Snoqualmie – On the line- Snoqualmie Any, Any, Anytime -Snoqualmie!

Please forgive me for the Blondie inspired headline, I couldn’t resist. I haven’t posted in awhile. I’ve been meaning to put up some picks from Snoqualmie Falls. So, here they are.

Fire Walk With Me

Spent a few days hanging out in western Washington state. We happened  to be in the area of North Bend, where the Twin Peaks television show was filmed. And we even ate at Norma’s place.

Damn good cup of coffee.

Ye, Tho I Walk Through the Valley of Death

Walking With A Ghost – town.

Our next stop on the way to Death Valley was the Rhyolite ghost town located in Nye County, Nevada. (I know you have the Bill Nye the Science Guy theme song in your head.) Shake it out. Good.

This place had to be happening during it’s heyday. Gambling! Whores! Booze! Just like grandma’s!

Dreaming of Vegas

Before we left the Grand Canyon for Las Vegas, I told Scott that I had a dream that we actually drove to Italy where I was winning money on a slot machine. So, I told him when we get to Vegas I have to find either an Italian themed slot machine or we have to play in one of the Italian themed casinos. Turns out it was an Italian themed slot machine, on Fremont  Street, called Mt. Vesuvius that was my golden ticket. Even though it was only a penny slot, I still walked away with at least $60. Plus, I won a few extra dollars on roulette and video black jack, so Mistress Luck was definitely putting out for me this day.

I’ve been to Vegas before. I don’t hate it. I don’t love it either. It always seems to have a really stank smell outside. Maneuvering through the throngs of drunks and immigrants in girls, girls, girls t-shirts, gets annoying after awhile. But it will be nice when they finish construction on the new complexes and build more walkway bridges over Las Vegas Blvd.

The housing market downturn was very noticeable here. Several blocks of the blvd. were packed with people living a tent city. And I don’t think these people are just the normal wanderers and vagabonds. I think many of these people may have had jobs and homes up until a few months ago. It is always very sad to see this. We have it here around LA too, but it seems to be kept further out of sight. I keep these people in my thoughts and hope that they can get back onto their feet soon.

The REAL Grand Canyon

My apologies to the owner of this badunkadunk, but I just couldn’t resist! I like big butts and I cannot lie.

Canyon Hike – Day 2

The second day at the canyon we hiked down and back up for a little while. It was a beautiful day. The temperature was cool enough in the morning for a jacket and later when coming up it was still cool in the shade to provide some relief from the afternoon sun. Overall, I think we spent about 2 1/2 – 3 hours hiking. It was a great experience, exhausting, but great.

This was the first stop: Coconino Overlook. Which, now, is also my drag name.

We had to make way for some asses at one point:

Caught this little nut muncher:

We stopped about an hour into the hike at the next clearing. This was the furthest we could go and make it back up in time to get moving on to our next destination. If you look way down to the right you can see where the trail continues. I’ll save that for another time. Maybe for my 50th birthday. Then they can just bury me right there at the bottom.

Looks lovely, but this is the way back up. Here we go:

Everybody Was Snowball Fighting…In May! In Arizona!

Driving up toward the rim of the Grand Canyon there were still some small pockets of snow holding out so we decided to stop and have ourselves a snowball fight. However, in order for the camera to really pick up what was going on we may have had the world’s closest snowball fight ever.

Rimming The Grand Canyon

I’ve heard people make snarky remarks about The Grand Canyon before like; “Why the hell would I want to go see some giant hole in the ground?” And usually I will think to myself, probably because you’re too busy staring at the giant hole in your Krispy Kreme donut.

 This is not a place to view in pictures or to watch on Discovery channel while chugging killer aspartame Diet Cokes. No, this is a place that must be felt, smelled, breathed into your lungs. You have to stand on the rim and look down and realize how significantly small you are. And maybe that’s why so many people don’t want to come here. They don’t want to be confronted with the fact that they are nothing. The Ego simply cannot allow that to happen.

  These pictures can do no justice to the wonder. You just have to go there and take it all in. But always know this:

 The canyon eats your face for breakfast and rapes your ass for lunch. It is your master and you must submit.

ABQ = Albuquerque. DOES NOT = Abortion Barbeque.

The best part of being in ABQ was spending time with our couchsurfing hosts, Jenn and Jason. They took us in with little notice and only required us to wash the blood stains out of the sheets from their last victims. KIDDING! Seriously, they could NOT have been any more gracious and wonderful. I had the best time with them. Plus, they are people of “two worlds” like me. There is a common thread of energy amongst us bi-racial folks where we just instantly understand all the emotional garbage that goes with being who we are. Not this, not that. What am I? Who am I? Alright, alright, enough with the heavy.

 So, anyway, they took us out to a brewery, accompanied us to a bohemianesque musical jam and then out to some bars in downtown. They have a great place where they have an art studio and grow a lot of their own food. Their beautiful dogs, Patsy and Belle, were so adorable and I think I may have petted them so much they now have a bad case of canine scoliosis. There was also a nice kitty running around named Phoenicia. I didn’t pet her since I’m allergic. Thankfully, she did not steal my soul as I slept for not showing her some love.

 I have to say that before going there most of my knowledge of the city came from old Bugs Bunny cartoons I watched as a child. Oh, Television Nanny, how I miss thee. But overall, it seems that Albuquerque is a very livable city with diverse cultures and neighborhoods. I think that anyone relocating there or just going to the University of New Mexico to study would find a place or a group of people that they’d fit nicely into.