2023.12.31. Seattle Symphony New Year's Eve Concert + Party

12/31, Sunday. Today's concert is scheduled at 9pm. When I walked in ~8:55, I was given a drink voucher to be used before or after the concert. There were lines at the 3 drink tables. I asked for a bottle of Perrier. Only bottled water is allowed into the auditorium. If you want soda or alcohol, you have to buy a lidded cup to carry your drink in. This takes time to process. I'm cheap and in a hurry.

Beethoven's 9th Symphony is performed every year this time. Today's performance is conducted by Kah Chun Wong from Singapore. Full of energy. I love the voice of the New Zealand baritone Hadleigh Adams. Great volumn. I find the 2 female soloists scratchy. The choir had 53 singers today. All were present throughout the 4 movements. The 4 soloist only came at the 3rd movement. Between each movement, people applauded, ushers led stragglers in -- a bit odd. Supertitle helps me understanding the German verse. The seat is over 90% occupied.

After the concert, everyone poured into the lobby. A band played in the lobby. A table had 2 kinds of paper hats with Happy New Year on them. Ran into LH and LC who were posing for a photo. Drink tables now all had very long lines all the way out of the door. Last time I came to the New Year's Eve concert (2009), there was another musical work before the 9th. No line for the drinks. I felt short-changed. Went home disappointed before the count-down.

Ate an apple. Then I walked to Space Needle for the fireworks. Couldn't believe how many people were on the streets. Cars parked in the middle of the streets. I couldn't even make it all the way to the Space Needle, but close enough to witness the fireworks. The smoke was sinking, and blocking the view the better half of the time. Overall, not bad. Before and after the fireworks, the Space Needle was in T-mobile pink. Large powerful lights rotates around the Needle.

Happy 2024.

2023.12.31. The Sugarloaf, Mount Rainier

12/31, Sunday. Exceptionally good weather. Headed out ~6:25am to catch bus 150 in order to meet with VJ around Kent ~7:15am. Our goal today is Camp Muir. The rain and clouds from yesterday made the drive quite pretty: fog/clouds hanging low in the valley.

Only a couple of cars ahead of us at the gate. The road to Paradise opens at 9am usually. We were there after 9. Almost no snow on road. Saw 2 snowplows running. VJ drove his car into a ditch recently, so he was super slow and careful driving up. We didn't start hiking until ~10am.

Snow started from the edge of the parking lot. We put snowshoes on pretty soon, not absolutely necessary, as snow was packed down. VJ is much faster than me, so he went ahead, after set an agreed rdv time: 4pm at the car. We walked in the clouds.

I took the left track (for summer use) which ends at 6600'. A couple took off their snowshoes and hacked their way up a steep, but somewhat short section. I kept my snowshoes on, and took out my ice-axe, hacking up as well. Instead of doing the same traverse (not good with snowshoes on), and went more straigh ahead. Both are risky. Everyone else turned around, except some were looking at me hanging on the steep slope. It took me over 30 minutes to get up. My fingers were so cold and they ached badly. I stopped to refuel and warm my hands, thinking from now on, there'd be no crowds.

Boy, was I wrong! 10 some minutes later, I joined the army coming up from the right (which I took on my way down). It was already noon, and I decided to forgo Camp Muir. Went up McClure Rock, then up to Sugarloaf, which has a flat, but narrow top. The south side is steeper, coming down the north is much easier. Only my footprint here. You can see lines of tracks below me going to Camp Muir.

I waited here until a bit after 1:30pm and then turned around. Still 1.5 mile and 2300' to Camp Muir. That'll be next time.

Coming down, the pristine snowfield has been trampled. Saw a large group dragging their heavy load upsloap. They are training for Denali. The Tatoosh Range barely show up through the clouds. The sky was strangly pink.

I returned to the parking lot ~3pm. There, I ran into H whom I haven't seen for over a year. Checked out the new visitor center. I like the 2nd floor that has benches in front of windows facing the mountain. There's a table with different animals' fur. The free WiFi didn't seem to work. Good that I turned off airplane mode just to check my phone signal. Got a txt from VJ that he was waiting in the car already.

Driving down is slow, even though the road is better. Many small sedans. We made a gas stop. I asked to be dropped off at Tukwila Lightrail station. Back to downtown just before 7pm. Walking home. After food and shower, I was able to take a 20 min nap, before walking to Benaroya Hall.

2023.12.26. Tiger 2-3

12/26, Tuesday. Partly sunny with increasing wind. This time I hiked in and out from Jakob the troll. So many people were taking photo with Jakob on both time when I walked by. It's unseasonally warm. By the time I reached Tiger 3, it was already cloudy, and the wind was blowing. The view was still clear in all directions, especially towards downtown buildings. Thankfully, no one at work disturbed my hike :)

2023.12.23. Nexus interview

12/23, Saturday. Drove to Blaine's Trusted Traveler Enrollment Center for the Nexus interview. My Global Entry expired in 2021. Soon after, I applied for Nexus for half the fee ($50 instead of $100). Only this March, I recieved a notice to arrange for an interview. However, for Nexus, all the interview sites are at the US-Canada border. For me, it's Blaine, but not really in Blain, which is reachable by bus. This site is in a strip mall near Birch Bay next to I-5. Thankfully, it's open on Saturdays, so I don't have to take a day off. The interview calendar is quite full. I made this appointment in the summer.

I arrived ~20 minutes earlier, and reported to one of these 3 windows. After handed over my confirmation letter, passport, driver's license, I waited for my name to be called in this lobby. There's a display case with furs of pine marten, fox, beaver, weasel, and some small old aparatus. I was called to talk to a US officer first. He asked me some simple questions (name, address, phone#, reason for applying Nexus). He took a photo of me. Then I talked to a Canadian officer in the next window. She asked me to read about 10 rules printed on the desk, and then pretty much repeated these rules. Both only took a few minutes. Fairly easy. I was told that a card will be mailed to me in 2-3 weeks.

2023.12.17. Eagle Mt Recreation Area

12/17, Sunday. Forecast calls for a rainy week. So I headed to the mountains. Buses on Sunday runs every hour, so I decided to walk all the way.

My first goal is a point marked as Cypress Mountain (not the one with ski area), The first hour is all on pavement, quite boring, view is okay, passing some nice big houses (with no yard) overlooking the south (yes, can see Mt Baker as I walked).

Once on the trail, well, not quite, it's a bad road only good for ATVs, I realized that the walking stick I brought along is no use. Looked for a tree branch. The road goes fairly close to the "summit", but not quite. I scrambled to the two bumps shown on map, but there are more than 2 high points in the vicinity. All are surrounded by trees, no view what-so-ever. Also, I was trespassing into the municiple watershed.

Disappointed at the non-"view", I changed from my next goal from Eagle Peak to White Rock t, hoping for a view. Also it's much closer. It's close as the crow flies, but the road goes south and then you can hitch another road. I cut across to connect the two 4x4 roads. Had to go around south a bit, due to swampy ground. A couple of small ponds here. Quite a lot of snow. Elevation ~800m. Bushwacking took much longer than I thought, even though it is not very bushy. By the time I reached Cypress Lake, it was already 2:30pm (should have started earlier). The lake is a flow control scheme to ensure adequate water in Noons Creek. There's a large plaque about this.

I continued on the road (nicer with snow on it) to its blockade. 3 no-trespass signs. The road continues for a little bit until a fault (wash-out?). At the approximate junction to the White Rock trail, there's a camera and more no-trespassing sign. I turned around. Couldn't see the trail under the snow, and it was getting late. Encountered a girl with a dog at the turn to the lake. Inquired about White Rock. She said in summer people all trespass and hike up to the view point, and it's worth it.

On the way back, I took a different route, because I saw a viewpoint sign on my map. A small opening through the trees. Then it's a proper trail, albeit steep. Named "Massage Therapy". Then more trail, all have funny names like: Fat Bastard, Decapitator, ... Soft forest ground. Even though the trail is not always clear, it's not hard.

By the time I hit the road again, it was dark. Even though not 5pm yet, and it's a sunday, many cars on the road. So noisy, that I couldn't hear my headphone clearly.