Denny Creek Backpacking

I left on Wednesday for a short overnight backpack trip to Denny Creek about 50 miles east of Seattle on I-90. The weather was great and this gave me a chance to escape Seattle's forecast for 100 degree plus temps. So I missed the heat but had to tolerate a major attack of black-flies-- there's always a price.

The trail head is actually between the east and west bound I-90 roadways. In this picture I'm going under the west bound lanes of I-90-- it's a treetop highway at this point.

At about a mile from the trail head the trail crosses Denny Creek for a second time. Here you can see the bridge that was there LAST year. Then after a major flood event in January of this year...

...this is what remains of the bridge-- nothing. Debris from the old bridge was found in the campground a mile downstream this spring. Compared to last year it looked like someone had run a bulldozer down the stream bed.

The place where I camp is just up the creek bank a 100 yards upstream from the bridge. This picture from last year shows the under growth that was between my campsight and Denny Creek-- it's all gone now.

I ran into a ranger on the hike out and asked her what the plan was to replace the bridge. She said it was complicated since the bridge is just inside the Alpine Wilderness boundary and power tools are not allowed for construction inside wilderness areas. The bottom line is nothing will happen this year.



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Riding Seattle's new light-rail train...

Here's a video I put together after riding Seattle's new light-rail train today. The music was recorded awhile ago and was played by my friends Patrick , Bruce, and me.

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Whidbey Island Bike Ride

This week I took a two day bicycle trip, about 70 miles round trip, to the small town of Langley on Whidbey Island north of Seattle. A big part of the rout that I used going north to the ferry that would take me to Whidbey Island was along the reclaimed right-of-way originally used by the Seattle-Everett Interurban Railway from 1910 to 1939.

As chance would have it this is also the week that Seattle's new light-rail system from downtown to the airport will begin service.

You can read more about the Seattle-Everett Interurban Railway at:

Seattle-Everett Interurban Railway

Some of the art along the trail.

On the ferry to Whidbey Island.

The waterfront park in Langley.

I camped overnight at the Island County Fairgrounds in Langley.

Leaving Whidbey Island on the ferry.

Arriving at the Mukilteo ferry dock.

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Sailing

Yesterday I joined my friend Mark and his dad, visiting from Tucson, while they moved Mark's boat. The boat had been on display at last weekend's Wooden Boat Festival - http://www.cwb.org/attend-2009-lake-union-wooden-boat-festival - at the Center for Wooden Boats at the south end of Lake Union.

From the south end of Lake Union we motored up the lake to the Fremont Bridge at the entrance to the Ship Canal, through the Ballard Locks, around West Point to Elliot Bay, and then on to Mark's mooring at the south end of Harbor Island. Though there was lots of wind the tide was against us so we ended up motoring for about and hour to speed things up a bit.

Approaching the Fremont Bridge.


...and under the bridge we go!


Mark in the drivers seat with the Fremont and Aurora Bridges in the background.

Along the ship canal.

Going through the locks.

Sailing at about mid-channel on Puget Sound.

Pointing up.

Mark and his dad.

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