Alger Alp

I'm beginning to think that my Senior Trailblazers group is really hard core (I kind of knew this), because I woke to rain for our regular Thursday hike AGAIN, and this time, even more hikers showed up! Sixteen of us set out for Alger Alp, an 80-acre park south of Bellingham, in a fairly steady rain. It was also more than 10-15 degrees colder than last week's wet hike. As you can see from the picture, the rain had changed to snow with a little elevation gain. We hiked on both trails and old logging roads around Squires Lake and saw evidence of beaver activity.

You might already know that beaver must keep chewing down trees in order to keep their teeth at a reasonable length, since they keep growing throughout their lifetime. It's pretty amazing to see what they can do with those choppers. In this park they are protected and allowed to chomp away, making for an interesting picture.

The usual destination on the fairly short hike is this overlook, which didn't have much of a view today. Our hike took us off the park boundary onto a logging road that doubles as a segment of the Pacific Northwest Trail and takes us to the overlook at 1,300 feet. I understand that usually there's a great view of several lakes and the Skagit Valley. Well, they must be there somewhere. The picture looks almost monochromatic.

I asked Al to take a picture of me while we were there, just to make sure I sometimes show up on the other side of the camera, and I thought it turned out quite nice, with the fresh snow as a backdrop.

After hiking a few miles, we all agreed to have our lunch at the Senior Center, which we found to be much more comfy than standing around in the rain and snow trying to keep from getting too cold as we eat lunch. So after a bit more than five miles and a thousand feet up and down, we headed to our cars and met back at the Center. Since I always like to include a picture of our lunch spot, here is today's, showing the Ferndale Three (Fred wasn't there today):

We commandeered a couple of these tables and had a MUCH nicer lunch experience than we would otherwise have had. And I was able to give some leftover brownies to a few lucky people at nearby tables. It was either give them away or pitch them, as they are anathema to my new dietary efforts. All in all, it was a wonderful day, but frankly I'm ready for a little of the non-liquid variety of sunshine.
:-)