Reading Rhubarb

Day 345: Between weather and schedule, it's been hard for me to round up "blog shots" for the last several days, so today I went out for a walk at Park Headquarters and came home with absolutely nothing to show for my time and effort. Frustrated, I turned to the yard and discovered that one enormous rhubarb leaf had changed colour when none of the rest had. I captured a close-up, not intending it for a post, but then I recalled that years ago, a friend had pasted a city street map over one of my photos of a catalpa leaf, a trick which I'd found quite amusing. I wondered if I could find an appropriate map for the rhubarb, and while browsing topos for Eatonville and east to the Mountain, I was struck by the similarity in topography between the rhubarb and Lynch Creek. It took a while to figure out how to merge the two to best effect.

It's An Opisometer

Day 30: People will think you're being vulgar if you call this device by its proper name. Yep, it's an "uh-PIS-uh-meet-er." I call it my "map-walker," a term which may raise questions but not necessarily eyebrows. By rolling it along a trail on a topographic map and using different conversions depending on the map's scale, it's actually fairly accurate for measuring distance. I've compared it against actual mileages on a 7.5' map often enough to trust it to give me an error factor of no more than a tenth of a mile over a five-mile run. Of course a lot depends on how many switchback corners there are and how carefully the operator can trace them, but it's a good sight better than "as the crow flies," a functional tool for telling this Crow how far she'll have to leg it.

Wind Complications

Day 320: The high winds the firefighters were hoping to avoid have arrived. I drove through flying leaves and down roads littered with fallen branches this morning en route to Reliance, there to find the smoke from all but the most active areas blown away. While it makes for a clearer photo, this is not good news. Our little piddle of overnight rain wouldn't sustain a Chihuahua more than 24 hours, and ground fuels are tinder-dry, ready to ignite at the touch of a wind-blown spark.

The Alder Lake Fire now stands at 275 acres. The USFS and DNR have a total of 157 personnel on the incident, and their objective is to hold the progression of the fire on the 79 Road. Quoting from the latest bulletin, the "primary objective is to stop and hold eastward spread of the fire. The fire has been steadily growing to the east, west, and north." Another section of the bulletin states, "Growth continued on west and south sides of the fire." That pretty much covers all the cardinal points of the compass, no? From my observation, growth to the north is minimal, so maybe Wrongside Up Larry was reading the map for one of these reports. In any event, projected activity predicts, "Moderate fire behavior with +20 acres growth." On the map, note the new hot spot east of the main fire (closer to Pleasant Valley)...and that's if the winds die down.

Strategizing September Morn

Day 335: Tomorrow is the second biggest holiday of my personal calendar. No, I'm not referring to Labor Day, although this year, it coincidentally falls on the same date. I am talking about September Morn. For me, the first of September marks the beginning of the Earth's in-gathering, a time when she pulls her energies together to prepare for the long winter ahead, a time when she guards her children most carefully and tenderly that they might survive.

Those who know me well know that on September Morn (or thereabouts), it is my custom to plunge myself in a cold mountain tarn in a ritual of spiritual renewal, my "annual bath," as it were. It is also an occasion when I like to do something special like go on an adventure or buy myself a present. Often, the day is spent hiking (preferably in solitude). This year, I've already had my bath...two of them, as a matter of fact...and with a busy September schedule staring me in the face, I'm going to have to grab my moment when I can.

Labor Day or not, I have a hike planned for tomorrow. It's a geology project of sorts, tracking down a particular rock formation to examine the amygdules it bears. It's some distance to drive to the trailhead, so I'll be leaving well before the sun starts to cast its blush in the eastern sky. Hopefully, by arriving before sane folk are out of bed, I'll be assured of a parking space. It's tough when September Morn shares the calendar with Labor Day!

Easily Amused

Day 157: I'm easy to amuse. Just give me a map and compass and turn me loose! Although nowadays, I do a lot of plotting beforehand using the computer, and in the field, I'm likely to be navigating by GPS, I always carry map and compass for backup. You don't want to find yourself with dead batteries five miles off trail.