The Issaquah Alps are a series of mountains in western Washington stretching along Interstate 90 between Lake Washington and the Cascade Range. No peak is higher than 3,500 feet, roughly 1,050 meters. I’ve climbed the Tiger Mountain trails, Cougar Mountain… Read More ›
pacific northwest
Flying high in the Issaquah Alps
Reflections on recovery, post punk bands Joy Division and The Fall, the braided nature of the past and present.
Oh so weird and wonderful
It took me all week to eat the Frito pie, that 70s classic of sautéed beef and chili powder, canned enchilada sauce, fried onion, beans, melted cheese and corn chips. When I served it for the Super Bowl people just… Read More ›
Winter’s teeth
On one end of the sky the crescent moon, an earring made of boneand on the other the rising sun, soft candlelight—in between there was us, the earth, with all blue above.Winter’s teeth still on the wind. Birds beckoning for… Read More ›
Another window
I went back up Tiger Mountain but this time in the dark, walking mostly by moonlight. It takes about an hour to get to the top and it’s a well-groomed trail, though there are some big rocks to watch out… Read More ›
Mensis Februarius
You get enough light to walk by now a half an hour before sunrise. Still it was too dark and I jumped the gun driving to the state park in the rain. You could see it in the headlights and… Read More ›
Your own personal Jesus
Thirty years ago I moved to Seattle, sight unseen. I was living in Philadelphia with my girlfriend in an artist loft in a bad part of town. That winter in Philadelphia was the worst one in years, as was the… Read More ›
That one January in the UK
As January came to a close we left our rental in Bath and made our way down to Canterbury. I remember thinking we’ll probably never be back here, and feeling a sadness in that. But it was more the fact… Read More ›
High Point Way
I went back up Tiger Mountain, the High Point Way trail that cuts through a former homeless camp, Tent City 4. That camp kept getting moved until it landed here, at the base of Tiger Mountain smack dab on the… Read More ›
Human years
1/21/26 The sound of the cock crowing in the morning is doleful the way it peaks and trails off. It’s so cold when the headlights hit the road it is all diamonds, the frost. Up ahead it’s the old guy… Read More ›