Cloquailliam Hill 2

 

This dog has started greeting me at the start of this hike. I keep trying to convince them to hike with me.

I found a new bald hill to climb and the walk starts at the same gate!  The walk is nicer but the view is not as good since hill #2 is smaller.

I had to cross Cloquialliam Creek on a missing bridge and that was a little bit exciting.  There are many ways to spell Cloqualiam.   

I did not have complete solitude, there was a wood cutter on the road. But being Memorial day weekend I guess that's okay. 

7 miles 500 feet elevation gain

Creek Crossing

A better access but off a private road so not an access

Today's Goal

Lunch time

My home made backpack that I made the week my spouse died
is still going strong.

I could just barely see a cow from my lunch spot

Some nice layers

Threw away my windscreen for the flight home from 
New Zealand and have not replaced it yet. Had to make one from rocks and wood. 

Cloqualliam Hill

 

I'm still just going up what I call Cloqualliam Hill once a week.  I have not hit the actual trails yet.  I really do hate crowds of people and dogs.  But now that I am dogless I might take some bus trips up to Mount Walker again.  Gas is so expensive and my monthly budget has so little wiggle room in it.  My lifetime budget is looking good, but my monthly budget is hellish. 

It took getting all that wonderful COVID unemployment for me to realize just how poor I am.  My son and I are living well below the poverty level now.  

My son is looking for   jobs, he is disabled with EDS.  There has always been something causing him pain but he had a pretty normal childhood.  Things are getting worse for him now, but at least we finally have a name for it.  He still has not been diagnosed, we are working on that.    My son is 18 and has lost his survivors benefits since he can not find a school in Shelton to take him for 20 hours a week, the requirement once a child turns 18. He had a nice accommodating GED program in Aberdeen, but the program in Shelton will not accommodate him at all.

My son is looking for pet sitting and housesitting jobs.  He can pet sit exotic pets of all kinds and small dogs.  He can not handle large dogs.  He is neat and tidy and can do light housework, so he could be an excellent house and pet sitter.

I've started trout fishing again, something I have not done since my childhood!  My daughter wanted to fish but wanted someone to go with her so I got advice from grandpa (my father who writes books on fishing)  and then translated that advice to my daughter and now she is catching trout.  

I'm catching trout too and using them to cut back on my food budget.  I think I've eaten more meat this week than I have in any other week during my adult life.  I'm eating trout nearly every day.  I've found a good spot close to home. That spot is in the photo above.  It can be tricky to cast there, but with patience I go home with dinner every morning. 

I don't like catch and release fishing, I think it is needlessly cruel. So I eat what I catch.

CQL Hill in the rain with a macro lens third hike with Tato

Wow what a wet day this turned out to be.  I have decided to try to hike every Sunday and Thursday and am leaving my calendar open on those days.  

It rained harder and harder as I climbed the hill. By the time I was ready to set up my tarp for lunch it was pouring and I began to doubt the wisdom of my plan.  To stay warm by sipping tea under my tarp.  My pants and shoes were soaked.  I should have worn rain pants and boots.

It took my a while to find a perfect spot to pitch my tarp but once I found a good spot pitching it went pretty fast.

I had hot coffee and hot ravioli I added fresh onion, Thai basil and hot sauce to the canned ravioli and it tasted good.  While I at the ravioli I warmed up another cup of water for decaf tea.  After my food and my second cuppa I felt really good.  I always seem to feel really good if I have a second drink after my meal.

The rain stopped a bit and it got brighter just in time for me to hike out.  I was a bit cold by the time I was done but not chilled to the bone.  A hot shower at home warmed me right up. 

7 miles with 1,000 feet elevation gain

Worm macro

                                                      Worm being too long
 

CQL Hill, Second hike with Tato.

 

Tato rushed a small child at the beach. It was  horrifying.. but he did back off when I called him.  I am starting to wonder again if I can keep him.  My son says he can not handle him at all.  My son does not understand that a dog does need to know who the boss is.  Tato does not jump on me at all now but still jumps on my son because my son handles it differently. 

A bit of a sad mother's day for me.  I was all alone all day.  Last mother's day I was with Abra and we had so much fun together.

It was good to get out. This area is being logged but I figured it would be okay on Mother's Day and I was correct. This has been my go to hike.  I'll have to find another go to hike now that they are logging here or only go on Sundays. 

8 miles with 1,200 feet elevation gain thanks to a wrong turn