Headbangers are Down and Out this week.

It is twelve years ago that I was in India with this group of teachers doing some volunteer work and some sightseeing on the weekends. There was no way I would go DOWN that trail and OUT on that ledge to have a picture taken. Now today, I am much bolder about heights, so....

             ... No, I still wouldn't go down that trail and out on that ledge.

At the ball game last year DOWN on the field the batter was OUT...

           ...and then we went DOWN the steps and OUT of the stadium.

These kayakers are DOWN there in the valley OUT on the lake.

But my header comes from this shot of the bridge at Silver Falls five years ago. You see, in November of 2006 there was 18 inches of rainfall in 36 hours at Mt. Rainier.

Flooding devastated many trails and roads, bridges and campgrounds. The summer season of 2007, the connections between the three main corners of the Park were broken--with roads washed out by the floods. The loop trail to Silver Falls could not be looped because the bridge DOWN there was OUT. As I mention above, there was no use going all the way down there because the bridge was still out till nearly

the end of the season.



When the repairs were complete, the new landing on the west side of the bridge was wonderful and safe. Here it is with just the last of the handrail to be completed.


Of course, it actually was worth hiking down, because otherwise you would miss the view of the falls.

Another casualty of the floods was Campsite 26 in C Loop at Ohanapecosh. That site and several others--one of which we had camped at in the summer of 2006--were--well...


...washed DOWN into the river and OUT to the Pacific.

Headbangers, how far DOWN were you able to go?

And I don't think I am OUT of line in welcoming Gail, who will compete with us starting next week.

But the others will be here this week. Check them out from the links in my sidebar.