qw0ntum (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} qw0ntum) wrote,@ 2008-06-08 21:44:00 |
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mountains and morels
My two favorite experiences in the last couple weeks are climbing mountains and morel mushrooms.
I met another intern named Josh last week as we were going down to the Pike Place Festival. We spent the day walking around the market buying tasty treats for dinner -- local asparagus, fresh rainbow trout, and morel mushrooms. Later that evening we came back to my apartment and made the tastiest dinner I've had in a long time. The fish and asparagus were great, as would be expected, but what really topped it all off was the morel mushrooms. We prepared them in a sauce made from butter, white wine, and garlic. I don't typically like mushrooms but these were some of the tastiest foods I've had in my life. Morels are pretty cool because, like truffles, they are quite hard to find, can't be grown commercially, and have a very short growing season.
I've also been really getting into hiking and, to a lesser extent, climbing. I do two hikes a week, for a total of about 10-15 miles. I typically do Tiger Mountain every Wednesday after work, plus some other mountain on the weekends. So far I've done Rattlesnake Ledge, the Olympic Coast, trail work on Little Si for National Trails Day, and, today, a killer hike on Mailbox Peak. That last one has a gain of 4000 feet in 2.5 miles -- silly steep. I've also started climbing, which I have to say is really fun. I've taken a couple classes, and there is a gym near my apartment that I can easily go to for practice. Plus, I've found a really great and enthusiastic partner, which I think is really essential to sticking with it. Definitely having lots of fun now that I finally have a chance to get outside more often.
This weekend, I spent Saturday morning doing trail maintenance (with a pickmatic!), then immediately after went climbing for a few hours, and then spent all day today climbing Mailbox. So I'm completely exhausted and sore. Thankfully I've had a chance to take a shower, and now it's time for bed. :)
My two favorite experiences in the last couple weeks are climbing mountains and morel mushrooms.
I met another intern named Josh last week as we were going down to the Pike Place Festival. We spent the day walking around the market buying tasty treats for dinner -- local asparagus, fresh rainbow trout, and morel mushrooms. Later that evening we came back to my apartment and made the tastiest dinner I've had in a long time. The fish and asparagus were great, as would be expected, but what really topped it all off was the morel mushrooms. We prepared them in a sauce made from butter, white wine, and garlic. I don't typically like mushrooms but these were some of the tastiest foods I've had in my life. Morels are pretty cool because, like truffles, they are quite hard to find, can't be grown commercially, and have a very short growing season.
I've also been really getting into hiking and, to a lesser extent, climbing. I do two hikes a week, for a total of about 10-15 miles. I typically do Tiger Mountain every Wednesday after work, plus some other mountain on the weekends. So far I've done Rattlesnake Ledge, the Olympic Coast, trail work on Little Si for National Trails Day, and, today, a killer hike on Mailbox Peak. That last one has a gain of 4000 feet in 2.5 miles -- silly steep. I've also started climbing, which I have to say is really fun. I've taken a couple classes, and there is a gym near my apartment that I can easily go to for practice. Plus, I've found a really great and enthusiastic partner, which I think is really essential to sticking with it. Definitely having lots of fun now that I finally have a chance to get outside more often.
This weekend, I spent Saturday morning doing trail maintenance (with a pickmatic!), then immediately after went climbing for a few hours, and then spent all day today climbing Mailbox. So I'm completely exhausted and sore. Thankfully I've had a chance to take a shower, and now it's time for bed. :)
