3 or 4 miles from the trailhead.  This was fortuitous, because the next morning I realized I'd forgotten an essential supply, which necessitated an early afternoon requisition foray back to civilization.  The details I will skip, as this is a family friendly site.


We got to Wasco Lake in the early evening of Day Two.   Lots of huckleberries along the way.  Day Three we took the "unmaintained trail" route to get back up to the Pacific Crest Trail.   If we'd taken my word for it, we'd be bushwhacking around the wilderness to this day, living off of huckleberries.  Actually, not a bad thought ....  Briton has a better sense of true north, as it turns out, and hooked us back to the main trail within feet of where we were supposed to be.


We ridge-hiked for a bit.  Excellent views.  Windy in spots.  Hefty cairns.  Hefty chins.

We took a side trip up one trail to see if we could see Mt. Jefferson.   There was cloud cover the whole way until we were about to turn back; and then for a split second we were granted a peek-a-boo glimpse of Mt Jefferson.  We hooped and hollered like we'd just won a million bucks.

 

 Swallow Lake.  BEAUTIFUL!  We were the only ones there.  Jumped in for a few minutes (er, seconds) -- pretty chilly; but also got to light a legal fire.  Things were pretty soggy after the drizzling rain.   Does everyone else already know dry moss is more flammable than wet cardboard and damp pages from your hiking book?

The next day was clear and, thanks to the old burn, we had great sight lines of both Jefferson and Three Fingered Jack.

 Our route skirted the edge of a closed off section of trail.

 We had to be careful near Marion Lake because there were tons and tons of these teeny frogs jumping along the path.  They were the same color as the dirt and fit perfectly between the treads on our shoes.

Starring ...

Sydney .... as Dad
Miles .... as Miles

Produced by:  Talmage

Tearing it up.

Every now and then, Sydney likes to wear Talmage's clothes.  It doesn't go the other way, though.

These kids started a hiking club.

Founding members.

 Evelyn helped a pal out by loaning her sweater to Miles.  Apparently, Miles has a long torso.  And looks really sweet in light blue.

 The week prior we explored the drylands of Jackson Bottom Wetlands.  This time Forest Park offered up interesting flora (above) ...

 ... and fauna.  It's a Snort!  They watched this guy work for so long, that he eventually waved at them with the digger.  And as if that weren't an exciting enough way to end a hike ... we found one of those fuzzy orange and black caterpillars.

  

Which reminds me of this shirt:

https://www.threadless.com/product/3516/