Goat Flats / Tin Pan Gap / Three Fingers ... and thoughts on backpacking alone as a woman :)

Hike Name: Goat Flats / Tin Can Gap / Three Fingers
Round-Trip Distance: RT to Goat Flats: 10 miles, RT to Tin Can Gap:14 miles
Elevation Gain: 2800 ft
Season: Mid July - mid Oct
Difficulty: difficult due to poor trail conditions
Forest: Boulder River Wilderness, Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
Contact:Verlot Public Service Center: 360-691-7791 Map: Green Trails # 109-110
Directions: From Granite Falls follow the Mountain Loop Hwy East for 7 miles. Turn left onto FS road 41, staying on main gravel road for approx 15 miles (?) until you reach Trail head. (do not stop at the old meadow mountain trail sign which is rotting off to your right)


Well, this weekend I couldn't find anybody to go with me, so I ventured out alone on an overnight backpack. Really it's not scary, as some of my coworkers would like to believe. I've been backpackng for so many years now (about 10, and most of them with trail crew guys) that it's become quite natural. When I go by myself however, I do pick trails that seem to have a bit of traffic, just in case I were to get injured and need help getting down the mountain.

But as far as camping overnight in the wilderness alone, I have not an ounce of fear of being "messed with" by another human. The people who take that much time and effort to hike farther out are some of the best people around. I think that a predator would not take that much time preparing, packing, and busting ass to get to a spot, not knowing if any victims would even be there. I imagine that predators would rather stick to popular trails near town or highways, day hike spots, campgrounds, etc. Somewhere sure to turn up an easy victim. It would not be very rewarding for him to hike that far out with all that weight, food, etc, not even knowing if anyone would be there. Just my theory.

And in all my years of backpacking, I have never had a worrisome experience with a bear - we've always had our food hung properly or in a "bear box" (as is required in Yosemite)... and even though there have been bears in our camp, they have never messed with us because our food was properly stowed. My girlfriends and I did have to walk near a bear on the top of Copper Ridge (no other route could be made because we were at the top of the ridge)...but we made sure to make noise, be obvious, and get on our way. The bear just went on eating blueberries and barely noticed us making such a calamity only 15 feet away. I do my best to hang my food, not sleep with any smelly stuff, and if a bear still decides to come attack me, then... I guess so be it. I am on his turf at that point. In the Cascades, particularly backcountry, most of our bears are still wild enough that they are scared of humans, and if we respect them and take care with our food, it will hopefully stay that way.

In the rare event that I would come between a bear and her cub, well - that would be unfortunate. But it has never happened, and nor do I let the fear of that stop me from hiking alone. If I were in grizzly country I would have more fear. But as for the Cascades, I have more fear of being hit on the freeway by a semi-truck.

Anyway. Sorry about that digression. So anyway, I decided to do one last hike up the Mountain Loop Highway, and get up close to "Three Fingers," one of the big mountains that is easily visible from I-5 and Darrington.

Now you can actually get to the lookout at the summit of Three Fingers from this trail, however beyond Tin Can Gap it is apparently a little more on the sketchy side, better meant for climbers and people with fancy footwork (not clumsy old me).

Let me just say outright: I don't recommend this trail. Yes, the views from Tin Can Gap were awesome. I am glad that I did it, just because I'd like to hike all of the trails along the Mountain Loop (just to have a comprehensive idea of the area)... however... I think there are other trails with bigger payoffs and less hassles.

1) The drive out takes longer than you'd think. Unless you have a burly vehicle, the turnoff from the mountain loop to the trail head (on FS road 41) took me ONE HOUR to go 18 miles. Most of the gravel road is actually not bad, but there are some large pot holes, and when I came back down I GOT A FLAT TIRE, which was not pleasant.

2) The first 5 miles of the trail is in SEVERE need of trail work. Hardly a spot where you can step flat - your foot is always twisting and turning to step on major roots and rocks, virtually every step of the way. And streams have taken to using the trail as their new route, so virtually every step is slippery and muddy, further making your going slow and laborious. Not sure why the trail has not gotten care - it would be interesting to find out the story there.

However, trail and road condition aside, the forest is quite beautiful, and you will see many huge impressive cedars. After 2.5 miles you reach a lake, which is really not worth mentioning. I believe camping is prohibited within 200 feet of the lake. From what I saw, there weren't any campsites that looked promising.

The Goat Flats area is then 2.5 miles from the lake. And of course, once you reach the alpine meadow-y area, with delicious babbling brooks, heather meadows, and scores of blueberries, the hike becomes very pleasant. The flats are not far behind, and although a bit trampled, were still beautiful. Even though there were about 6 other parties camped there, I still found a spot to put my tent that seemed private and relaxing. Views start to open up, and you can see Rainier and Glacier Peak very well. As well as the "back side" of Three Fingers (the part without the glaciers.)

I camped overnight at the flats, and I THINK THIS WILL BE MY LAST OVERNIGHT OF THE SEASON... because it was FREEZING!! I have a warm bag and had 3 layers of clothes, but I still spent most of the night shivering. I was in my tent by 7pm because of the cold. And there was frost on the ground in the morning, so I'm not sure how cold it got.

Anywho - got up in the morn, bundled up my pack, re-hung my food, and set off for a side-trip (without my heavy pack) up to Tin Pan Gap. The hike there (maybe 4 miles round trip? not sure) was absolutely stunning. Trail in good shape, expanding views, blueberries, and a delightful reward at the end - looking straight into the glaciers on Three Fingers - a great place to eat lunch. More adventurous folks were heading off from this point up to the lookout. But I was happy to make it here, then head back to the flats, pick up my heavy pack, and head back down.

Overall a wonderful beautiful sunny clear weekend! Refreshing to my spirits as the mountains always are.

Back to Yellow Aster Butte, overnight this time!

So, I wanted to take the boyfriend on his first overnight backpack trip EVER! How exciting! Luckily, I had just the spot in mind, having just been to Yellow Aster Butte. When Kim and I had been there earlier, we had decided that the flats near the Butte, sprinkled with lovely tarns and conversation trails, and perfectly situated for sweeping views, would be a PERFECT spot to camp.

(See my earlier post for more details about Yellow Aster Butte)

Again, this was a taxing hike for the first 2 miles, especially with overnight packs on, but after that, the views start opening up, and rewards start rolling in. Wildflowers, blueberries, and stunning views of Baker & Shuksan, getting better by the minute. It's quite hard to contain yourself, with all of the rewards coming in.

We did camp down among the tarns, just passed the turnoff to ascend the very top of the Butte, and had a spectacular evening. Great weather, warm enough, blueberries abounding, and amazing sunsets and sunrises, setting off Mt Baker and Shuksan beautifully!

This is literally one of the most beautiful spots I have ever camped in the North Cascades, hands down. I definitely recommend going on a clear day so that you will get your views, and if you're looking for wildflowers, go near the end of July (the wildflowers were starting to be overwith). However, blueberries were starting, and I have read that the fall colors later on are worth seeing as well!

If I lived up near Bellingham and this wasn't a 4 hr drive, I'd probably do this hike every weekend, it's that good!

Park Butte Trail & Railroad Grade, Mt Baker

Well, I am posting this a little late, because I got behind on my blog! (big surprise!)

Hike Name: Parke Butte Trail / Railroad Grade Trail
Round-Trip Distance: 7.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 2200 ft
Season: Mid July - Oct
Difficulty: easy - moderate
Forest: Mt Baker Snoqualmie National Forest
Contact: Mt Baker Ranger District (360)856-5700
Map: Green Trails # 45
Directions: Head east on Hwy 20, for 23 miles. Left on Baker Lake Road. Drive 12 miles. Left on FS Road12. Drive 3.5 miles. Right onto FS Road 13 (called "Mt Baker National Recreation Area"). Drive 5.2 miles to end of road to find trailhead. A few first-come, first serve campsites available at trail head.

I did this as a day hike, but you could do this as an overnight backpack. I would then recommend going on a weekday for sure.

This was a beautiful trail with stunning close-up views of the south side of Mt Baker, culminating in a lookout tower with spectacular views. (You can stay in the lookout tower overnight if you get there first. I arrived at 3:30pm and still no one had gotten there, but 15 minutes later a few guys did claim it.) I am writing this after the fact (I did the hike on July 31), but I remember going on a Friday, and seeing maybe 10 folks. This is a somewhat busy trail, but it was still very pleasant (albeit on a weekday). Well maintained in most places. There was a significant series of stream crossings that would have been very tricky wearing boots, but I took my choco sandals along and just walked right through that whole area with no problems. I would recommend hiking poles or walking stick for this area, and sandals. I did see a group doing it in boots, but it stalled them quite awhile, so I was happy to have my sandals. Bugs were not bad. Wildflowers still in great showing. There are two directions you can take from the trailhead - both meet up to get you to the same destination. For this trip I tried the southern most route (So from the trail head, taking the left-most trail.)

On my way back, I did a side trip up the Railroad Grade Trail, and walked maybe 20 minutes out, just to take a more close-up look at the Easton Glacier. There were a number of great campsites along this route that would be great.

This was a good work out, but not too taxing and not too easy - perfect for a nice day out on the trail, with rewarding views right from the very start!! Good for taking out-of-town friends out maybe! Zillions of photo ops!

Yellow Aster Butte: my new fave.

Hike Name: Yellow Aster Butte
Round-Trip Distance: 7.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 2550
Season: July - Mid Oct
Difficulty: easy - moderate
Forest: Mt Baker Snoqualmie
Contact: Glacier Public Service Center (360) 856-5700
Map: Green Trails- Mt Shuksan # 14
Directions: Take 542 East from Bellingham, 34 miles to Glacier Public Service Center. Continue east 13 more miles, then turn left on FS road 3065 aka "Twin Lakes Road." (This actually takes off from tbe Dept of Transportation's Garage parking lot, be on the lookout.) Bear left at an unmarked junction, then continue 4.5 miles to trailhead.
** TAKE BUT JUICE ** BITING BLACK FLIES THROUGHOUT.
-- Streams run near the top, and you can pump water there.

Wow.

I think I've mentioned how I've been trying to stay "closer to home" these last few months, exploring the Mountain Loop Highway along with Highway 2. Which has been quite fun and rewarding, and has meant minimal drive time (which is nice when you only have one day to hike.)

However.

In the back of my mind lingered thoughts of "the big peaks." I kept checking trail reports. "Snow." "Ice." "Road inaccessible except to 4-wheel drive."

But this time, Kim was looking through my books for ideas, and she said, "how about Yellow Aster Butte? Is that open?"

I checked the forest service website for Hwy 542 out of Bellingham, only to discover that Yellow Aster Butte was open!! Small patches of snow remained near the top, but it was hikable!

Hwy 542 has always been magic to me... it is my "Avenue of the Giants," with trails leading to jaw-dropping views of the big peaks - Shuksan, Baker, Whatcom, Challenger, Bacon, etc...

And I had kind of forgotten how spectacular this area really is, and why, in years past, I have not hesitated to spend the 3+ hours driving each way to get there.

Yellow Aster Butte is simply a divine hike. The first 1.5 miles climbs quickly and you will sweat, but at about 2 miles you break in to sunny hillsides, thick with wildflowers, and your views of Baker & Shuksan start to open up. My excitement level rose so much that I had to stop and catch my breath simply because I was hyperventilating out of sheer delight. Tears came to my eyes. Views expanded, and expanded, and expanded. After rambling around in gentle hillsides, meadows, and snowfields, we broke up to a "shelf" area, just below the Aster Butte Summit, which made a beautiful lunch spot. Looking down to the east, there were gorgeous rambling meadows strewn with sparkling tarns that have recently melted out. Jewels sparkling in the sun. Tiny trails, "conversation trails" as my ex used to call them, just beckoning to be explored. We regretted not lugging our overnight gear up here, even though thunderstorms were predicted. Next time, we vowed.

After finishing lunch, we decided to make the final push to the top of the Butte, which is steep but quite manageable and relatively short distance. And WOW do the views expand!!! Just when we thought we couldn't be any more amazed, we found ourselves stunned. Expansive views opened 360 degrees, and I took about a hundred pictures, speechless.

If you're looking for wildflowers, this is the hike. If you're looking for views, this is the hike. If you're looking for sweet places to camp (near the tarns), this is the hike. If you want exercise but don't want to break your butt, this is the hike. Recommended beyond all belief - try to go on a clear day, so that you can see the views.

I know I'll be up there a few more times this season, checking out the color changes and soon-to-be huckleberries. Wow.

Great New Books this Season!

As you know, I'm a hiking book junkie. Here is a great new series that the Mountaineers Press just put out. I have been thumbing through these constantly lately, looking for day hike ideas along Hwy 2 and the Mountain Loop Hwy.

To purchase, go to The Mountaineers Books site. You can also find them at REI. I happened to see one at Cascadia Farms on my way back home from Hwy 20.

Also great is the classic "100 hikes" series put out by the Mountaineers. For instance, I often use the book 100 Hikes in the Glacier Peak Region

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Alpine Lookout! Look out for - BUGS!! and views!

Hike Name: Alpine Lookout / Round Mtn / Nason Ridge
Round-Trip Distance: 10 miles
Elevation Gain: 2600 ft
Season: Mid June - Oct
Difficulty: easy - moderate
Forest: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
Contact: Leavenworth Ranger: (509)548-6977
Map: Green Trails # 145
Directions: Go east on Hwy 2. Then 1/2 mile past the Nason Creek Rest Area, take a left on an easy-to-miss road with a row of mailboxes (Road # 6910). Continue up (avoiding side spurs) to the trailhead, about 4.5 miles up from Hwy 2.

Wow.

So, I am a hiking book junkie, and I bought the new book on day hikes in the Central Cascades, and saw this hike: Alpine Lookout. Touting sweet views of Glacier Peak, Lake Wenatchee, Sloan, Mt Daniel, Entiat & Chelan ranges, etc. This year so far, I've been trying to concentrate on the Mountain Loop Hwy, and Hwy 2 for day hikes. This was a bit more of a drive on Hwy 2 (past Stevens Pass), but seemed worth it.

And by golly, I love this hike. HOWEVER. We were BRUTALLY ATTACKED by giant SWARMS of mosquitoes!!! The entire hike!! So much so that it was hard to eat our lunch!! So BE WARNED!! Take bug juice (which we forgot)! My arms, 3 days later, still look diseased on account of receiving so many bites.

HOWEVER. This is truly a wonderful day hike - it does climb, but is not the relentless switchbacks through forest, that we are used to on so many hikes. This alternates between beautiful woods and flowery meadows, even meandering through an old burn, which is also silvery and scenic. The views never cease to disappoint throughout, and there are even supposedly mountain goats that live out at the lookout (which we didn't see, but the ranger said are usually there). I highly recommend this hike! Take lots of water, as you will climb and sweat, and there is no place to pump more water throughout the entire hike, except perhaps right near the bottom at a tiny stream.

Wildflowers galore!! Views galore!! And the lookout is great! It is still an active fire lookout, so there is a ranger there all the time. He was really nice and let us use some bug juice for our descent!

Trail was completely snow-free at this point. This really feels like the true "East Side Forest," drier, Ponderosa Pines, beating sun, etc!

What to do on a rainy day? Lake Serene?

Hike Name: Lake Serene / Bridal Veil Falls (click here for forest service description)
Round-Trip Distance: 7.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 1920 ft
Season: May - Nov
Difficulty: easy
Forest: Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (click here for current conditions)
Contact: Skykomish Ranger District (360)677-2414
Map: Green Trails # 142
Directions: Go east on Hwy 2 to Gold Bar. Continue 7 more miles to just before milepost 35, then turn right on Mt Index Road. Veer right to trailhead.

Well.

This was my "birthday weekend" hike, so Kim and I had wanted to do something cool, overnight with awesome views.

However, when we left Seattle, the rains had already started, with thunder and even lightening thrown in.

So we knew we wouldn't get any views. And we'd be really wet and cold wherever we camped. So we instead opted for an "easy way out" and decided on a day hike, and then to camp down in the valley at a campground. I know, this is a cop-out way, but...

We had decided to meander along Highway 2 this time, so we picked Lake Serene.

Really really busy hike, with LOTS of cars in the parking lot. Just outside of Index, near Skykomish. Not sure why I picked this one, but...

Unfortunately, the whole day was so foggy that we didn't even catch a glimpse of the lake even when we were standing 4 feet in front of it! But the forest along the way, and the waterfalls, were absolutely bright green and gorgeous, so -- it's better than being inside on a day off!! Seriously though, the forest is really pretty along the way. And it is a good workout regardless! The trail is very nice, and since it is high-traffic, there are even steps built in for part of the incline.

A good beginner hike, if you're looking for one in the future! A calorie-burner, but not at all scary or difficult.

Then we camped down along Money Creek, which actually was quite nice for a campground. Think it was $18. We stopped at the creepy old restaurant in Skykomish and got a warm dinner and a beer before climbing into our wet tent that night!

Mt Pugh, who knew?

Hike Name: Mt Pugh (to Stujack Pass this time) (click here for forest service description)
Round-Trip Distance: 7.4 (to the Pass) 11 miles (to top)
Elevation Gain: 5300 ft
Season: July-Oct
Difficulty: taxing but not too bad
Forest: Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (click here for current conditions)
Contact: Verlot Public Service Center (360) 691-7791
Map: Green Trails # 111
Directions: (from Darrington end) take the Mtn Loop Highway 12.4 miles. Turn left at Forest Service Road 2095 and continue 1.5 miles to the trailhead.

Nate and I only had one day off together, so we decided to drive out to the Mountain Loop again and explore some more. We were able to leave Seattle the evening prior, just because we wanted to camp outdoors before our hike the next day. There are quite a few lovely campgrounds along the Mountain Loop in which to camp, so we picked one not too far from the Verlot Public Service Center. We paid $18 I believe, but had a wonderful site by a creek and weren't bothered by other campers at all.

Then the next morning, we drove around the mountain loop (towards Darrington), stopping many times to take pictures of the peaks and the rivers, until we reached the trailhead to Mt Pugh. The ranger station had told us that this trail was snow-free up to Stujack Pass, and that even from the Pass, it was worth the hike (for the views!) Very few cars at the trailhead. Only saw 5 people all day - all of them looked to be over 55 yrs old, which always makes me happy (I hope I'm doing an awesome hike at that age.)

This hike was quite a bit more taxing than Nate's previous hike (Lake 22). Perhaps I threw him into the gauntlet a little too early! The trail climbs, climbs, climbs through forest, with many switchbacks, until finally breaking through trees and onto sunny hillside and talus slopes (elevation 4900 ft). For those not used to hiking on the steep sides of mountains, looking down can be a little frightening. Nate wished he had proper boots and a walking stick, so that he could better steady himself. But the views were AMAZING in all directions, and the wildflowers were gloriously starting to bloom! Lupin, paintbrush, columbine, etc. Amazing views of Sloan peak, Whitehorse and Three fingers, and (at Stujack Pass) Glacier Peak and Mt Baker. Absolutely wonderful hike! Stujack Pass is at 5750 ft.

We saw a few campsites at the area where the hike breaks out of the trees, perhaps a mile from Stujack Pass. But we did this as a day hike.

Gorgeous weather - a little breezy and chilly at the Pass. And lots of snow continuing from the pass (so I did not continue up Mt Pugh). Not a great hike for a total beginner, but for experienced hikers this is a wonderful day hike. And later in the season I'm sure you could continue up to Mt Pugh with less snow to deal with. But the views are still worth it.

Not much water access, so take plenty. You do pass a somewhat stagnant lake about 1.5 miles into the trail. I did get some water there on the way down (used my filter), and it didn't taste too fresh!

We didn't have any bugs! Make sure to use sunscreen. And prepare to burn calories, this is a good workout!

Goat Lake - first overnight trip of the season!

Hike Name: Goat Lake (click here for forest service description)
Round-Trip Distance: 10.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 1400 ft
Season: Late-May through early Nov
Difficulty: easy
Forest: Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (click here for current conditions)
Contact: Verlot Public Service Center (360) 691-7791
Map: Green Trails # 111
Directions: From Granite Falls, follow the Mountain Loop Hwy east for 31 miles to Barlow Pass and end of pavement. Northwest Forest Pass required at trailhead.Continue f.or 3.5 miles. Turn right onto Forest Road 4080. Follow this for 0.8 miles, then take trailhead for Elliott Creek Trail #647.

Well, Kim and I decided to try another hike off of The Mountain Loop Highway, and we wanted to be able to camp overnight at our destination, for the first time this year. We had done Goat Lake years ago, before the Mountain Loop was closed. We remembered it to be a pleasant hike up - not too steep, but just long enough to be more than a "walk." The first few miles are quite flat and shady, and then the trail starts to climb towards the end.

The trail splits into an Upper trail and Lower trail - the Upper Trail follows the old logging road and is very flat, the other follows the creek and is a little more varied, although still very nice trail.

Camping at the lake were 4 other groups, and we didn't really enjoy much solitude. However the lake itself is quite large and stunning, and the weather was great and sunny. We did not encounter any snow. No bugs, hooray! We did get a bit chilly at night, and Kim was cold inside of her sleeping bag. I brought a fleece and long-sleeve to sleep in, and was fine.

This would be a great day-hike as well as a beginner's over-nighter. A great hike to use to "test" your backpacking strength - first time out with an overnight pack for the season, etc. Also a good "test hike" to see what items you have forgotten to pack! For instance, I forgot my hat and gloves. I say this because if you do forget something, there will likely be others camping nearby, and you could always borrow something if you are desperate.

All in all a great time, wonderful to be outside again - to wake up by this beautiful gem of a lake!!

Lake 22, revisited.

Hike Name: Lake Twentytwo (click here for forest service description)
Round-Trip Distance: 5.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 1350 ft
Season: Mid-May through Nov
Difficulty: easy
Forest: Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (click here for current conditions)
Contact: Verlot Public Service Center (360) 691-7791
Map: Green Trails # 109, 110
Directions: From Granite Falls, follow the Mountain Loop Hwy east for 11 miles to the Verlot Public Service Center. Proceed 2 more miles to the trailhead, on your right. Northwest Forest Pass required at trailhead.

Many of my days off this year will not be consecutive, so I will be exploring the "Day Hike" concept more than I have in the past. This year I decided to commit to exploring hikes nearer to Seattle, since I have a tradition of driving up to the Northern Cascades and spending hours in the car. When you only have one day, it's sometimes nice to pick something closer to home. That is why I'm so excited that the Mountain Loop Highway is open again! Hooray!

Since it is early season, I decided to try a hike that happens to be one of the first Cascade hikes I ever did: Lake 22. This would also be one of Nate's first summer hikes, and I wanted to make sure it was an enjoyable distance and difficulty, as well as being beautiful.

Considering it is still early season, most hikes are still snow-packed. But not Lake 22! The climb up was quite pleasant. We saw a few folks on the way, and quite a few at the lake itself (quite a few dogs too). The lake was quite stunning, with snow around its banks. Virtually no snow on the trail, however.

We thoroughly enjoyed our day, were not bothered by bugs, nor hindered by snow. We did put on long-sleeved shirts at the top, but weren't too chilly. While this hike is popular, there is enough space for all to enjoy the stunning beauty of this gem, and it is worth the drive and the time spent!

Summer begins for Hiker Foxtail!

Since the Mountain Loop Highway (heading out past Granite Falls) has opened again (actually last year), I am eager to explore all of its many treasures, as I did when I first moved to Seattle. The mountain loop is so packed with great hikes, and is so close to Seattle, yet is not as busy as the I-90 corridor. It had been closed for almost 5 years, due to extensive flood damage.

One thing I have learned in the last 10 years, is that you never know when a crazy storm will hit the northwest (winter 2003, winter 2007, winter 2008) and wash away bridges, roads, trails. How lucky I was to hike the Spider Meadow - Buck Creek Pass Loop (near Glacier Peak) in 2002 before the wild storms hit, rendering much of that area impassable for years.

Lesson being: take advantage of what you can. If there is a hike you have set your mind to do, do it! It may disappear before you know it. Nature's power is amazing. Man builds a bridge that looks indestructible, and then floods carry huge boulders and uprooted trees downstream, crashing through these brand-new bridges!

Also exciting to me this year is to have a new boyfriend who is eager to explore the mountains. He moved here from Missouri one year ago, and hasn't had lots of experience with mountain hiking, but he appreciates the views, the exercise, the learning process. So it is fun to have a new partner to explore old and new places with! I remember when I had no idea what the heck hiking and backpacking was about, and how thankful I now am, for those special people who patiently showed me the ropes and introduced the joys of the mountains to a young weak midwestern gal such as myself!

It's always nice to be a tour-guide in your own area - now that I have lived here over 10 years, I consider this my home state, and love to show it to those I love.

So on to the blogging!