The last 8 miles for Hike--a-thon 2012

Back home in Seattle again. My mile high hiking got derailed. Hurricane Issac took it's toil on the East Coast and airline schedules. On the 29th I did 2 miles at the Evans Creek Preserve near Redmond, WA. Washington Trails Association volunteers built a boardwalk here! Evans Creek Preserve The Blackberries were ripe, wish I had brought a container for them.

The next day I did 5 miles on the Tolt Pipeline Trail out in Woodinville, WA. This pipeline provides water to Seattle! The trail is used by lots of locals walking dogs and riding horses.

And finally on the 31st of August, I did my last 3 miles hiking the trail to Lake Dorothy!

For a grand total of 52.2 miles for the month of August. I made my goal of 50 miles hiked and as of today, Ryan and I together raised $1,050 dollars for Washington Trails, so we made our goal of raising $1,000 also! Thanks so much to everyone! And our last minute pledges from Sarah, Lou and Alisa helped to bring us up to our goal! (I wasn't worried, okay maybe a little bit)

Monday's Postcard: Stonehenge

My girlfriend visited Stonehenge and sent this postcard to me!

 Here is the link to my WTA Hike-a-thon page. There are still 4 days left for hiking and I have until September 10th to collect all my pledges. Thanks to Steve and Lynn for your contributions!! We just need $295 to make our fundraising goal! So there is still time to put that check into the mail! Checks can be made out to WTA (Washington Trails Association) and sent to me: Amanda Arkebauer PO Box 16131 Seattle, WA 98116

WTA Hike-a-thon 2012 Washington Trails again!

Back to Seattle again and I was fighting jet lag, so I didn't stray far from home today. I only did 4 miles on the Longfellow Creek Legacy trail here in West Seattle.


Thursday, I got together with my friend, Kel and hiked up to Rattlesnake Ledge. The clouds kept the heat down and we still had great views from the top! And I got 4 more miles towards my goal of 50 miles for the month of August.


 Follow this link to make a donation via credit card:  WTA Hike-a-thon Thanks to Karen and Jack for your donations!! Checks can be made out to WTA (Washington Trails Association) and mailed to me at: Amanda Arkebauer PO BOX 16131 Seattle, WA 98116





Here is the updated map of Ryan's travels through France:
View Walking directions to Santiago de Compostela, Spain in a larger map
A = Le Puy on 8/12
B= Aumont-Aubrac pm 8/14
C=Aubrac on 8/15
D= Figeac on 8/19
E=Cahors on 8/22
F=Moissac on 8/24
G= Auvillar on 8/25

Wild Card: Continental Divide New Mexico

When I drove across the country from NC to WA in 1997 I sent this postcard to my mom. Be sure to check out my WTA page and make a donation, every little bit helps! WTA Hike-a-thon Checks can be made out to WTA (Washington Trails Association) and mailed to me at: Amanda Arkebauer PO BOX 16131 Seattle, WA 98116




  This map from Google Maps is a close approximation of what Ryan is doing!, A is Le Puy where he was on Sunday August 12th and B is Aumont-Aubrac where he was on Tuesday August 14, C is Aubrac where he was Wednesday the 15th, D is Figeac his location on August 19th. E is Cahors, his locationj on 8/22. He has been averaging 20 miles a day (32 km or so)



View Larger Map And as an added bonus, here is the first postcard I have received from Ryan on his Camino hike! He had to pay to climb to the top of both those morros in the photo.

WTA Hike-a-thon 2012 - working and hiking

I started out my weekend working to San Francisco. So I spent the day hiking with my friend, Krista (who has generously donated to the Washington Trails Association cause!) We did a mile and a half at Sobrante Ridge Regional Preserve in  Richmond, CA, On the Sobrante Ridge Trail and the Broken Oak trail. Then we traveled over to the John Muir historic site in Martinez, CA.

He had a homestead there and there is a nature trail to Mount Wanda, named after one of his daughters. We did two miles there on that trail .And I took a break at a picnic table at the top of the "mount". Now later in the day it had gotten hotter, so we decided to travel closer to the Bay to 

Point Pinole Regional Shoreline in Richmond, CA where the sea breezes would keep us cool  Here we did 4 miles on several trails criss-crossing the park! The land the park occupies was originally home to dynamite and explosive manufacturers during the 1800's through the 1940's.. There are still remnants of bunkers and railroad and pier facilities from this period of the park's history. I hug an extremely large Eucalyptus tree. Many of these non-native trees are being removed. However, they provide a habitat for migrating monarch butterflies, so some are being allowed to stay. All in all, I got in 7.5 miles for Hike-a-thon while working my San Francisco trip!

Then I had to work an international trip. This is the part of my job that non airline people find so glamorous, crossing the ocean to a foreign country. Not so glamorous when you are down a bathroom (had to block off one when it refused to flush!) I was supposed to go to Madrid, but at the last minute I traded for Amsterdam. Mainly because I knew that I would not find "named trails" for hike-a-thon in Madrid. I thought I might be able to get something in the Netherlands. I figured the Dutch are known for their bicycling while the Spanish are more known for their siestas! So I get to the hotel and I find out there is a great park nearby! Beatrixpark. So I head over there hoping for some trails. Well there were plenty of trails, but none of them were "named".
The Trails with No Names!

So the hiking I did in Amsterdam is not going to count towards hike-a-thon. But it was a fun day nevertheless!  I guess hiking is not the deal here in the Netherlands, bicycling is!

Just follow the link to my WTA page and make a donation. I'll be hiking on Washington State Trails this coming week when I return to the USA. And I still have a Denver layover coming up, so look for a post about mile high hiking soon! Follow this link to make a donation via credit card:  WTA Hike-a-thon Checks can be made out to WTA (Washington Trails Association) and mailed to me at: Amanda Arkebauer PO BOX 16131 Seattle, WA 98116

Monday's Postcard: Paris

I layover in Paris quite often, but this card is actually from a friend, who was here on vacation in 2006. Ryan and I traveled to Paris earlier this month. We toured around town and then Ryan traveled to southern France to begin his hike along the Camino de Santiago, called The Way of St. James in France, he began in Le Puy and is currently walking to the border with Spain. Be sure to check out my WTA page and make a donation, every little bit helps! WTA Hike-a-thon  Checks can be made out to WTA (Washington Trails Association) and sent to: Amanda Arkebauer PO Box 16131 Seattle, WA  98116



 This map from Google Maps is a close approximation of what Ryan will be doing(is doing!), A is Le Puy where he was on Sunday August 12th and B is Aumont-Aubrac where he was on Tuesday August 14, C is Aubrac where he was Wednesday the 15th. He has been averaging 20 miles a day (32 km or so)



View Larger Map

WTA Hike-a-thon 2012 a Paris Break and then Hiking around Home

Ryan and I arrived in Paris and after dropping our luggage off to be stored at our hotel (It was around 9am and we would not be able to check in until 2pm) we headed over to the Paris Catacombs. The place opens at 10am and already the line was stretched around the block. We got in line and it took 2 hours before we entered the catacombs.

Stop! You are entering the Empire of the Dead!The cemeteries of Paris were considered a health risk in the 1700's and the bones were dug up and deposited in these underground passages beneath the city. These passages had originally been part of a limestone quarry. In the 1800's the catacombs were opened up for tourists to visit. It is a fascinating and creepy part of Parisian History.

Once we left the catacombs, we went to check into our hotel and took a little nap. Then we woke up in time to go to the top of the Montparnasse tower. One of the tallest buildings in Paris, it has a neat observation deck at the top. We watched the sun go down and had great views of the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triumph, Notre Dame and many other tourist spots.

We could look down on our hotel from the top of Montparnasse Tower. 

The next day we got up bright and early to hit all the highlights of Paris. One little known bit of trivia is the statue of a Zouave soldier at the Pont de l'alma Bridge. If the water level reaches the feet of the soldier, the lower foot paths along the Seine will be closed. When the water reaches the statue's thighs, the river is unnavigable. During the great flood of 1910, the water level reached the shoulders of the statue.  

Arc de Triumph and we were triumphant finding a trekking pole at an outdoor store in Paris!

Gargoyles at Notre Dame

An interesting lock on the bridge across the Seine

While browsing through the Les Bouquinistes along the Seine we saw this Film shoot

And I was lucky enough to score this French version of a Nancy Drew book. Alice and the Poltergeist is really The Ghost of Blackwood Hall translated to the French.

Back home to Seattle and it was back to hiking for the Washington Trails Association Hike-a-thon. I started on Monday with a nice little ramble around the Farrel McWhirter Park in Redmond.

I took the Perimeter Trail all the way to the North End of the Park and the Powerline trail  to the Juel Trail leading to Juel Park.

Here you come out at Juel Park with a community garden on one side and a disc golf course on the other! I hiked 2.5 miles on Monday.

Tuesday, I drove out to Greenwater, WA and hiked the Greenwater Lakes Trail for 4 miles. It is an easy 2 miles out to the lake and back. I even passed a WTA team doing trail work and ran into lots of folks on the trail. I can imagine that on the weekends this place is PACKED!

On Wednesday I did 2 miles along the Alki Beach Trail.

and on Thursday, I did 2 miles at Paradise Valley Conservation Area in Woodinville, WA.

Where I saw this interesting thing. A chain and hook that was "growing" out of a tree. I imagine the tree grew around this chain over the years, must have been left here when this area was logged.

 Thanks to Janet and Deirdre for their pledges for hike-a-thon. Be sure to check out my page at WTA Hike-a-thon and give a little yourself. I had 3 more $5 donations from co-workers this week too!




 This map from Google Maps is a close approximation of what Ryan will be doing(is doing!), A is Le Puy where he was on Sunday August 12th and B is Aumont-Aubrac where he was on Tuesday August 14, C is Aubrac where he was Wednesday the 15th. He has been averaging 20 miles a day (32 km or so)



View Larger Map

Monday's Postcard: The Hanging Elephant

This is a postcard from Ryan's Appalachian Trail Hike in 2003. I went to visit him in Erwin, TN. In 1916, this circus elephant, "Murderous Mary", was convicted of killing her trainer in Kingsport, TN and they transported her to Erwin to hang her from a railroad derrick crane, the only means available at the time for a humane disposal of her.

We did a lot of great hikes in North Carolina and Tennessee along that section of the Appalachian Trail. This year I have been doing a lot of fun hikes for the Washington Trails Association Hike-a-thon. If you have not already, consider donating a dollar or two to this great cause. Ryan and I use the trails in Washington all the time and this is our chance to give back and help maintain the trails by soliciting your donations! Check out my WTA page and make a donation, every little bit helps! WTA Hike-a-thon Thanks so much to Shirley for our most recent donation! Only $375 more dollars to go to reach our goal. And I have been totally remiss not to give you guys the address to mail checks! Checks should be made out to WTA (Washington Trails Association) and can be sent to me at: Amanda Arkebauer PO Box 16131 Seattle, WA  98116

WTA Hike-a-thon 2012 The First Week in California

For the start of Washington Trails Association Hike-a-thon this year, I was in Folsom, CA staying with my sister. She just had surgery and I needed to be down to help her with heavy lifting and such around the house. Day One of Hike-a-thon, I hiked 4 miles along the Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail (American River Bike Trail) near Folsom, CA. I started at the Nimbus Fish Hatchery and hiked downstream 2 miles and back again. That's the mile marker for mile 22. The trail runs approximately 32 miles from Sacramento to Folsom, CA. The key to hiking in California in August is getting out early in the day before it gets too hot. The weather forecast for this week had the highs in the 100's! Way to hot for this Seattle girl. I was out on the trail at 6am and the thermometer in the car told me it was 68 degrees. Perfect. When I returned to the car 2 hours later, it was already 78 degrees.








You know you are hiking in California when you encounter grapes along the trail! And we aren't even in Napa! :-)

Day Two of hike-a-thon, I was inspired by my successful hike the day before, so I got up even earlier to travel to Auburn, CA and hike to Hidden Falls. Much of the park is undergoing renovation, so many trails were blocked for trail work and restoration. But the route down to the Falls Overlook was open.  I got to see some baby deer and the whole family was there too!





On day Three of hike-a-thon, I made a tactical error and did NOT wake up before the dawn to hike. So there I was in 100 degree heat back on the Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail. This time I got on the trail at mile marker 20 near Fair Oaks Bluff and only made it one mile before I started melting....so I barely made it back to the car. I had depleted my water supply and luckily had gatorade in the car to help keep me from passing out. I seriously do not do well in the heat.  I had thought doing a flat trail like the American River Parkway would not be that bad, but I was mistaken!

On Day Four of Hike-a-thon, I made the effort to get up early and I was out at The Monte Vista Trailhead to hike the Old Salmon Falls Loop at 6am. I did 2.2 miles and totally enjoyed the cooler temperatures of the early morning hours. The Salmon Falls is an extinct waterfall. It was dried up when the Folsom Dam was built in the 1950's. The Salmon Falls town site was flooded by the dam construction, but some foundations can be see in the fall and winter when the Folsom Lake has low water levels  Originally a gold mining camp, Salmon Falls was founded by Mormans in 1850.

 Day five of Hike-a-thon and I am happy to say, my last day of hiking  in Folsom. I did 2 miles on the East Natoma Lake Trail near Old Town Folsom. A highlight was this historical marker commemorating the Mexican Land Grant that lead to the creation of Folsom. And Turkeys! I will be headed home to Seattle to hike in  the Pacific Northwest for a few days! And Ryan and I will be traveling to Paris together, might not do anything for hike-a-thon there, but might have to post some photos anyway!

On August 7th (I skipped a day, I know--slacker--) I did 2 miles in Carkeek Park in Seattle. It was so good to be back home and hiking in cooler weather and where everything is GREEN!

I hiked the Piper's Creek Trail and was pleased to see an interesting interactive story trail along the way.I don't text, so I had to wait til I came home to access the info via their website, but I thought this was an awesome way to engage people in the hiking process and you learn something about the area too!
All this activity is for the Washington Trails Association Hike-a-thon. Be sure to check out my WTA page and make a donation, we are almost half way towards our goal of $1000. WTA Hike-a-thon  And while you are reading this, Ryan and I are on our way to Paris. Don't know how much hiking we will do there, but I will be sure to blog about our adventures and I will leave him in France to start his hike of the Way of St. James or the Camino de Santiago!