The Northwest Trekker Bleker

Aside from the occasional elevator ride in hi-rise buildings, I had never given much thought to elevation before. That was when I worked and played on the flat pan floor of Phoenix, Arizona. I lived in a one-story home. I rode my bicycle on wide, level streets. I hiked on vertically challenged trails (oh how I used to complain about switchbacks in the Grand Canyon). [ 1071 more words. ]

http://nwtrekkerbleker.com/2016/01/31/hilly-dilly-seattle/

Hilly Dilly Seattle Aside from the occasional elevator ride in hi-rise buildings, I had never given much thought to elevation before. That was when I worked and played on the flat pan floor of Phoenix, Arizona. I live...

I’ve never been a fan of the frustrating things that make up Black Friday: crowds, long lines, and snarled parking lots. Leery of the holiday hustle and bustle, I typically retreat instead to the places farthest from the cash registers and shopping carts to spend the day after Thanksgiving. So when I heard that REI had launched its campaign to encourage people to get out and enjoy the outdoors rather than spend it indoors slogging up and down aisles, and to give their employees the busiest shopping day of the year off, I thought, “Hey, it looks like I’m going to have some company this year.” [ 684 more words. ]

http://nwtrekkerbleker.com/2015/11/29/heaven-and-hell-and-snowshoes

Heaven and Hell and Snowshoes I’ve never been a fan of the frustrating things that make up Black Friday: crowds, long lines, and snarled parking lots. Leery of the holiday hustle and bustle, I typically retreat instead to the p...

Ghosts of our past, or just plain… ghosts? The former Nike Site S-13/14 missile site in Redmond, WA easily harbors both. Abandoned by the U.S. Army in 1974, it lies in decay, a rotting co**se of a once-impressive installment of military might. We approach the shell of a bygone era left forgotten and idle, clouded windows veiling interiors to the world. [ 326 more words. ]

http://nwtrekkerbleker.com/2015/10/30/ghosts-of-our-past

Ghosts of Our Past Ghosts of our past, or just plain… ghosts? The former Nike Site S-13/14 missile site in Redmond, WA easily harbors both. Abandoned by the U.S. Army in 1974, it lies in decay, a rotting co**se of a ...

We were there to see birds. Maybe catch a Spotted Towhee, Barred Owl, or Ring-Necked Duck. I even downloaded the Merlin Bird app on my phone in preparation. After boning up on an in-depth interpretation of the unique ecosystem of the Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve at the Breazeale Padilla Bay Interpretive Center, we felt we were ready. I spotted only seagulls and a heron. [ 570 more words. ]

http://nwtrekkerbleker.com/2015/09/29/mud-mud-everywhere-and-not-a-glop-to-sink

Mud, Mud, Everywhere, and Not a Glop to Sink We were there to see birds. Maybe catch a Spotted Towhee, Barred Owl, or Ring-Necked Duck. I even downloaded the Merlin Bird app on my phone in preparation. After boning up on an in-depth interpret...

One thing is to see traces of history in a museum, behind glass, or on a pedestal. Another thing is to walk pathways and trails in the footsteps of history, where artifacts from an era gone by can actually be picked up and examined. Lime Kiln Trail is one of those places where the term “urban archaeology” is currently on display. [ 683 more words. ]

http://nwtrekkerbleker.com/2015/08/17/a-history-lesson-on-lime-kiln-trail/

A History Lesson on Lime Kiln Trail One thing is to see traces of history in a museum, behind glass, or on a pedestal. Another thing is to walk pathways and trails in the footsteps of history, where artifacts from an era gone by can ...

It was a hard decision to make. Which sight would be the most pleasing to a pair of desert dwellers when riding tandem on a scenic island in the Pacific Northwest? Would it be the pastoral scenery, towering forests, and gentle rolling farmlands? Or the expansive views of the San Juan Islands and Salish Sea with beauty that rivals exotic destinations? [ 554 more words. ]

http://nwtrekkerbleker.com/2015/06/30/the-tandem-lure-of-lopez-island

The Tandem Lure of Lopez Island     It was a hard decision to make. Which sight would be the most pleasing to a pair of desert dwellers when riding tandem on a scenic island in the Pacific Northwest? Would it be the pas...

Built to Inspire http://wp.me/p2r5Fd-dJ

Built to Inspire Built to inspire lawmakers and policy shapers, places of government of the people can sometimes be loftier than the politics that take place inside their walls. The Legislative Building at the Washington State Capitol is a good example. Considered by some to be “one of the most magnificent state capitol buildings in the nation,” it is a downright architectural beauty. [ 420 more words. ]

A Walk Among the Ancients http://wp.me/p2r5Fd-dr

A Walk Among the Ancients Hailing from the Evergreen state of Washington, the land of cedar, fir, hemlock, and pine, we were a bit skeptical as to whether the sight of a redwood tree would be a jaw-dropping experience. I mean, after all, we have seen a lot of trees in living here. Boy, were we wrong. We weren’t even inside the Redwood National Park before we came upon our first one. [ 701 more words. ]

The Rise and Fall of the Chittenden Locks http://wp.me/p2r5Fd-d8

The Rise and Fall of the Chittenden Locks Watch a child play with water and containers, and you’ll understand immediately what almost all of us have experienced at one time or another: it is fun watching water fill and empty a space. Almost mesmerizing, in fact. And if you add boats to the mix - not little ones, but really big ones - it is downright fascinating. Okay, the Hiram M. [ 983 more words. ]

Legends Real and Imagined http://wp.me/p2r5Fd-cS

Legends Real and Imagined The middle school students in the science enrichment class where I was teaching a lesson on energy stared back in silence, their eyes said it all: “What is that?” I was amazed. Growing up in the era spanning the seventies to the eighties, I presumed everyone recognized that familiar hyperboloid shape of power utilities that is associated often with nuclear energy. [ 787 more words. ]

Far and Away on Ebey’s Landing http://wp.me/p2r5Fd-cA

Far and Away on Ebey's Landing It has been said that on a clear day, you can see forever. While perhaps not exactly glimpsing eternity, Ebey’s Landing is one of those places where you can see a very long, long way. On this tranquil bluff on the southward facing side of Whidbey Island, the views extend out over the sparkling waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and conceivably, clear to the Pacific Ocean. [ 674 more words. ]

The Well-Known Secret of Snow Lake http://wp.me/p2r5Fd-cl

The Well-Known Secret of Snow Lake Photos by Zach Martzke Picture a high altitude alpine lake, nestled above the forest line, guarded by towering mountain peaks. Low clouds fringe their tops. The water is crystal clear and frigid. The calm is broken only by the splash of rainbow trout leaping to snap at the hapless insects that cruise the mirror like surface. It is the epitome of peace and solitude far from road noise, alarms, sirens, horns, and hum of machinery. [ 559 more words. ]