Wouldn't it be nice if the city celebrated the last day of legalized walking every year?
Soon, the sidewalks will be covered in snow from plows that have cleared the roads for Spokane's official mode of transportation. A clearer message has never been transmitted concerning walkers vs. drivers.
How about a parade every autumn to celebrate the legal closing of stairs and the anticipation of the unofficial closing of sidewalks? Perhaps a choreographed arresting of all who dared walk in the parade!
I'm not bitter.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Monday, November 12, 2007
Deep Creek Adventure...
We started out with a few sprinkles and no wind. About 2 miles into it, the rain really started coming down.
Deep Creek is as beautiful as ever. Sarah and I had a nice cup of tea and some snacks before we turned around. It was a little over 30 miles round trip. We had a good gust of wind as we came back home through Riverfront Park. It pretty much stopped us cold in our tracks. Gusts are supposed to be around 50 today. I wouldn't be surprised if this one came close.
We were gone about 3 hours. The temp was in the lower 40s.
Saw a bald eagle on the river. I didn't think they would be around this time of year. The big white tail and huge size were unmistakable. Although I wish I could've taken a picture for all you osprey fans!
The basalt at Deep Creek is unique and staggering to look upon. And there is no one else there. You feel like you could be deep in the wilderness or transported to a prehistoric time. Or it could just be hypothermia.
Deep Creek is as beautiful as ever. Sarah and I had a nice cup of tea and some snacks before we turned around. It was a little over 30 miles round trip. We had a good gust of wind as we came back home through Riverfront Park. It pretty much stopped us cold in our tracks. Gusts are supposed to be around 50 today. I wouldn't be surprised if this one came close.
We were gone about 3 hours. The temp was in the lower 40s.
Saw a bald eagle on the river. I didn't think they would be around this time of year. The big white tail and huge size were unmistakable. Although I wish I could've taken a picture for all you osprey fans!
The basalt at Deep Creek is unique and staggering to look upon. And there is no one else there. You feel like you could be deep in the wilderness or transported to a prehistoric time. Or it could just be hypothermia.
Monday, November 05, 2007
Monday, October 29, 2007
Halloweenies Beware!
Friends of mine have a couple of these signs up at their front door. Sorry about cutting off the bottom of the picture, The sign reads: "Halloweenies Beware! (and then the descriptive list) Grandparents reside on the premises.
This is fair warning to all trick-or-treaters that they are receiving candy from:
Left wing, flaming liberal, bleeding heart, one worlding, government trusting, union supporting, peace marching, patriotic, tree hugging, PBS and NPR belonging, citzen activist, pointy-headed, neighborly, long memoried, radically Catholic
GRANDPARENTS!
Scary! Sends chills down my spine!
I would suspect liberal amounts of candy from these folks...
Handouts, handouts, handouts. When will it end? Probably around 9 pm on October 31st.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Fish Lake Trail in Fall...
Promised Aidan last week that we would do the Fish Lake Trail this weekend. This morning, he stumbled out of bed, looked out the window and scratched himself. It looked like it would either rain or snow. I thought to myself - I'm off the hook. He won't want to bike in this! Was I wrong. "We're still doing Fish Lake, right Dad?" He would have none of it. I even offered a different shorter ride.
The Rosauer's billboard read 42 degrees. Luckily, we were well provisioned with hot tea and chocolate. We rode through Vinegar Flats across 195, Marshall Road and then on to the trail. This was Aidan's first time on the Fish Lake Trail.
We went 10 miles past Marshall and the "tunnel." A little tea and hot chocolate and we turned around and headed home, up the hill and back home.
It seems to me that there is more pavement on the trail than last year, but it could just be my imagination. I kinda like the different toppings. There aren't very many people on the trail.
Maybe one more (trip out to Cheney have a couple of beers and turn around) before the snow flies.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Rockin' Roller Derby! Lilac City Roller Girls last night....
You knew there was going to be trouble. There has always been bad blood between the Toothless Annies and the Pretty Deads. Everyone knows that. And last night, that bad blood was spilled - on both sides. This is one sports team that I can get behind.
Forget THE SHOCK. Forget THE CHIEFS. Forget THE INDIANS. Spokane has been gifted with these wheeled vixens and we need to acknowledge that. Elbows and fists were flying, and so were the skaters themselves - right into the fans! Think of NASCAR without the cars and you're heading in the right direction.
November 16th is the next derby. Tickets are on sale at Boo Radleys.
The only downer was that the convention center ran out of beer before the event even started. There must have been 10 convention center people working it, so it must have cost a lot to have it there. No beer? OK, make that two iced teas. Here's a 20. Oh you don't haver change?!?! Come on convention center. You better do better than that!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Autumn does Spokane!
I am really beginning to believe that the best way to come to appreciate our town is on bicycle.
I've been commuting by bicycle in Spokane (sometimes more fervently than others) since 1982. But, it's just been the past 10 years or so that I have felt comfortable to "mix it up" in traffic. Also with aging knees, I find I am more inclined to get on my bike for exercise than to run some days. And the payoff is a scene like this. Throw in the smells and sounds that you can only obtain on a bike and it's simply the best.
Talk to someone from Portland. They gush about their town. Visit Portland, you will too. I wonder how much if this appreciation is due to the evangelizing power of the bicycle. I would suspect quite a bit.
Riders come to appreciate their town, and by riding in auto traffic, they show others that they aren't tied to the car. You can get fresh air, exercise, adventure and a healthy dose of beauty - simply by going to work or the store in a more fun fashion.
All to say, if you're so inclined. Dust that bike off. Pump up the tires and go for a short ride in your neighborhood. You might be surprised at what's out there!
I've been commuting by bicycle in Spokane (sometimes more fervently than others) since 1982. But, it's just been the past 10 years or so that I have felt comfortable to "mix it up" in traffic. Also with aging knees, I find I am more inclined to get on my bike for exercise than to run some days. And the payoff is a scene like this. Throw in the smells and sounds that you can only obtain on a bike and it's simply the best.
Talk to someone from Portland. They gush about their town. Visit Portland, you will too. I wonder how much if this appreciation is due to the evangelizing power of the bicycle. I would suspect quite a bit.
Riders come to appreciate their town, and by riding in auto traffic, they show others that they aren't tied to the car. You can get fresh air, exercise, adventure and a healthy dose of beauty - simply by going to work or the store in a more fun fashion.
All to say, if you're so inclined. Dust that bike off. Pump up the tires and go for a short ride in your neighborhood. You might be surprised at what's out there!
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Unfortunate signage.
These signs are plastered on Spokane fire stations and other official "safe places." I will admit that perhaps I am reading more into this, but everyone I've talked to who have seen these signs, see "it" too. There has been much pondering of the image juxtaposed with the words "safe" and "place." What and where?
At least it shows that Spokane has become a more accepting, tolerant (safe?) place in terms of interracial relationships and apparently all relationships for that matter.
Anyway, hats off to the designer of the logo. You pulled it off. People bought it and there it is. The arrow may have been a little over the top.
Et tu, McGruff?
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Spokane Street Basketball - Formal Attire Required!
So much for Spokane's reputation as a laidback berg. Caught these two gentlemen engaged in sport. The sweat-soaked polyester was a powder blue blur at times. One more nod to this gentlemen's game - as one player pulled another down from a layin - by his cummerbund, no less, his opponent allowed him a freethrow as an apologetic compensation. Here here.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
XtraCycle participates in motored bicycle gathering...
Opportunity knocked again!
Hey, the masts are up this morning on the white truck in Riverfront Park!
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Better pictures of truck.
Coming home this morning, I made sure my camera setting was correct and took a couple more pictures. The masts are still down (it is the weekend). I hadn't noticed the concrete barriers before. Also, there is some kind of dish antenna in the front of the truck. You can click on the picture to get a larger file.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Things you see while biking around Spokane...
Sorry about the low-res image. I also took a picture of the Xtra-cylce parked next to 3 motorcycles and the fire engine in my station when I got to work this morning. Very cool. But, I didn't realize my cellphone camera had flipped into low-res mode. Argggh.
Anyway, I digress. I saw this truck parked at Riverfront Park, kind of hidden in some trees the other day whilst biking home form CompUSA. So I stopped by on my way to work this morning to take the picture. The other afternoon, the antennae were extended and they blended in to the multiple flag poles there. They looked a little thicker than flag poles, more like a ship's masts. There's a generator behind the truck and the whole thing is fenced off.
Anybody know what the story is?
Monday, March 26, 2007
From Building Nina - a great story of a helicopter boat rescue on Long Lake (Lake Spokane)...
Click the title to read the story, or heck, watch the video:
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Mega-addition to nursing home!
This was always a somewhat small building. One story. Now there are girders in place to envelope the original strucuture and take it up two or three stories. It looks like it will be at least 10 times the size of before, and will spread out across the whole block. A neat idea in that the residents won't have to move during the remodel.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
As seen in Auntie's Bookstore...
No matter what you think of Dan Quayle, you have to admire the title of his autobigraphy! it's even marked down!!!! And yes, this is a hardback.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Shrinking, icy Manito Pond makes it easier to feed the ducks.
A couple more days of this cold and the ducks will have to stack themselves in what's left of the pond.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Elite Traveler Magazine - as found in Spokane's Hotel Lusso...
Hotel Lusso - a great place! Beautiful big rooms. Tasteful decor. An awesome restaurant. And in every room a $35 magazine. It was a little larger than most magazines, but a ton more ads. Nothing from the Franklin Mint or Sea Monkeys, however.
If you are looking for a bargain, you can subscribe and get a year's worth (6 issues) for less than $200.
"Elite Traveler is the essence of luxury." When you think of it that way, it almost seems too cheap.
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