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~
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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 :-)
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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.
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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.
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.
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.
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Farah's windswept profile~ |
Even if it's not one of those long beautiful manes, it is thick!
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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.
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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~
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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~
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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.
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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~
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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.
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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.
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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 :-)
What strange finds on your ride! I collect pretty rocks too. Farah's mane looks so thick, gorgeous and fluffy, love manes like that :)
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