Wednesday, January 30, 2013

POST 1051; JANUARY 30, 2013; BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON


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Set out yesterday - Tuesday, January 29, 2013 - to get in a long 18-mile walk out to the Y Road and back.  Rained the entire 4 hours 35 minutes to make it back to my apartment.

This route essentially circumnavigates the small hill - looking to the South East - in the following image.



Thankfully, Mt. Baker Highway - the first 6 miles - was only moderately heavy with traffic...last time out here, got soaked to the skin from passing 18-wheelers throwing waves of water over me.



Please say Hello to MEGAN.  Megan also walked the Mt. Baker Highway...on her way to get in some snowboarding.  Now, It was nice having someone to walk with for three miles or so...then, her "ride" came by, whisking her away.  Megan, from Seattle, had just this morning landed in Bellingham after her flight from Hawaii, where she was doing the surfboarding thing.

Pleased to meet up with young folks out enjoying the world.



Gentleman's Farm House on Mt. Baker Highway...looking North at the Mountains just across the border into Canada.



The Y Road...connecting 6 miles out from I-5 on Mt. Baker Highway.  The Y Road turns 90 degree to the right about 1/2 mile further on...continuing on to intersect with North Shore Road paralleling Whatcom Lake.



View of our "Hill" being circumnavigated...looking this time to the West.

Each time I walk this route, stop and chat to these horses.  There are three more blanketed horses corralled with them.

The distant hill is not our circumnavigated hill.  The above hill is the next hill in line to the East, approaching Mt. Baker (our volcano) .



100 years ago, clear cutting timber such as the tiny plot above, was commonplace in and around Bellingham.



Moss-covered tree
Most mountainous timberland in the Northwest is situated in the expansive Rain Forest bordering the Pacific Ocean...which lies about 100 miles to the West...and runs all the way south to near San Francisco, 800 miles away.







Whatcom Lake - Bellingham's source of fresh water -

My previous abode - for the last 12 years - lies 100 yards behind my camera.

For whatever reason, this 4.5 hour walk in the pouring rain has been quite difficult...i.e., my legs ended up like jello...I was thoroughly chilled...the last hour I turned off the pain and strain, letting my subconscious drag my body home.  Arriving home, I was overcome by nausea, removed my shoes, and collapsed into my recliner for 1/2 hour.  Then ran a tub of HOT water...soaked for over one hour...downed an asperin...then climbed into bed, where I remained until 5 am this morning.  Upon rising, had symptoms of stomach flu, chills, and painfully sore to even walk across the room.

Ate one pancake, a cup of tea, and back to bed until 10am.

Rolling of bed at 10am, was FULLY RECOVERED.  Ate two more Saddle Blankets (as Cri called hotcakes), together with 6 slices of bacon and two steamed / fried eggs with more tea.  Then went walking for an hour before heading to the barber shop and some food shopping.

Have felt great ...do not know what happened yesterday, but it was severe, debilitating, and short lived.

I have NEVER been so wiped out after only 18 miles. 












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