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| Taken on the Salal trail |
Today Melanie and I headed off to Chuckanut Mountain for a short-ish hike on the Lower Salal trail and the Hemlock trail. Everywhere were signs that fall is definitely in the air, and that this day would be the last summer one in this calendar year. When we hike next week, it will be on the first day of fall.
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| I love this trail |
This really is one of my favorite hikes, and we started from the usual parking lot trailhead, went up the Hemlock trail until it splits off into the Lower Salal trail. We ventured out on this trail until we reached the cutoff to the full Salal trail, and then took the regular Salal trail from the junction. It led us down to the Hemlock trail.
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| Sunshine makes me smile |
The clouds began to clear, and more brilliant leaves lighted up our hike. I rounded a corner and saw this lovely sight, with everything looking pretty perfect for a fall day in the mountains, Melanie agreed, and decided to take her own picture of the scene, with one addition.
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| Thanks, Mel |
Me! She asked me to pose and smile, something that was very easy to do as we continued our hike. It ended up being 5.6 miles and more than 1,300 feet up and down, meaning it wasn't exactly nothin' but it was well within my comfort zone.
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| "The Dude" |
We took a side trip down to the trail that leads to Chuckanut Falls (which we skipped because we knew it would be dry or almost so), just to visit the tree that Melanie calls "The Dude" after The Big Lebowski. Just chillin' out there smoking a doobie in the woods. Melanie leaves in the morning for a quick trip to her high school reunion in California, so she wanted to be sure she got to say a quick hello to her old friend who lives in a tree.
And with that, another summer season comes to a close. I really enjoy hiking with my dear friend Melanie during this summer season and look forward to many more seasons spent getting miles with her. It was a great day!
:-)
Autumn is on the horizon by the look of it! Such a great area to walk! How quickly a season passes!
ReplyDeleteSo Mel is a California native! She's coming back when the weather has turned cool. Hope she has a lovely time at her reunion.
ReplyDeleteClicked on the pictures to catch your great smile and the Dude with his doobie. Sounded like a perfect hike.
ReplyDeleteGreat photo of you on the trail! :)
ReplyDelete5.6 miles is a good distance. I did a little over 3 tonight. I'm not sure that I like the news about fall.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute, "hip" tree! Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful - which included you.
ReplyDeleteThe weather has turned to fall this week. The colour will start soonish. I have seen spots of it already.
ReplyDeleteI can't get over how great a photographer you are! Anyway, the weather is turning here a little bit, too, but often those cooler fall temperatures make for better walking.
ReplyDeleteSay Goodbye to Summer and Hello to Autumn.
ReplyDeleteThat tree honestly made me laugh, love "The Dude"! My gosh, for a minute I thought this was your last hike for the year--where was my head... great pictures DJan :^)
ReplyDeleteA good hike!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a most perfect day!!!
ReplyDeleteIt is looking very autumnal there in the woods.
ReplyDeleteGreat picture! Trust you'll be hiking more in the fall!
ReplyDelete“went up the Hemlock trail” … now that just sounds scary! Isn’t hemlock poisonous? 😊 And “The Dude” in the tree … thank goodness for the picture! 😊 A wild and wonderful post!
ReplyDeleteIt all looks so pretty in the woods and that includes you, DJan. What a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteA good walk to end the summer season of walks. The leaves are just beginning to turn and the colder mornings have arrived.
ReplyDeleteThe dude abides. We have summer-like days this week. But I know you will walk rain or shine, warm or cold. Fall walks await!
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