Microsoft OneDrive Remembering Nephew Jeremy Driving & Mount Rainier

The memory photos from today's Microsoft OneDrive Memories from this Day could have been from August of 2017.

I'd flown to Washington early in August of that year, which would make the next photo one I took of Mount Rainier whilst flying over that currently dormant volcano.

In that first photo memory that is my Favorite Nephew Jeremy, driving. That August of 2017, I spent a week in Washington, and then flew to Arizona for a week with my mom.

On Mondays, like clockwork, Jeremy would show up at my mom's to take mom on their weekly dinner date to one of the many fast-food joints in Chandler, Arizona.

I suspect that that is what is happening in the Jeremy driving photo, driving mom and me to the weekly fast-food dinner.

Jeremy, like his mother, is a good driver. There are some people whose driving always makes me nervous. Jeremy and his mom are among those who do not make me nervous when they are behind a vehicular wheel.

Another example of this some people's driving making me nervous thing is the Goober Twins. One of the Goober Twins, Wally, has never made me nervous when he is behind the wheel, whilst his twin, Big Ed, tends to make anyone riding, with him driving, to be nervous.

I remember a roadtrip, back in the early 1990s. We'd rented a Cadillac to drive to Reno and Yosemite, and points in between. In the Cadillac were the Goober Twins, me and a guy named Dale.

Wally did all the driving til we got to Yosemite.

I had no problem with Wally's driving, none at all. However, when it came time to leave Yosemite, Dale took me aside and sort of begged me to take over the driving due to, apparently, Wally's driving making Dale nervous. Wally is a bit of a speeder.

The Cadillac had an onboard computer calculating gas mileage. Soon after me taking over the driving, due to usually driving below the speed limit, the gas mileage quickly improved, soon getting over 20 miles to the gallon in that big gas guzzling Cadillac...

Scary Mount Baker Bridge Crossing With Nephew Jeremy 30 Years Ago

It seems, if my faulty memory is serving me at all well, that within the last year or so I previously blogged about the day the photo you see here was taken.

This photo showed up today in my daily email from Microsoft with OneDrive Memories from this Day.

Trouble is, I clearly remember this particular memory is from 30 years ago. In August.

Hard to believe 30 years have gone by since then.

That would be my nephew Jeremy, 30 years ago, on a suspension bridge over a creek on a trail that leads to the Mount Baker volcano.

When Jeremy saw that we were needing to cross the creek on that scary bridge he sort of panicked. It took some coaxing from Aunt Michele to convince Jeremy it was okay to cross the bridge. Jeremy insisted no one could be on the bridge at the same time as him.

So, I was posted at one end of the bridge, someone else at the other end.

With Jeremy triumphantly making the crossing, celebrating in the photo I took from the volcano side of the bridge.

30 years ago. 30 years gone by so fast. I shudder at the realization of how old I will be if I make it another 30 years...

Remembering Nephew Jeremy Successfully Crossing A Scary Suspension Bridge Hiking To Mount Baker

The year was 1993. The occasion was my August birthday, not the exact day, but the following weekend. I do not recollect how this came about, what with it being three decades ago, but this morning's Microsoft OneDrive Memories from this Day brought me the photos you see here.

It was an overcast, foggy, drizzly day. The location was the Schrieber's Meadow entry to the Park Butte Trail up the Mount Baker volcano, via what is known as the Railroad Grade, so named because of its even ascent, like a railroad grade making its way up and over a mountain. In this instance the Railroad Grade is at the top of a glacier carved Moraine.

That glacier can render hiking a bit treacherous in summer and early fall, when warm temperatures melt a lot of ice, turning Sulphur Creek into a raging torrent. So much so that the creek regularly wipes out the various bridges built to cross it.

On that day all the hikers were transited via sister Nancy's vehicle. Of what sort, I do not remember. In that vehicle we had the aforementioned sister Nancy, sister Michele, my ex-wife, Loretta, Big Ed and my youngest nephew, Jeremy. I am likely forgetting a person, or two, or three.

So, about a mile in the trail comes to Sulphur Creek. When we reached that point I saw a suspension bridge of sorts had been installed since I was last at this location, a year or two prior, with nephew Joey.

When we reached the Sulphur Creek suspension bridge, with Sulphur Creek look a bit wild, Jeremy balked.

Jeremy sought refuge at a tree. Aunt Michele then used her well developed negotiation powers to make a deal with Jeremy by which he would agree to cross the bridge. Jeremy insisted he cross it alone, with both ends protected, so no one could get on the bridge and sway and shake it. Big Ed was the guard at the far end. I forget who guarded the entry.

Once the guards were in place Jeremy began his passage across the bridge.

 Above we see Jeremy almost all the way across.

And here we have Jeremy's triumphant pose as he successfully nears the end of the bridge.

The above was about as far as we got this day of hiking in a fog. We never got above the timberline. Never made it to the Railroad Grade. Never got close to seeing Mount Baker. But, it was a mighty fine day, I must say.

That is the aforementioned sister Michele, next to Jeremy, and me sitting, with my hair its original color...

Remembering Ice Caves & Nephew Jeremy's Treacherous Mount Baker Suspension Bridge

Two days in a row I remember all the memories Microsoft's OneDrive sent to my email. The first set of memories obviously occurred in winter, maybe even in February.

But the second set of memories could not have happened in winter, those happened in August.

In the first collection of memories, those are my favorite nephews, Christopher and Jeremy, currently residing in Arizona, but, at the point in time the pictures were taken CJ and JR were still Washingtonians.

What you are looking at in these memories, other than CJ and JR is what is known as the Ice Caves. This is an attraction one can hike to from the Mountain Loop highway, between Granite Falls and Darrington.

I do not know if access is still allowed into the Ice Caves. There were incidents of injuries due to ice falling from the Ice Cave ceiling. 

In the next set of memories Jeremy is a couple years older.

All but one of the above memories are photos of a hike up the south side of Mount Baker, via what is known as the Schreiber's Meadow Trail. 

On this trail you come to a spot where you have to cross a stream of fast moving glacier melt. It can be a tad treacherous. We got to that spot and Jeremy did not like the look of it. In the picture at the upper right, Jeremy's Aunt Michele is trying to convince Jeremy it is safe to cross the suspension bridge.

Michele can be quite persuasive. Jeremy agreed to cross the bridge, if there was a guard stationed at each end. By the time Jeremy got to the middle of the bridge, all fear had disappeared, which caused Jeremy to make the dramatic pose you see in the top left photo.

The other two photos on the right document Jeremy's crossing of the bridge, before his triumphant moment.

The lower left photo is also Jeremy and Christopher, a couple years later, on the north side of Mount Baker, sitting on top of Tabletop Mountain, with Mount Shuksan behind them. Microsoft is sharing the thumbnail version of this photo. Let me see if I can find the better version.

There you have it, a collection of memories I actually remember...

Email Memories I Remember From Microsoft

Once again, memories in my email. I have been erroneously thinking these are Google memories. They are not a Google thing. They are a Microsoft thing. Memories from Microsoft's OneDrive, not Google.

I remember today's memories. But that which is being remembered did not happen in February. These memories happened in August and September. In February those mountains views are not accessible.

In the upper left that is favorite nephews Chris and Jeremy, with Mount Shuksan behind them. We are starting the hike up Tabletop Mountain.

Below Chris and Jeremy, that is just Jeremy threatening to throw a snowball at me, with Mount Baker behind him. At this location we are on the north side of Mount Baker.

To the right of Jeremy that is favorite nephew Joey, hiking up Mount Baker, from the south side of the volcano.

Above Joey that is a McDonald's in North Dallas. It was a unique McDonald's, designed to look like a giant Happy Meal box, among other unique architectural elements. I believe this McDonald's no longer exists. I believe the last time I was at that McDonald's was in January of 2009, with mom and dad.

Priscilla Takes Me Back To Washington Mountains With JR & CJ

In December a package arrived at my doorstep, sent by Priscilla from my old home location in Mount Vernon, Washington.

On Christmas, well, actually Christmas Eve, that package was opened.

And what to my wondering eyes did appear?

Well, among several things one of the things was a calendar, with Washington scenery.

I did not get around to flipping the calendar to February til this morning to see the Washington scene you see here.

This is a scene of the sort it is impossible to see anywhere in any direction for hundreds of miles at my current location.

The mountain you are looking at is Mount Shuksan.

Mount Shuksan is in what is known as the Mount Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest, part of the Cascade Mountains, which range from British Columbia to California.

So, America, you own this scenery, what with it being a National Forest.

There are frequent forest fires in this National Forest. I don't know if any Washingtonians have been dumb enough to take our dumb president's advice to go rake the forest floor so as to prevent those forest fires..

There are two volcanoes in the Mount Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest. The aforementioned Mount Baker and the not frequently seen Glacier Peak. I only saw Glacier Peak a couple times whilst residing in Washington. To see Glacier Peak required doing some hiking, or mountain driving. The Glacier Peak volcano was about the same distance as the Mount Baker volcano from my Mount Vernon abode.

In winter the Mount Baker Ski Area is open for skiing, if there is enough snow, which there usually is, what with the Mount Baker Ski Area holding the world record for deepest snow at a ski area.

When skiing in the Mount Baker Ski Area you can not actually see Mount Baker, except maybe at the top of one of the ski runs which my ski level never allowed me to access. The Mount Baker volcano is to the south and the view of it is blocked by other large mountain masses. But, Mount Shuksan is visible from the Mount Baker Ski Area, hence some people erroneously assume it is Mount Baker.

In summer, after the winter snow pack melts enough, a road is opened to a large parking lot which overlooks Mount Baker, giving easy hiking access to the volcano, and to the switchback trail to the top of Tabletop Mountain, which is what you see below.

The above is one of my favorite photos I have ever taken. Sitting on top of Tabletop Mountain those are two of my favorite nephews in the foreground, Jeremy, known as JR, and Christopher, known as CJ.

In the middle of the photo there is a line of the type rock pilings I call Hoodoos. And in the background that is a fuller view of Mount Shuksan than the one on Priscilla's Washington calendar.

As you can see, much of the snow melts off Mount Shuksan during the HOT time of the year, leaving only a collection of glaciers behind.

Next month it is highly likely I will be seeing Jeremy. Most likely on Monday, March 11 and on Monday, March 18. Mondays are Jeremy's regularly scheduled dinner dates with his grandma, also known as Miss Daisy.

Jeremy's Monday night dinner dates with Miss Daisy always are topped off with a rousing bout of Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. Jeremy usually wins these games, unless grandma is having a particularly good night...

Jeremy Driving Miss Daisy To Arizona Arby's Atom Bomb

Monday night my favorite nephew Jeremy showed up for his regularly scheduled date with grandma, also known as Miss Daisy.

I go along for the weekly drive to the drive through through one of the neighborhoods many fast food joints for some counter balance to the healthy stuff we consume during the rest of the week.

For tonight's fast food Jeremy drove Miss Daisy and me north on Alma School Road to the fast food joint known as Arby's.

Ever since I have been in Arizona I have been seeing an Arby's TV ad touting two Arby's Beef Bacon Cheddar concoctions. On TV the ad man has Donald Trump hands, making the Beef Bacon Cheddar concoctions look enormous.

In reality the Arby's Beef Bacon Cheddar concoctions turned out to be a fraction of the gargantuan concoctions shown on TV. With hard chunks of bacon instead of strips. And the melted orange stuff may have been cheese. With a few slices of what appeared to be a beef-like product.

Did that aforementioned Donald Trump sign one of those executive orders he is so fond of signing, reversing yet one more American regulation?

Like truth in advertising?

Anyway, Jeremy is an excellent Miss Daisy chauffeur. Unlike when Jeremy's mother is Miss Daisy's chauffeur, when Jeremy is the driver I am able to relax and enjoy the scenery without feeling the need to keep a close eye on the driver.

Heading back home with our bagful of Arby's, clouds appeared to the east. Monsoon clouds. One of which looked like what I imagine an atom bomb looks like if one were to see such a thing actually explode.

I am fairly certain tonight is the last time I will ever be having myself anything from Arby's. Don't get me started on the curly fries...

Driving Miss Daisy Searching For Jeremy While Navigating Around South Mountain

Yesterday began soon after dawn with the Miss Daisy Uber Taxi Service delivering my favorite brother-in-law, Jack, to Dobson's Ranch, site of a housing development of one of America's notorious criminals, last name Keating.

Jack was not in Dobson's Ranch for any nefarious criminal activity, but instead to make his ride connection to Prescott, site of a Pickle Ball Tournament, where he is paired with his first wife, whilst staying in a replica of the Bates Motel.

A few hours later Miss Daisy had her driver drive her to Tempe, to find her grandson Jeremy, to visit his jungle backyard which serves as a sort of Arizona Noah's Ark. We failed in our quest to find Jeremy's jungle.

Failing the Jeremy finding quest Miss Daisy directed her driver to drive to South Mountain. Eventually we made it high above Phoenix where I used my phone to take one of those rare, for me, selfie photos.

Another view of the same selfie scene, but without me in the view. South Mountain Park is the largest city park in any city in America. The drive up and down the mountain is a fun roller coaster of ups and downs and twists and turns.

South Mountain is home to a forest of saguaro cactus of various sizes and shapes. I dodged scorpions and rattlesnakes to get the cactus selfie closeup you see here.

When we left South Mountain Miss Daisy directed me to head west, rather than east. West heads away from civilization. Soon we were in an agricultural zone growing cotton and other such stuff, with irrigation ditches flowing a lot of water on both sides of the road.

Even though Miss Daisy directed me to go west, soon Miss Daisy decided maybe we should have gone the other direction. I opted to continue west, countermanding Miss Daisy's directions.

Eventually we came to a highway which headed south. Around South Mountain. This seemed a logical direction to go. A few miles later we entered the Gila River Indian Reservation and passed a casino.

Soon after passing the casino Miss Daisy announced we were on Riggs Road.

Riggs Road is the road which leads back to Miss Daisy's home location in Sun Lakes. Riggs Road runs east and west, not south and north. I informed Miss Daisy of this fact.

A few miles later Miss Daisy announced that she was now certain we were on Riggs Road. I tried to gently tell Miss Daisy that this was impossible, that the road sign says we are on Beltline Road.

A few miles later the mile marker said 2.0, which indicated we were 2 miles from some sort of junction or road change.

Imagine my shock as Beltline Road took a bend to the east and when we hit mile marker 0.0 the road name changed from Beltline to Riggs.

There are some who insist Miss Daisy has serious memory lapses. I have notice such lapses myself. And then I have an incident like this knowing we were on Riggs Road thing and I get confused as to how bad mom's, I mean, Miss Daisy's, memory actually is.

Oh, a few hours later we found Jeremy. He showed up at grandma's to watch the Arizona Diamondbacks lose again. Neither Jeremy or I have seen the Diamondbacks win. We are watching those D-Backs likely lose again tonight. Miss Daisy is slow cooking one of her recovered pot roasts...

Incoming Smoked Salmon From Nephew Joey While Nephews JR & CJ Find Hoodoos

Yesterday I blogged about Spencer Jack's Uncle Joey's Big King Salmon Catch Of The Day.

That would be Spencer Jack's Uncle Joey you are looking at, a few years prior to recently catching a big  fish.

I used to see that volcano you see here from my Mount Vernon kitchen window. That would make that volcano Mount Baker. This volcano has not erupted since the 1800s, if I remember right.

On the day this photo was taken Joey and I hiked up Mount Baker til we could safely go no further, but close enough to see the steam spouting from the volcano's crater and smell the sulfur.

I heard from my Favorite Nephew Joey this morning, with the following message....

FUD,
Fresh smoked salmon is highly requested by all of the non fishing family members. The  order in which I distribute my catch usually starts with my grand parental units on my mother's side, and filters down to bribes with my coworkers. However, I believe this is a third or forth time you have requested this highly sought after delicacy. I believe persistence pays off, so the next time I catch a fish it will be smoked and sent to Texas. I will inform you prior to its arrival.
FNJ

I don't remember making smoked salmon requests, but I am old and my memory is shot, sometimes.

Looking for a photo of my Favorite Nephew Joey I came upon the photo you see below.

That would be my Favorite Nephew Jeremy (JR) on the left, with my Favorite Nephew Christopher (CJ) on the right, a few years prior to moving to Arizona.

Behind JR & CJ is Mount Shuksan. This location is on the north side of Mount Baker, opposite the side of Mount Baker Joey and I were on in the first photo. CJ is looking towards Mount Baker, which looms large a short distance away.

Where JR & CJ are sitting is the top of Tabletop Mountain. Access to the Tabletop Mountain parking lot usually opens late in the summer, after a lot of snow melts. This year I suspect the parking lot will be opening earlier than the norm, due to Washington's current drought emergency.

Can you see what caught my eye in the photo of JR & CJ? Between where they are sitting and Mount Shuksan?

A line of Hoodoos!

Just yesterday Tacoma's Queen V pointed me to an extremely impressive video showing Hoodoos being made in exotic locations. Then destroyed.

The Tabletop Mountain Hoodoos are in a slightly more scenic location than that place I frequently find Hoodoos nowadays, that being the Tandy Hills....