We Have Learned Where In The PNW Raven Took David, Theo & Ruby

A couple days ago I wondered Where In The PNW Had Raven Taken David, Theo & Ruby?

I was asked that where in the PNW question with three photos giving me hints.

I had only two guesses. One of which was correct.

Raven had taken David, Theo and Ruby to a location on Hood Canal.

The Alderbrook Resort & Spa, to be precise.

No, that is not David or Theo kayaking in the above photo. That is a screen cap taken from the Alderbrook Resort & Spa website.

The photos on the Alderbrook Resort website made me a bit homesick. The scenes shown are stereotypical Pacific Northwest scenes, particularly the lush green rain forest trail, along with the clear clean water.

Yesterday I was asked if I had found out where Raven had taken David, Theo & Ruby. Well, now you know the answer to that probing question.

Happy Birthday Jackie!

On the morning of this February 12 date, well over a half century ago, my little brother and I sat on a curb on the south side of Fairhaven Avenue, in Burlington, Washington.

It was a cold February morning.

Why were we sitting on that cold curb?

Because on the north side of Fairhaven Avenue we could look at the then location of United General Hospital, known then as Burlington Matthews Hospital, located so close we could see it from our kitchen window on Washington Avenue, because our house was located on the other side of the block from Fairhaven Avenue.

But we wanted a closer look than that available from our kitchen window.

Why did we want a closer look?

Because dad had told us to sit on the curb whilst looking at the 2nd window from the left on the 3rd floor.

Why?

So, that dad could show us our new baby sister.

I remember this like it was yesterday. My little brother and I were so excited to see our new little sister for the first time.

We sat there maybe five minutes before we saw dad at that window, holding that little bundle of joy, waving at us.

That is little sister Jackie you see in the composite photo above.

You can sort of tell from that photo that we sorta doted on little sister Jackie. Little did we know then that by the end of the decade a new sister would be replacing Jackie in the baby sister role, and that we would get to do that doting thing all over again.

On the right side of that composite photo above, that would be little brother Jake, standing with Jackie and me. Jake and Jackie and Jackie's first husband, Jack, just returned from a Happy Birthday visit to Laughlin and Las Vegas. I was not able to attend this party.

Happy Birthday, Jackie! 

Get Well Miss Beth

A month or so ago Miss Beth was hospitalized at United General Hospital. That hospital is located halfway between my old home town of Burlington, and the town a few miles upriver from Burlington, called Sedro Woolley.

Miss Beth and I were born in the same hospital in Eugene, Oregon, with Miss Beth hatching a year before I did. 

When Miss Beth was hospitalized a month or so ago she was exposed to COVID-19. Upon release from the hospital she was put on quarantine. During the quarantine her exposure to COVID became a full blown Coronavirus attack. Soon passed on to her husband.

During the course of fighting the virus, Miss Beth has had good days and way worse days. The way worse days have become way worse.

Miss Beth is back in the hospital due to having trouble breathing.

I hope she does not have to be put on a ventilator.

I am looking forward to seeing Miss Beth next summer. There has been talk of having a making raspberry almond tarts party, using my mom's recipe, which Miss Beth thought she also had, via my mom giving it to her mom.

I am not much of a fan of that sending thoughts and prayers thing. It always sounds so superficial to me. But, if I was a fan of such, I would be sending thoughts and prayers to Miss Beth. 

Well, now that you are causing me to think about it, I am sending thoughts to Miss Beth, lots of them. The prayer thing, not so much...

Where In The PNW Has Raven Taken David, Theo & Ruby?

Text message on my phone last night with three photos. Text with the first photo, the one you see above, "Where in the PNW are David, Theo & Ruby?"

And then the second photo...

With the text "Hint #2, their favorite part of any getaway."

Followed by the third hint...

"Hint #3, your niece and nephews dreaming big."

The last time the Tacoma Trio presented me with this type mystery I was able to figure out they were at Larrabee State Park. I thought the bay and rocks looked familiar and a little Googling confirmed the location with matching scenery.

But this time I think I need more hints. My first thought was they were at Roche Harbor on San Juan Island. That is a big resort area with a big marina with docks. But, the scenery in photo hint #1 did not look like what one might see at Roche Harbor.

That first photo hint had me thinking they were somewhere on Hood Canal, which is a short distance north of their Harstine Island cabin. But, I don't remember any long dock such as we see above, anywhere on Hood Canal.

Then again, I have not seen Hood Canal since 2005, and at that point in time I only went a short distance north on Hood Canal, to Hoodsport.

Perhaps some new hints will arrive today...

Miss Tessie Takes Us To Washington's Deception Pass Bridge Over Actual Water

 

I saw that which you see above last night on Facebook, via Miss Tessie, she being the well known Dancing Queen of Northern California, formerly of my old home zone of the Skagit Valley, where she helped grow the valley's best strawberries.

I have made mention of that bridge you see above, previously, when verbalizing amazement regarding the Texas town of Fort Worth's difficulty in building three simple little bridges over dry land. Construction of which began way back in 2014, with a then astonishing four year project timeline. Still unfinished in 2021.

The Deception Pass Bridge was not built over dry land. It was built over deep saltwater, two passes connecting two tidal zones. Thus when there is a big differential in tides this can create swift moving water of a sort so treacherous boats can not power through it.

Deception Pass Bridge construction began in August 1934, and the completed bridge was dedicated at noon on July 31, 1935. Unlike those hapless, pitiful Fort Worth bridges, being built to connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island, the Deception Pass Bridge was built to connect an actual island (Fidalgo Island) to another island (Whidbey Island), with a third island (Pass Island), between the two bigger islands, which makes Deception Pass Bridge two separate spans, with one span crossing Canoe Pass from Fidalgo Island to Pass Island, with the second span crossing Deception Pass to connect Pass Island to Whidbey Island.

With those three simple little bridges stuck in slow motion construction in Fort Worth there is no water spanned. Like was already mentioned these are being built over dry land. Basically unneeded bridges to nowhere which for some reason has those behind the ridiculous scheme totally perplexed as to why Fort Worth can not seem to secure federal funding for their ill begotten Boondoggle.  

Eventually, if the bridges are ever finished, and if funding can be found, a cement lined ditch will be dug under the three bridges, with water diverted from the Trinity River into the ditch, thus creating the afore referenced imaginary island.

The Fort Worth locals seem numb to the dumb ridiculousness, apparently due to having seen so much such stuff during their years of being Fort Worth locals. So numb to the ridiculousness they can not comprehend how absurd the island making scheme seems to anyone who has lived in a more modern area of America, or Texas. 

Could something as absurd as the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision happen in Austin? In Houston? In San Antonio? In El Paso?

Dallas has its own Trinity River Vision, which has at least managed to build two actual cool looking, skyline changing bridges over the actual water of the Trinity River.

So perplexing. And again, I repeat, the Deception Pass Bridge was built in less than a year, almost a century ago, over actual deep, swift moving water...

Flock Of Seagulls Make Sikes Lake Sea Their Home

With a few days until the incoming Polar Vortex drops the temperature at my location to way below freezing, on this first Sunday of the 2021 version of February I rolled my bike to Sikes Lake for a couple rides around the lake.

I had sufficient layers of clothing layered on, but still.

BRRRRR.

Particularly when heading into the wind blowing from the north.

I stopped my bike at the coffer dam which crosses Sikes Lake for no reason apparent to me. I am referring to the coffer dam having no reason apparent to me, not me stopping at the coffer dam having no reason.

My reason for stopping at the coffer dam was to aim my handlebars at the dam and the flock of seagulls which have taken up residence there, to take the photo you see above.

That must be one sad flock of seagulls. Hundreds of miles from the nearest sea, they must have decided Sikes Lakes was as good as it was going to get. Too bad they did not continue flying a few more miles south where they would have found a much larger lake in Lake Wichita. Or fly a few more miles further south where they would have found the way larger Lake Arrowhead.

Is it a normal thing for a flock of seagulls to take up residence at an artificial fresh water lake?

My First Bike Ride Of 2021 Went Well After Fixing A Slime Issue

 

Today, on this first Friday of the 2021 version of February, for the first time this new year, I rolled my bike's wheels. 

I don't know why I've had such a long drought bike riding-wise. I suppose cold weather lessens the appeal.

It had been such a long time since I've paid any attention to my bike I did not realize til this morning that the tires were in need of some fresh air being pumped into the tubes.

That turned quickly problematic when I could not get the pump to work on the front tire valve.

The front tire tube was a Slime enabled one. As in it was a Slime tube with the Slime stop a leak product already in the tube. Eventually after a lot of frustration I figured out that the Slime had sealed the valve, rendering it unable to accept any fresh air.

And so I found myself in replace the inner tube mode. Something I had not done in several years. A quick trek to Walmart acquired a new tube.

And then back in my bike repair room the fun adventure of getting a new tube on a wheel began. 

An hour later the wheel was back on the bike with its new tube ready to roll.

However, it was then lunch time. 

A bike ride waited until 4 in the afternoon. I rode north on the Circle Trail, stopping at Hamilton Park to take the photo you see above. That is a new water feature under construction. It should be done by summer. Several fountains will squirt water on kids in need of cooling. I think this will be a popular attraction.

Today's may be the last bike ride for awhile. I may get in another one tomorrow. Maybe.

A cold front is blowing in in a day or two or three, with temperatures scheduled to plummet to way below freezing. As in 12 degrees. I do not like the sound of that...

Shocking Revelations Find Fort Worth Bridges Way Behind Construction Schedule

Last night an incoming text message from Elsie Hotpepper came in with text saying "You're gonna love this!"

Along with a link to an article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram titled...

One of the Panther Island bridges in downtown Fort Worth is behind schedule, again

I do not know if you click on the above link that you will be able to read the article, or if you will be blocked by a paywall. For some reason I was able to read the article, unimpeded. 

And Elsie was right, sorta, well, I didn't exactly love this article, it is more accurate to say I was appalled and amused by this latest bit of inept Star-Telegram pseudo journalism.

Just the title is amusing. One of those pitiful little bridges is behind schedule, again? All three of those pitiful little bridges being built over dry land to possibly one day connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island have been behind schedule for years.

All three of them.

Way behind schedule.

Let's go through this article, commenting as we go along. The first paragraph...

The bridge needed to connect White Settlement Road to what eventually will be Fort Worth’s Panther Island is behind schedule, again, this time by a few weeks.

Behind by a few weeks behind the previous multiple behinds? Construction of these little freeway overpass type bridges began with a TNT exploding ceremony way back in 2014. With a then astonishing four year project timeline to build three little bridges over dry land.

Continuing on...

The bridge was first scheduled to open to traffic in 2017, along with two others, but design issues pushed completion back two years. Then in 2019, project officials said the White Settlement bridge would be finished by late summer 2020, but the date was pushed back again to the end of last year. COVID-19 and construction delays pushed the date into 2021, and a Tarrant Regional Water District spokesperson in December confirmed board members were told traffic would flow in February.

Okay, an item in the above paragraph has bugged me for years. "...design issues pushed completion back two years..." What are these design issues that caused such a problem with the building of little bridges over dry land? Does the Star-Telegram not employ a single investigative journalist who might try and find out what these design issues have been? 

Continuing on we will skip a couple paragraphs til we get to this one...

“Bridges for White Settlement, North Main and Henderson are being built over dry land for a cost of nearly $90 million. The three bridges are needed to connect downtown to the planned Panther Island, an 800-acre island in the Trinity River that would be formed after a bypass channel is cut between the two forks. The $1.17 billion project has languished without federal financial support for years.

The bridges are needed? So vitally needed they have been built in ultra slow motion? Needed to connect downtown Fort Worth to an imaginary island? An imaginary island which may be formed one day in the distant future when a cement lined ditch is dug between two forks of the Trinity River? And it is a puzzlement to some why this inane insane project languishes without federal support?

And then we come to this doozy...

The North Main bridge is capable of supporting a trolley, a feature that confused Panther Island board members David Cooke, the city manager, and James Hill, a water district board member. Both were interested in understanding if the bridge costs more and why such a feature was included when there is no trolley.

Oh my, one of the bridges is capable of supporting a trolley. A feature which confused various board members responsible for this ongoing Boondoggle. Are there any modern bridges, anywhere, which are not able to support a trolley? 

Continuing on, we will skip two paragraphs which discuss Fort Worth's hapless efforts, a decade ago, to build a short trolley line, and get right to the final paragraph in this latest example of Star-Telegram journalistic ineptitude...

Rademaker said he wasn’t sure what the North Main Bridge would have cost without sections designed to hold a streetcar. There is not track on the bridge. Concrete has been poured so that if the city wanted to run a trolley, a new bridge would not bee needed, he said.

Rademaker is a senior project manager for Fort Worth. Perhaps someone in this position not knowing rather germane factual details, such as the cost of various elements of a project, might be an element, among many, why this relatively simple public works project has become America's Dumbest Boondoggle.

And see if you can spot two rather embarrassing embarrassing mistakes, of the erroneous verbiage sort, in that final paragraph, copied and pasted, from this Star-Telegram article.

Does this newspaper not employ any editors? Or proofreaders...

Day Two Of February Plan To Lose COVID 30 On The Circle Trail

On Day Two of my February Plan to rid myself of the COVID 30 I have gained during this long period of limited activity, along with eating too much, I returned to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area. Yesterday I parked on the parking lot on the west end, today I parked on the parking lot on the east side of the Nature Area.

Being on the east side I decided to check out the progress of the Circle Trail extension which will eventually connect the Loop 11 current Circle Trail termination point to Lucy Park and the Lucy Park current termination point of the Circle Trail.

Today I walked to the end of the current progress of the Circle Trail construction. That is what you see on the left in the above composite photo documentation. On the right I turned around for the view of the completed trail, heading back to the Loop 11 bridge over the Wichita River.

If the circle of the Circle Trail is ever completed I will be able to leave my abode on my bike and roll almost 30 miles, back to my abode, making a circle around town. That sounds like something I might do once. 

In the meantime I am on a fast track to being able to once again fit into every pair of pants in my closet...

Wichita Bluff Hoodoos Rise & Fall With Dirty Blonde Medusa

 

With nary a whiff of wind blowing and with the temperature not nearly freezing, I decided this first day of the 2021 version of February would be a good day to commune with nature in the Wichita Bluff Nature Area.

I arrived at the western parking lot of the WBNA a few minutes after Rush Limbaugh began polluting the airwaves with his peculiar brand of ignorant conspiratorial idiocy. 

I was only a couple minutes into walking, barely under the entry sign which marks the start of the west end of the Wichita Bluff Nature Area, when an extremely weird thing came into view. A female with a head which looked like it was covered by a giant yellow bush.

As the yellow bush grew closer it began to look like a Medusa snake head of long blonde dreadlocked curls. Googling "Medusa" came up with the following, which is sort of close to what I saw...

As the Wichita Bluff Medusa got even closer I saw that she was barefoot, and dirty, as if she'd been wading in the Wichita River. I howdy-ed her as I passed quickly by. I got no response. She acted furtive, like a caged squirrel.

At about the half mile mark I came to the regular zone where Hoodoos are erected. That is what you see photo documented at the top. 

Continuing on I walked for a couple miles before turning around.

When I came to the Hoodoo location, on my return to the parking lot, I saw, to my shock and surprise, that the Hoodoos had been destroyed in the short time since I saw them fully erect.

After I turned around at the end of today's nature walk I met only one person on the way back to my vehicle.

That same Dirty Blonde Medusa.

Had she ventured off the paved trail in her bare feet and destroyed the Hoodoos? Why would anyone engage in such insane madness.

When I passed the Dirty Blonde Medusa the second time I re-howdy-ed her and again received no response. A couple hundred feet later I looked back and saw she had stopped walking and was looking in my direction. When she saw I had turned to look at her she shouted something incomprehensible. I don't think it was English.

So, that has been my exciting first day of February, so far...