I think it’s safe to call the group of adventurous ladies who showed up on a brisk, damp morning are all pluviophiles. For the first time, our book club was joined by the author of our book for the month, and the clouds had descended to accompany author Maria Mudd Ruth on our hike. We’d originally planned a longer hike of the Chain Lakes loop, but as our group gathered at the Bagley Lakes trailhead, with icy wind blowing rain at us from every direction, we quickly made the decision to opt for a shorter loop around Bagley Lakes.
Read moreLife: Week 38
This week was a wonderful reminder of why fall is my favorite season! The cool, rainy weather has been so refreshing after so many months of summer heat. The chilly mornings do make it harder to get out of bed in the morning, especially with a cuddly cat who'd like nothing more than for me to stay in bed all day, but I sleep so much better now that its cool, and steaming mug of my favorite chai tea usually helps ease my unwilling transition from a cozy bed to the work day!
Read morePark Butte
The Alpine Trails Book Club hasn't had much luck with mountains this year but I had high hopes for a crisp, sunny fall day with clear views of Mt. Baker for our September hike to Park Butte. Driving north to the trailhead, the weather looked promising, but the closer we got to Baker, the cloudier it became. By the time we hit the trail, the mountain was shrouded in a dense layer of cloud that refused to budge all day. Even if Mt. Baker refused to make an appearance for us, there was plenty to enjoy on our hike.
Read moreLife: Week 33
I was all over the place this week, quite literally. Monday, I jumped on a plane to spend most of the week in Florida for work. After work, instead of walks on the Powerline Trail, I found myself walking on the beach. They were short walks, since even with the ocean breeze the humidity and heat of Florida were a bit too much for me. Still, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Florida, especially the delicious food, and the Cuban coffee a coworker made for the whole office on my last morning there. Our company is spread out across the country, and this was the first time we got together as a team in one office, and there was lots of good conversation and laughter. No one in the group had ever been to Washington, so they were all curious to know if it's really as cold and rainy as they'd heard. It's so funny to me to leave home and hear how by beloved green state is perceived.
Read moreLife: Week 39
Work is getting increasingly hectic as the holiday season approaches. It breaks my heart a little to feel too busy to enjoy my favorite season, so lately it feels like I'm living for the weekend. This weekend, that meant visiting one of my favorite mountains: Mt Baker! We managed to get to the trailhead at a reasonable hour, so we had plenty of time to take in the up-close view of the mountain from the Park Butte lookout. It was my first time hiking on the south side of Mt Baker, and even though the clouds never quite cleared from the mountain, it was a wonderful area, one I'd like to explore more! Andy really hates getting up early, but it was definitely worth it this time. We were able to enjoy our day, stopping for (probably too many) photos of the gorgeous fall foliage and to stuff our faces with the tastiest wild blueberries. To balance things out, we did sleep in the day before, spending a lazy Saturday eating a decadent breakfast of our version of huevos rancheros: homemade ranchero sauce and fried eggs on top of a black bean quesadilla. Afterwards, we lounged around the apartment for a few hours before dragging ourselves out to squeeze in a few errands. With how busy my work schedule is lately, I'm really enjoying these quieter fall weekends.
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