20 September 2016 Hastings' Last

Sunset continues to creep forward with the end of summer, but I was able to get in a short walk to the Spokane River and the Antoine Plante statue before heading off to dinner.

After my walk I headed to dinner and a visit to Hastings to spend some time on my trip. I was very sad to see Hastings has fallen to the changing buying habits for books, music, and video. While traveling for work these stores have been a lifeline to sanity. They have been a place I could spend time, buy a few items, and erase a few hours to shorten my time away from home. I am saddened by this loss.

19 September 2016 Back in Spokane

I arrived in Spokane late afternoon for a week at the local offices. Once I had my rental car, I headed off for a visit to Medical Lake and the first find of the new Spokane GeoTour. I was greeted with blue skies and warm temperatures as summer played out the last days.

It doesn't take much to make a lab happy especially when the fun involves water.

I made my way east to the hotel stopping at a few caches along the way and even spotting a few turkeys.

There's a new cache near this odd house. Eventually, I will actually stop by when it is open and make a visit inside.

If you want to get people to visit Krispy Kreme, give away doughnuts to anyone dressed like a pirate on Talk Like a Pirate Day.

This is the third Spokane geocaching event I have been able to attend. I now recognize a number of the local cachers and some even now recognize me. It's a close, active group and reminds me of what geocaching was in a different day.

Yes, they had a trackable pirate for the event.

16 September 2016 Albion Fair

We visit the Albion Fair as often as my schedule allows. Without Ali, the goats are lonely. :)

We usually find something new to watch and enjoy at the fair. We often watch some horse competition, but the walking two-horse hitch was something different. One person two horses and multiple moves made for some very interesting results and sometimes two horses racing around the pen with little or no control from their handlers. When it worked, it was an image of power and grace.

790# on the left beats 610# in the largest pumpkin competition.

Jerome Case started making farm equipment as the Racine Threshing Machine Works in 1842. The early steam powered machines were clearly visible with a prominent eagle cast on the boiler door. This one is still functional and runs annually at the Albion Fair. This was a steel wheel machine at one time. the rear wheels are correct for the time but have been altered by removing the steel blades and strapping tread to the rims, The front tires are a modification for the unit allowing it to be rolled over paved surfaces. I try not to be too close to the ancient boiler when it is pressurized, but it is quite a survivor.

We were sad to not be able to ride the very old carousel. Apparently, the fair is having troubles finding someone qualified to operate the unit.

11 September 2016 A Walk in the ANF

Phineas plans our caching day.

Despite the uninspired planning of Phineas we enjoyed a long walk on a familiar trail in the ANF. There were a couple of newer geocaches and an older one that we hadn't visited so we mixed trail time with the caching. A few nice rock formations, a salamander along our journey, and a few late summer wildflowers still in bloom added to our walk.

Lizzie actually sat for a picture with Ali near a cache.

10 September 2016 Hatch Run

Late fall seemed like a good time for yet another visit to Hatch Run. The are plenty of wet areas near the streams and old farm areas on the site. Both promised a look at some of the last wildflowers of the season. Combined with some time on the trails through the woods made for a good afternoon's walk.

We made a stop at the hiding area of an ongoing unfound cache. Luck was on our side this afternoon as Ali spotted the hide.

The late summer wildflowers were in full bloom with areas of new england asters and fields of goldenrod.

9 September 2016 New Turbines

I can always tell on my drive home when I have reached Ohio. Indiana has staunch supporters of fossil fuel including the highly inefficient ethanol and oil and natural gas through fracking. I never think of Ohio as progressive, but the residents have embraced turbines for renewable energy. This new line was being installed off US 30 near the state border.

5 September 2016 The Holiday Weekend Ends

The weekend passed quickly. Before we returned west, I took a few moments to check out the closed gentian at our home. It was a different idea to plant these close to the house, but it has worked out for years now.

On the way home we stopped for a single geocache in a gameland. It seemed strange to be geocaching with a biplane flying overhead.

We enjoyed a quiet walk with a few nature sightings including a frog that appeared to contemplating life along a stream and a few nice stands of great blue lobelia.