Bandera Mountain

I was hoping our late start might work in our favor, but the sky really didn't begin clearing until we were almost back to the car at 4:30. It was still a fun hike and it was great that D was enthused enough to join me (as long as it didn't mean getting up too early and even then I had to bribe him with breakfast at Denny's). The clouds kept the trail cool for the hike up and June assured that there was still plenty of snow.

D was ambitious - he wanted to hike up Bandera, then also hike up Defiance, but I was apprehensive about what might have been a 12-mile hike beginning close to noon. As it turned out, there was far too much snow to make it realistic anyway - maybe another trip. We did walk down to snowbound Mason Lake before starting back to the car.

Graduation

Back to Memorial Field, but this time not for a football game. Garfield High School's Class of 2011 graduated Tuesday night in front of the south stands. The weather was chilly, but at least it didn't rain. And I guess they ran the ceremony as efficiently as could be expected for a large high school -- although it was pretty hectic at the end trying to get all the extended family and the graduate together for pictures and congratulations, before the grad night bus took off for places unannounced.

D returned home early Wednesday AM for a few hours of sleep, before heading off with friends to Vancouver to watch the Canucks play the Bruins in Game 7. On the big screen in the street - not in the arena. The game was disappointing for Canucks fans, some of whom decided to make up for it by acting like jerks. Devon got his first, and hopefully last, chance to watch cars being torched and store windows being broken. He called us as soon as he was back across the border to let us know they were fine and that there had been riots -- we hadn't heard. He was home by 2AM.

Lake Union

A beautiful weekend, after many that had been not beautiful. D must have been at a ball game or something, giving M and I some more time to practice being on our own. We bought sandwiches at Whole Paycheck and took the streetcar down to the new park to eat.

Mount Si

After a record cool spring, today was a spectacular welcome to June. By the time I hit the trail at 8 this morning, there were already several dozen cars in the parking lot -- though nothing compared to the double-parked mess when I left four hours later.

Mount Si is probably one of the most popular trails close to Seattle - great views, great exercise, and the trailhead is less than 40 minutes from our door. And it's snow free when the high country is still inaccessible. The trail is good, but the climb is tough. Almost 4000' in four miles. And 4 more miles back down. Too bad I couldn't convince Devon to go, but he wasn't awake until I was on my way back down.

Everyone was there today. Many with dogs, some running (one guy went up twice during my round trip), some testing out their backpacking gear for longer trips, and some who looked like they wouldn't get far from the parking lot. I mean, at least bring a water bottle. If hiking in the mountains is for solitude, this was something else. But it was still a wonderful day and the view was spectacular. My legs are sore, too.