rafting, no - hiking, yes

We had planned on rafting down the Nooksack river today, but the weather had other plans. Yes we could have gone in the rain, but it wouldn't have been as fun. Sooooo, we decided to head to Ebey's landing on Whidbey Island. The weather was still damp, but we dressed for it and thoroughly enjoyed our day!

(remember to enlarge a picture, just click it)

I love this trail, it has beautiful views -

zig zag down

eagle in flight

and we were blessed with a window of sun,

and a rainbow on the way home!

Hoypus Hill Trailblazer hike

Last night while getting my gear together for today's "Trailblazers" hike, Thursday's weather forecast was ringing in my ears: snow, rain and thunderstorms. They may as well have been saying Dorothy's chant from the wizard of Oz, “Lions, Tigers and bears Oh my!” with an emphasis on the "Oh my!" That's how I feel about spending the day hiking in those kind of conditions. Isn't it interesting how a weather forecast can become larger than life? I wasn't sure I wanted to be cold and wet all day, but decided to buck up and take whatever nature and our group decided to do.

When I left this morning it was pouring rain, but no sign of snow on the ground, yay!

It was agreed that our group would hike the Hoypus hill trail near Deception pass. I carpooled with Marjan, Frank and Jan, as we were driving down I-5 south and it was pouring we were wondering what we were getting ourselves in to. The farther south we went the lighter and bluer the sky. By the time we pulled in to the Cornet Bay parking lot the sky was blue and the sun was shining.!

                                                    Yay for us :-)                                                              

 It was a wonderful 8 1/2 mile lowland forest hike. Our forests are so beautiful  and lush - with the stinging nettles - yuck, moss, ferns, huckleberry bushes, salal, douglas fir, hemlock and cedar trees. Even the slugs welcomed us in to a beautiful spring day.

conferring with the GPS

Time for lunch!

Me (Al & Frank behind me) - enjoying a nice rest break

Djan

In the photo below you can see our sunny ending - what a great hike!

Deception pass bridge in the distance

Cornet bay

So glad I didn't listen to the "Lions, tigers and bears" in my head,

"Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage." Ralph Waldo Emerson