Kendall Katwalk

One of my favorite places. It's a long steep ascent, but once you turn the corner towards the knife edge path on the Pacific Crest Trail, those 5+ miles up feel worth it. I first hiked here in 1993. Ironically, on the same day, June 27, when I was a different woman, in her first year in Seattle. Since then I have hiked all over the Cascades. This is familiar territory and I will never lose my love for it, in spite of anything that life throws in my face.

Sentiments that speak to a lot more than 9/11

From the building site at Ground Zero.

The delis of Wall Street

The staff speaks Spanish and Chinese these days, but the food is fresh abundant and at $7.99/lb, reasonable for this town.

At Ground Zero

My last day in NY so I chose to visit the 9/11 Memorial and sit with my memories of that day 14 years ago.
It's a lovely memorial.

Summer reading at the NY public library

Patience is a book lover. So cute.

Worth the price of admission

It's great. The Cyndi Lauper music is so much fun.

Times Square 10:30am

Managed to snag a matinee ticket to a Broadway show before the summer sun hit the "discount" TKTS booth.
Still Broadway shows are worth it.

Need a raincheck on the Cooper Hewitt

It's another ferociously hot summer's day, but sadly the gardens of this museum of design are a pile of rocks and dirt. I'm sitting in the cafe enjoying the A/C and enjoying eavesdropping on the distinctive accents of the manhattanites all around. I have less than an hour to visit, because I'm heading to Broadway for a matinee of Kinky Boots, so the $18 museum entrance fee makes little sense. Even at 50% off at the TKTS "booth" in Times Square, I still paid $75 for my ticket, which included $7.50 in "service" fees.
It's a good thing that I truly do love this city, despite its cost.
So I'll save C-H for another day.

Rockefeller Plaza

Not something you see in Seattle.

First impressions from the E train

I'm spending a few days in New York with family. Last night, enroute from JFK, this gave me a laugh.

Midsummer's ride in Whatcom County

Another favorite ride from Fairhaven along Chuckanut Drive, a detour to Edison for slow food and back around Blanchard Mountain along Lake Samish.
Worth the drive up I-5 and the crazy traffic of Seattle on the weekends.

Step 1 on my new skill

It's a perfect evening. I need to practice sheeting in more and jobbing, but I docked the sailboat without damaging anything. I did an extra private lesson which was helpful. So down to the sea in ships I go! By bike no less.

8pm on Saturday near the Shilshole Msrina

I'm finishing my day with dinner at the beach. I have plans to ship a bike tot daughter on the East Coast, so I went looking for a couple of free cardboard bike boxes at a bike store where I know they usually put them in the dumpster. But nothing tonight. So I went next door to Whole Foods, bought some mozzarella to go with the stuffed artichoke I'd made earlier, and brought my fold up chair to enjoy the view of the Olympics. I watvhed these boaters girl their mainsail and motor in. I now know how and why sailors do this.
This morning I did volunteer orientation at the Center for Wooden Boats, and I hope to work in the boat shop over the next few months. I rode my bike down to Lake Union and had lunch in a brew pub popular with the local Amazon.com locals.
It's been a lovely day. I feel blessed to have this, literally, on my doorstep,

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie fueled biking

Calories input = calories output. It would be unwise to eat this sort of thing if I wasn't a cyclist.

Black Diamond Bakery midway through a Green River Gorge Loop

I've known about this cyclists' favorite for as long as I've lived in Washington, so, after 23 years, I've finally made it. I dropped my daughter at Sea Tac airport this morning, so I brought my road bike along, and drove south on I-5 and through Auburn to a litter strewn Park & Ride off Highway 18. Left all that detritus of South King County for a long rural ride on lightly trafficked roads near Flaming Geyser State Park. Will be over 35 miles if I do the whole route.

The photo

What to do with the flat of Skagit Valley strawberries you bought after biking

First you eat one whole box on the drive home. Then, you make strawberry roulade. It's worth ignoring those wierd forced hard white berries trucked in from California. It's June it's time to finish great cycling with a great dessert.


Cathy Donaldson

Friday in Skagit County

Mid-way in a 34 mile spin through the flat farmland near Mt Vernon. A perfect way to enjoy the bounty of early summer.

Saturday evening in Fremont

A magic moment on a mellow evening ride home.

John Henry was here

Also known as "crop circles", the sure sign of a fun event soon. This on the route of the Flying Wheels Summer Century near Monroe, Snohomish county.