Eagle Creek and Tunnel Falls (OR)

After leaving the Newberry Monument (below), I aimed for the Columbia River and dined and car-camped at Memaloose State Park.  The next morning, I cruised westward for Eagle Creek in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.  I’d explored the first part of this trail many years ago and was determined to get up to a spectacular falls where the trail had been tunneled into the rock behind it.  Tunnel Falls it was called, 175 feet high and six miles in.

The notion of putting a trail behind the falls must have started as one of those crazy ideas from some young ranger who most land managers today would probably scoff at. “You’re gonna what?”  I’m happy there was a time in our history when trail planners and builders in our national parks and at places like Eagle Creek were willing to push the envelope a bit to create something truly special.  I think of the trails at Grand Canyon and Zion National Parks, carved into vertical rock walls.  Or at Yosemite, including the otherwise unthinkable cable route up Half Dome.  These kinds of opportunities are unique, uncommon and highly valuable to the recreating public.  Some of them are exciting enough to make you want to grow hair on your palms, or maybe hooves.  Well, Eagle Creek isn’t exactly Zion, but it has a special flair not soon forgotten.  The trail hardly needs any description for anyone headed that way (trail info is easy to come by).  But do keep the younger kids close, since there are frequent drop-offs that you’ll want to be mindful of.  Beyond the falls, the trail becomes downright spooky and a misstep could be disastrous.  At least check out Tunnel Falls when you’re out that way.I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.

Tunnel Falls.

 



Newberry National Volcanic Monument (OR)

While in Oregon (see below), I stayed over the weekend and drove to the east side, passing a good view of Mount Washington’s sharp summit on the way.  I headed for the Newberry National Volcanic Monument south of Bend.  West of the highway, trails wind through lava fields and up to the top of a cinder cone.  It felt like walking on another planet.  This was followed by a drive over to Paulina Peak and a couple of nice hikes there.  Snow was still abundant on the peak and near the upper lake, so I passed on camping and made a day of it hoofing a pile of miles, while also photographing a very cool sunbow.  Definitely worth a return trip.





Paulina Peak.









Newberry lava field.





 



Sunbow.

Mount Washington.

 

Koosah and Sahale Falls (OR)



Sahale Falls.

In late June 2011, work took me back to Oregon.  By the way, even I’m though based in DC, much of my work involves projects in the Pacific NW, so I seem to get out that way every so often.  This particular trip took me to the Oregon Cascades east of Eugene and I was able to scope out a few waterfalls while the early summer runoff was still tumbling down the mountains.  Koosah and Sahale Falls on the McKenzie River were a couple of highlights.



Koosah Falls.







Old Town Alexandria, VA

Old Town Alexandria on the Virginia side of the river is another great area, with plenty to fill up a day or a week of casual touristing.  But since we live close by, we get to sample this quaint, historic place a little at a time.  One of our favorites is the Tiffany Tavern on King Street, where local and regional bluegrass bands play every Friday and Saturday night (no cover!).  The laid-back venue is perfect for hours of knee-slapping and boot-tapping—and the bleu cheese burgers are excellent.  Thanks to Andy at work for telling me about it.  Up the street, Misha’s  Coffeehouse is one of Kris’ favorites (along with the Turkish bowl shop nearby), and we both enjoy hanging by the harbor and rambling through the neighborhoods.  It’s an easy walk from the bar to the Metro, which allows us to linger late and still be home at a respectable hour.  We’ve also taken the foot ferry back to Georgetown in the summer when it was toasty warm out at dusk.

King Street near Tiffany Tavern.

King Street, Old Town.

Tiffany Tavern.

Token pedestrian.

Some architecture and a boat.

Glass music virtuoso.

DC sights

There is so much to see in Dee See that I could probably post something new to this blog every day and never get to anything else.  Instead, I’ll post some photos now and again of some of the things and places that we’ve been able to enjoy along the way.  Here’s a few to start.

Dumbarton Bridge, near Georgetown.

Capitol Hill.

Abe's Memorial.

The Capitol from Washington Monument.

Nationals Park.

Rock Creek Park.

C & O Canal.

Watergate Hotel.

Georgetown waterfront.

Barack consulting with Kris.

Charlie McCarthy at NMAH.

Dumbo at NMAH.

Shark teeth hunting at Chesapeake Beach (MD)

Shark teeth hunting.

In June, 2011, Mark, a friend at the office, invited another cohort, Bill, and I to join him and his daughter in a shark teeth hunting expedition on the shore near the town of Chesapeake Beach, Maryland.  While the experts raked in the teeth by the dozens, Bill and I stumbled around aimlessly finding zip.  It does appear to be something you develop an eye for, as our guides were clearly demonstrating.  After a time, I finally found a few tiny ones and dropped them in a pocket.  Bill, I think, was just getting a kick out of being on the beach with friends.  He and I started our new jobs on the same day late January and both our wives were still “back home” a number of states away.  He happily offered his truck and helped me move a futon couch into my new seventh floor apartment in Silver Spring.  I bought him dinner in return.  I wished I’d done more to enjoy Bill’s always upbeat company.  Toward the end of 2012, Bill passed away from an aggressive cancer that took us all by surprise.  I'm told he went courageously.  Rest in peace, friend.

Mark (left) and Bill (right).

Colorado snow (CO)

May in the Rockies

In late May 2011, I landed for a few days at a conference in Breckenridge CO.  At close to 10,000 feet above sea level, we weren’t surprised, of course, to be surrounded by snowy mountains or flurried upon during the week.  It wasn’t particularly cold and the sunshine powered through when we needed it.  Other than some enjoyable wandering around town (this place must be a total zoo in ski season), the only little trek I managed was up a forest road with a couple I’d just met.  The man I encountered at the Denver airport while we waited for the same shuttle van.  He was reading Born to Run, which was already on my book list (I read it later, fun read).  He and his wife picked me up, we wandered upward till we started post-holing in the snow, ate a snack then headed back down for a nice dinner in town.  Uneventful, but a mini-tantalizer for summer trips to come into the higher Rockine country above (14,000’ or bust!).  I lost the fellow’s business card, but he and his wife were headed for Argentina in January 2012 to climb Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Americas.  I’ve had my sights on that one as well and wished I could join them.  Alas, another day…