2023.1.29. Snoqualmie Mountain + Guy Peak

A last minute event that I joined (Saturday evening), and many thanks to C who picked me up in downtown (because I'm not able to get to the meeting location at 6:30am by bus), and leading the hike . Compared to my last climb to Snoqualmie, today's route is more straightforward, and not sliding down the slope in the trees.

1/29, Sunday. I was picked up ~6:15am near I-5 165B exit. Because of the last trip, this time I brought everything: spikes, crampons, helmet (on top of the required snowshoes), and extra clothes + mittens, goggles instead of sunglasses. It's expected to be very cold. At least not windy.

Parking lots were mostly empty. Started hiking up around sunrise. Lights on the lifts at Alpental were on already. This photo was taken at 7:51.

We put on snowshoes soon, as we were sinking. The slope gets steep quickly, and soon very steep. We were making zigzags on the snow slope. C seems know his way here. I just followed him. Didn't need to check the track on my phone. This slope is more open than the route we took 2 years ago. The view got progressively better as we gained elevation.

I got tired quickly (I'm out of shape), stopped twice to eat an energy bar. It was cold, my lips were half frozen. Surprising how difficult it is to chew or speak with numb lips. I pulled my balaclava over my mouth, so the breath keeps my face warm, but harder to breathe. So I pulled it over and off, and repeat ... Mittens make things more difficult, but my hands were cold. I turned my water bottle upside down, as ice started forming.

At ~4800', the slope eases a bit. Reached sunshine. I put goggles on. The wind kicked up a bit on the ridge towards Snoqualmie Mt. C kept on the west side, whenever possible, to avoid the wind. He later commented that goggle is a better idea, as the wind was getting behind his glacier glasses, and freezing his eye-balls!

Snoqualmie is a twin peak. We went to the west one first (marked as Snoqualmie Mountain on the map). Sat on the west side to minimize the wind. Ate lunch, took photos. A group of 3 snowboarders showed up. Then, 1 more. View is amazing today. We could even see Olympics. Rainier, Adams, Stuart, Glacier Peak are most prominent. So many peaks that I don't know the names. Snow Lake to the west looks charming.

My thigh muscle was near cramping. So we rested for awhile. After about half an hour, we moved to the east peak. Equally fantastic view. This is the view to the north, more jagged. Couldn't see Baker.

On the way down, met a handful of skiers and snowshoers. We took off snowshoes when the slope got steep. The snow is rather soft today, makes downhill easier. I put on spikes, whenever not on snowshoes. C didn't bother. Also, he never took off his ice axe. Definitely he's more comfortable with steep snow than I am.

Near the bottom of Cave Ridge, C checked the time, and asked if I'd be interested in going up to Guy Peak. Sure! We put on snowshoes again, as it's rather flat here. Continued to lose elevation till ~4600', and then headed up. The back side of Guy is fairly easy (I guess if you know the route), at least when it's all covered with snow. In summer time, one particular rock may be too high to scramble over. Now we make snow ramp. Guy Peak is only 5010', more than 1200' lower than Snoqualmie. The view is still very nice.

We didn't meet anyone around Guy Peak, even though we saw tracks. Coming down without snowshoes, more or less the same way. Near the bottom, put on snowshoes again. Cut over to join the main track. One of my snowshoes fell off, so I packed them up, and switched to spikes. In the lower section, I think spikes are useful. The snow is somewhat crusty. Upper slopes are more powdery.

Got back to the car at 3:20pm. C was very nice to go out of his way to drop me off downtown. I got home at 5pm. Still feeling cold, legs now stiff, but happy. First real hike after a long hiatus. Need to get in shape. C had to wait for me so many times today.

One mistake today: should have used snow basket on my pole. The snow was very soft today in the upper slopes.

2023.1.28. History of Theatre at ACT

From ACT Core Company writer and artist Reginald André Jackson in collaboration with The Hansberry Project and director Valerie Curtis-Newton, comes ACT’s 47th World Premiere production, History of Theatre. delves into the journey and legacy of black theatre, from the early days of enslavement to now. Some songs and dance.

I'm ashamed to say, I'm ignorant of any of those artists mentioned in the play.

Good lighting, good acting, simple stage. I don't understand the time-travel part. Didn't need to do that.

2023.1.27. Metamorphoses at Seattle Rep

First performance of Metamorphoses, a new adaptation of the classic Ovid poem Metamorphoses. A collection of Greek/Roman myths, sprinkled with modern commentary. Not all stories of the original play. Not sure why these particular stories are picked and why this order. What I remembered are (not in order): Cosmogony, Orpheus (different), Myrrha, Phaeton, Baucis and Philemon. Also something about Baccus.

Very well articulated. No stage to speak of.

2023.1.21. Lunar New Year's Eve (rabbit)

New Year's eve dinner. No kids this time. Only 6 of us.

2023.1.19. Company event at San Francisco

Our week-long company-wide kick-off event resumed its normal January schedule. When I landed in SJC airport, it was no longer raining. The storm of last 3 weeks has finally ended.

On Thursday (1/19), after an all-hands meeting and 2 days of intense coding, 2 charter-buses hauled us to San Francisco downtown. First, mini-golf at Subpar, in Ghirardelli Square (a small open-air shopping mall). Still nicely decorated with holiday lights. I never really liked mini-golf. But it's okay if you have a lot of people rotating. Subpar has ~18 small courses, each with a miniature SF landmark. Golfing skill is not required, but luck is. There's also a bar that sells expensive drink while you play.

After I completed all the courses with my team (randomly assigned), I took off. Walked down to the Marine Park. There was a group of people swimming!!! It's January, and I was wearing a puffy.

Then I walked up to Black Point and Fort Mason. It's a bluff, so better view of the coast. Can see Golden Gate Bridge, and a nice sunset. There's a hostel here. Nice location.

Ran back to Ghirardalli Square to catch the buses to dinner at 25Lusk. We crowded in the downstairs with drink and appetizer. Too crowed for my liking. So I left to checkout the waterfront, and hoping to find some nice food place, and maybe order my dinner to go. Mission Bay is a couple of blocks east, at the end of a canal (Mission Creek). Oracle Park (home to San Francisco Giants) is all lit up. Good view of the Bay Bridge and the coastal lights.

Failed to find anything appleasing for food, I went back to 25Lusk. We were ushered upstairs, many with drinks in hand. Once seated, we were scattered over many tables. I sat at the end of the last table on one side. Pre-fixed, only 2 options. I tried both wines, and like them. Well, forgot to take a photo of the short-rib. My salmon was very good. No bread. I was still hungry after cleaning up my 3 plates. Some sales people were a bit rowdy, maybe already drunk. I sat across from M from Mexico. He showed me photos of Pico de Orizaba, which I intended to climb a year ago.

The 2 buses hauled us back to office. Caught a ride back to hotel.

2023.1.13. I'm not your perfect Mexican daughter - a play

1/13, 7:30pm, first show of I'm not your perfect Mexican Daughter By Isaac Gómez Based on the Novel by Erika L. Sánchez. Directed by Juliette Carrillo.

Julia, a 15 year-old girl from an illegal immigrant family, is angry with her parents who asked her to work hard and not flirt, is sad of her sister Olga who died in an accident and who was (seems to) a perfect daughter. Julia discovered a secret of Olga, was sent away to Mexico to calm down, met a "white boy", ... A growing up story.

Well acted. I don't like the stage, which is no stage set. I like the clothing design. The story is, of course, over-exagerated. The dialog is funny. Overall, I enjoyed the play.

2022.1.2. Tiger 1-2-3

1/2, Monday. Start the new year with a hike. The easiest for a car-less city-dweller is Tiger.

Took the bus to Issaquah downtown, walked to East Sunset Way TH. From there, I hiked up to Tiger 1, and then down to Tiger 2, and then Tiger 3. Saw no one on Tiger 1 and 2, saw one lady between Tiger 2 and 3. ~5 on Tiger 5. ~10 along the trail. Quite windy out of the woods. The loop is about 10 miles 3500'. Road walking about 1 mile RT in Issaquah. It's better to go up to Tiger 3 first to for some view. Also, going up via the unmaintained trail to Tiger 3 is the steepest in this loop, better done uphill.

Mistakes today: forgot knee braces, didn't bring any food. I got quite tired, and bored, especially the first half: going to Tiger 1 is long and all in the woods. On the way back, I was hungry. Luckily I caught the return bus with only 1 minute of wait.

Timing:

9:12 left home
9:26 get on the bus in Seattle (2 min late)
10:10 get off the bus in Issaquah
15:00 get on the return bus

Update: no muscle strain the next day.