The Kennedy Space Center

In-between Sebastian Inlet and Anastasia Island, I made a stop at The Kennedy Space Center, near Titusville, Florida, about 50 miles east of Orlando.

I've always been fascinated by the thought of going into space. As a sophomore in high school I remember writing an essay for English class in which I was welcomed back to Earth as the first woman to walk on the moon. Quite a stretch of the imagination for someone who couldn't “get” algebra or trigonometry and disliked science immensely. Well, it was just a work of fiction. At any rate, The Kennedy Space Center was on my list of places to see.

The entrance fee of $38 (+ tax, making it $40 and change) is a bit high, at least in my opinion, but there is a lot to see and do. I got there at 9 a.m., which was opening time, but the bus tours and the Imax Theater presentations don't start until 10 o'clock. So I wandered through the outdoor displays of the different rockets, getting a refresher course in our quest to get to the moon and beyond.

I was reading the brochure that I received when entering and saw that they had something called the “Shuttle Launch Experience” that looked interesting so I headed over that way. It only lasts about 20 minutes but I had just 15 minutes until the Imax movie started so I decided to return later.

They offer two Imax movies but due to time limitations, I was only able to view one of them – Man on the Moon. Now, I've been to Imax movies before but had never experienced one in 3-D. It was magnificent. Really. It was almost worth the price of admission just to see this movie. Talk about in-your-face reality. It just can't be described. I wish I could have seen the other one about the building of the Space Station but it wasn't showing until later in the afternoon.

After watching Man on the Moon, I returned to the Shuttle Launch Experience. The brochure promised that I'd experience the same sensations and feelings that the astronauts do when they launch into outer space. Honestly, I wasn't disappointed at all. You may not feel exactly everything as they do, but you get the sensation of 3-Gs pushing you into your seat and you feel the shaking and bumping just as they would, only not quite as severe, obviously. And once you get “into space” you get that sensation of weightlessness too. This Experience, combined with the Imax movie, really is worth the price of admission!

But that wasn't all. They have guided bus tours to three areas of the Complex (an observation gantry, the Apollo/Saturn 5 Center, and the International Space Station Center). As you go from one area to the next, they show short videos and the bus driver keeps up a rolling commentary about what you are seeing. Once you get to the area they show an 8-10 minute movie and there are displays to see. (And at each stop there is a refreshment center and souvenir shop that they encourage you to visit.) Again, due to time contraints (I had to be at Anastasia State Park before sunset and it was a hundred miles away), I cut my tour short and missed out on the International Space Station Center portion.

I highly recommend a visit to the Kennedy Space Center. However, there is no way you can see and do everything in just one day. If you are going to go I suggest making it into a two day visit, if possible. Your ticket allows for one return visit within seven days of purchase, which is nice (it has to be validated before you leave the first day though). Wish I had known that in advance, I would have gone there the afternoon that I got to Titusville instead of waiting until the next morning. Also, if you get there at opening time, go to the Shuttle Launch Experience first; it starts operating when the Center opens.

Astronaut Snoopy greets you at the entrance to the outdoor display area. Another one of those gray, gloomy days. It was actually a nice day though a little on the chilly side. The sky cleared a bit later in the day, but the clouds never went away.

The videos play as the driver takes you to another stop on the tour.

The business end of the Saturn V rocket.

The Space Capsule sitting atop the Saturn V rocket. You just can't appreciate the size of that assembly until you walk beneath it. It's huge!

As an extra bonus, which was (we were assured by the bus driver) a rare site for the average visitor, as we were heading back from the second stop, we saw them preparing to move the Space Shuttle to the launching pad for its next mission in early February.

Such a Sad Sight

Mother Nature dumped about four inches of snow overnight in Northern Indiana. The wind has done more damage to the daffodils than the snow though. They had just started to bloom yesterday. They'll survive, just a little worse for the wear… and maybe not quite as pretty as they would have been.

Phend-Fisher Family Reunion Ledger (1931)

[page 1]
Aug 30 - 1931

The 22 second anual Reunion of The Phend - Fisher familys was held at Elkhart Ind at McNaughton Park Aug 30 - 1931

The meeting was called to order by Pres. Henry A Phend with an opening Prayer by John Ernest after which several talks were given.

The buisness of the day was then taken up with election of officers as follows.
Mr. Claude Pool President
Mr. Ruben Pletcher Vict Pres.
Cecil Phend Sec & Treas.

- - Entertainment Committe - -
Fred Ernest Chairman
Mr. Cecil Phend
Mrs. Cecil Phend
Mr. Russel Phend
Mr. Barton Thornton

It was then voted to have next Reunion at John Ernest Home close to Sugar Grove Church for next meeting Place. to be held Last Sunday in Aug

It was the moved & Seconded that Mrs Barton Thornton

[page 2]
should act as Birth & Death reporter again.

The minuits of the 1930 Reunion were read and approved correct by acting secretary Ruben Pletcher.

The financial report was as follows
Cash $4.05
Payed out 2.42
Balance $1.63
Collection 2.72
Turned over to Secrt Treas. $4.35

Deaths & Births as Reported by Mrs. Barton Thornton

To Mr & Mrs Lee & Bernice Phend Holderman a daughter Barbara Holderman
To Mr & Mrs Russell Phend a daughter Nancy Ann Phend
To Mr & Mrs Ruben & Surelda Phend Pletcher, a son Harrol Delbert Pletcher

[page 3]
Deaths as reported by Mrs Barton Thornton - Reporter

In family of Mr & Mrs Harry Shaw. Their Daughter Miss Shirley Darline Shaw died Nov 3. 1930 age [34 years crossed out] infant.

In Family of Mr & Mrs Henry A Phend. Their daughter Mrs Gladyce Irene Phend Pressler united in marriage to Mr Ralph Pressler died July 4 - 1931 - age 34 years. No children were born to this marriage

In family of Mr & Mrs Painter daughter Miss Maud Painter Married to Charley McGown
[Their daughter crossed out] Mrs Maude McGown died Aug 1931 age 48 leaveing two children. Donabelle & Dorris

Cecil S Phend Sec & Treas



= = = = = = Notes = = = = = =

Gladys Irene Phend was born August 8, 1896 in Nappanee, Indiana and was the daughter of Henry and Susie Yarian Phend. Gladys was married to Ralph Bryan Pressler on September 1, 1922 in Whitley County, Indiana. She died on July 4, 1931 of complications following surgery for appendicitis. Gladys was a sister of Cecil Phend (the secretary-treasurer for 1931).

Maud Painter was the daughter of William and Amelia (Herrold) Painter. She was born May 28, 1883 and died August 16, 1931 at her home in Niles, Michigan. Her marriage to Charles Thomas McGowan took place on July 1, 1905 in Elkhart County, Indiana. Maud and Charles had three daughters, Laura (Mrs. James Huff), Doris (Mrs. Arthur Dickey), and Donnabelle McGowan (still living at home in 1931).

The Phend-Fisher families gathered for a reunion in northern Indiana almost annually from 1909 until 1943. The events of the day were recorded in an old ledger book. Spelling has been retained as it was in the original though some punctuation and paragraph breaks have been added. The Phend Family Reunions were resumed in 1952 and have been held annualy since then. To view all articles in this series click on the "Phend-Fisher Reunion Ledger" label at the bottom of this post.

In Appreciation of John Forester

Browsing theDFW Point to Point blog the other day, I learned about the recent release of the 7th edition of John Forester's Effective Cycling - that classic tome espousing the vehicular cycling philosophy. Thinking about this book, I feel great affection toward my own tattered blue copy.



When it comes to bicycle infrastructure, Metro Boston has changed considerably since I first began riding here. In Spring the majority of my routes involved traveling along streets with no infrastructure what so ever. When I discovered Vehicular Cycling, I thus interpreted it not as something that was a matter of agreeing or disagreeing with, but as a necessary tool for the realities of my environment. John Forester believes that bicyclists should behave like vehicles, sharing roads with motorised traffic. Effective Cycling gives precise and detailed instructions on how to do that.



As an absolute beginner, I purchased an older edition of the book and found it immensely helpful. It educated me about traffic maneuvers from the bottom up: Starting with very basic concepts that I was able to implement right away, then getting into more nuanced ideas that became useful once I gained a bit of experience and courage. And just as importantly, Effective Cycling got me into an "I can do this. I have a right to do this." frame of mind. It seems almost hard to believe now, but at the time I was often the only bicyclist out on the roads and there were no social or infrastructural cues to indicate that it was okay to ride a bike on the street. No sharrows, no "share the road" signs, no other people on bikes. Drivers would routinely shout "You're not supposed to be here!" at me, incredulous at my very presence. Effective Cycling gave me the confidence and the skills to operate in that kind of environment, and to do it safely.



Today there are bike lanes, sharrows and signage along most of my routes through the city. There are also many other cyclists out on the roads. The combined effect of this has been an increased awareness and acceptance of bicycling. The infrastructure here is far from perfect. The drivers are still far from nice. But nonetheless things are much better than they were three years ago. There is less hostility, less stress. It no longer seems abnormal to ride in the city, and cycling feels more accessible to beginners.



Extreme proponents of the Vehicular Cycling philosophy are against bicycling infrastructure of any kind, believing that separated paths and bike lanes are not in the best interest of cyclists. Often they will actively fight against infrastructure, making it a point to attend town meetings and speak out against it. Conversely, those who favour infrastructure tend to position themselves against Vehicular Cycling, viewing it is a discredited philosophy and a lost cause. But from where I stand, this battle manufactures an unnecessary and ultimately damaging dichotomy.



While I have experienced the benefits of cycling infrastructure firsthand, I nonetheless find the principles of Vehicular Cycling indispensable in environments where said infrastructure is unavailable or imperfect - or when I choose to operate a bicycle on the open road for other reasons. I do not agree with John Forester on every point, but I value much of his advice on riding in traffic. I would encourage cyclists of all persuasions to keep an open mind and give Effective Cycling a read.

Moonlight Sentinel

Last Friday night my friend Roger and I went out in search of the northern lights. The space weather forecast looked promising for a good showing of the Aurora, however nature had other plans. We watched and waited until almost 3:00 AM but never saw any lights. We did, however, experience some incredible moonlight. Almost the entire night there were these low-altitude, fast-moving clouds drifting by overhead. When we came upon this pine tree with the moon directly behind it, we knew we had to photograph the scene. This photo was made at 1:25 AM and was a 30 second exposure taken with a Canon EF 17-40mm lens.

Horseshoe Bend

A mile or so south of Page, Arizona the Colorado River navigates around a horseshoe bend. There is a 3/4 mile trek through the sand, up and down a hill, to get to the overlook, but it is well worth the effort. I went there twice.

The first visit was late in the evening before the sun set. The overlook faces west so the sun was directly behind the bend.

The river and the rocks, highlighted by the lowering sun.

The early morning light gives it a completely different look.

As the kayaks and canoes were preparing to leave a beach on the bend a big motorboat passed by.

These photos were taken on June 3rd and June 4th. I left Page on the morning of the 4th for Southern California to visit my cousin and to attend the Genealogy Jamboree. After Jamboree I spent two days on the coast near Point Mugu and Ventura (no photos, gloomy, foggy, but still nice) then ventured into the central part of the state...

iPad Envy

Thursday evening, footnoteMaven was flaunting her tech toys: Droid phone, iPod video camera, and her iPad – I want one of those! I really, really want one!

Steve has one too. So does Dick. I want one... (photo courtesy of Cheryl Palmer)

I spent half an hour writing a query for Dick's GenQueries project in the hopes that I might win the iPad he was giving away. But alas, that didn't happen. Looks like I'll have to go out and buy one.

Fall Turns

There's been some great skiing on the Muir Snowfield this fall so far. Between storms, and those 'tweens have been small, there have been some good snow conditions for skiing. I last went up to Camp Muir on Friday November 2nd. All those gargantuan suncups have been filled in. Ski penetration has been pretty nice at less than 5 cm in most places so skinning up was fast.









I've taken the webcam down for the season. Although we did get it working again, it's just too much to maintain in the winter, so we'll save it for next season.




Public shelter is open, but it may be snowed in when you get there. Expect to shovel out the entrance. Could take a long time and you may be exposed to the wind while you're digging (and tired and cold)...




A toilet is open near the public shellter, which may need to be dug out, too.




Remember a few things this winter:

 -Get a forcast from the NWAC before you go.

-If overnighting, remember a permit, a pass and to park in the overnight area at Paradise.

-Pack for contingencies, such as getting stuck out for an unplanned overnight.

Bird Baths

I decided to get really fancy to water the local birds. I gathered up some old hupcaps, put some directly on the ground and one on the cast iron legs to an old wood stove, and some on broken pots turned upside down. The birds don't care what it looks like. They seem to prefer the low to the ground. The quail really like them low and it took them a long time to get up on the ones on the broken pots. I don't want them any deeper than these hubcaps as then the baby quail drown when they go to drink. It was a sad lesson a long time ago that I don't want to repeat. Because they are so shallow I have to fill them everyday especially in the summer when the heat sucks them dry quickly. And of course in summer the dirty birds have to take more baths and splash out the water.

Great Blue Heron Rookery

This week we went to visit a Great Blue Heron rookery with 17 active nests. This was my first time seeing a heron rookery and I was fascinated by it. The birds were pretty active, with the adults changing places on the nests quite frequently. It wasn't until late in the evening when we finally noticed some babies in one of the nests. At one time we could see three individual baby heads sticking up out of this nest. It sure was a fun day watching these birds and I can't wait to hopefully go back in a couple of weeks and see the babies when they are bigger!

































































































































Above is a photo that shows almost the entire rookery which has 17
nests. If you look closely you can see several of the nests have herons
standing in them. This sure was a beautiful place to watch the sunset!

The Cliffs of Shore Acres

On this blustery winter's day with snow falling from the sky I find my thoughts wandering back to our mid-November trip to the Oregon coast and the beautiful weather that we encountered. Yes, it did rain as it so often does on the Oregon coast this time of year. But, we did also have some beautiful weather, as shown here at Shore Acres State Park near Coos Bay. Shore Acres is known for the massive ocean waves that frequently hammer the cliffs shown in this photo. On the day we visited, however, the ocean was about as calm as it gets. We would have loved to hang around into the evening to experience the amazing christmas light display that the park is also known for, but unfortunately we were a little too early in the season for that.

Leavenworth Fish Wall ..

I finally got the opportunity to go out for the first time since Mirabelle was born. There were multiple people coming, but in the end it was just Sabrina, Justin and myself.

On the way out we all decided on Fish Wall and the Duty Dome area as a place to be for the day. We were looking for moderate single pitch routes with the possibility of doing some multi pitch endeavours. When we arrived in the Icicle around 9am, we missed the pull out for Duty Dome and parked at Icicle Buttress and walked the short distance back down the road to the trail. It was still quite cold, although it was 50° out according to the car. In what seemed like no time, we were already at Fish Wall and figuring out what to climb.

We set our gear down by the far left route and looked around. I peeked at the book and announced that I would lead the far left route. (Sardine Routine) Justin and Sabrina poked around a bit and eventually Sabrina started belaying Justin up a bolted route, Crab Cakes 5.8+. The sun had not yet crept around the crag, and we were all quite chilly. Especially Justin who had to hold the cold rock while on lead. After his lead, Sabrina and I followed. I found the route to awkward, but I am not sure if that was the cold temps or because I was on rock for the first time in six months. The sun did finally start making an appearance when I topped out, although the last few cracks on the pitch were quite cold.

Justin, two clips up on Crab Cakes

We left the anchor up, so we could top rope the next route over, Virgin Sturgeon 5.8+. This route has two stars, and Justin wanted to get a feel for it on top rope before tackling it on lead. He was the first up and had some minor difficulties near the crux when climbing it. Sabrina went next and took a more direct line at the crux which appeared easier. I followed and found the route much nicer and more enjoyable than the previous. It was a route worth doing again. I guess that is the difference between one and two star routes. Justin and Sabrina then both led the route before Sabrina pulled the anchor.

Justin leading Virgin Sturgeon

I then geared up to lead Sardine Routine. A shorter route than the previous two with a combination of bolts and gear protecting it. It was enjoyable and had thin moves on the steepest section for the crux. Justin followed and Sabrina cleaned the anchor after her climb. We then started scouting the book for our next objective.

Yours truly starting up Sardine Routine (photo by Sabrina)

We opted to head to the right side slabs of Duty Dome. Justin was interested in climbing Kitty Corner 5.9+. We hiked up a few minutes to get to the route where we encountered another party gearing up for Straight Street, a three star route next to Kitty Corner, at only two stars. Justin geared up and I belayed him for the route. He warned me when he left the ground that he may need to take on a piece. This happened two or three times on his way up. The last piece he took on and then started to climb above it. He was a bit above it when I saw his feet scrambling for traction. I prepared to catch his fall and he started falling, yelling it as he finally broke from the rock. In what seemed immediate, he was on his back on the rock, with his head pointing toward the bottom of the slab. We asked if he was OK, and responded affirmatively. He stood up and collected himself while hanging for a bit.

Justin nearing his high point of Kitty Corner (photo by Sabrina)

He started to climb again, but I promptly stopped him because I could not take the rope in. I told him I thought the rope was stuck, and sure enough it was. He opted to build and anchor and tie into it while Sabrina and I started a rescue. Once in his anchor, I took him off belay, and Sabrina tied the it off to a tree as an added precaution while I got ready to lead the adjacent route. Then Sabrina belayed me up Straight Street so that we could get Justin down. When I arrived at the height Justin was at we worked out a plan for me to continue to the top anchor on Kitty Corner and then have Sabrina follow me. Sabrina would clean Straight Street and then I would lower her to Justin so she could clean Kitty Corner. I continued to the top of Straight Street. Possibly due to the now lack of sun on the route and the heightened adrenaline, I did not find Straight Street too enjoyable. Also, I was expecting it to be more friction, but it was more of an edging on slabs route.

I got to the top and Sabrina followed. She stopped half way to deliver Justin his down jacket so he could stay warmer. Once at the top, I explained to her what we would do and I prepared to lower her. She cleaned the route and was soon on the ground. Justin pulled up the rope and tied into the end and then I prepared to lower him. Once he was on the ground, I set up a rappel and took out the remaining high cam that he fell on, and proceeded to extricate the rope. This took a few pulls outward and a couple of different stances. I was a bit nervous because I felt that when it popped from the crack that I would spiral out of control even though I had done a leg wrap and autoblock to backup my rappel. Once freed, I threw the rope down and continued to the ground where we all decided that we had had enough for the day.

I was really happy to be out, and I felt I climbed pretty well for my first time on real rock in months. Our mini rescue training was nice practice and it was fortunate that we had brought a second rope along. After dropping Justin off Sabrina and I discussed some other options that we did not pursue in the rescue. I told her since Justin was conscious and communicating, that I was going to do whatever made him feel most comfortable. And I think that worked out pretty well for all of us.

Fortress of Ice

This ice formation was photographed along the Grand Portage shoreline of Lake Superior a few days ago. It never ceases to amaze me the endless forms that ice can take along the shores of this great lake. This "fortress" of ice formed over the top of a large mound of rocks. As the rocks get pounded by the waves the water freezes and forms into ice. Every year the ice looks different, as it never freezes in the same exact shape. Often times even from one day to the next it will look different as new waves add new layers of ice, or warm days melt a layer of ice.

Woods and Water - Spring Hiking

Today some friends and I headed out into the woods and along the shore of Lake Superior to do some hiking, despite some rather wintery weather! As kind of a parody/tribute of a favorite Blues Brothers quote of mine, I put on my Facebook page: "Its May 16, gusty winds, 32 degrees, its snowing.... and we're going hiking. Hit it!"
The weather may have been less than desirable, but it was still a great day to be out in the woods. Our morning was peppered with snow showers, at times even while the sun was shining! The snowflakes falling in the sunlight looked like little jewels falling from the sky.

After our woods hike, the skies were clearing and it was starting to warm up a little, so we decided to tromp through the woods to a remote part of the Lake Superior shoreline. The hike through the woods to get to the shoreline was quite rough... more like a jungle than anything, and we had to climb over a LOT of downed trees, but once we got to the shoreline the struggle was worth it.

It's Not About the Weather

While we wait for Hurricane Sandy to arrive, I am still finding sand caked on my bike from an earlier rainy, muddy ride. It seems that every time I have ridden this bike so far, it has rained. Of course today, on my inaugural ride with fenders, it is sunny and dry. A friend consoles me by reminding me of the approaching hurricane. Surely I will have the opportunity to test the fenders then. I take the idea seriously and begin to mentally map out a route on some local trails, before realising how utterly insane that is. When the townsfolk are stocking up on canned goods and flashlight batteries, I should probably stay indoors.




With the season marching on toward starker days, I find myself thinking of weather.As cyclists we all tend to have an idea of the "perfect weather" for riding. For some it's the height of summer. For others it's that elusive "60 degrees and sunny, with a mild breeze." A few riders I know prefer cooler temperatures, and some even claim to enjoy rain. I think for me, the biggest revelation has been that, when push comes to shove, I can feel good in almost any weather.






After a recent post describing a rainy ride on dirt roads, a reader wrote:"It's in our nature to want to be comfortable and coddled, but you celebrate the joy of pushing yourself through rain and mud." I felt guilty reading this, because honestly I don't feel as if I am overcoming discomfort or pushing myself when I ride in those kinds of conditions. And I think that is the key to my being able to do it. The secret is to find a way of being comfortable, to just go with it and appreciate the situation for what it is, rather than spending energy on trying to overcome it. Maybe this is just a different way of looking at the same thing, but to me it makes a big difference. Rather than pushing through discomfort, I extract comfort.




Part of it is of course practical considerations. Figuring out how to dress, eat and drink in different conditions. Over the summer I stumbled upon some tricks that enabled me to ride in heat in humidity like I'd never managed to do before. And last winter, I discovered that riding in sub-20 degree temperatures was also very doable with the help of strategic layering. But equally important is the attitude. We have to be curious, interested. We have to want the experience.




What is my idea of perfect riding weather... Probably high 40s to low 50s, with heavily overcast skies. I feel most alive then; the raw energy in the air makes me want to ride faster, further. But in the end, it's not about the weather, but about finding comfort in whatever is thrown at me, about feeling coddled by the beauty of the surrounding landscape.

Angels Landing :: The Overture

Two miles after leaving the trailhead, way down in the valley, you arrive at Scout's Lookout. You've already climbed 1,060 feet, but you know that the “worst” is yet to come. Watching other hikers scale this first portion of the ascent to Angels Landing, you get this sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach.

You notice a few people sitting in front of that big rock. You approach them and ask the question “Did you do it?” No. They went a short ways up but turned back. The trail is too steep. It's scary. I sat there with them for a few minutes, then decided to go on. At the least, I had to try it. Lots of other people have done it. There are chains for safety. Yee gods, chains!

Yes, chains. Thank God! Just grab hold and pull yourself up, someone says. Yeah, right. But I do. And I did. You don't even notice how steep it is or how far down it would be if you slip and fall. Well, not much, anyway. You try not to think about it.

You concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other and holding on to that chain as if your life depends on it, because it does. But before you know it you've gotten over the first major obstacle.

Then you see this! And that sinking feeling comes back a hundred-fold. The trail goes up the edge, up the spine of that peak! Another 440 feet in height, in less than half a mile.

The beginning of the end. Doesn't look so bad, but it scared the begeebers out of me!

The view of Lower Zion Canyon is magnificent. I was told it was much nicer from atop Angels Landing though.

I talked to a few people as they came down from the top. “It's not so bad,” they said. “Just take it slow and easy and you'll be okay.” Another said “I'm 73 and I made it, so can you.” “You've already gotten over the worst part.”

But I wasn't so sure. The longer I stayed and looked at it the queasier I got. I wanted to do it, I really did. But doubts can be troubling.

To be continued... Angels Landing :: Interlude

Chinooks, aerial images, Brian Massey & Mizuki Takahashi

The U.S. Army has been spending time with the Mt. Rainier climbing rangers over the past few weeks. On May 22nd, we flew to the mountain and performed hoist and other training missions near Echo Rock, Camp Muir and Camp Schurman. While participating, I was able to shoot some aerial images of the climbing routes. Check out the updated route conditions for new information and photos. Chinook cockpit image taken by David Gottlieb.

The New York Times gave their opinion of Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary of the Interior, and they liked him! The budget outlook for the NPS also sounds good. Of course, time will tell, but it was refreshing to see some positive press.

On a very, very sad and all-too-familiar note, two friends of this blog died climbing on Mt. McKinley last week. Mizuki Takahashi and Brian Massey (both frequented Rainier) fell while traversing high on Denali near the Messner Couloir. The exact details of what caused the accident are unknown; what we do know is that both climbers were well loved in the Pacific Northwest. Mizuki had even contributed reports to our blog last year. I knew her through the solo climbing registration program. Mizuki loved to solo climb the mountain in the winter.

It's been a very rough six months for female alpinists from the Seattle area: Christine Boskoff (owner of Mountain Madness PI), Lara Kellogg (former climbing ranger), and now Mizuki. The loss of these three unique, independent, and amazing women is an emotional setback to many climbers in the region. Our thoughts are with their friends and family. Here is an image that Mizuki contributed to the blog last year.

Acadia :: Another visit to Schoodic Point

Monday, September 17th - - Today was moving day. We were traveling Down East out toward Cobscook Bay and Campobello Island. After a few stops in Ellsworth, and with plenty of time to spare, I decided to stop once again at Schoodic Point. I had checked the tide schedule at the campground and knew it would be high tide at Schoodic about the time I was passing by. Besides, it was yet another beautiful day!




























I had planned to stay for about 30 minutes but enjoyed the sunshine and waves for a full 90 minutes before moving on...