Seeking Shade & Whitehorse Update~

Yesterday, when I was driving west on 84th toward Marysville - I was the only car on the road.  That doesn't happen nearly as often as it used to!  Up ahead I saw a logging truck start to pull out - loaded with the logs from my trails :-(  Sickening...

Today - with higher temperatures on the way - I had to squeak in a ride!  Normally, I would have ridden out from home - no longer...  Bracken it was~

In the cool of the shade~

Only a couple trailers in the parking area & we ran into two ladies riding out as we were going in.  Harvey Creek was our first stop.  Even before she took a drink - Farah was yawning :-)

In the creek~

We did what's become our usual circuit that gives us just over ten-miles, unless we take additional detours or short cut back.  It was warm, but with a nice breeze that kept the bugs away.

Once a beautiful trail~

Deciding that I'd like some fresh blackberries, we took the hill down through them.  No luck there - the weather has been too warm & dry for the second crop.  At the bottom, we took what was a beautiful trotting trail - one of the best here, until the tree farm did some logging.  The deep track from the Excavator was never repaired.

Farah feasts on Reed Canary Grass~

I've posted photos & information on these two horrible invasive weeds several times.  If you take time to read the link - you will understand the importance of eradication.  It's such a shame that Snohomish County doesn't have the funds to do more...  Private landowners could help - but most  don't.

Japanese Knotweed

The knot-weed is in full bloom - it's really beautiful stuff - too bad that it's SO invasive!  Roots that can go 90 feet deep!  What's worse is to see it gaining a foothold - spreading over a larger area of the shoreline than it had even last Summer.

Farah's windswept profile~

Even if it's not one of those long beautiful manes, it is thick!

Farah's sleek profile :-)

We'd already had our lunch at Tin Bridge, I didn't want to go out into the hot sun for the trek to Cloverdale.  There is good news though!  Last Sunday, Butch & I stopped to see the progress on trail.

The Whitehorse!

How sweet it was to see the infamous Hole no longer an issue & the trail has been pushed through!  Rumor was that the hole was declared a wetland - if you can imagine that!  The area was dry.  A large amount of work now completed - since I'd been here on July 20th.  Post~

The Hole is to the left~

The slight re-route did make a little curve through here.  We walked all the way to the end of the work area.  The blackberries have again closed off the trail - just since I rode all the way through last June.  Post~

Where the trail will continue~

Today, we walked along the river bank so I could take a photo of Tin Bridge. The river is really low, probably near the same as it was this time last year.

Tin Bridge~

We went all the way under the bridge, there was shade there after all!  I looked up to see what was left of the branch that had been stuck here since the first time I took Farah over.  Post~

Stuck under the bridge~

Just as we were leaving, I looked down & found a large bolt that had fallen off the bridge!  It weighed at least 3 lbs!  I contemplated trying to fit it in my saddle bag, but instead started carrying it.  I love rocks & have quite a collection - always looking down while walking in rocky areas.

My next find!

How could I miss this?!  Some type of man-made brick - but the incredibly interesting thing - was the chunks of marble that were embedded in it!  I have to wonder where it came from & what it was?  I did some checking & was surprised to find that marble has been mined in Washington.

Upstream - North Fork of the Stillaquamish River~

Now, I'm carrying a 10-pound brick & the rod & bolts from the bridge!  After we climbed back up, I decided to hide both until Butch & I can hike in on foot to collect them!  I want to give the bolt to Parks - the bridge might need it :-)