• Overlook Dog Park, Overlook Dog Park Lancaster PA
  (tags: dogpark membership)

• Timeless & Daughter
  Burden Cloths – a great way to carry gardening remnants, firewood, etc around
  (tags: tobuy gift gardening carry)
• Hike Of the Week: Sample glories of Rainier on easy Naches Peak Loop
  (tags: hike naches rainier cascade)
• Naches Peak Trail, Mount Rainier National Park
  (tags: hike naches rainier cascade)

Another County maintained trail. Yeah, it’s not 100% wilderness, but I think it’s important to show people that there are hikes that are able to be done for newcomers to hiking that they can easily bike, walk, or bus to. That way they can see what hiking can afford them in an urban area and imagine when multiplied may times over what that means once they catch a ride or drive to the real wilderness.

This trail is 17.3 miles in total length from Lake Washington south through Renton and Maple Valley and to Landsburg Park. From this confluence with the Green to Cedar River Trail north through Renton to Lake Washington is 12.3 miles. There are almost limitless points of access from this trail to the Cedar River.

It stays even with Rt 169 for most of the way, although there are distinct areas where it drops below and disappears from sight of the road. Even at this bridge, the road is still fairly well out of sight.

If you plan on walking the whole thing, or even from Renton to Maple Valley, take note that levee repairs north of Cedar Grove Road will close the trail for about a month. it won’t close the whole trail, but it will dissect it for the repair period.

I didn’t use Trailguru because I had planned on going very far and was worried the battery on my iPhone would die, so I used my Nike+ system instead (besides, it’s not like the elevation chart would show a whole lot of difference here… )

Trip total trail miles: 4.7
Hike-A-Thon total: 10.45

This trail is probably my favorite. Not because it is well groomed, or because it is wide, safe, and offers lots of friendly passers by. Nope, because it 1) is the closest to my house (I can even walk to it); and 2) it offers access to many facilities: Lake Wilderness and it’s lodge, the Lake Wilderness Arboretum, the Maple Valley Community Center, Lake Wilderness Elementary, and even close access to QFC, BOFA, and some small restaurants.

A quick walk down SE 272nd (Kent Kangley) from 216th St SE to the car wash just west of Four Corners on the north side of the Road gets access to this trail. It does go South from here as well, but I’ve never had the chance to walk that part; however, looking at maps, it continues all the way down to Black Diamond at least, although part of the way it apparently shares space with some single track trails around Lake Sawyer.

This trail is soft surface and as above goes through Maple Valley and past a lot of the community facilities. There are side trails to these facilities; as well as some single track for bikes, and to many many houses that border the trail. It connects with the Cedar River Trail, allowing easy access back and forth to Rt. 169 as well. Several times I’ve taken the 143 bus back and gotten off on 169 and walked home via this trail. It provides a nice respite from the trudgerous commute. The tree canopies and soft trail just bleed one back to rural-ness really quickly.

Some pictures from along the way:

I didn’t use Trailguru because I had planned on going very far and was worried the battery on my iPhone would die, so I used my Nike+ system instead (besides, it’s not like the elevation chart would show a whole lot of difference here… )

Trip total uncountable miles to trail head: 1.26
Trip total trail miles: 2.78
Hike-A-Thon total: 5.75

I’ve fallen seriously behind my miles goal for the Hike-A-Thon. I’m OK with that since I’ve gone with my mom and the kids and I realize they can’t keep a high pace. But, it does mean I need to make up the difference.

I plan on a long hike for today. I’ll be walking from the house to the Cedar to Green River Trail; taking it to the Cedar River Trail and following it all the way to Lake Washington for about 17 miles. There I’ll be meeting the family for a late picnic lunch. If I have any energy left (hopefully I will) Aileen will then drive me to Fort Dent so I can return south on the Interurban trail at about 15 miles to get picked up for dinner in Pacific.

My previous max at one time is 7 miles, so this is a big stretch. I plan on making at least the first half to Renton, anything after that is gravy.

Wish me luck, and remember that it’s not too late to sponsor me by the mile… I’ll have my phone with me, so go ahead and email me with an “if you do this many miles I’ll sponsor you message…” Or Facebook message me.

• Bike Dog Walker
  Not sure how well this will work, but saving to look at later…
  (tags: weekendproject dogwalk instructable cycling)
• How to make a magnetic fish tank cleaner
  (tags: weekendproject fishtank instructable)

• flipping typical
  Find out what fonts you have installed and view them visually
  (tags: fonts typography visualization resource tekzilla)
• TinEye Reverse Image Search
  (tags: reverse search image photography tekzilla searchengines)

• O2QqB.jpg (JPEG Image, 592×475 pixels)
  (tags: toprint)

Coffee in the wilderness has always been a problem for us. We’ve seen all manner of gadgets for making press coffee in the wild, but portable press devices are incredibly fragile and ill-working. We had a really cheap steeping spoon that worked for crap (too small, so it left for a VERY weak cup of coffee…)

A couple weeks ago I bought the GSI Outdoors H2JO! Water Bottle Coffee Maker. It worked amazingly well and I’ve relied on it exclusively since then. Just screw it on to a bottle, fill with coffee grounds,and let it steep and you have some rather nice tasting coffee. I was a super big fan.

Until Aileen came along and rocked my world (again). Her better solution? Senseo Coffee Pods. Yup, that’s it; it’s that simple. Just drop one pod in a cup, or two pods in a 18 ounce or so tumbler and you have coffee that not only tastes brewed fresh, but at an even lower weight. And you don’t need to bring along abottle that the H2Jo fits on, you can use whatever camp cup you’re used to using.

Couple it with a JetBoil and you’ll have some sweet tasting coffee in under 5 minutes from boil to steep to your lips. Give it a shot and let me know what you think. Who’d have thought that Senseo would be our wilderness coffee solution?

Matt, Another Hike-A-Thon participant posts his story about how his efforts called in SAR and saved a man’s life while out on a Hike-A-Thon hike. It’s things like this that have always had me interested in joining SAR. I’m glad I’m finally giving it a try, even if it’s over a decade from when I got the first glimmer.

Awesome job Matt, I’m so glad to have pointed here by Jackie. My participation in this event is even more cemented in my mind than it was when I started.