Pinocchio's Hiking Adventures: August 2008

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Squak Mountain State Park - 7 Miles

With time running out, Evan and I decided to head to Squak Mountain State Park and get the remaining 7 miles in that we pledged to hike for the Hike-a-thon. Squak Mountain is right outside of Issaquah, WA and is very close to Seattle. This trail has some extra meaning for Evan since he volunteered with the WTA to help improve this trail. Its so great to be able to hike so close to the city. However, our the barrista at the coffee shop was a little concerned we might get lost...

Here I am at the trailhead!

Its hard to believe this trail is only miles from a huge city.

Ahhh! Sometimes I just want to lie down in the moss and relax.

Thanks to the Bullitt family hikers get to enjoy this wonderful mountain.

Gorgeous flower

You know, I have hiked a 1000 miles in a day before...

Ok, I might be lying a little bit.

Here we are the old Bullitt family fireplace. There used to be a cabin up here, but now it is a great place to rest on the trail.

Farewell and thanks so much for helping support Evan and me on our Hike-a-thon adventures. It has been so great to help support trails in Washington State by actually hiking on those same trails. Your contributions will enable the WTA to help keep these trails accessible to everyone. Please enjoy one of Evan's favorite poems which I think expresses the profound experience the outdoors can bring. See you next year and Happy Hiking!

Directions

You know the brick path in the back of the house,
the one you see from the kitchen window,
the one that bends around the far end of the garden
where all the yellow primroses are?
And you know how if you leave the path
and walk into the woods you come
to a heap of rocks, probably pushed
down during the horrors of the Ice Age,
and a grove of tall hemlocks, dark green now
against the light-brown fallen leaves?
And farther on, you know
the small footbridge with the broken railing
and if you go beyond the you arrive
at the bottom of sheep's head hill?
Well, if you start climbing, and you
might have to grab on to a sapling
when the going gets steep,
you will eventually come to a long stone
ridge with a border of pine trees
which is a high as you can go
and a good enough place to stop.

The best time is late afternoon
when the sun strobes through
the columns of trees as you are hiking up,
and when you find an agreeable rock
to sit on, you will be able to see
the light pouring down into the woods
and breaking into the shapes and tones
of things and you will hear nothing
but a sprig of birdsong or leafy
falling of a cone or nut through the trees,
and if this is your day you might even
spot a hare or feel the wing-beats of geese
driving overhead toward some destination.

But it is hard to speak of these things
how the voices of light enter the body
and begin to recite their stories
how the earth holds us painfully against
its breast made of humus and brambles
how we will soon be gone regard
the entities that continue to return
greener than ever, spring water flowing
through a meadow and the shadows of clouds
passing over the hills and the ground
where we stand in the tremble of thought
taking the vast outside into ourselves.

Still, let me know before you set out.
Come knock on my door
and I will walk with you as far as the garden
with one hand on your shoulder.
I will even watch after you and not turn back
to the house until you disappear
into the crowd of maple and ash,
heading up toward the hill,
piercing the ground with your stick

-Billy Collins

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Lake Ingalls - 9 Miles Roundtrip

Hello Everyone! Evan and I are once again hitting the trails for the WTA's Hike-a-thon. This time we are going to Lake Ingalls. I hear its going to be a beautiful hike. Once again, I want to thank you for supporting Evan in his quest to raise money to help keep the trails of Washington State accessible to all. Happy Hiking!