Thursday, August 25, 2005
Incredible Flying Chipmunk!
Felicia and I headed for Trout Lake on Monday.
Our first pit stop was Grendel's for drinks and bagels with cream cheese.
I asked the little girl if she wanted to take the long scenic route, or the direct not as twisty and completely paved route. The long windy scenic route it was.
We loaded up on junk food at two different places and chose not to eat it in moderation. What a fun lunch on the road with the kid eating un-nutritious food. Unthinkable crimes at one time. What the heck. We're together, on the road, having fun! It doesn't get much better than that.
First stop was Iron Mike, a mineral spring. There is an old pump fountain not far from where a resort used to be. Mmmmm, like drinking liquid rust. It tickled Felicia to watch me drink it. Off again down the road.
Felicia and I talked a lot about various memories the area brought up. Next stop, Mcclellan Viewpointe, off of Curly Creek Road. Would have been a great view of Loowit (Mt. St. Helens). However, it was overcast. We did get a great view of the hills all around however.
We stopped at Lower Falls off of Forest Service Road 90, on the Lewis River. It is the most beautiful falls. Felicia wanted to climb down a rope that lead to who knows where on a very steep and dusty trail. It didn't sound like a good idea to me, so, after staring at the falls for awhile, we finally moved on.
We looked for Twin Falls, but since it isn't clearly marked, we missed it. I told her we'd hit it on the way back. We took FS 88 for the last 25 mile stretch to get into. Before we hit the larger road that lead into Trout Lake (23 mile stretch), we came across two oncoming vehicles, the first at 18 miles the second at 22 miles. I love roads like that. No other traffic to be reported.
We arrived at Trout Lake Motel, unloaded, and headed for Tahk Lahk Lake, off of FS 23, 25 miles out of town. We swam, and splashed and had a good time. The view of Pahto (Mt. Adams) on the other side of the lake is just marvelous. It is so beautiful. It...no words to it justice. I have seen the beauty that is that mountain. The things I feel when I gaze at that mountain I can't describe. Amazing. We blew up a floaty thing that Felicia and I could not stay on very well, which, of course, made it more fun. We splashed each other a lot, then headed back for the Motel in the late afternoon.
We went for dinner at KJ's Bear Creek Cafe at the crux of the Y in the road in beautiful downtown Trout Lake. I had a huckleberry shake! MMMMMMMMMMM! My new favorite. At one point, the women working there came to me and asked if I'd help open a jar of sliced peprocini. They'd been working on it awhile and just couldn't get it. It took little effort on my part, and later, when paying the bill, I discovered they took the price of the Wonderful Huckleberry Shake off of the bill, thanks to my super human strength (hahahahahaha).
There was a street hockey game going on at Trout Lake School next door to the motel, so we walked over and checked it out for a while. Great view of the mountain from the school.
Back at the motel, Felicia wanted to watch Nanny 9-11. I wasn't into it. When I decided to go to sleep, she turned it on, and all the screaming and yelling that those little shits were doing (I'm sure much of it was fabricated to look good for the television program, I know how Hollywood is) upset me so much that I got dressed and had to go outside. Felicia decided to come out with me and we wound up hanging out in the hammock near the road telling jokes, making faces, talking some serious stuff, etc.
After eating breakfast and checking out, we headed for the espresso stand, again at the Y in the road of Beautiful Downtown Trout Lake. I got a Huckleberry Mocha! AAAAHHHHHHHH! My new favorite! IT WAS SO FUCKING GOOD!
Back to Tahk Lahk we went. We hiked around, ate huckleberries and goofed around. I started feeling some bad feelings going around the campground area, but then I was fine. Felicia swam around some. I got in the water with her, but I got really cold after about 15 minutes and decided to get out.
We ate some junk food at a picnic table and felicia decided to start feeding her fellow relations by tossing corn chips for the birds and chipmunks. We watched with joy as the chipmunks would sneak up, grap a chunk-a-chip, then run under the Huckleberry bushes and eat. They started getting real active around us, even jumping on top of the table, which startled Felicia and scared the heck out of the chipmunks. I thought of Mac and Tosh. A few minutes later, two of the little critters climbed about three feet of a tree trunk next two us, and one of the little buggers went flying through the air. About three feet in the air it arked in a crazy twisty summersault and landed out of view. The Incredible Flying Chipmunk. We laughed so hard.
Heading back down FS 90, we again missed Twin Falls and went to Lower Falls where, Felicia actually talked me into taking the rope trail down to the river. I made it all the way to the bottom, but Felicia got too scared the last few feet. I was so proud of her, though. What a brave little girl.
We had an OK dinner in Stephenson, crossed the Bridge of the Gods and got ice cream at the East Wind Drive-In in Cascade Locks, thought of buying fish from the local vendors, then kept rolling instead. Felicia and I talked and talked and talked. She told me I was the best dad ever. I told her thank you and that she'd probably change her mind when she becomes a teenager.
Upon arriving home, I realized how much I miss my housemate Heidi (who gets home today), and how much I can't wait for her daugher (whom I can't stand) to get the fuck out of the house and go back with her dad. Maybe I'll write more about that in another section.
All in all, this was a very healing and wonderful journey. The roads can be rough, but it is fun. I'm currently thinking of taking a hiking journey up the mountain on Saturday and paying a little visit to High Camp. I just love that name, don't you?
Our first pit stop was Grendel's for drinks and bagels with cream cheese.
I asked the little girl if she wanted to take the long scenic route, or the direct not as twisty and completely paved route. The long windy scenic route it was.
We loaded up on junk food at two different places and chose not to eat it in moderation. What a fun lunch on the road with the kid eating un-nutritious food. Unthinkable crimes at one time. What the heck. We're together, on the road, having fun! It doesn't get much better than that.
First stop was Iron Mike, a mineral spring. There is an old pump fountain not far from where a resort used to be. Mmmmm, like drinking liquid rust. It tickled Felicia to watch me drink it. Off again down the road.
Felicia and I talked a lot about various memories the area brought up. Next stop, Mcclellan Viewpointe, off of Curly Creek Road. Would have been a great view of Loowit (Mt. St. Helens). However, it was overcast. We did get a great view of the hills all around however.
We stopped at Lower Falls off of Forest Service Road 90, on the Lewis River. It is the most beautiful falls. Felicia wanted to climb down a rope that lead to who knows where on a very steep and dusty trail. It didn't sound like a good idea to me, so, after staring at the falls for awhile, we finally moved on.
We looked for Twin Falls, but since it isn't clearly marked, we missed it. I told her we'd hit it on the way back. We took FS 88 for the last 25 mile stretch to get into. Before we hit the larger road that lead into Trout Lake (23 mile stretch), we came across two oncoming vehicles, the first at 18 miles the second at 22 miles. I love roads like that. No other traffic to be reported.
We arrived at Trout Lake Motel, unloaded, and headed for Tahk Lahk Lake, off of FS 23, 25 miles out of town. We swam, and splashed and had a good time. The view of Pahto (Mt. Adams) on the other side of the lake is just marvelous. It is so beautiful. It...no words to it justice. I have seen the beauty that is that mountain. The things I feel when I gaze at that mountain I can't describe. Amazing. We blew up a floaty thing that Felicia and I could not stay on very well, which, of course, made it more fun. We splashed each other a lot, then headed back for the Motel in the late afternoon.
We went for dinner at KJ's Bear Creek Cafe at the crux of the Y in the road in beautiful downtown Trout Lake. I had a huckleberry shake! MMMMMMMMMMM! My new favorite. At one point, the women working there came to me and asked if I'd help open a jar of sliced peprocini. They'd been working on it awhile and just couldn't get it. It took little effort on my part, and later, when paying the bill, I discovered they took the price of the Wonderful Huckleberry Shake off of the bill, thanks to my super human strength (hahahahahaha).
There was a street hockey game going on at Trout Lake School next door to the motel, so we walked over and checked it out for a while. Great view of the mountain from the school.
Back at the motel, Felicia wanted to watch Nanny 9-11. I wasn't into it. When I decided to go to sleep, she turned it on, and all the screaming and yelling that those little shits were doing (I'm sure much of it was fabricated to look good for the television program, I know how Hollywood is) upset me so much that I got dressed and had to go outside. Felicia decided to come out with me and we wound up hanging out in the hammock near the road telling jokes, making faces, talking some serious stuff, etc.
After eating breakfast and checking out, we headed for the espresso stand, again at the Y in the road of Beautiful Downtown Trout Lake. I got a Huckleberry Mocha! AAAAHHHHHHHH! My new favorite! IT WAS SO FUCKING GOOD!
Back to Tahk Lahk we went. We hiked around, ate huckleberries and goofed around. I started feeling some bad feelings going around the campground area, but then I was fine. Felicia swam around some. I got in the water with her, but I got really cold after about 15 minutes and decided to get out.
We ate some junk food at a picnic table and felicia decided to start feeding her fellow relations by tossing corn chips for the birds and chipmunks. We watched with joy as the chipmunks would sneak up, grap a chunk-a-chip, then run under the Huckleberry bushes and eat. They started getting real active around us, even jumping on top of the table, which startled Felicia and scared the heck out of the chipmunks. I thought of Mac and Tosh. A few minutes later, two of the little critters climbed about three feet of a tree trunk next two us, and one of the little buggers went flying through the air. About three feet in the air it arked in a crazy twisty summersault and landed out of view. The Incredible Flying Chipmunk. We laughed so hard.
Heading back down FS 90, we again missed Twin Falls and went to Lower Falls where, Felicia actually talked me into taking the rope trail down to the river. I made it all the way to the bottom, but Felicia got too scared the last few feet. I was so proud of her, though. What a brave little girl.
We had an OK dinner in Stephenson, crossed the Bridge of the Gods and got ice cream at the East Wind Drive-In in Cascade Locks, thought of buying fish from the local vendors, then kept rolling instead. Felicia and I talked and talked and talked. She told me I was the best dad ever. I told her thank you and that she'd probably change her mind when she becomes a teenager.
Upon arriving home, I realized how much I miss my housemate Heidi (who gets home today), and how much I can't wait for her daugher (whom I can't stand) to get the fuck out of the house and go back with her dad. Maybe I'll write more about that in another section.
All in all, this was a very healing and wonderful journey. The roads can be rough, but it is fun. I'm currently thinking of taking a hiking journey up the mountain on Saturday and paying a little visit to High Camp. I just love that name, don't you?
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