4:49 pm
Wanna keep Idaho wild? Check out this press release for an event this weekend:
Wild Idaho North! “KEEPING NORTH IDAHO NATURAL” Saturday, October 4,
2008, Sandpoint
Sponsored by Idaho Conservation League, call 208-265-9565 for
information or www.wildidaho.org, reservations required.
Come visit with experts in conservation, planning and natural
resources about how we can protect our natural areas as North Idaho
grows. (more…)
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9:13 pm
Eva Miller stands with co-builders at an Oakland cob oven project during a drying fire.
Community Minded Enterprises sent us this notice on a cool sustainability project going on this weekend:
Spokane’s “Greener Youth” Program Builds Communal Cob Oven
Local Activities Part of National “Green Jobs Now” Campaign
As part of a national grassroots event for green jobs, the public is invited to learn about and build a cob oven at a Spokane community farm on September 26 and 27. Community-Minded Enterprises is organizing the cob workshop and community spaghetti feed through its “Greener Youth” program, in cooperation with the Inland Chapter of the Northwest Ecobuilding Guild and with the participation of West Central neighborhood’s Project HOPE, who will offer a “teach-in” about how to create a more sustainable economic future for Spokane neighborhoods. (more…)
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7:23 pm
Bike to Work Spokane. // Photo Jeff Ferguson
Did you know that the League of American Bicyclists just released a list ranking the most bike-friendly states in the country? Washington State is ranked #1. In your face Wisconsin! Check out the whole list. West Virginia is last. Oregon isn’t 2nd. Or 3rd. Let’s not mention Idaho.
We rock. We need to stay on top. I suggest we not only work hard to make our state the best cycling state in the country. We should also see if we can’t sabotage other states efforts so they can’t challenge us.
5:28 pm
Lot’s of interesting stuff in the news today:
- The Spokesman Review reports “Blue-green algae blooms recently were spotted in Fernan and Hauser lakes and in Lake Cocolalla.”
- Ken Burn’s next documentary project “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” is set to air in autumn 2009 on PBS.
- Wolves are protected again. See this press release from the Defenders of Wildlife: (more…)
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8:32 pm
An OTM public service announcement: The weather is still nice. Go jump in a lake and whatnot while you still can. The above photo is my friend Mike at Redfish Lake in Idaho last weekend.
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5:02 pm
Brett Jessen at Mirabeau. // Photo Jon Jonckers.
OTM reader Tawnya Swanson sent this awesome email with the history Mirabeau Park climbing routes featured in this month’s cover story. You can read the original Mirabeau Rock City article online here. On to Tawnya’s email:
I can give you some light on the who, when and why of climbing routes at Mirabeau Park. I don’t know if Wayne Bagley already e-mailed you with information, but I will give you what I know. That climbing wall used to be in the elk pin at the Walk in the Wild Zoo. When the zoo closed down and fences were removed Russ Mehrens discovered the area and talked Wayne Bagley and my husband Dan Swanson into checking it out. They, Mark Tuggle and myself started climbing the wall with top ropes the summer of 1998. By the end of the summer and the next summer, we had bolted everything but the routes given credit in the article and the one with just one bolt.
As far as names go, I have only been able to come up with a few that I was more connected to. Your # 2 or 3 was named “Six Pack” because you had to reach into a large hole and you could grab the hold like you would a six pack. Your # 9 was called “Pink Flamingo” and Dan Swanson set it. I think he used a couple of cams on it. Your # 11 was named “Wild Cat” and I (Tawnya Swanson) set it. Your # 12 was named “Walk On The Wild Side” and Bill Sentinary and Russ Schultz (climbing friends) set the one bolt. We called it “The Bastard Climb” because of only one bolt and we didn’t feel like we should mess with it. (more…)
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4:54 pm
My step-cousin Shannon’s house as a result of hurricane Gustav. // Photo Tom Snyder.
Of the natural disasters we have to worry about in the Inland NW hurricanes are not one of them. My Dad in Baton Rouge is not so lucky. The hit that Baton Rouge took has been underreported in the news. As of today over 200K still don’t have power and our trying to cope with 95 degree temps. My Dad sent me this first person account of the storm along with pics of my step-cousin’s totalled house.:
I don’t know where to start, but I will start with a day by day of this week, as it has been quite a week, one I will never forget. I just regained internet access about two hours ago (Saturday night)
• Sunday, August 31- Hurricane Gustav is hitting Cuba hard as a Category 3 Hurricane, and appears to be headed directly for New Orleans. People in New Orleans are told to evacuate and Governor Bobby Jindal, the smartest man in Louisiana, and maybe the United States, and also the youngest governor, tells everybody to prepare for a very big storm. People strip the grocery stores of all their food, and also buy generators and batteries at Home Depot and Lowes. Diane’s mother comes to stay with us. The Hurricane is predicted to hit Baton Rouge by Monday morning. (more…)
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11:08 pm
When two scientists quit last year over the EPA clean-up plan for the Spokane River I was confused. Now the other shoe has dropped. EPA has decided it’s not OK for Idaho to pollute the river with more phosphorous than Washington state. The Center For Justice has a great write-up on this issue that they spearheaded with the Sierra Club. It’s great reading for anyone concerned about the river’s health and fish populations.
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5:27 pm
According to National Geographic Adventure Mt. Spokane St. Park is one of “the season’s best weekend trips.” Click here for a cool short blurb on Mt. Spokane. They are absolutely right. But they should have mentioned the the park is not too shabby during ski season either.
9:08 pm
Maple Street, north of the Spokane River, is set to open back up for car traffic either this Friday or the following Monday. Right now in the evenings the street is completely blocked off to car traffic with brand-new pavement, which makes it a blast to ride on a bike. I did a stretch from Broadway to Northwest Blvd on Saturday and it was fun. Ride it while you can.
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