One of the downsides of a dryer climate is an increased risk of fire. This is the view from near the First Fork/Red Creek loop on Missionary Ridge. The ridge was the site of a large fire in 2002 - note also the aspen re-growth.

This is my famous companion, Zephyr. I think he's got his trail legs as much as moi. So, I guess, make that two happy dogs....

The Secret of Roan Innish

Directed by John Sayles

With an Irish Cast

1995

John Sayles is perhaps best known for his Texas desert drama, 'Lone Star' - which in the canon of classic films gets shelved right next to 'No Country for Old Men". 'Secret of Roan Innish' was actually released just before this film, and is quite the climatic contrast - I viewed them in reverse order, and am reminded of the movie now by a recent travel transition, in that same reverse order. Hopefully all interpretations are valid...

Roan Innish is a children's story, but the literary quality is one that educated adults should love, perhaps more. It concerns a youngster's return to rural Ireland just after WW2 and captures the magic of the Country and one's roots - while also not hiding the hard working lives of the adults.

The family legend here concerns a 'selkie' - a seal capable of turning into a human, and the loss of her own brother as an infant. All of this unfolds as the family itself attempts to reclaim their homestead on an abandoned island near the ancestral village.

Crack canyon is an easily accessible slot in the San Rafael Swell, south of I-70, near Hanksville and the Goblin State Park (Utah). The trail does have chokestones which require some athletic mobility. They aren't overly difficult, have climbing tools in place, relatively well travelled, and with known safe exits downstream. As such this is great for an introductory challenge to this neat little niche outdoor sport.

The road is a bit rough, for a few miles, but most of the connecting roads between Hanksville and I-70 are quite good. It makes a good stopover on a scenic route - should you be so fortunate to fit it in. As always I'll leave the details to others.

The canyon starts out relatively wide, narrowing as you progress.

This is the first of three chokestones. I didn't go past this point as time was limited, and, I'm also a bigger guy, a risk and mobility limiting factor. I did speak with a father son pair who had been through all three. This is not a trip without risk, and if you don't feel comfortable evaluating those risks don't proceed.

The San Rafael is not a big river in Utah - there are only two rivers in the entire State which are not quite small - the Colorado and it's major tributary, the Green, both originating in the Rockies. The San Rafael itself originates in the Wasatch range, home to Utah's powder snow and backdrop to Salt Lake City, at its southern end. It's season is short, but later than most Utah river due the elevation of the source.

That fact means it can possibly be quite hot - something you should be careful, especially if you wear a life jacket and/or have extra insulation as do I.

The guidebook I used rates this river as 'class 1 1/2' - which I'd agree with. Do note that it is a wilderness trip and has log jams and brush hazards - a good trip for anyone who is reasonably fit, outdoor risk comfortable, and able to paddle a boat on a lake. It is 17 miles which makes it long enough for an overnight - and also adds to the risks of heat exhaustion. Personally, it reminded me of the Escalante nearer to Lake Powell, though much shorter and definitely easier.

There are at least three major side canyons. As with most Utah Canyon rivers your best source for side hike info will be one of the specialty canyoneering guidebooks for the specific area.

The southern access to this river is just across the Freeway from the BLM dirt road access to the Crack canyon slot. The takeout is a spectacular spot, and has a campground. If you wish to create the best experience for canyon neophytes definitely access this route from the north and only spoil the shuttle drivers.

I exited that way, towards Salt Lake via the Huntington drainage - a cool escape from the 100 degree desert - and what looks to be some great intermediate 3+ continous small mountain whitewater. My riverside streamsite was incredibly beautiful.

This isn't a great photo, but it is a timely one, if you note the odometer reading. The moment was a great one, that's the Malheur River just above the Seattle Commercial Parking Permit and my old Renton (41st Legislative District) apartment parking permit. The sunset was spectacular, the right mix of clouds, and yes, sun.

This is near the Vale/Ontario area on the Idaho border, the start of what they are now calling the 'Oregon Outback'. I'd spent the day driving up from Utah, much of it on dirt roads through the Jarbridge/Bruneau areas and the headwaters of the Owyhee river, a rather sublime spot. The area has the reputation of being isolated, and that I can confirm. The dirt roads however are still quite good, at least in dry conditions.

I spent the night at a campground not too far upstream from here, near the beautiful town of Junturas. Though the mosquitos were hellish, the spot was otherwise quite nice.

On this trip I'd journeyed across the Desert from Southern Colorado on what felt like the hottest, and most desolate, route possible. I'd done my high school years in Eugene, just a bit to the North, so the coolness of the Mountains felt like home in more ways than one. Or, to be more specific, close to home.

I came through the Diamond Lake resort area, just north of Crater Lake. Located below the Matterhornesque Mt. Thielsen the spot is a gorgeous out of the way hide away. Like Tahoe there is a bike trail around the lake, 11 miles total, also accessible via cross country skis.

There was quite a bit of smoke in the area from some California wildfires, so no pics. I spent the night down the river a bit, one of my favorites in the State. There's no wilderness on the descent, but it is still incredibly pristine, has reliable water all summer, and captures the best of it's major riverine neighbors, the Rogue to the South and the McKenzie to the north.

I camped at one of the trailheads for the North Umpqua River Trail and did a short riverside hike. Here's some pics:

This lilly looks a lot like the garden variety that I've got blooming at home as I write this, but much smaller. Nice.

The Tahkenitch beach area is one of the most difficult to access on the Oregon Coast, which, in my book, makes it one of the best. It's located just north of Reedsport and the Umpqua river mouth. The area is similar to the more popular dune areas near Florence, Eugene's beach town, sans dune buggy's and crowds.

I did the 6 mile loop via Three Mile Lake, there are other options and entry points. I camped above the lake with a few of the ocean about 1/3 of a mile off, across the Dunes. Coming via the desert made the coolness a relief and pleasure. Walking near the surf near dusk was a study in the sublimity of so many near shades of gray defined most clearly at the horizon between a gray sea and a gray sky. A portion of this beach is open to vehicles, but the rather cute couple cruising by on a pair of clam digging equipped ATV's was not a distraction.

This one is worth doing again, with sun next time, for a study in contrast.

My four week trip, in part exploring relocation, was coming to an end, a good one. From a slow simmer in SW Colorado, to the full heat of the Great Basin desert, to the cool green of Oregon it had been a western odyssey of personal significance. Capping things off with a traditional Fourth of July visit with Bro and his kids was great.

On that final day coming home, I came back through Tillamook, crossing over to Longview, via the Wilson River and the Trumanesque/Harley Destination of Vernonia, outside of Portland.

I knew a girl from Tillamook once. She tells a story of a life after death experience, crashing into the Devils Fork of the Wilson River, returning from a High School trip to Portland. It was an event that meant a lot to her, and I think I knew her well enough to be able to plug into at least a small portion of that experience. Call it empathy, call it what you will, but it was certainly something.

My particular travels had never taken me down that particular stretch of road, but as a whitewater guy with several Oregon first descents to my credit it was a river definitely on my list. Like all of the Coast Range rivers the Wilson is a rainfall driven creature, and this was not the time to paddle. But I do think I was able indulge myself a bit healthily in making a guess as to the spot.

Not exactly Freudian, but heck, he was a crack head, at least later... I wonder what Mom's opinion would be... :-)

I have to admit that although I was a supporter of Hillary I'm in fact encouraged by the fact that some of her supporters have gotten at least a small bit of comeuppance. Hillary herself will certainly go on, and hopefully the power structures of this Country will learn the appropriate lesson. Hopefully.

Both my sister-in-law and ma are big Obama supporters. That positited the rhetorical question in my mind of comparing the 'stereotypical' female Obama supporter in contrast with the typical female '50 year old white woman' Hilary supporter. Upon reflection the question, though interesting, is mute. The important thing is to treat each individual on their own merits, and that's a rule that's a part of every commandment Moses scribed in stone millenia ago.

However there is another question, not asked by the mainstream corporate media that may be very relevant.

Perhaps it is not gender that was the reason for Hilary's loss, but her generation? Are people sick and tired of the boomers and their 'group think' ethos which ignores individual responsibility and encourages the sort of negative behavior exhibited, at times, by the stereotypical '50 year old spoiled white woman'?

As such the question of the day: Will the boomer generation ever put forth another finalist in the race for president, in either party?

El Espinazo Del Diablo
(The Devil's Backbone)

Written and Directed by Guillermo Del Toro

2001

Like M. Knight Shymalan Del Toro has the ability to capture the light of humanity in well crafted horror. This movie is darker than Shymalan. Like the more recent 'Faun's Labryinth' the period is the Spainish civil war, one of the most interesting chapters of the 20th century.

American Psycho

Based on a novel by Bret Easton Ellis

With Reese Witherspoon, Wilem Dafoe, Chloe Sevigny, Justin Theroux and Jared Leto

2000

Bret Easton Ellis's 1990 novel is a wickedly delicious account of 1980's yuppie culture.. It is quite graphic and definitely deserves it's 'R' rating - and a rating to take literally. Enough said.

El Topo
(The Mole)

Written, Directed, and Starring Alejandro Jodorowsky

1970
(re-released on DVD 2007)

European art films can suffer from dense cinematic symbolism - and this movie certainly has much of this strangeness It also definitely works. Stylistically it is a spaghetti western but it is much more of an allegory than any other contribution to that genre.

The start of the movie left me perplexed. I think my interpretation may help to make sense of the movie, so a bit of a spoiler, which may or may not be true.

After Jodorowsky's wife is killed by a rampaging gang of thugs he is left only with his naked son, his horse and guns, and a picture of his beloved.

Though the movie starts with his pursuit of the killers but is really about the many challenges he and his son face in the decades following.

In company of the recent 'Dark Knight' release 'The Mole' sits very well. Being a hero is not so simple as it seems, and it will change your life of your entire family forever.