Trail 101 Recap and Trail Bustin

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Bellingham, WA



Bellingham, WA




Sedona, AZ

 




Kingman, AZ

   I did a two-fer this weeksend for exploring.   Mostly because the sun was actually out!   I do not have pictures of this amazing sight.  Partly because I am a slacker, and partly because it took me twelve hours to decide for sure what that bright light in the sky was.   Saturday was exploring around Western University, which I posted about earlier.  Sunday was a brief wandering around the many trails in Chuckanuts.   *Below.   First I republished my own hike ranking system.  I hope to use this on future hike blogs and my new blog about Whatcom if I ever get it going.   Enjoy.  First some random rambling. 
    Those of you readers that do not travel all the time, may not notice this.  I travel and or move a lot.   And have always thought that many types of people exists where ever you live or work.  They just show up differently.   As in the leader, hippie, perv, etc.   I have noticed lately that I think I recognize someone, and than realize they might look very similar --but are in the wrong state.  Like I would be roaming around downtown, Bellingham and out of the corner of my eye, think I recognise my mother.   Sometime before I run across traffic to greet her, I realize that she lives states away in Wyoming.  Maybe I am the only person this happens too. 


  I have been on many a great hike.  And trails seem to become boring very soon after finding one.  Mostly because following a trail usually means some one else has been were the trail leads.  Because of this I have been on some crazy cross country hikes, that usually result in being lost for hours and seem to be mostly up hill.   If any of these hikes had been filmed-I probably would be very rich right now.  And 9 times out of 8, I manage to accomplish the entire trail with near perfect balance, until in the parking lot were the vehicle is parked.  That could be anything from a pickup to an ambulance.  Falling down in a flat parking lot is amusing but brings us to another topic all together.....    Unfortunately for many city dwellers the entire planet is not yet paved for your walking enjoyment.   This thought wave started years ago, in the outside plant area of an Oregon Wall-Mart.   Were thinking is optional for customers and workers alike ~Always!   A lady was looking at the trees for sale, and apparently fell down on a loose decorative pebble that strayed into the parking lot.  No one  saw the accident, but she wanted to seem very hurt because Wall Mart's pockets are thick.   She limped inside with our manager, to fill out paperwork.   And we, as bored workers, paid by the hour went to examine the accident area.   One of my co -workers tried to re-in act and overact the scene.  Resulting in him flopping around on the ground, holding his leg while I started to outline his twitching body in a chalk outline on the ground.  We looked up to see the manager with the downed shopper, coming our way to take the rock in as evidence and jumped off the ground. 



Sneaker waves are bad!



Bellingham, WA

                                                             

    I have not been on any worthy hikes lately, but hope to have many good to great ones again soon.  I also hope to open another blog sight soonish.   Much of it will be about the great outdoors and awesome hikes.   Following is my ranking scale for how difficult a hike is.
   I can not draw anything, even my cows are stick figures.   So the badge or picture for each you will have to imagine from my descriptions below.  

 Rank 1-4  = Extra Easy             Fresco Kid would rank it two thumbs down.    He will be forever known as a friend that hated anything close to a hike.  And is quoted as saying-- "Why go way up their, it will look the same as down here, just with being able to see the tops of trees!"      
Picture---  A large Sprawl Mart parking lot

   Rank 5-8 = Easy       Porkchop Approved! *Largish friend of ours that went on a lot of hikes, but was known to disappear, and than be found on the trail rolled up in the fetal position*    One thumb down    
 Picture--- Large fat man holding a hoagie, licking lips, twinkle in his eyes.

   Rank 9-12  = No Bigguns!!      Picture--- Bigger dude looking up the trail.  Wiping forehead just from thinking about the hike.

   Rank 13-15.5 =  4 X4 Zone     Mostly off trail and uphill    Picture--  Trail straight up with a huge X through it.

   Extra supplies needed.     Long trail    easy to get lost area            Picture---  Hungry Man box

   Rank 16-19 = Y?      Lost trail for hours   found again  than realizes been following a deer trail all day
  Picture---   ???

  Rank 20-22 = Like Wow      Billy Goat Gump approved.  This boy can run up a trail backwards while you are panting.      Picture--- A billy goat placing flag at top of a mountain.  On back legs, shinning gold teeth showing.

  Rank 23-25 = Xtra Crazy    Mark and I approved       Picture--- Stick figure falling off a major cliff--spread eagle.   A falling pack and gear falling just behind the hiker.

   Rank 26-27 = Wha!?    Special Warnings    Not approved by or for anyone

   Rank 28-30 = Forget it!  Should give up before you try.     Picture---Two hikers standing before a trail that goes straight up.

   Rank 31-33 = F  It!                No Comment    Picture--- Person in hospital bed-leg and arm in cast with only middle finger showing.  Bandaged head.

   Watch Feet----   Snakes/slugs/poo and or other obstacles on the trail.      Picture---A large boot print in the dirt  huge squisehed Bannana Slug in the middle.



Our truck is 80 miles that way, yo!

    My main problem with the trail systems all through town--is how easy it is to get lost, due to interesting signage.   Trails branch out, and it's not always easy to tell which way you should be going.  My problem with Sundays hike, was that I do not have a vehicle and by the time I walked almost two miles to the trail head, I wasn't to eager to go a long distance more.  Next time I will catch a ride, or bike to the trail heads.  I left my house near 16th street in Fairhaven and followed the trail up that than banks along 24th street.   From 16th,behind Fairhaven park you can easily head into the park.  Turn right along Padden Creek and eventually downtown Fairhaven, the bay and beyond.  Read and see about this in my Welcome to Fairhaven blog.  
   I went to the Left to the trail heads and kept left.  Going instantly uphill.  It is not real steep, but I am still getting out of the couch potato mode and soft.  *Way out of shape.   Continually following the Interurban Trail.   To the right you soon hit some great views over the bay.  And could continue on to Lerebee Park.  It is another 4 miles one way to that point, so out of my hikes at the moment.  You can also drop down into Teddy Bear Cove.  Great along the bay walk and time to visit tide pools during low tide.  From their you can easily double back to the bay parks without leaving the water.   **Warning**  I have mentioned this before, but fail to see it in any travel/hike guide for the area.  Teddy Bear Cove is a very popular nudist sight for males in the summer time.   I am not sure why, not sure I want to know why.  Just fair warning!  

     You wander through the woods and water.  Soon after this mini waterfall you hit a split in the trail.                         



From above the bat Caves

 Going up you are about 4 miles from Lost Lake.   And about 3 miles the bat caves.   Mostly uphill, so the trip back is easy.  But worth the views plus you can do some beginner spelunking while you are at it. 


Resting point near the top

    This trip I continued on the easy trail to the left.  About 1.7 miles back to Fairhaven Park.  I would rank this actual trail a 3.5 on my scale.   Mainly because it starts out uphill.   The sights get boring fast.  Although the meandering creek adds to the beauty.  As any trail it helps to go on a weekday, to avoid the main traffic on the trails.  Each parking lot was full on this Sunday. 
    In parting beyond the mid day great views, you can see some amazing sunsets also.  With little to upstract your views.   I will soon post some of my favorites from bay side.