Adventures in Wonderland (aka. Nothern California)

Where do I start and how do I begin to recapture the beauty that I witnessed last week while travelling through the most beautiful part of of the world?

It began when I moved out to Seattle and realized that there were trees even larger than the ones I saw here on the Olympic peninsula. Lisa had explained that all the giant redwood trees were in northern California and south Oregon. At the beginning of this summer I decided to take a week off of life(work, social engagements, gigs,etc) to drive down to northern California. The week fell perfectly in between house sitting gigs, so I had to do it. I have also decided that I must do this big road trip with my car before I sell it. I am planning to go car less by the end of the year!

Portland seems to be my launching pad these days. I spent a night in the Rose City with my friend Molly, woke the next day with a hearty breakfast at the Stepping Stone, then headed south. I started on interstate 5, but decided to cut across through Corvallis over to Highway 101, because it's more scenic, plus I had never been on that part of Highway 101 before.

Above are two photos from the southern Oregon coast, just north of the boarder on Hwy 101.


It was a misty, chilly drive along the Oregon coast, as I passed rugged, rocky beaches. As it grew darker on my first day of driving, I had driven 8 hours from Portland to the bottom of Oregon, I decided to pull over for the night and camp at Harris Beach Campground. It was a Oregon State Park Campground just outside of Brookings. It was not right on the beach, it was on the east side of Hwy 101.

The next morning I set off to buy some camp food, instant espresso (don't recommend this stuff), oatmeal, raisins, pastas and soup. I crossed over into California and at the boarder they ask about produce and agricultural products. Not more than a few miles after crossing the boarder, a state trooper pulled me over for talking on my cell phone. I was two cars behind him when he turned his lights on. It took him about 15 minutes to write the ticket, I really was pissed that I had to wait so long. Receiving my first EVER citation for talking on the cell phone seemed pretty laughable. Welcome to California, this law has probably been in effect for over 10 years now. Just received notice that the ticket will be $141! EVERYTHING in California was expensive: gas was not less than $3.50 per gallon(compared to 2.60-ish in WA and OR) and camping at state parks was between $35-$45 per night for a tent.

After getting stopped, I figured that I should get out of my car for awhile and get some exercise. I did the Yurok Coastal Loop trail and saw some massive banana slugs. They were so gooey and yellow. I had never in my life before seen slugs so large. It was wonderful to hike along the moist coast as the sun began to push its way through the clouds.

After doing that short hike, I got in my truck and drove on further into the Redwoods National Park. There are parts of the national park that are actually California State parks. All of the campgrounds within the boundaries of the national park were operated by the California State Parks commission, so they were not free. There were options for wilderness camping in the National Park, free of charge. They limit you to 5 nights in one spot and require you to obtain a permit for your vehicle from the visitors center. I got one at the Elks prairie visitors center, but ended up just camping at Gold Bluff Beach Campground.

Above was the first glimpse I had of the massive redwood trees that I drove through for the next week. At first it was completely strange and a little scary to be surrounded by such massive objects that were not made of metal, stone or glass. I believe this was actually the 8 mile road that led to the Gold Bluffs Beach campground. It was completely unpaved, rocky and narrow. One night I decided to go out and get beer and some food and found myself driving this eight mile stretch in the dark, not fun. It was completely dark; the trees blocking the moonshine out.

After driving 8 miles through the forest on the dirt road, I arrived at a state park gate, paid for camping, $35 a night for a tent and then continued driving. The next 4 miles was along a grassy prairie type of terrain, forests to my left, ocean to my right. Above are the photos I took when I arrived at the beach. I love beaches. I think I could spend the rest of my life on the beach, no problem. The water was frigid, but the salty air and wind were refreshing. Looking up and down the coast, I could see misty cliffs and redwoods growing beyond them. It was desolate and magical, no modern building structures or high rises.
My first hike in the Elks Prairie State park was through Fern Canyon, in the late afternoon, a few hours before sunset. I set up my tent really quickly, then hiked down to the Fern Canyon signs and trail head. Entering the canyon was like entering a wonderland of plants and sounds. It was a long natural corridor cut into large stone and then covered with so many different species of ferns.

After hiking through Fern Canyon, I went back to the campground where I had set up my tent and watched the end of the sunset from the beach. It was perfect, I cannot tell you enough how much I LOVE beaches. Below is a photo of my campsite on the beach, the view from my tent was breathtaking.
Below is a photo of the beach in Trinidad, California, where I spent a lovely afternoon drinking beer and lounging on the beach and watching waves. I had a little break on my way down to the Humboldt Redwoods State Park south of Arcata.

After stopping in Arcata at the natural foods store and driving quite a bit more, I reached the Humboldt redwoods just as the sun was setting. Recommended by a good friend, I searched out Albee Creek Campground, a secluded campground amongst some of the largest redwood trees. This campground was absolutely great, except for the fact that it cost $45 a night for tent camping! Outrageous. There was no camp host, so I opted out of those expensive fees, figuring I will already be contributing to the state of California with the ticket I received for talking on my cell phone.

Puppen

As a child and young teenager, I would play with dolls. I would make up stories and act them out with my dolls. The older I got, the more intricate the stories became. I would spend hours in my room, alone, away from my younger brothers, playing with my dolls. It was a wonderful time, that seem to go by so quickly, I'd always have to pause the episodes to come to dinner or practice piano. Dolls were very special to me, and I loved collecting clothes and accessories for them, and creating dwellings for them.

Last weekend, I was reminded of my connection with dolls, as I made my first doll. I knew that handmade dolls were expensive for a reason, but now I really understand the struggles they entail. Major sewing was involved. For one who has never used a sewing machine, it was a bit frustrating. Once you get going with the pedal, it just goes on a train wreck sometime. I had to re thread the needle at least a dozen times. The curves are really tricky, especially when they're small and sharp, as they were from the pattern. We cut the skin/flesh colored fabric from a simple doll pattern given to us, making two of each shape.

After pinning the pieces together, I sewed them together using the sewing machine. The stuffing part was easy. I used the eraser side of the pencil to stuff the cotton into the arms and legs. I did the face using embroidery threads, although I could have added buttons. The hair was done sewing one strand at a time on in rows and making sure each was securely tied down.

At the end of the second day of the workshop, we all had a circle discussion to introduce our dolls. During the entire workshop we were observing and learning ways to use dolls and doll making techniques in a therapeutic process. For some, making a doll brought back childhood memories, for others adult experiences. I made a doll of my good friend Bonnie, who died a tragic death about 4 years ago. The domestic violence that she experienced was revealed only a week before she was violently stabbed to death by her husband. Even though it's been 4 years, it's still hard to believe that she's gone. I will never forget her, but I made this doll because I really miss her. This doll is Bonnie the way I knew her, always happy and laughing. Her spirit still lives on. As I was making her, I mentioned to the instructor that she needed to have glasses, because Bonnie always had reading glasses held around her neck by a string of beads. A kind lady in the class offered me two different pairs of doll reading glasses that she had randomly found at a garage sale. What a coincidence, or maybe it was meant to be. Whichever it was, it was wonderful.

Above is a photo of all the dolls. Many of them are still works in progress. Bonnie is front row, far left.

104 degrees in Seattle!

I have never thought 80 degrees at 10pm felt as good as it does tonight. The past few days have been brutally hot here in Seattle. Yesterday as I left work at 3:30pm it was 98, about 30 minutes after arriving at home, it was 104! Really, really f***in' hot. I had to stop for gas on my way home, as I pulled into the gas station I noticed a mini-van pulling in, with both side doors open to get a breeze inside.

Along Rainier Ave. there were at least two electric buses that had broken down.

I was sweating in the shade, and the school where the summer camp is that I have been working at, NO AC. The kids knew better than to give hugs in such weather. They resorted to spraying us with the hose and throwing water on us. It was so refreshing.

So, July, 29 2009 was 104 degrees, which broke the record set back in 1971 for the same date it was 95.

I have to admit I did enjoy the intensity that such weather brings to a laid back town like Seattle. Road rage galore and people were actually snapping at each other! My car stalled about 10 times in a matter of 20 minutes, I think it was just too much stress on the engine running the AC.

On Tuesday, we took the kids to Carkeek park and one other kindergartner boy and I were the only brave souls to jump in the ICE cold Puget Sound water. I'd have to guess it was around 45-50 degrees. The ice plunge felt marvelous in the heat.

Below is a photo of my band on our hottest photo shoot yet.

The Light Rail Opens!

Seattle has a train!!! Woohooo. It's called "the Light Rail" and it runs by electricity above the train, the way some of the electric buses in Seattle run. It's also on a track and goes through a tunnel. The route right now is from Tukwila to Westlake Center in Downtown Seattle. Despite the crowds, lines and confusion, I decided to take it downtown today. It was free for all passengers. Normally it will cost between $1.50-$2.50 depend on how far you travel. It's also based on the honor system, so no ticket is taken when you get on the train, but controllers can ask to see your ticket. It is much smoother than the bus and the EL train in Chicago, but is not yet super quick to get downtown. Supposedly, four bicycles per car are allowed. I didn't even attempt to try it today, it would've been impossible with all the people. It's great to have better/more options for public transportation in Seattle, even though waiting 3o minutes for the Light Rail did remind me of waiting for a ride at Disney World or Six Flags. Seattle is on it's way to becoming a 21st century city.

Longest days on the west coast.

So, I feel as though I've been slacking on the updating of my blog lately. After coming back from Chicago in early May, I feel as though the spring rush has taken over and is finally beginning to subside.

Today was the last day of kindergarten at the EEU(Experimental Education Unit), tomorrow will be graduation, but teaching is over. I'm so proud of all of the kids in my class, they have worked incredibly hard all year and I will miss them dearly. This evening "The Burrs", the old time string band I am in, played for the kids' end of the year BBQ. As we played tunes, they danced around us in circles in the grass. The kids reminded me of myself at their age; running around while my mother her fiddle.

Below is a photo of "The Burrs" playing at a Wallingford block party this past weekend. It was actually an Alley Party with a garage stage set up. Afterwards we all went out for Mexican Food and then waited in line for about 45 minutes for ice cream. It was worth it, hand churned, homemade fresh waffle cones and incredible flavors. I had salty carmel and ginger. Mmmm.

Later that weekend I went on a hike with a new friend of mine. We hiked up to Goat Lake, near Darrington in Mt. Baker National Forest. It was beautiful, but no goats, only faint traces of goat hair and what looked(to us) like goat droppings. After the hike I gave my first driving lesson, fun stuff. It's much more entertaining than I thought it would be. Below is a photo from Goat Lake.

I'm in the moving process again. Going to be house sitting until mid October at various places throughout south Seattle. Today has been a day of packing and listening to Hollow Earth Radio show, a friend of mine was doing a 2 hour special on the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes. Moving is an invigorating yet tiring process. It's good to be moving on, but it's alot of lifting and exertion. Not paying rent till the Fall is quite a nice concept though.

On Saturday I'm off to the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes up in Port Townsend, which is on the Olympic Peninsula. Banjo workshops, square dancing, jamming till sunrise and camping! Woohoo...summer is looking good.

Spring Visit from Germany

Miriam and I at the Hen House.
Julia, Miriam & Brigid at Gasworks park.

A few weeks ago my friends from Germany; Julia and Miriam came to visit me in Seattle. It was Miriam's first time in the States and Julia's first time in Seattle(she visited me a few times when I was living in Chicago). They arrived on a grey, overcast Friday afternoon, welcome to Seattle.

Fremont Troll(above)

We did many things in Seattle together; visited Pike Market, did the Seattle Underground Tour among other things. They even got to sample my favorite Seattle donuts, Top Pot. As I do with most visitors who come to Seattle, I took them to Gas Works park and to see the Fremont Troll under the Aurora bridge.

Later that week we decided to drive around the Olympic Peninsula. First we caught the Bainbridge Island Ferry out of downtown Seattle. It's about a 35 minute ferry ride. From there we drove through Poulsbo, then over the Hood Canal Bridge onto the peninsula. We were determined to drive around it in a counter-clockwise fashion, in one day. On the west side of the peninsula there are some beautiful beaches, including the one below called La Push. It was almost desolate and very foggy. We were not able to see very far into the ocean. Only the large rocks in the foreground were visible. It was extremely windy and wet, a typical pacific northwest beach.

Below is a downtown photograph of Vancouver, BC. We spent three days trekking around the cold and wet Canadian city. I visited the main art museum there and was really disappointed. I figured that Vancouver being such a metropolitan city would have an extensive art collection on display. They had a minimal rotating exhibit that was not inspiring, I think I spent less than 2 hours there. For those of you who know me, this is a pretty short time for me to spend looking at art. We ate some of the best, cheapest sushi in one of the many Japanese restaurants there and also made it to an Irish Pub for a hot toddy, where on the television the NHL ice hockey game was being shown.

On their last day in Seattle, the sun was shining and the it was about 80 degrees. We decided to spend some time at Seward Park sitting in the sun and icing our feet in the cold water of Lake Washington.

Julia and Miriam did quite of bit of jumping that day on our backyard trampoline.

The Burrs' first open mic!

Hey Folks,

My new band "The Burrs" just played our first open mic last Friday at Cafe Racer!

We are: Anneclaire on fiddle, Brigid on banjo, Bronwyn on fiddle, Charmaine on guitar and flatfooting, Emily on bass, and Heather on mandolin. We had been playing as a collective for 6 days before this event!

Someone at the show captured a simple video of us playing Cotton-eye Joe. It was the third and final tune we played at the open mic. Below is the link for you to view it on you tube.

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fyOyrGnIw4

Los Angeles, California

Traffic downtown Los Angeles. This isn't even during rush hour.

At the end of February I went to Los Angeles for my cousin Triana's wedding. I met my dad and siblings down there and we spent a few days together in the sun. In the sprawled city of 12 lane highways crowded with cars and 24-hour liquor stores every two blocks, I managed to relax for a week. My flight came into LAX at about 11am and it was overcast, but warm. I spent over an hour at the rental car place haggling over the quoted price. Renting a minivan was funny, it was also weird that it had a Washington license plate. They're such mama-mobiles.

So after driving for about an hour on one of the 20 expressways that go through LA, I saw the exit for the Getty Center and Museum. It's free to get in, but parking is $10, and it's virtually impossible to get there any other way besides driving. After i parked, a tram took me up this mountain to a beautifully landscaped museum grounds. A friend of mine suggested the art museum there. They did indeed have a great collection with rotating special exhibits. At first I scoped out the modern painting section and some photographs of the west coast from the early 20Th century.

It ended up being a gorgeous sunny afternoon, making it difficult for me to be inside the museum. I ended up laying out on the grass of this little hill overlooking the skyline of the San Fernando Valley and LA. For at least 2 hours my body was just soaking up the vitamin D. It was a lovely first afternoon in California.

I ended up meeting up with Maria and Tony, two of my friends that I met in Hawaii last year. They live far out of LA, in Rowland Heights. It took me about 2 hours to get there from where I was. Tony, being Chinese, took us out to a really great Chinese restaurant. Then we also went to an Asian SUPER market, it was HUGE.

Maria and I took the long way to the beach the next day, it took about 2 hours from their house. Anywhere you go in LA takes at least one hour to get there. Luckily the mini-van was very comfortable and had a great radio. We went to Huntington Beach, south of LA off the Pacific Coast Highway. It was really desolate and the backdrop was a bit industrial, but it was beautiful to be at the ocean and hear the waves. We did some yoga facing the water, it was so serene and beautiful. No, we did not coordinate our outfits, we just happen to be wearing the same colors.

After I dropped Maria off at work, I headed towards Malibu where the wedding was suppose to be. I wanted to check into the hotel and drop my stuff off. We stayed at a hotel in Aguora Hills, it was about 30 minutes by windy steep mountainous road to Zuma Beach. After seeing some of my aunts and uncles, I headed towards the beach. The photo above was the first one I took when I got to the beach, it was about 1/2 hour before sunset. I played a bit of banjo uke on the beach, but I mostly tried to get cool pictures of me, the beach, the sunset and the mountains in the background. Below are some of my favorites.

I think I was having too much fun taking pictures of myself.

After watching the sun go down on the beach, I headed south on the Pacific Coast Highway towards Santa Monica, heading into the city to meet Tony and Maria. Around 8:30pm we picked up Katie, my brother's girlfriend. We ended up going to get drinks and heading to IN-N-OUT for burgers, then we made two trips back to the airport, the first to pick up Brendan, coming from Dayton, OH. The second was to pick up Mags, Pete, Dad and Chris, whose flight was 2 hours late. It was 1:30am before we were en route to the hotel. It was a long day.

The next day was Triana and Tim's wedding. In the morning before the wedding we headed over to Zuma beach to go in the water. Dad and I did a 2 mile run in the sand along the shore and then jumped in the freezing cold water. At least the air was somewhat warm. We saw a sign for a polar plunge, which was laughable because it was nothing near polar outside.

After the beach we went back to the hotel to get ready for the wedding. On the way back we stopped at this Canyon lookout to take pictures.

The wedding was held at a ranch type of country club between the hotel and the ocean. It was beautiful and secluded. The ceremony was outside even though it was a bit chilly. They had heating lamps set up. Below are some of the pictures I took at the ceremony

On Sunday night we went over to Aunt Dor's for dinner and took a large group photo of the family. It was so great to spend some time with my family.