Lost lake

Shall remain lost.

After stopping at REI, where Mark and I got fancy new boots, Mark, Eric and I set out to do the Lost lake trail.

Theoretically, it is the Fragrance lake trail to start off and then some more.

But that was not the case.

We did the Fragrance lake portion then continued on a trail that eventually lead to a disappointing access road.

We sat at the lake for a bit and then, defeated, began our descent down to the car.

On a positive note, the Salmon berries are here!

Excelsior Mountain Hike

Though were down a man, Thursday adventure day continues.

Mark and I set out towards Mt. Baker at about noon.

After driving for about an hour, and being about half an our more away from our destination, we happened upon a trailhead just of the road and decided to peruse.

2500 ft elevation gain over 4.5 miles.

After carefully examining the poster differentiating black bears paws from Grizzly bears we set off.

It was a pretty gradual climb with a lot of switchbacks.

About 15 minutes we encountered "the hole" on the side of the trail.

*Alice in Wonderland time!!!*

Because we couldn't see the bottom, we threw some rocks down.

We could hear them bouncing down and down and down and when we stopped haring it we weren't sure if it was because it had reached the bottom or it was just out of earshot.

We continued on and encountered an awesome creek, yellow fungi that looked like gumdrops,tons of other fungi and then, after about an hour and a half on assent, snow.

Just patches here and there at first but then patches here and there over the trail.

Pretty soon it was patches of trail here and there in the snow.

We trekked on through the snow that was pretty hard due to the too-warm-for-snow weather we have been having.

About one in every twenty steps we would loose a foot through the snow.

At first in to the ankle, then later to the knee, then thigh, then hip.

One PB&J sandwich, half a loaf of banana bread, four scraped ankles, ten five gallon buckets and one and a half hours later, we decided to give up on our dreams of making the summit and turned back down the mountain.

*A good part of the trail was just creek*

After an hour of following our tracks through the snow and knee jerking down hill, we stopped at the hole one more time and with soaking wet feet, we made it back to the car very ready for the relaxing hour ride back into Bellingham.

We got home at about 6:30 and then both head to the pool for swim practice where we both focused on pull a good bit more than kick.

And I slept very well Thursday night.

I went to Georgia

For the Masters Nationals swim meet.

It was at Georgia Tech University.

There were 11 of us form the Western swim team.

And Brian came down from Virginia to swim.

He stayed with us at a place that really must have been in the top 9 seediest motels in Atlanta.

Tiny, dingy beds; smelled of mold and cigarettes; light shining out of the bathtub drain.

But we are better people for it.

*Andrew, Ben, Eric, Mark and Brian after the 100 free*

The swim meet was fun.

I met a few good people.

Exchanged a few words with Cullen Jones.

Got to swim in the 1996 Olympic pool.

We enjoyed Atlanta out side of the pool thought as well.

It was pretty hot an muggy the whole time we were there, but it was nice to be in the warm weather.

Mostly we just ate at a bunch of different places.

We tried to avoid any place that we could find in Washington

On Monday, before our plane left, we went to the Atlanta Aquarium.

It is said to be the worlds largest aquarium.

While it was a little disappointing for its title, it was still a very nice aquarium.

I saw fish.

The tip was a success.

We were all happy to be back in Seattle, though, breathing cool, non-liquid air.