Shanin and Kelsey

Trail Time at Spray Park

Another great weekend out of town with Steven. He headed out towards Mt. Rainier to Spray park and had some wonderful views of the mountain and all of the wild flowers and waterfalls sprinkled among it. Although I think this little Snow White moment may have been the most memorable.

The Responsibility of Privilege

I met a man this Wednesday night at the homeless shelter. He was a rather large black man in his early thirties. He wasn't so much heavy as he was just large. Big and bulky. Probably stood about 6'3" and just thick as could be. We chatted for a while and quickly arrived to the "where you from" part of the conversation. I apologize for forgetting his name, something I have a terrible habit of doing, so I'll just refer to him as Frank.

Frank went on to tell me he had arrived in Seattle via Dallas. When I asked how he found himself in Dallas since he had no traceable accent that I could hear, he said he got a three-dollar ticket from someone in Minneapolis. "Minneapolis!" I said. "I'm from Minneapolis!" So he asked me a question I rarely get around here.

"What school did you go to?" Frank asked.

I was a little shy when I told him "Benilde-St. Margaret's" which is one of the private Catholic schools in Minneapolis and he gave me the kind of oh-of-course reaction I had debated avoiding. Frank had gone to one of the inner city schools of Minneapolis where over half of the student body qualifies for the free/discounted lunch program and although the dropout rate is only around 10%, it didn't take long for me to notice how privileged I had been based solely on what situation I was born into. Something I had no control over.

So there we were. Me and Frank. Frank and me. Across the counter from each other, roughly the same age, from very similar parts of the world—but I was serving him coffee at the homeless shelter instead of him serving me.

At a very young age I remember thinking about the how, of the millions of places I could've hatched into the world, that I somehow was chosen to pop out in the little town of Hamel, Minnesota. I always figured God chose to stick me there but I never knew how or why, but I likened it to a rolling of the dice. *Shake*Shake*Shake*Roll* OHP! There you are Tony. A 6 and a 3. That equals Hamel, Minnesota. But it could've been anywhere else: Birmingham, Alabama. São Paulo, Brazil. Khartoum, Sudan. It could've been anywhere.

I think it was Stan Lee, the writer of the Spider-Man story who said "With great power comes great responsibility." And so it is also that with great privilege also comes great responsibility. If social justice is evaluated by how the people with more power in a society treat those with lesser power than it means we have a responsibility to help those with less than us whether it's emotional, monetary, educational or human rights needs. And if we choose to do nothing we are misusing that which was given to us merely by chance; our privilege.

***It should be noted that as I write this I am sitting on my balcony overlooking a beautiful sunset across the magnificent Puget Sound bay of Seattle. A 6 and a 3. Yes, I definitely qualify as very very privileged.

The Long Way Down

Over 400 miles of scooter travels in three days. Quite the experience and definitely is inspiring me to get one of them fancy BMW all purpose motorcycles and just point it south. This first picture here is me in the garage getting ready to head out. I look a little frightened, don't I.

MT. RAINIER

MOSSYROCK DAM

ELBE, WA

PATRIOTIC BUILDING

7.5 HOUR ARRIVAL

BREADMAKIN' DAN

CHEERS

SPARKLER ART

THE LONG WAY BACK

PANNING FOR GOLD

LUNCH AND LIBERTY MINT

FILL 'ER UP

CASUALTIES

About 16 hours of driving total through some amazingly beautiful areas of the Northwest and some fairly ugly parts as well. I don't know if I'll do it again but it was quite the experience. I kind of felt like the Little Engine That Could trucking my way up and down the hills or when I accidentally found myself on the I-5 on ramp and quickly crossing 5 lanes of traffic to get back off. Let's just say people look at you a little differently when your traveling across the state on a scooter.

And as with any big project, when I thought about 200 miles I had to knock down it seemed pretty discouraging. But when I was able to take the time to just look at the mile or so of tarmac in front of me it was all seemed that much more digestible. Or as Pete Wanning calls it, chasing the yellow line.

My S.T.P.

Here in Seattle this is most commonly known as the Seattle To Portland (S.T.P.) bike ride that happens every year. Well for the 4th of July weekend of 2009 it stands for Scoot To Portland which is exactly what I plan to do. 180 miles of avoiding highways and potholes. Wish me safe travels, good navigational skills and a little bit of luck.

i will post part2 soon

but the last 36 hours of my life have been pretty sad. 17 people were let go at work today, one of my best friends is moving to chicago and a close personal relationship has changed directionwhich i'm pretty sad about. there's always a dance to play in the blog world of too much information or not enough information or only the good information (which can sometimes feel like we're living in Leave it to Beaver world). but the last few days have been pretty sad. i think i'm going to get out of town for the 4th of July. i'm not really feeling up to watching fireworks here in seattle. nope. i think it's time to bounce down to portland. it's too sad up in these parts right now.

so the rainier trip photos will come. just not up to posting it right now.

goodnight.

The Mt. Rainier rundown

It's taken me a while to get this up here, but here it is at last. A summary of the climb to the top of Mt. Rainier.

DAY 1 & 2

We arrived at Paradise Inn at the base of Mt. Raineir on Wednesday, June 10. Nine days before I turn 31. As we pulled in, first thing on the agenda was to rent all remaining gear which meant ice axes, crampons, mountaineering boots and a big down parka.

After we grabbed our gear, Andreas (our guide) walked us through what the next few days would be like and gave us an outline of the trip. We loaded up on food and settled into our quaint two bedroom hotel rooms at Paradise Inn which sits at about 5500'. The rooms were small but cozy.

We woke up around 7am and strapped on all our gear for the first day of training. Our guides Andreas and Carrie took us through the basics of mountianeering which included learning how to walk on a rope team, self arrest techniques and how to hold the ice axe—they also taught us how to pressure breathe (a technique that helps offset the effects of altitude sickness) and the rest step. The rest step was my favorite and saved my ass on the climb. It allows you to rest the majority of your weight on the skeletal structure of your body instead of your muscles and it conserves a ton of energy.

With a quick two days of training under our belt, it was time to get some rest and prepare for the big climb up to base camp at 10,000'. I took down a couple of Tylenol PMs to help me sleep and Luke and I knocked chased it all with a glass of scotch. The older fellas told us that drinking wasn't a good idea with the altitude. We told them we needed all the fuel we could get. We'd soon find out who was right.

Miller is leaving Seattle

He's been a wonderful friend to me here in Seattle and I'm going to miss you a lot, Miller. Here's my gift to you. It's the least I could do.

Mt. Rainier Summit Climb Itenerary

Day 1: Pre-Trip Orientation

3:00 - 6:00 p.m.: Meet at Rainier BaseCamp.

We will meet at 3:00 p.m. at our Rainier BaseCamp facilities in Ashford, WA. Please dress casually and bring your climbing equipment and clothing. We begin our Pre-Trip Preparation and Training with a welcome and introduction of team members and guides. Throughout the afternoon your guides will provide a focused introduction to a variety of topics. This includes a detailed personal equipment discussion and gear check, an introduction to safety practices including use of helmets, harnesses, and avalanche transceivers, and instruction regarding Leave No Trace practices and environmental considerations.

Please make your own arrangements to stay in the Ashford area this evening.

Day 2: The Mountaineering Day School

8:15 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.: Meet at Rainier BaseCamp.

Arrive at Rainier BaseCamp dressed for hiking, packed with your Mountaineering Day School gear, and ready to go at 8:15 a.m. Guides will offer final packing and clothing suggestions. We depart BaseCamp immediately following our initial morning preparation. Transportation is provided between BaseCamp and Paradise in a private shuttle. The entire day is spent training on the lower snow slopes of Mt. Rainier, just above Paradise between 6,000 and 6,600 feet.

Our Mountaineering Day School offers participants an overview of various techniques which help meet the challenges set forth by this magnificent mountain. It serves as a great introduction or as a refresher if you haven't been in the hills for a while. Our guides are excellent teachers relaying this information to you in an easy to understand manner. On this day you will be introduced to a number of skills, from the basic techniques of efficient mountain travel (rest-stepping and pressure breathing) through cramponing, roped travel, and ice axe arrest practices.

Our first priority is the safety of all team members. During the School you will be asked to demonstrate that your fitness will allow you to climb safely, and that you are able to perform the new climbing skills proficiently. We will continue to assess each team member throughout the course of the training and the climb.

Following the day of training, the shuttle takes our group back to Rainier BaseCamp.

Please make your own arrangements to stay in the Ashford area this evening.

Days 3 & 4: The Summit Climb

8:15 a.m.: Meet at Rainier BaseCamp.

Day 3: Check-in at Rainier BaseCamp. Team assembles in preparation for the trip to Camp Muir. After a short team meeting, the shuttle departs for Paradise, and our Summit Climb begins.

The Summit Climb takes place over the course of two days. On the first day we hike to Camp Muir, and on the second day we make the attempt on Mt. Rainier and return to Rainier BaseCamp.

The hike from Paradise (5,400') to Camp Muir (10,060') is nearly 4.5 miles, and will take us most of the day. The hike travels through the spectacular alpine zone and onto the Muir Snowfield, named after John Muir who climbed the peak in 1888. The Snowfield is climbed for some 3,000 vertical feet, opening up grand vistas of the wooded lowlands and flanking glaciers. Groups typically climb for about an hour or so and then break for 10 to 15 minutes.

Once at Camp Muir, the climb leader will address the specifics regarding the rest of the climb, including route conditions, food, equipment, clothing recommendations, and any further questions you might have. Accommodations at Muir consist of a small mountain hut with bunks and sleeping pads. After dinner we will retire to our sleeping bags to rest for the upcoming summit attempt.

Day 4: Early in the morning we don ropes, crampons, helmets, and grab our ice axes. The Muir hut is locked during the climb, so items not needed for the summit bid may be left behind. The route on the upper mountain changes continually but typically begins with a rising traverse across the Cowlitz Glacier and then ascends the pumiced switchbacks of Cathedral Gap. This allows us to gain the mighty Ingraham Glacier, from which we will then access either the Ingraham Glacier or Disappointment Cleaver routes; the actual route choice will be determined by many factors and will be left to the professional discretion of your guides. The steeper Ingraham Headwall or Disappointment Cleaver will be the physical crux of the route. The remaining slopes and hours are whittled away as we zig and zag through the crevasses of the upper mountain. It is truly a spectacular climb, and one that you will remember for a long while to come. As we make our ascent, we climb steadily for one to two hours at a stretch, and then break for 10 to 15 minutes.

The summit of Mt. Rainier is spectacular. A large crater dominates the summit, with steam rising out of the cavernous summit vents. The bare ground near the summit can be warm to the touch. At 14,410 feet, Mt. Rainier is the highest point in Washington. After spending some time on top (depending on the weather), we begin the descent to Camp Muir. This takes about half the time of the ascent, and also requires significant effort. (Be sure that your training specifically includes preparations for descending. This will help ensure that your ability to safely descend is not compromised.) Once back at Camp Muir, the group will take a break and pack for the final hike down to Paradise. Our shuttle then takes the team down to Rainier BaseCamp. Plan on arriving back in Ashford in the late afternoon or early evening. We celebrate our adventure with a presentation of certificates.

The duration of the climb depends on many variables including snow conditions, the time of year, the route conditions, the weather during our climb, the temperature, etc. Those variables often affect our arrival time to Ashford, which might vary dramatically from climb to climb. For this reason we do not recommend scheduling an airline flight before midnight on the last day of your program.

Me + Kiro

I was out getting some gas on Saturday about a half mile from my apartment when I noticed a man with a big honkin' video camera running around in their parking lot. He came over and said he was shooting some footage for a story on gas prices and asked if I minded if he shot some video of me. I told him of course and then we chatted about the advertising budgets at KIRO and how they'd let some staff go and yadda yadda. I think I won him over a bit because a friend sent me this photo from their DVR last night.