[Karen]

Whew! It's funny how we (or at least some of us) spend all winter/spring waiting for the sun. And then when it finally does arrive -- it's too much to bear and all my fantasies about hiking the high country (in sun) become reduced to shady river walks with cool breezes (hike I could have done in the winter). Yesterday I could hardly wait to get up to Mount Baker region as I haven't been there in a long time and when it's hot and sunny, that's where I most want to go. But by the time I got up to Glacier it was REALLY warm (too warm for me) and I thumbed through the hiking guides and maps for EASY hikes in the shade. Found a nice one -- Horseshoe Bend trail. Only about 3 miles round trip -- runs along the North Fork of the Nooksack and a nice, easy hike anyone can do virtually most of the year. But everyone else was seeking the shade and the sandy beaches were all occupied with young mothers and boisterous off-spring or teen-age boys with big dogs. Found a couple of secret spots tucked away but I took the worst photos I've ever taken. Took three cameras with me -- downloaded the digital images last night and picked up the prints this morning and the pictures are so lOUSY I am not even going to post them. I don't have the right kind of filters I need for dark rocks and bright water and that dappled sunlight that turns photographs into visual porridge. Ugh. The most amazing thing about this trail yesterday (aside from the scenery which is pretty darn good) was how good everything smelled. I'd BUY that smell if someone could manufacture it and put in a bottle. It smelled like pine, flowers, earth -- a heady smell and almost overpowering. Got back to the car and went up to Nooksack Falls but the old trail I used to hike down to the base is off-limits and since I was alone I obeyed the rules and stayed on the "right" side of the fence. Again, the light was awful. Light very harsh and unforgiving. And still way too hot. Looked at the guidebook and found a park that sounded inviting -- Silver Lake, in Maple Falls, a county park. Got there easily enough but by then it was so hot that nothing looked good. Even the shade was warm -- there were a few people enjoying a picnic in the shade but the park was mostly empty. I wandered around and enjoyed the geese, especially the "teenage" geese -- still covered with down and without feathers but almost full grown. Wild irises were blooming around the lake but their season is short-lived. I half-heartedly took a few listless photos and got the expected results (ugh). Drove home after stopping at Maple Falls for a huge ice cream cone AND a black cup of coffee to keep me awake driving home. The air conditioner not working in the car so I drove down I-5 just barely within the speed limit with the windows down listening to old Supertramp tapes. It was a long drive and I didn't accomplish anything except working up a sweat -- while driving. Karen

[Backpacker Joe]

Miss. karen, with all due respect, it's just you! I'm sure others will agree with you. The trouble is, you cant have it both ways. All kinds of people cry and bemoan the rainy terrible weather here. Now we get some of the best weather on God's green Earth and people start complaining that it's to hot! Ah, but you got out, that is half the battle! I LLOOVVEE IT! Bring on the summer and high country backpacking! TB

[Dslayer]

Yeah, it's getting warm over in E. WA--some low 90's around my neck of the woods-snow is coming off pretty fast up in the mountains--hot days call for some 6 am or earlier starts.

[Allison]

I believe it will not be too hot at the ocean. That is where I will be if anyone needs to reach me in the next couple of days.

[Karen]

Hey Quark, Maybe it's time for antique mall therapy. It would be pretty hard to take up residence in a dam though it sounds like a fine idear. Backpacker Joe, I get a kick out of you. I always enjoy your posts, even the ones I don't agree with. Everyone else: stay cool one way or another. I have to lead a Mountaineer hike tomorrow. Send cool regards. Karen

[Bushwacker]

Anytime now I'll personally be visiting the theory on Spontaneous Human Combustion!!! I'm just glad I'm at work and the sprinkler system has just been re-certified. BW

[catwoman]

Too hot for no air conditioning, that's for sure! I have no a/c where I live, or in my car, and I'm cookin'. Sure makes it hard for me to get my work done. Please, please cool off to a mere 70 degrees! That would be perfect!

[JimK]

I have never been able to take this much heat. At least I have a home office. With braodband internet, a wireless connection to my laptop and a cordless 2 line phone, I'll be hanging around doing business on the patio today. I'll be on the trail by 7:00 am tomorrow. Now I just need to figure out where to go...

[CampChamp]

Oh, C'mon - This is crazy. What'r ya gonna be sayin' in July? Of course it's rather warm. Warmer than usual. Warmer than natural. Hell, its all coming true, about the global warming and shifting of the poles...So get used to it! It's only 75-80 degrees out there. And it's only June. Better start conditioning yourselves if you wanna continue the pursuit of your outdoor passions, cuz when August comes along and we have more UNNATURALLY hot weather floating into the upper nineties in the North Cascade areas - whew! It'll be darn hot, but I won't be staying in the house. (Maybe pursuing shady riverside trails like you!) Honestly though, I go through the same thing every year. Get big-time spring fever and then can't endure the first few 80 degree days. Just get out there and get used to it. Sweat. That's one of the reasons I'm out there anyway.

[MCaver]

It's definitely not just you, Karen. Summer is one of my least favorite months. Granted, it is much more tolerable in the PNW than in the South, but I still prefer cooler seasons like spring and fall. If I never see 80+ degrees again I'll be happy. Today's 90+ is way too much for me, particularly since I -- like catwoman -- don't have air conditioning. And since I live upstairs, it's a constant 80 degrees in my place right now.

[CampChamp]

OK, OK, that was rough. I just checked the weather and it is already 85 in Marysville/Everett! Poor folks in Eastern Washington... This is gonna be a brutal summer.

[JimK]

The good news about living in WA is that this "brutal heat wave" will last all the way until....Sunday. 68 degrees forecast for Monday. Our heat seldom lasts very long. Now down in Texas...

[Tom]

We need a wimp emoticon.

[Karen]

Well, I think I could put up with the heat a little bit better if the photography were better. Summer is not my favorite season for photography -- the light is just too flat, too harsh, and/or too contrasty. My favorite seasons for hiking AND photography are those transitional seasons, summer and fall. I know a fellow photographer who doesn't even take any pictures at all between late June and Labor Day weekend -- because of the lousy light. With the exception of sunrise/sunset photos. I miss backpacking -- I used to love waking up and going to sleep in the wilderness. I always sleep better outside than inside and I miss that. So you may well ask -- well, why are you whining? Why not go backpacking? Many reasons, none of which are terribly profound or dramatic or interesting. I hope to get back to it later. Anyway I don't feel so bad now because I see I'm not the only one who is not totally appreciating the heat. And the grass IS always greener, isn't it? Karen

[Alan Bauer]

A-ha, looks like a key plus to having kids is the ability to charge outside and sit in the wading pool on a moments notice and fit right in! That water was sure COLD however yesterday after we first filled the thing up. I actually deal with the heat a lot better than most...mental thing I think. Either that or it stems from years of having to work in it no matter what on the farm. I still remember wearing blue jeans and it being 105 outside and I just didn't think much about it (until bedtime--I'm a WHIMP about trying to sleep when it's too hot)! Call me stupid ....but this morning turned out to be my "free time" to mix up 12 bags of concrete and set a series of new fence posts. It was only 84 outside when I finished at 11:30am! Now I'm inside.....