Weird clouds the other night!

Annual Family Rafting trip - GLACIER!!!

I think the last time I had been to Glacier was when I was 14. I don't know why it has taken so long to go back. Well, I wasn't able to drive for the first two years after that for one thing, I guess.

By car, from Spokane, it's only five hours away, and not a five-hour drive through the Columbia Basin. Not that the Columbia Basin isn't beautiful in its own way. It is just that as you head east out of Spokane, mysterious and wondrous things happen. Things that make five hours fly.

First off, if you head east, you know in your heart that you are from the BIG CITY - SPOKANE, until you start getting Minneapolish. If you head west, you will always be the hayseed. So, it's good for your self esteem, plus it puts you in the city slicker driver's seat for the feast that awaits. This ontological reframing heightens the experience of an eastward trek through roadtrip Americana - national parks, quirky museums, drive-through bear prisons, life-size fiberglass dinosaurs, pioneer sod houses, gold mine tours and always the 50,000 Silver Dollar Bar - where you must stock up on edged weapons and everclear. Head east and you are the Griswolds. Head west and you are just self-conscious and suspicious.

Plus when you travel east, you hit the no-shit Rocky Mountains, big waterfalls, and incredible roadkill.

The destination of Glacier Park/ Glacier National Park/ Glacier International Peace Park would be well worth it if the drive were twice as long. Great hikes. Unbelievable mountains and waterfalls. And the people!

Lots of people. Glacier is so beautiful, so unique, so much of a destination, that its visitors are from all over. Hiking up a trail, you witness America's verbal accents from Bronx to Southern Belle. There is Japanese, German, Spanish, Dutch, Portugese, French and Italian sprechen on the trail. Sometimes it's quiet. Young families and grandparents not speaking a word, just being there in the movement and in the splendor. They get to share with another generation what they think is important and beautiful to them. And they don't need to say much because, well, holy shit, look at that.

So we were there to do some day hikes and to do some rafting.

Our family has made a practice of going on a rafting trip every year for quite a few summers now. This year, we rafted the middle fork of the Flathead. This river separates Glacier from the Bob Marshall. The temperature of the water was 38F while the air was pushing 90. Rapids were kind of subdued because the water was so high. And it was beautiful. We have rafted enough, over the years, that we could probably get our own raft, but I really like having a guide, having someone cook for you and all that. There is something really cool about all of us rowing together really well after having done it so much. It's nice.Here is a bear "experience."
It's a place where you can pay $15 a head to drive around some black bears. I really liked their sign and its philosophic intent:

Amen. Amen.

When you go through Polson on Flathead Lake, make sure you visit the Miracle of America Museum. I heard the owner telling a German lady how much he hated President Obama because "he's not very American." She told him that she didn't like her leader very much either. The fellow has it all figured out with displays like this:




I don't agree with his politics and some of his beliefs, but my hat is off to him. Incredible stuff:


There's a new distillery with a tasting room in West Glacier, too. Wow!

New Firehouse!

Well, it's new for me anyway. The last two months I was in an interim promotional position, so I had to fill in at a couple of different stations. A little over a week ago, I was officially promoted. There isn't a fire lieutenant paramedic slot at Station Three, so I had to go someplace else. Which meant moving out of my station of nine years. I had a lot of locker cleaning to do and a lot of gear to move out. And of course, on moving day, as soon as I got all my stuff packed up, my old crew was off to a fire! Figures.

I moved stuff over one bike trip at a time, after I brought it all home in my car.



My new station is Station 11 - up on Perry and 32nd. It is a nice place. The crew I am on rocks! I was on an engine but am now on a pumper-ladder. It is sort of the hybrid bike of fire apparatus - part engine, part ladder. So, there's a whole lot of stuff to reacquaint myself with.

PL-11 used to be PL-15 - my first assigned truck, so it's all coming back.

No more hill climbing coming home. Just a slight rise on the way to work. It's about a mile closer too. There aren't quite as many calls there as Station 3, but it's a fairly busy place and it's pretty close to home. All in all, I really lucked out.

Seen at Walla Walla museum today.

I guess lice were pricier back then.

Spokane fire station cook has shot at winning national acclaim! Please Vote!!

Tony Yuen, who is about the nicest guy you will ever know, drives Pumper Ladder 13 up on Wellesley and Jefferson. Tony is also a great cook and can throw together meals that are inexpensive, delicious and big - the trifecta of fire house cooking.

Tony entered a contest via TreeTop to come up with a BBQ recipe using TreeTop products. Out of all the recipes entered, his was in the top ten. So, Tony received a lot of stuff from Treetop, including a little camera to shoot a video that had to be 4 minutes or less. Tony called me and another SFD guy to help him make the video and we think it turned out pretty good. Right now Yakima and a town in New York are ahead of us in votes.

If you have a few minutes check out the Spokane video and vote for it!

And if you want, you can vote every day for Tony Yuen and Fire Station 13's video!

Don't Forget - Summer Parkways Tonight!

6-9 PM- Comstock/Manito Neighborhood (map)

The slimy underbelly of organic gardening...

Every year the vegetable garden slug infestation gets worst. These slugs are usually no more than an eighth of an inch long. Some have gotten as big as about half an inch. Yet, there are hundreds of them, and by the end of the growing season, they have trashed the garden.

I have tried beer in saucers, wet newspapers, diatomaceous earth, insecticidal soap. These methods get a few. I think the diatomaceous earth dustings might have saved the green beans this year.

So the other morning, I had my face buried in the peas. A nice couple walked by and asked if I was talking to my plants to help them grow. I replied, "No I am squishing slugs." And then popped one right then and there.



A reminder to my vegetarian friends that, even though organic veganism is certainly the most ethical way to eat, there are still plenty of animal casualties. This squishing brings me no joy, and is unpleasant for all parties including you who are now reading this blog.

Every morning I do this. Every morning the fields run green with the guts of gazillions of gastropods.

The song I can't get out of my head...

I hope you don't catch this earworm.

Summer Parkways 2011!!!!!

When Spokane shuts some streets down, antimayhem usually ensues. Think about Bloomsday or Hoopfest. Fun. Fun on the streets.

This year, Summer Parkways is back! Streets will be shut down for neighborhood parties that focus on fitness and fun. Last year, I had to work every single day of every single one of these. I think this year will be different. I am dusting off the ukulele, enhancing the Xtracycle sound system and scotchguarding a kilt for this event. It will be that good of a time.

I received this information today about Summer Parkways and am passing it on to you:

In 2011 we have expanded to three events. As you know the streets become a huge park and people have the chance to enjoy the car-free streets of the course, and participate in the outdoor activities at the event.

This year we have added a new feature for groups called "meet-ups". This provides the opportunity for cycling groups/clubs/friends to ride together to the event from a set location, then do the course. This makes it a fun way to arrive as a group, plus alleviates parking. The meet up can be set up on the website page www.summerparkways.com/meet-ups

Below is the event information. Feel free to edit to suit.

Let me know if you have any questions, and hope you'll be there!

With thanks,

Katherine Widing
Summer Parkways PR


Summer Parkways 2011: Fun and fitness in Spokane!

The second year of Summer Parkways is taking place in three different Spokane neighborhoods. It was inspired by an event called Ciclovia (meaning "bike path" in Spanish) in Bogota, Columbia. Streets are closed to vehicular traffic and opened up to games, walkers, cyclists, exercise groups, skateboards and other human-powered activity. Summer Parkways promotes a healthy lifestyle and provides a chance to join families, friends and neighbors for free outdoor, family-friendly and community activities in parks and on car-free streets. Walk, cycle or skate, test ride an ElliptiGO bike, swivel your hips hula hooping, unleash creativity with chalk art, try TRX, dance to the beat of Zumba or try out many other activities.

Collect a group for a "meet-up". Meet-ups give cycling groups/clubs/friends the chance to ride together or choose any human-powered transportation - unicycles, skates (or penny farthing anyone?) to the event from a set location, then participate in the course. This makes it a fun way to arrive as a group, plus alleviates parking. The meet up can be set up on the website page www.summerparkways.com/meet-ups

Kick off this year's Summer Parkways with an evening of fun in the Manito/Comstock neighborhood on June 22nd from 6.00pm-9.00pm, followed by daytime events in North Hill and Northwest neighborhoods.

The events are presented by Spokane Parks and Recreation, The City of Spokane, and the SpokeFest Association.

Make Summer Parkways a success by participating in the action, or volunteering. For more information, visit www.summerparkways.com or email summerparkways@gmail.com and www.facebook.com/summerparkways

Save the dates:
Manito/Comstock: Wednesday 22 June, 6.00pm - 9.00pm
North Hill: Sunday 24 July, 10.00am - 2.00pm
Northwest: Sunday 14 August, 10.00am - 2.00pm

I think they are still looking for volunteers, if you are interested as well.

What Cathy McMorris Rodgers would like to do to her constituents...

The budget passed by House Republicans in April 2011 makes radical changes to Medicare. The Republican plan raises costs for seniors and individuals with disabilities enrolled in Medicare, reduces their benefits, and puts private insurance companies in charge of the program. For current beneficiaries, important benefits – such as closing the hole in Medicare’s drug coverage – would be immediately eliminated. For individuals age 54 and under, Medicare’s guarantee of comprehensive coverage would be replaced with a “voucher” or “premium support” to buy private health insurance. By design, this federal contribution does not keep pace with medical costs, shifting thousands of dollars in costs onto the individual.

This analysis shows the immediate and long-term impacts of these changes in the 5th Congressional District in Washington, which is represented by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers.

The Republican proposal would have adverse impacts on seniors and disabled individuals in the district who are currently enrolled in Medicare. It would:

• Increase prescription drug costs for 7,100 Medicare beneficiaries in the district who enter the Part D donut hole, forcing them to pay an extra $70 million for drugs over the next decade.
• Eliminate new preventive care benefits for 117,000 Medicare beneficiaries in the district. The Republican proposal would have even greater impacts on individuals in the district age 54 and
younger who are not currently enrolled in Medicare. It would:

• Deny 530,000 individuals age 54 and younger in the district access to Medicare’s guaranteed benefits.
• Increase the out-of-pocket costs of health coverage by over $6,000 per year in 2022 and by almost $12,000 per year in 2032 for the 110,000 individuals in the district who are between the ages of 44 and 54.
• Require the 110,000 individuals in the district between the ages of 44 and 54 to save an additional $25.7 billion for their retirement – an average of $182,000 to $287,000 per individual – to pay for the increased cost of health coverage over their lifetimes. Younger residents of the district will have to save even higher amounts to cover their additional medical costs.
• Raise the Medicare eligibility age by at least one year to age 66 or more for 58,000 individuals in the district who are age 44 to 49 and by two years to age 67 for 418,000 individuals in the district who are age 43 or younger.

Data sources: Data on Medicare enrollment and the number of seniors in the Part D donut hole was obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Data on the age distribution of district residents was obtained from the U.S. Census. Data on increased costs for Medicare enrollees under the Republican plan was obtained from the Congressional Budget Office and the Medicare Actuary and the Center for Economic and Policy Research. Data on increased savings needed to pay for health care costs under the Republican budget was obtained from the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR and are based on CEPR analysis of CBO data

From Impacts of the Republican Medicare Plan In Washington’s 5th Congressional District Committee on Energy and Commerce, Democratic Staff

Cool idea out of Portland - "The Bike Train!"

At North Portland's Beach School, the Bike Train connects commuting with community

Published: Friday, June 03, 2011, 7:57 PM Updated: Saturday, June 04, 2011, 9:57 AM

By Joseph Rose, The Oregonian The Oregonian

A few years ago, biking to Beach Elementary in North Portland was deemed too unsafe and banned. Today, thanks to the work of volunteers, up to 20 percent of the student body participates in a weekly bike train.

After pedaling with 60 Beach K-8 students to school on a recent Monday, I'm feeling a little – I don't know – sappy.

It was an imperfect but joyous line of candy-colored helmets and pumping legs, rolling through North Portland, growing in size every few blocks.

Kids at Beach School call it "the bike train," arriving every Monday. Parents and teachers say it's the perfect lesson in how commuting and community share the road.

"It hurts my legs," said 6-year-old Graisen Russell, his little hands firmly grasping handlebars, "but it's one of my favorite things. I'm glad we get to do it."

A few years ago, safety concerns prompted Beach to ban kids from biking to school.

Did I just write that in Portland, Oregon? Yep. A school in Bike Heaven where biking was once forbidden.

Beach is boxed in by Interstate 5 and buzzing arterials such as Interstate Avenue . So, the fears about children getting hit in traffic were valid. But it became part of a troubling national trend.

In 1969, about half of America's elementary and middle school students walked or biked to school, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Today, its just 15 percent. More than 50 percent get there in cars. Meanwhile, childhood obesity has escalated.

At Beach, Kiel Johnson swooped in like a chain-cranking Superman.

In 2009, Johnson read about a parent who became frustrated by the slow-moving line of cars dropping off Beach students outside the school. The driver sped out of the line and hit two children using the crosswalk.

Johnson, who had just graduated from Lewis & Clark College, was 22 and unemployed. "I figured I could sit around checking Facebook all day," he said, "or go out and do something."

He approached Beach with a safety-in-numbers concept. He drew maps of safe routes and meet-up locations. "The first bike train," Johnson said, "was me and one family."

Contrast that to last week, when a record 150 people pedaled in the train.

There are people who waste energy keeping the tired cars-vs.-bikes debate alive in online forums, where cyclists mock motorists for being "cagers" and drivers call bike riders "spokers."

Then there are those who show the next generation that they're blessed to live in a city where there are many ways to commute.

Parents at Beach started lining up to help organize and chaperone bike trains. After just a couple months, they took over.

The city helped by re-configuring some streets as part of the North Concord Avenue bike boulevard. It also allowed a section of North Concord in front of the school to be blocked off to traffic before the first bell. With help from the city's Safe Routes to School program, the number of Beach bike racks has grown from three to 25. The PTA now fixes up donated bikes and sells them for $15 to low-income students.

This isn't Critical Mass Jr. Safety rides at the head of the pack. Bike train riders learn and obey traffic laws.

Tuesday through Friday, there are unofficial bikepools led by alternating Beach parents. "I've heard teachers say students who bike to school arrive more alert," said parent and regular "train leader" Laurie Paulsen. "I believe it."

Johnson, meanwhile, has expanded the bike train program to 12 other schools, including one in Wilsonville, through BikeTrainPDX.org. "The most amazing part," he said, "is that these bike trains always seem to lead to a renewed sense of community."

--Joseph Rose

A sad story under the railroad tracks

That's a pair of pants crumpled on the edge of the sidewalk, up against the wall. There are some brochures scattered about.



Here's a close-up of one of them. It's an AA brochure.


I bet this happens more often than we think.

Neat stuff

A possible Teletubby copyright infringement.

I never noticed these instructions on the back of the tickets at the Parkade. Perhaps this is why people park in the middle of the road in the Riverpark Square Parking Garage. No directions. Come on people.

I really like Wasabi Potato Chips, but am reminded of the sacrifice.

These chips are great. Although, I never thought about the poor horseradish who gave his all for my snacking, until I took a closer look at the bag. Poor little guy. At least he died with a kind-of smile on his face.

Nice article on how bicycling can transform cities...

After my nine mile ride home (phew) this morning, this article I just read on BoingBoing really resonated.

A snippet:

Invite a motorist for a bike ride through your city and you’ll be cycling with an urbanist by the end of the day. Even the most eloquent of lectures about livable cities and sustainable design can’t compete with the experience from atop a bicycle saddle.

“These cars are going way too fast,” they may mutter beneath their breath.

“How are we supposed to get across the highway?”

“Wow, look at that cathedral! I didn’t know that was there.”

“I didn’t realize there were so many vacant lots in this part of town.”

“Hey, let’s stop at this cafe for a drink.”

Suddenly livability isn’t an abstract concept, it’s an experience. Human scale, connectivity, land use efficiency, urban fabric, complete streets… all the codewords, catchphrases, and academic jargon can be tossed out the window because now they are one synthesized moment of appreciation. Bicycles matter because they are a catalyst of understanding - become hooked on the thrill of cycling, and everything else follows. Now a new freeway isn’t a convenience but an impediment. Mixed-use development isn’t a threat to privacy but an opportunity for community. And maybe, just maybe, car-free living will eventually be seen not as restrictive, but as a door to newfound freedom.

Of course there is this flip side as so eloquently stated by our own George McGrath:

Best Headline of the Day!

My neighbors don't use the phone book.

Ride of Silence and Spokane Falls Yesterday - Rapturous!

Wow, after days of really cold, really wet bicycle riding, this is what it looked like yesterday at the Ride of Silence. Nice.

In the parking lot where we started was a guy driving a car multiply placarded with warnings of the End of the World. Like there isn't anyone who doesn't know that's the day after tomorrow. Duh. Wanted to get a picture, but he drove his sedan/mobile billboard through the crowd in a fashion reminiscent of the wraith-like angels which figured prominently in the resolution of Raiders of the Lost Ark. I averted my eyes.





After a great dinner, Sarah and I visited the falls before our ride up the hill. Incredible. Couldn't help but think about the prophecy in the Book of Revelation "Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates."

Yes, standing on the bridge, I was a little afraidy. Prophecy fulfilled. Again.






My nephew and others have RSVPd to a Post-Rapture Looting Face Book Event, in case any of you Left Behinders are interested, you may want to do the same. You can find this here.

See you on the other side!!

Where is this?

All year long, steam pumps out of this hole in the ground. Where is it? What is it?

Where the Y was...