Saint Edwards Church, Shelton, Washington

Saint Edwards Catholic Church was built in 1931. It was designed by Paul Thiry who is known as the "Father of Northwest Modernism". He went on to be the head designer for the Seattle Center for the 1962 worlds fair. St. Edwards Church was destroyed this week.

The Seattle diocese sold the lot to Mason County. Mason County stipulated in the sales contract that the parish had to tear the building down.

Mason County intends to use the property as a parking lot.

Paul Thiry went on to be the principal architect of the Seattle World's Fair, the Washington State Library in Olympia, the Frye Art Museum in Seattle as well as the preservation and planning of Washington D.C. and its Capitol Building.

Saint Edwards was heralded as one of his early works that he designed before he became famous.

A group who wanted to save the historical building got together and offered Mason County $350,000 for the land. In the end it was down to one commissioner who decided to say no.

Saint Edwards has been an important part of the local community. Many people were married and baptized in this church.

Saint David's church, built in 1948 sits on the same block but it is protected as an historical building and can not be torn down.

Here is a slide show of the destruction, that I made over the past two months.

I just went up to take pictures of the new church and I discovered that it is at the site of one of my former geocaches. The cache was destroyed by a bulldozer a few years ago. Now I know who I have to thank for that!

Salmon Swimming on the Road Pictures Skokomish River Flooding

The effects of over logging and damning in the Skokomish Watershed


Many of these Salmon will be left high and dry in cow pastures when the water level falls.




Salmon swimming on the Skokomish Valley Road.
Devastation caused by logging.




Skokomish Valley Road Flooded out



Skokomish Valley road about .10 of a mile from 101



This is how much the river rose while I was taking pictures



Skokomish River from the new Purdy Creek Bridge. I think I was the first ever photographer to be able to stand on this bridge and take pictures with the water this high. Before this bridge would have been underwater in such a flood.

South Mountain aborted

I made it several miles down the 800 line and then ran into a closed gate. Maybe they are logging in the area. The Skok is going to flood today so there is no point in trying to do anything in the South Fork Skok area. I drove home and decided to rest my ankle instead of hiking today. I think I made the right choice, my ankle is pretty swollen. I had major operations on both of my ankles about 20 years ago and this is the first time I have sprained an ankle since then.






With that gate shut the evacuation route for the Skokomish Valley is also shut!

Later in the day I went to look at the Skok and an older couple came by and told me the way to get around that gate. They lived in the valley and had just came out via the evacuation route. They then drove up the Skokomish Valley Road to see the flooding. The road is flooded out .10 of mile from 101.

Crashed my bike twice today would different tires help?

I found a way to access some logging roads without having to put my bike in my car. It involves riding down a rail road track (out of commission until the bridge is fixed) until I reach a short trail. The trail leads to some logging roads near Shelton Matlock Road. I tried to find the logging road that went out to the main road but I had to turn around after about an hour because I did not want to get caught in the dark. I wish I had my GPS with me, I would like to know how many miles I rode and exactly where I went.


I have enough experience riding dirt motor bikes to know to never ride over a wet log at an angle. But still I crashed my bike twice riding riding over wet logs about the diameter of my forearm. The "logs" were wet and slick due to having no bark. I popped a wheelie (I guess they call that a manual now) over them and then the damn back tire went out from under me TWICE. The first time I was sitting and the second time I modified my position and did it standing was standing.

The first time I fell on my bad wrist, the second time I twisted my bad ankle. I was going very slow, but not too slow both times I crashed. After breaking my wrist last year I am a very cautious rider so I walked my bike down the steepest hills on the trail and never let my speed get very high on the logging road down hills

My ankle and wrist hurt but they are not broken. I beginning to wonder if biking is for me. I've had enough signs to make me wonder. Breaking off my front teeth in a high speed bike crash when I was about 12, breaking one wrist and spraining another in a high speed crash last year, having my bike stolen last week and now crashing twice at low speed during my first off road test ride on my new bike. Weird how I landed on my worst joints each time.

I guess I'll have to walk my bike over every little stick on the trail when it's raining. I intend to stay on logging roads and not ride on trails.

I had no idea that bicycles were so skittish on wet sticks, my bike tries to fall down even when I am walking it over wet sticks. I wonder if different tires would help with this? Comments are welcome.

My new bike is Novara Bonita with WTB MotoRaptor 26x2.14 tires. I really don't like the way the rear brake and derailer cables are positioned on the top of the frame tube. I get my shoes caught in them when I get on and off the bike.

I intend to hike in the morning if my ankle has settled down by then.

Locked in on Dow Mountain, First blog pictures with my new camera.

Snow Angel


Elfin Saddle



Hopping Crow


Frisbee'r


Uh oh!