#red top mountain state park

[mountrainiernps]

Perhaps one way to describe Cascade red foxes is sensitive.

Vulpes vulpes cascadensis, as our Cascade red foxes are known scientifically, are a native species found only in the higher elevations of the Cascade Mountains in Washington state. They are small, topping out about 15 pounds. They are colorful with fur ranging from red to tan to silver to black.

While being fluffy and furry does help with staying warm during the wintery seasons on the mountain, the Cascade fox isn’t sleeping through winter. They are out and about looking for food. Ok, looking is not always the right verb. Listening for food. Smelling for prey. There are some animals awake through the winter living under the snow. Animals like voles that make tunnels under the snow. By listening, as well as smelling and using all their sense, foxes can locate prey animals under the snow. Snowshoe hares and pocket gophers are also common prey so Cascade red foxes are willing to use all their senses to bring down any small animal for a winter-time snack.

These little carnivores are wonderfully matched to the snowy environments they inhabit. They do not need any food from humans. Feeding wildlife is dangerous to humans, who might be harmed by food-conditioned animals. Feeding wildlife is also dangerous to animals. They are not adapted to eating human food and get too close to humans. Some of these precious animals have even been run over by cars while begging for food. Learn more about helping wildlife at Keeping Wildlife Wild.

More information on Cascade red foxes in the national park can be found here  https://www.nps.gov/mora/learn/nature/carnivores.htm

These photographs are from years past and do not reflect current conditions. NPS/S. Redman Photo. Tan and black Cascade red fox in the Paradise area. July, 2010. NPS Photo. Two Cascade red foxes in tac and black walking on snow in the Stevens Canyon area. NPS Photo. Black and silver Cascade red fox walking on brown grass past rock and trees in area south of Paradise. April, 2005.

[lost-creatures]

"Hot Cougars in your area". She'd seen the ads a hundred times before, they were probably the only motherfuckers willing to advertise on these piece of shit message boards, and most of them were just scams anyway. This time though:

Reader Discretion Advised: Eaten Alive, hard vore, snuff, vomit, musk, yuri, t4t MINORS DNI

So I do as I'm told and walk away from my campsite in the middle of the night without telling anyone. We didn't have to go far— just some state park in the mountains above the suburbs. An arid montane scrubland echoed across the rolling surface, its reds and yellows muted to grey and blue in the winter moonlight. Three ridgelines deep into the mountains already. Just the hike to the backcountry campsite beat my ass, so my legs are screaming as I walk into the cold.

/

it was an unlicensed app, right? but you know the website seemed normal enough and i figured that if this worked, i wouldn't really care what they did with whatever got left behind. enough debt to buy a house i guess? i thought i'd been fucked anyway, made a profile and went 2 weeks without a response or message. they're just gonna rob me, huh? this is even better than Lex.

i really needed a girl to pin me down and start tearing into me, nobody ever goes hard enough goddammit. if you want something done right i guess you need to find the real deal.

i almost deleted the app, told myself two days in a row that i should. then, a photo, a mass, the clash of textures between corded muscle and gelatinous organ, heaped onto the dust at night. the kind of thing you'd see on a trail cam, but the angle was wrong.

how can i reply? i can't just hit her with the keysmash, how many women like her can even admit they'd want to do this to you. prey have to stand out a bit more these days, predator populations are way down.

"hey um, is that your work? i really liek it ;3"

fuck goddammit its over im fucking blowing it

"thnk u for noticing meeeee!~"

i'll just kms i'm cooked

"sorry i, the composition of the piece is very strong. the way the textures of the corpse contrast with the dusty landscape, acts to draw your focus as much as the border of the spot lighting and surrounding darkness. the off center lighting creates an almost sfumato effect along the massing, creating beautiful shadow shapes. would you want a new subject? ;3"

"Hahaha, you're cute aren't you?"

my rizz is unlimited

"We should meet. Do you know Henry Coe?"

/

Going back down the 22% grade is harder than climbing it and made even worse by the loose gravelly surface and the too many gin and tonics I had after we made camp. My boot catches a rock as I leave the trail and my knees hit the rocks. It hurts, but I'm having trouble finding the meeting spot, maybe some blood on the trail will help her find me. It feels like she's already on top of me. There's a pressure in the air and it makes every crack and shift in the earth reverberate across the slope. In that moment I can hear every motion every breath under the scrub. There's nothing, just wind howling over the crest of Mount Sizer. But I can feel her boring into me. I keep waiting for her to collide with me, knock me to the ground. I want her I want her inside me.

I want to be ready so I strip my torn clothing from my body.

This has to be the spot, the singular tree matches the photo she sent. I sit, bare ass shivering on the stone under the tree and wipe the fresh beads of blood down my knees, only managing to make a big red smear reaching halfway down my shins. The premix gin and tonics from the campsite start to fight their way back up my throat.

"I didn't think you were gonna show." she's smiling. Her stare pierces through me like I'm not even there. Its entrancing.

Her amber felid form followed my same path along the mountainside and into this depression. A little bit of my blood already stains her muzzle.

"You're Eloise? You know you shouldn't give your real name out to strangers on the internet, right?" She stretches the last word out, lilting, like she's trying hard not to laugh.

I'm struggling to respond through the boozy haze, the biting wind, and the nerves I get just looking at her. "i didn't really think it mattered" I uncurl a bit and she finally gets a look at my face. "can i know yours?"

She jumps, pounces, closing the distance between us faster than I can react. The full weight of her body hits me square between the breasts. Between her body and the rocks beneath every last wisp of air is pressed from my lungs. Her scent hits me all once as I gasp for air, she's actually wild, fuck. Her stink is acrid, acidic, astringent, its the kind of smell that sucks the moisture out of the air and dries out your mouth. I don't gag so much as start panting and straining towards her. "Its Tiffany." Planted on my sternum she makes every breath a labor and I barely manage to whisper a reply.

"i… i…"

I've wanted this for so long but I never thought I'd get this far. I have no idea what to say.

She shifts her weight into my guts and the sick I've been holding back overtops the lump in my throat and pours weakly down my chin. I gag into my chest as my entire body contracts and the waves of my vomit splash flecks of evidence into the fur of her breast and forelegs.

"Its okay kiddo, you don't have to say anything"

"please," I'm coughing up the heavier stragglers stuck in my throat, "you're beautiful" It just burns now. "i need you to take everything from me"

She laughs and looks down, guiding my eye to her massive paws pressing into the plush of my abdomen. To the contents of my stomach emptied over my still flat chest and softening waistline, dripping off in chunks. The tips of her claws poke from their cuticle in their round furred sheath. Fully deployed, each one looks like a karambit, sharpened just for me. She runs her paws gently over my belly, the touch imperceptable over that of the scouring wind, and still, red and black beads follow in the trail she leaves. The roughness of her underpaw brushes past my aching nipples. I can't help but gasp at the burst of sensation attacking my touch starved corpus. She cups her mouth over my breast and gently rolls the small lump of fat around with her tongue, punctuating herself by flicking the tensed tip against my nipples. I can barely process how desperately horny I am. Between my love life sequestered behind a screen and my newly sensitive flesh, I was unprepared. Warmth spreads where my cunt should be and I can't help but grind weakly against her soft underbelly. The first hardon I've had in weeks, I'm almost crying. She pauses a moment and grins down at my weak erection to let me frot against her own growing studded clit. She pins my wrists against the stony ground and puts her hips into it. I'm screaming, the feeling is so intense it almost edges into painful. She's growling feral in my ear, gravel infiltrating her saccharine valley accent. God Fuck please I need it its fucking happening. I shoot; I didn't even know I could do that anymore. The thin mucus spraying from my tip coats the gap between us and she thrusts harder against my pelvis. When she shoots, it hits me in the chin so hard I yelp.

"You really are cute. I hope I can keep you." Her voice trails off and she looks down at me with pity or maybe resignation.

Held down by her impossible strength, she pulls open the soft flesh of my belly like a ripe persimmon. I scream and the sound is deadened and hurried away by the gusts up the windward side of the mountain. Her snout pushes into the freshly wet cleft and I feel her buried deep inside my guts. She works her way underneath my ribs, my chest swelling at the foreign addition. There is a new pressure in me as she nibbles at my liver, the taut wet bulge of organ fills her mouth. I feel her tugging at me with suction at the back her her throat. Her teeth sink into me and the shifting cords of her stiff neck pull with enough force to tear the dark mass free. I sit in a howling void, fully part of that world. I am pure energy bursting forth from a charred vessel. Steam rises around the internal heat bleeding external, a pocket in our frigid night. Spread thin over the earth, I hope she makes eye contact with me while she chews at the choice cuts. She looks back at me, almost bashful at the intimacy held in our stares.

She lays by my side devouring me. Her cum pools in my jugular notch, stained pink with flecks of blood. A tongue like a wave of sand cleans my blood from my outstretched hand. She works her way between each of my fingers all the way down to the webbing. Rolling them over and over with that wet muscle. She knows exactly what she's doing, she's still finding ways to tease me back to ecstasy. In one smooth motion she pulls the hand into her mouth, laying the wrist perfectly along her incisors, canines neatly out of the way. And she bites, gently at first, and then the muscles in her jaw tighten and contract. Blood oozes forth and then sprays from the base of the bite. The radiocarpal ligaments snap apart in suddenly relived tension and her teeth smash themselves between my many carpal bones. My hand spasms, articulated by pain, and she rolls her bite just enough. The back of my hand hits the wet of her hard palate and every nerve in my hand screams as it comes away in her mouth. She pins the arm under her while she sucks at the meat of my hand.

its too much its everything im scared i cant

I come to and the wind's died down a little, the moon's not quite where it used to be. I guess you can live a pretty long time with your guts out and no liver. Longer than I'd have thought anyway. A stump of a wrist bounces off a rock as she drags me. The edges are black with either dried blood or frostbite. I'm not sure how much longer I have left, but every second I get with her is an eternity.

[thorns-and-rosewings]

Now here we have Part 5 of the Reaper King AU💀 a bit of an explanation of KC's powers... Before we get to the obvious shenanigans of the last chapter. 😈

TW: By now you can gather we touch on some darker topics in this.

Part 5

-Killcode DOES have magic. He became aware of his 'passive' abilities. Such as the mutations that occurred to his children and to the area they live but he deduced that there were other abilities, more offensive ones, he could utilize and he quickly learned how to use them...

-His powers are all entangled with darkness and shadows. Which he can use to extend the reach of his scythes, if not completely generate weapons from the darkness outright.

-He also can create massive spikes of shadows from the ground to come up and impale victims en masse.

-Killcode can drain the warmth out of an area, making a forest trail in the middle of a summer day as cold as a moonless winter night. Something he does to test the reactions of his target, maybe even work to unsettle them... Which works to make a more interesting hunt.

-He can become 'As a shadow' and disappear into the ground and move through terrain with frightening ease, even emerging from literally nowhere to strike down targets.

-His most devastating power is 'Shinigami' which is where he completely mutates... He becomes a Bio-Mechanical creature that looks more like it's namesake. He possess wings, sharper claws, and a tail. Not only does this form amplify his strength, but it also heavily affects the area around him in almost a Silent Hill manner. He can devastate everything in his path in this form... However he can overexert himself and need to rest in a nearly catatonic state from anywhere from several hours to several days afterwards.

-Also he has the ability to generate mist.

-Although he has these additional abilities he very rarely ever uses them. As he believes it gives him an unfair advantage... Granted he does enjoy creating mists or draining away the heat as this makes hunts more entertaining.

-Oddly enough his FAVORITE power is the most passive of all.

-Every now and again KC and his family will climb up to the top of the mountain to a small little plateau up there. Where they can overlook the entire forest and the small towns scattered around... A red light will bloom from the core in Killcodes chest and tendrils of this light will rise up into the sky and spread out...

-Creating a breathtaking blood red Aurora.

-While frightening to behold for the locals and has become known as a bad omen, the sight is beautiful and calming to the monster family.

...Anyways...

Now back to the Tinder debacle...

-Obviously this goes without saying but the building of a Tinder Profile for KC goes off the rails. Between the debates of what to put on the profile vs too much information...

-Bloodmoon is trying to tailor the profile to match the profile of the Park Ranger... Which isn't too hard, as it turns out they actually have some things in common... But this is hindered a little by his siblings input, although they eventually cobble together a decent profile and uploaded it to Tinder.

-They got a lot of matches...

-Oh LORD there were so many matches...

-Within minutes of posting this profile he had at least a hundred matches and DMs were at least double that...

Banshee: Um... Bloody is this supposed to happen?

Bloodmoon: I don't think so. This is so weird... How hor- (Looks at Wisp who's standing next to him, let alone Vamp and Lycan who are watching the increasing list of matches on the profile.) Erm... How lonely are these people?!

Banshee: ...good save...

Wendigo: (Snorts) Congratulations guys, you just made dad Tinders most desirable bachelor.

Bloodmoon: NEVER say that sentence again...

Wendigo: (Snickers)

Vamp: ...Question...

Lycan: How can the ranger accept dad's profile if we still have their phone?

Wisp: (Holds up phone)

Bloodmoon: 😱

-Sooo, the next part of the plan was to return the phone to the Ranger... So Bloody went back to the ranger outpost. Where the ranger was outside, looking around the ground for where exactly they could have dropped their phone.

-Bloodmoon wound up and threw the phone... Only he ended up smacking the ranger upside the head with it... Knocking them out cold with it.

Bloody: ...eh I am sure they are fine...

-He leaves them unconscious on the ground outside of the Ranger station with the door to the aforementioned station wide open... And... It was promptly invaded by a horde of super intelligent racoons.

-Bloodmoon returns home only to find that KC has returned back as well... And he is initially not to happy about the Tinder Profile...

-Probably because at this point he's gotten even more matches... And the DMs... Well... He can't let the younger kids read those.

-BUT...

-It would appear that the Forest Ranger in question has also said hello... And they are able to start a conversation!

-A small victory...

-However... KC makes a point that nobody is EVER going to do this ever again.

[r0-boat]

Hot Night Chilling Touch 

Grusha x Male! Reader

Commission request for @spideroni

Thank you so much for the Commission!!!!

Nsfw

Cw: Dubcon, public sex(bathroom fucking), jealous sex

WC: 2K

The faint beat of the music from the nightclub reaches your ears as you and your date step out of the car into the parking lot of the building. Levincia, being hot, humid, and much more lively than the small humble town of top Glaseado Mountain, Grusha wasn't used to crowds since he hadn't really left the mountain since he was a pro athlete but never had he ever gone to a club before.

And you, who had been starving to get out of the house for a while and saw glowing reviews for 'The Static' about its alcoholic beverages and overall ambiance, were immediately sold!

The rain only added to the atmosphere. The pink glow of the sign in the outline of its mascot, a Flaaffy, and the yellow of the club's name just underneath it, caught your attention as you both made your way to the building, your arm linked with your date.

"The music is loud," Grusha stated, just low enough for you to hear.  

"That is normal, yes," you replied with a smile.

He sneaks a glance at you. The both of you had dressed up before you left. He was wearing a simple light blue fading dress shirt, but it seemed you dressed up. He had never seen you in a suit before; you looked pretty good.

Luckily being a weekday night, the club wasn't too crowded, but that will be sure to change later. The night is still young; after all, your boyfriend took his chance to dance with you. That's what people at clubs do, right?? He just wanted to spend time with you, which he's always happy to do no matter where—practically guiding you to a part of the dance floor with fewer people.

Grusha pulled you closer to him, an arm around your waist, that small charming smile he reserves only for you, his icy blue eyes soft and warm, still sparkling in the colored light, his baby blue hair down in a loose ponytail, and his lean body in a simple dress shirt had your heart racing. 

Unsure of what to do, Grusha's body starts to move, swaying slowly; you chuckle at his awkward movements, and he laughs with you.

"I'm not much of a dancer…"

"Do you want me to teach you?" You reply a little more smug than you intended, his face Flushing, eyebrows furrowing as he playfully Taps you on the back, that smile turning into more of a smirk.

" Shuddup, I'm trying my best…."

You take the lead anyway. Grusha hoped that the lights hid the red on his face.

Later in the night, the crowd was becoming a little much for your beloved date, so he watched you dance from the bar. Not wanting his decision to recharge his social battery a little bit stops you from having your fun. However, he'd be stupid to leave you out without supervision. And his hunch was correct. A man who had been eyeing you for a while now suddenly got up from his chair, walked up to you, and caught Grusha's eye as he brought the glass of alcohol to his lips. His brows twitch as the well-dressed-looking young man stroked up a conversation with you by the way he looked at you, how his eyes looked up and down, complimenting the suit you were wearing. And you, the cute oblivious idiot you were, smiled and thanked him. 

He wasn't the first idiot Grusha saw staring at you all night. He could practically feel people's eyes on you. In all honesty, he doesn't blame them at all. Just look at you in that outfit showing off your form yet leaving some room for imagination. Halfway through the night, you even started to unbutton it slightly; perhaps the atmosphere was getting to you. His first mistake was letting you leave the house with that outfit. In his defense, he did not know how many uncivil animals they'll be practically eye fucking you.

But he was just as guilty. Maybe it was the outfit, maybe it was the alcohol, or perhaps it was your outfit, but you looked incredibly irresistible. He had been staring at you all night as well, feeling his cock beginning to stir. That outfit was getting ripped apart as soon as he got his hands on you.

Grusha growled as He downed the rest of his glass before approaching when the sleaze bag stepped closer.

To you, you were just having a lovely conversation with somebody until feeling an arm wrap around your waist.

"Can I help you?" Grusha says, not hiding his irritation, glaring daggers at the absolute idiot who decided to test his patience today; everything about him shouted 'go away'.

The guy took the hint and looked slightly irritated that you were taken, leaving without a word.

You gave Grusha a confused look 

"Grusha… Wh-ah!"

Before you could question, he grabbed your arm, dragging you to an empty bathroom.

As soon as that door closed, he guided you to the sink, his hand slamming down on the marble, trapping you with Nowhere to Run His breath was hot and smelled of the alcohol they served at the bar.

The bittersweet taste on his tongue made you melt. His hands roamed your body, fingers playing with the buttons of your fancy little suit. He grabs the waistline of your pants, pulling you closer, wrapping an arm around you for support. His hot breath tickles your ear as he growls.

" Fucking Tease… tell me did you wear something nice to show yourself off to all these people even though you're mine?"

 You gasp against his lips when you feel his hips grind against your pant leg. 

His hand smacks your clothed thigh.

"Answer"

 Your mind was racing! Was he going to- Here?! With the party on the other side of the door, "I just thought the suit was ni-!"

SMACK

" excuses will only make things worse, dear; now, on your knees."

 Heat is rushing to your cheeks; your eyes dart to the bathroom door.

"here?!"

"duh… wasn't the reason why you brought me here to make me get out more, experience new things…? Right now, I want your hot mouth on my heavy cock, in this bathroom at this club."

Grusha snarled, his hands fumbling with his belt undoing the buckle. Pulling his pants down just enough for his half-hard cock to Spring free.

He wraps his hand around it, giving it a few Strokes. Watching your boyfriend's big cock swell in his hand made you drool.

"Knees." He demands, putting his hand on your shoulder as he forces you on your knee, his thumb pressing against your lip, making your mouth open, and you cling to his pants. You couldn't help but squirm in your place, feeling your cock begin to swell

"Mmh… Good boy~ come on, tongue out as well~" you stick your tongue out. Grusha smirks, his blue eyes clouded with lust at the sight before him, ready and wanting. 

He slaps his cock against your tongue. His fingers tangled within your locks, forcing his cock down your throat. You choke and gag on his thick cock. Nails digging into his ass, trying to get used to how he was treating your throat, harsh and deep thrusts. Every moan, every whine, every gag made him throb.

" Taking me so well tonight, darling… do you like the idea that anyone could just walk and see us fucking, see that you are mine?" 

His pace picks up, favoring a faster pace than his previous slow and deeper one. Your eyes flutter with the taste of his precum, and each vein you feel slides against your tongue, going straight to your loins. You slip your hand underneath your pants, his thick shaft muffling your moans as you feel how hard you've become. You continue to touch yourself, getting off to his taste, bobbing your head up and down, eager for him to fill your throat with his seed.

Although Grusha had other plans, fist in your hair, he removes his cock from your hot dripping mouth.

" Fuck… Fuck… I can't wait; I need you; I need to be inside of you right now! Get up."

He demanded in a dark tone which you obeyed immediately. He pressed you against the bathroom wall; his tongue slid into your mouth once again. He practically ripped off your pants, his hard cock wet with your saliva, rubbing deliciously against your own. The friction was heavenly, but this wasn't what he wanted; giving his wet cock a few more strokes, he moved it toward your entrance.

You break his kiss, practically begging him to use you—your silent begging music to his ears.

" Now be good and take all of me…." Grusha murmured, pushing in and then out with shallow thrusts, slowly working his cock deeper and deeper.

"G-Grusha!! Ah-mph!"

Generally, on any other day, he would adore the way you scream his name, but here, at this moment, he rather not have anyone barge in. Slapping a hand over your mouth 

"Quiet! U-unless you want everyone to see how much of a f-fucking slut you are…." 

He continues to move slowly but surely; he fills you up completely. He grows in frustration pulling your tie off and wrapping it around your mouth, using it as a gag so he can free his hand 

His body presses you harder against the wall supporting you with his own body as he lifts your other leg; you instinctively wrap your legs around him as he holds you suspended. He could feel your tight hole clench hard around him as he slowly slid out. 

Your squeals were silenced by the gag when he slammed inside of you, his head resting on your shoulder; his pace was fast and brutal, practically drilling you into the bathroom wall of the club. The music from the dance floor was still blaring. However, the only thing the two of you could focus on was each other. You could already feel your cock throbbing from touching yourself earlier, making precum and smearing it all over your boyfriend's dress shirt as he fucked you with no remorse. Those sparkling blue eyes darkened with lust, watching as your face twisted in pure pleasure, an image he'll surely burn into his mind forever. The sting of your fingernails digging into his back increases his pleasure. Your orgasm hits you like a train shooting your cum all over yourself and Grusha. 

Grusha, however, is far from done, fucking you through your orgasm; your whole body squirms, your legs shaking as he pushes you beyond overstimulation.

You beg for him to come for you, but with the gag in your mouth, it is useless. You're desperate begging, only arousing him more.

Chasing his orgasm at this point, he fucks you with reckless abandon, his steady pays decimating, completely losing himself in your tight hole.

"Close! Close! So close! you make me feel so good-!" He buries his face against your shoulder, sinking his teeth into the flesh. Marking you as his. he explodes, rutting against your ass, making sure you take all of them load after load of his hot seed.

He leans against you, catching his breath and basking in the afterglow of his orgasm.

Grusha slides his now softened cock out of you, peppering your face with kisses, removing the tie from your mouth before kissing your lips, humming in delight when your fingers come through his messy blue locks.

Your legs were practically jelly; as soon as your feet planted on the ground, they shook and gave out "Careful!" Grusha panicked, catching you before you could hit the ground. His chest swelled with pride. He lets you lean on him while he gathers any clothes the two of you may have scattered off the bathroom floor.

Your boyfriend sighs. "Let's get you cleaned up and go home. I'm exhausted…."

The both of you left the bathroom together despite no one seeming to know what happened there; everyone was too invested in their alcohol and loud music to care. Your face was red with embarrassment. Grusha, however, had a smug look on his face.

[spacefinch]

MSB rambles: locations

As anyone who’s watched the Magic School Bus series knows, the show is mostly set in Walkerville, a made-up town. However, they never specify where it is, except for “in the USA.” They don’t specify what state, or even what region of the country it’s in. But here are my observations.

In “Gets Eaten,” Ms. Frizzle drives the class to the beach, while the bus is in normal bus mode. The beach looks like a California beach to me (based on my experience going to beaches there), and a sea otter makes a brief appearance. In the US, sea otters are only found along the west coast.

In a few episodes (Getting Energized, Rocks and Rolls, etc…), it’s shown that there are mountains/foothills just outside Walkerville, and that there’s snow on top for at least part of the year.

We know it snows during the winter in town as well. (Source: MSB Holiday Special)

There is a swamp with alligators and blue jays within driving distance of town, as shown in “Butterfly and the Bog Beast.” The whole vibe of the swamp feels very southern to me. (Note: “driving distance” might not necessarily mean said swamp is near town. Could just be that anywhere is driving distance on the Magic School Bus.)

In “Gets Swamped” we see that there is a more marshy swamp in town. The main vegetation is reeds and small shrubs, and the animal life consists of species such as snapping turtles, muskrats, wood ducks, harriers (marsh hawks), bullfrogs, red-winged blackbirds, and dragonflies. This suggests a more northern location for Walkerville.

In “Goes to Mussel Beach,” the mussels are described as “Mytilus californianus” aka the California Mussel, a species only found along the west coast. Again, we have no idea how far away the beach is from town, but it’s a different beach than the one in “Gets Eaten.”

In “Kicks Up a Storm” the outside temperature gets to a high of 99 degrees Fahrenheit— which, judging by the kids’ reactions, is too hot for them. As a Californian, I can sympathize with this.

In “All Dried Up,” the bus (in plane mode) must fly over a mountain range to get to what looks like the Sonoran Desert. Which mountain range they fly over is not specified.

In the book “The Truth About Bats,” it is stated that in order to see bats in Yosemite National Park, the class must fly to California— thus implying that Walkerville is not located in my home state.

In “Goes to Seed,” there is a Ruby-throated hummingbird (at least that’s what I think it is) in the garden at Phoebe’s old school. The Ruby-throated hummingbird lives mainly in the eastern half of the US.

In “In a Beehive,” Tim mentions a “big frost” approaching. Again, this suggests Walkerville is somewhere Up North. (We don’t get a “big frost” where I live— just a few smaller frosts.)

In “In the City,” we see that some of Walkerville’s urban wildlife includes peregrine falcons, red foxes, opossums, raccoons, and nighthawks. It is also implied that bears live in the woods outside of town.

In the book “The Wild Whale Watch,” the New England coast is a short drive from school, which directly contradicts my observations about coastal locations in the show.

The woodpecker in “Meets the Rot Squad” is a red-bellied woodpecker, a species found in the eastern US.

In the book “Rocky Road Trip,” Carlos says that he collected some of the rocks in his collection near “the Saddle River.” I looked it up, and in the real world, Saddle River runs through New York and New Jersey. (But for all we know, the Saddle River in the book could be made up just like Walkerville.)

In “Ups and Downs,” we see that Walkerville is located near a good-sized lake— large and deep enough for a submarine to dive in, and with plenty of underwater vegetation.

In terms of continuity, there is no continuity when it comes to where the heck Walkerville is. This sometimes frustrates my overanalytical brain. So, I leave it to you, fellow Magic School Bus fans, to answer the question:

Map for reference!

[eriquin]

Cat's in the Cradle, part 2

Not sure how I'll break up the rest of it or what my frequency of posting will be, but here's the second part.

(master post)

Upside Down Regeneration

Some time later, Eddie opened his eyes slowly. He had only a vague memory of the pain he’d felt when he’d blacked out. The sky was still the terrifying gray and red of the Upside Down, but it was quiet. He flexed his fingers and took stock of what he felt. His clothing draped around him, bulkier than it had been. His rings were loose. He sat up very slowly and tried to look at his hands, but the bandana fell over his eyes. He pushed it back and felt a distinct lack of long hair underneath it. And his hands were small and smooth, with no callouses from years of guitar playing. 

“Fuck,” he said softly. It came out high-pitched and a bit squeaky. 

The tactical vest fell off of him as he got to his feet, as did the bitching bullet belt that Erica had snagged in the War Zone. His pants threatened to fall off as well, but he grabbed them and hitched them up. He had a real belt on, and he tightened it as far as it would go, but the pants still hung low on his tiny hips. The torn up Hellfire Club shirt stuck to him because it was soaked with blood, but it was still far too big for him. The boots looked like clown shoes. He pulled them off, not needing to unlace them to do so, and he rolled up the cuffs of his pants after. It wasn’t ideal, but it was better than nothing. 

He tiptoed past the dead bats, not trusting that their death properly disconnected them from the hive mind, and made his way back to his trailer. His pants threatened to fall down the entire way, and he had to keep one hand on the belt as he walked. “Please let there still be a gate,” he whispered to himself. The oversized socks he was wearing were damp, and he could feel every pebble through them. He didn’t want to walk all the way to one of the other gates like this. There were definitely still monsters out there, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to run. 

The gate was there, but there was no rope to climb. Someone had moved the couch, though, and stacked up a table on top of it to make a little climbable hill. He could picture the three teenagers doing this to help Dustin through, and wondered if they had planned to come back for his body. Maybe they were on their way. Explaining his current state would be difficult, but it was better than staying here and waiting for more monsters. He climbed the furniture mountain and threw himself through the gate, landing flat on his back on the mattress on the other side. Even with the uncertainty of everything going on, the shift in gravity was still fun. 

There were sirens in the distance, and Eddie sat up on the mattress and saw that a huge gash had been ripped in the side of the trailer. It was either nighttime or it was so cloudy as to block out the sun. The split in the trailer extended down the hill and he could see smoke and fires as it stretched towards the center of town.

“Oh shit,” he said. “We lost.” 

The trailer park was empty, probably evacuated. Eddie was sure that the army was on its way, just as Nancy had promised, but for now he had free reign of the place. He went to Max’s trailer again, this time to raid her closet. A glance in her bathroom mirror confirmed what he already knew. He’d physically regressed to looking like a middle schooler. It would make it difficult to get around, but no one would suspect him of being the twenty-year-old accused murderer everyone was looking for. 

Max’s clothing fit him pretty well, even if it wasn’t his usual style. At the back of her closet, he found an oversized hoodie that might’ve been Lucas’, and took that as well. Her shoes were too small, but her mom had a spare pair of sneakers that fit better. He got cleaned up, dressed, and packed a bag with spare clothes. His wallet and rings went in it, too. After a moment’s thought, he snuck back over to his partially destroyed trailer to raid his back bedroom for anything sentimental. The place had already been picked apart by police but if it was going to be overrun by either monsters or the US Military, he wanted to save some of his favorite band shirts for when he grew back into them. His prize guitar was still missing, of course. He’d noticed that before and wondered if the cops had taken it, too. It hurt, but he told himself that he wasn’t going to be able to carry around something like his sweetheart. Right now, he probably couldn’t even play her. 

He headed off into the woods, cutting through them to get to town and try to find Wayne. He hoped that wherever he was staying was safe and not near the fiery cracks in the earth that led to the Upside Down. 

[evilwriter37]

WIP Wednesday

From the fic I started today for the Any Fandom Goes Dark Bingo. It’s titled: “Initiation”.

822 words of straight up red flags. Enjoy!

There was a cabin at the top of the hill. Well, if it could be called that. It was a very nice cabin, more like a cottage really. The grass was neatly cut in a circle around it before it gave way to the forest and the mountains. The setting sun cut through the trees, splaying the place in orange.

The drive had been wonderful, if a bit exhausting. Hiccup had never been up to the Adirondack Mountains before, and their beauty had taken his breath away. This was nice. This was really nice.

And, he hadn’t been the one to drive. Viggo had done the driving, as this was his cabin and his idea. The college was having a 3 day weekend due to a holiday, so Viggo had suggested that he and Hiccup take a vacation. New York was a big state, so the drive had taken a few hours, but the whole thing had been worth it.

Hiccup was unbuckling his seat belt before the car even stopped in the gravel driveway.

Viggo laughed at his excitement, patted him on the thigh as he killed the engine. “Eager, much? It’s just a cabin.”

“It’s beautiful,” Hiccup responded with a smile. “And I get to be here with you all weekend. What’s not to be excited about?”

Viggo gave a smile as well, leaned forward and kissed Hiccup on the cheek. Then, they were both getting out of the car. Hiccup was careful on the gravel path, making sure his prosthesis was situated under him correctly. The last thing he wanted to do was fall and injure himself.

Hiccup tried to grab some of the bags, but Viggo took them from him.

“Viggo, I can carry a backpack,” Hiccup said with a roll of his eyes, taking his own back from him. “My leg doesn’t hurt that much today.”

“But it still hurts?” Viggo asked, raising his eyebrows in concern.

“It always hurts,” Hiccup responded a little glumly. “You know that.”

Viggo hmmphed, but let Hiccup keep his bag. Together, they went into the cabin. With the light of day fading, it was difficult to make out much of what was inside, but it had a nice, woodsy smell to it that Hiccup was unfamiliar with.

“Stay here.” Viggo set the bags down. “I have to go turn on the water and electricity.”

Hiccup nodded and plopped himself down on one of the bags, rubbing at his stump a little once Viggo was gone. Okay, so, it hurt more than he was letting on, but that didn’t matter right now. He was getting a weekend away with Viggo in a picturesque location. Who wouldn’t be excited about that?

Well… maybe his friends, who he’d told that he was visiting his father for the weekend. And then told his father that he was staying with Fishlegs. No one knew he was dating Viggo. No one had to know. They’d just disapprove of their relationship, what with Viggo being 20 years his senior and all, and a professor to boot.

Viggo returned, and with a few flips of switches, the cabin was lit in golden light. Hiccup blinked at it for a moment, but then really took in the scenery. They’d entered into a spacious kitchen made of oak, the wood bare to see. Beyond that appeared to be a dining room and a wide set of stairs.

“I’d show you to the bedroom and help you get settled in,” Viggo said with a wink, “but I’m sure you’re hungry.”

Hiccup was tempted to say that dinner could wait, but Viggo was right. He was hungry for sure, and he knew what Viggo meant by getting him settled in. Sex could wait. Food couldn’t.

Hiccup tried to help cook, but Viggo insisted he sit at the counter and have a glass of wine instead while he did the cooking. Finally giving in to defeat, Hiccup did just that.

He swirled the rosé around in his glass. “So, what are the plans for the weekend? No wifi and hardly any cell service. There’s gotta be something fun to do around here. National park, museum…” Viggo hadn’t told Hiccup of his plans yet, and Hiccup was terribly curious.

“Oh, you’ll see,” Viggo said with a teasing smile. “You’ll love it.”

“You keep saying that.”

“That’s because it’s a surprise.” Viggo’s eyes gleamed, and Hiccup laughed and shook his head.

“Fine, fine, I won’t try to ruin the surprise then.” Hiccup took a sip of his drink. He wasn’t much of an alcohol drinker (especially given that he was underage), but he liked it from time to time. He always liked sharing a glass with Viggo. He’d never tell him this, but it made him feel more mature, more on his level. It could be difficult dating someone so much older, but his allure was too strong. There was no way Hiccup could pull away.

[discountmalinois]

Road trip pee break at Red Top Mountain State Park because we could.

Tomorrow is his consult and then surgery is the next day if all looks good to go.

[vandaliatraveler]

Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Part 3. Canaan Valley is the highest mountain valley of its size east of the Mississippi River and hosts the largest wetlands complex in the Central and Southern Appalachians. Most of these wetlands are now protected by Canaan Valley State Resort Park and Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The Freeland Boardwalk Trail in the refuge is an ideal place to get an up-close experience with one of the wetland types - a balsam fir swamp. A half-mile long, raised boardwalk with wildlife viewing platforms winds through the swamp, allowing visitors to interact with the wildlife and plants without damaging the fragile ecosystem.

From top: Bur marigold (Bidens laevis), also known as smooth beggartick, a wetlands-loving beauty that produces a profusion of golden flowerheads; bog goldenrod (Solidago uliginosa), another wetlands native with a bright red stem and closely-packed flowers on a plume-like inflorescence; the bright blue berries of arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum); the ripening berries of American black elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), also known as American black elder; white meadowsweet (Spiraea alba), a native spirea of Appalachia’s wetlands that draws hordes of pollinators with its beautiful spikes of white flowers; grass-leaved goldenrod (Euthamia graminifolia), also known as flat-top goldentop, not a true Solidago, but even more beautiful with its flat panicles of golden-yellow flowers and graceful foliage; and an industrious bumblebee prying open the closed petals of a narrowleaf gentian (Gentiana linearis) to get at the nectar pot below.

[japari-park-companion]

Tone will be impersonal, neutral, and informative.

ID Text in Keep Reading. Spoilers for KF (2017.)

High Mountain Area, Kyōshū. Japari Café Roof-workings.

Photos are unedited with the exception of cropping. 

Image Ten is from Kyōshū’s Jungle Area, not its High Mountain.

Kemono Friends (2017), Season 1, Episode 3.  

Dir. by TATSUKI in collaboration between Yaoyorozu and KFP.

[ID: A ten-image collection of screenshots from the 3D Animated Anime Kemono Friends (2017). Consisting of a Mountain Café and a jungle inhabiting bus.

Image One. Chronologically First.

Image One consists of a roof view of the High Mountain Area Japari Café that reveals that solar panels are a core part of the blue-roofed building’s design. Adorned by a nearby chimney is a metallically closed charging station for eco-electronic batteries in addition to the whole Café. The process of battery refilling requires disconnecting a cable, diverting the Café’s power, and then inserting the batteries: which in the episode is stated for Japari Bus batteries to take at least an hour. The stated roof is primarily reached by a hatch openable from the outside and inside, accessible by an interior stairway.

Entering the roof are three fictional people. These being the Friend nicknamed Kaban; (She/her;) Friend Alpaca Suri; (She/her,) and the LB-Unit nicknamed Lucky; (He/him;) the three close enough to be mostly readily visible. Kaban is obscured slightly due to not yet leaving the hatch, instead simply staring out while standing. In both prior contexts, the "F" in "Friend" is capitalized and does not refer to Friendship. It refers to the Kemonomimi Humanoids Kemono Friends often call "Friends". Meanwhile, the all-uppercase "LB" is an acronym for "Lucky Beast", cybernetic artificially crafted beings.

What Kaban has that is visible are a moderate-colored red overshirt, a dark gray undershirt, a grayish safari hat with a mostly blue feather that presumably is fake, and a grayish backpack. She is of unknown young age and short stature, has short black hair, green-bluish eyes, and a peach complexion.

Alpaca Suri has a beige fluffy sweater vest with white sleeves, scarf and bottom stripe, a red ribbon, fuzzy beige shorts, white leggings, and a brown fronted mostly white shoe-set decorated at the top with more hairy beige. She has two camelid ears atop her head and also has a round tail. Being an Alpaca Suri Friend, these ears and tail are a part of her body. She is of unknown age, has one-eye obscuring vest-matching-beige-hair tied into a bun in the back and into two braids to her front's left and right, gray eyes, and has a peach complexion.

Lucky is metal, small, and bipedal-shaped, with a tiny dark gray belt. Lucky is light cyan except for a white egg-shaped middle ending at the bottom of his two black eyes, the dark blue tips of his opening-less vaguely-leporidae-like ears, and vaguely-leporidae-like three-toed feet. Below his belt is a small and square black panel device with a grayish-cyan circular lens. Lucky is of an unknown production age, existing at least since the last appearance of Mirai, a former Park Guide. Lucky is armless and has no mouth while still verbally communicative.

Image Two. Chronologically Second.

Image Two consists of the first photo's scenery instead taken from an angle where the solar panels are more readily visible, as well as the now notable presence of a substantial mountain mass in the distance of the Café’s backside.

Image Three. Chronologically Three.

Image Three is a zoom-in of the roof’s charging station, now open to the group. Inside is a single large battery of a grayish yellow with a brown outline and handle. On the front of the battery is a smaller cartoonish battery symbol with three holes for static rising blue illumination, presumably to show its charge levels, an image matching what is on the station’s door. The back of Lucky’s ears is also visible haven recently inserted the battery into the charging pod.

Image Four. Chronologically Four.

Image Four is a zoom-out of the open station, the battery glowing a moderate-blue in the process of charging. Lucky stands in front, watching two figures pointed in his direction and one looking away. First in his direction is Alpaca Suri from before, and second behind a new figure: the Friend Crested Ibis; (She/her.) Whereas Kaban, from before, is pointed away. The “Friend” is the capitalized version referring to Kemonomimi Humanoids.

Crested Ibis possesses a white five-buttoned shirt with oversized sleeves equipped with feathery salmon cuffs, a red ribbon, a puffy salmon collar, a milder-salmon skirt, light red stockings, and black low-cut shoes. Atop her head are salmon-tipped tiny white wings, and at her back is a feathery salmon tail colored similarly. Being a Crested Ibis Friend, these ears and tail are a part of her body. Crested Ibis herself is of unknown age, has pastel-white hair airy at the back with two long front side bangs, bangs transitioning from dark red to black, yellowish eyes, and a peach complexion.

Image Five. Chronologically Five.

Image Five is practically the same as image four except for Kaban now gazing in Lucky’s direction. There is an English subtitle containing dialogue from Lucky which states: “That will do. Please wait for about an hour.” Lucky’s tone is neutral and informative, and he refers to how long recharging the depleted Japari Bus battery will take.

Image Six. Chronologically Six.

Image Six shows Alpaca inside the Japari Café. She is communicating with Kaban who while not visible is indeed behind her while both in addition to Lucky and Crested Ibis go down wooden, dark-saturated-brown stairs beside a majority dark olive-gray brick wall, just exiting the roof. There is an English subtitle containing dialogue from Kaban which states: “Huh? Did it get darker in here?” Kaban’s tone is curious and bewildered, and he refers to how the interior lighting of the Japari Café used to be brighter.

Image Seven. Chronologically Seven.

Image Seven is practically the same as image six except for Alpaca Suri now finishing up exiting the stairwell in addition to the still descending Crested Ibis’s left foot and Kaban’s legs and hands being visible from perspective. There is an English subtitle consisting of Alpaca Suri responding to Kaban’s prior question: “Oh, that...” Alpaca Suri’s tone is unclear as she does not finish the sentence.

Image Eight. Chronologically Eight.

Image Eight has Alpaca Suri, remaining inside the Café, now stationed behind the hourglass dotted counter. Crested Ibis, whose view is directed at her, neutrally requests an order, being shown in an English subtitle dialogue stating: “I want to drink this ‘black tea’.” Crested Ibis refers to a type of tea Alpaca Suri mentioned to her earlier that day.

Image Nine. Chronologically Nine.

Image Nine has Alpaca Suri responding to Crested Ibis’s prior request from behind a different part of the counter, being shown in an English subtitle dialogue stating: “Actually, when you disconnect that cable I showed you, the hot water won’t work.” Alpaca Suri’s tone is dry and apologetic, her words referring to the process described in the first image.

Image Ten. Chronologically Tenth.

Image Ten, finally, takes place in a different location than the previous nine. It is a green jungle with a brown dirt foundation. Two familiar characters are present here in addition to three new ones, those three being: the Friend Jaguar, (She/her;) Friend Serval, (She/her;) and the Friend Asian Small-Clawed Otter, (She/her.) Lucky is atop the Japari Bus’s front in the middle of inserting a fully charged bus battery into a mechanism between the six orange headlights, two resembling eyes. The Japari Bus has three black wheels with red insides on both sides, three cyan passenger windows on both sides with green outlines, a yellow round hatch at the top, a red underbelly, a red fenced-in extrusion on the back to allow backward entrancing and observing, two green outlined cyan glass doors at the front of the passenger car, and a doorless driver’s car intended for Lucky Beast Units. The bus meanwhile has a Serval-like appearance, decorated with artificial Serval ears and yellow with a brown-spots paint pattern.

The "F" in "Friend" is capitalized and does not refer to Friendship. It refers to the Kemonomimi Humanoids Kemono Friends often call "Friends".

Serval, Asian Small-Clawed Otter, and Jaguar are difficult to fully make out as a result of being from behind. A full description however will be provided here:

Serval possesses a white sleeveless blouse tucked into a brown spotted as well as a brown belted soft orange skirt, matching stockings before transitioning to white at the bottoms, brown laced white shoes, skirt matching gloves except for white fronts, and a bowtie-scarf combo additionally matching it. Serval is of unknown young age and mild (instead depicted as tall later) stature, has short orange hair that in the middle has a brown M-shaped mark, orange-brown eyes, and a peach complexion. Atop her head are two white interior-ed feline ears with orange bottoms and brown tops and a white-bottomed, brown-striped, orange tail. Being a Serval Friend, these ears and tail are a part of her body.

Asian Small-Clawed Otter has a gray weight-fronted one-piece swimsuit decorated with a frilled lower waist, a fluffy white collar, lengthy gray fingerless gloves, and lengthy gray toeless socks that go up to her thighs. Small-Clawed is of unknown age, has short gray hair with white side bangs, brown-grayish eyes, and a light peach complexion. Finally, she has two lutrinae ears atop her head and also has a long lutrinae tail. Being an Asian Small-Clawed Otter Friend, these ears and tail are a part of her body.

Jaguar has a white short-sleeved blouse with a dark brown ribbon, tucked into a light orange rosette-like-brown-and-orange-patterned skirt, brown-laced white shoes, skirt matching stockings except for white on the sides and transitioned to on the bottom, skirt matching arm and hand covering gloves except for the white hands and bottoms, and finally a white, brown-spotted scarf that includes minor orange at the bottom end of it. Jaguar is of unknown age, has short bobbed light orange hair with white side bangs and a brown, smile-like eight-spotted pattern on the front middle of it, yellow-brownish eyes, and a peach complexion. Finally, she has two rounded feline ears atop her head and also has a long feline tail. Being a Jaguar Friend, these ears and tail are a part of her body.

End ID.]

[shinkkangpae]

bold your favorites

Coca Cola, Pepsi, Sprite, Mountain Dew or Dr. Pepper?

Cats, dogs, horses, lizards, or hamsters?

TV, cinema, computer, iPod or gaming console?

Rock, rap, pop, metal or punk?

Black, white, blue, red or green?

Salad, hamburger, ice cream, chips or fruit? PORK BELLY.

Kindergarten, elementary, junior high, high school or college?

United States, Canada, Australia, France or England?

Swimming, fishing, tanning, theme parks or camping?

Snowball fights, snowmen, snow angels, sledding or iceskating?

English, math, science, history or art?

Gummy worms, lollipops, gum, chocolate bars or cotton candy?

Xbox 360, Gamecube, Playstation, Nintendo, Wii or Handheld?

Facebook, WordPress, Tumblr, YouTube or Google?

Flats, heels, uggs, flip flops or skater shoes? BOOTS.

Early morning, noon, early afternoon, late afternoon or evening?

Bathroom, living room, bedroom, kitchen or attic?

Face-to-face, home phone, cell phone, instant messenger or twitter?

Skinny jeans, flared jeans, capris, shorts or skirts?

T-shirt, hoodies, tank top, tube top or halter top?

McDonald’s, Wendy’s, KFC, Burger King or Dairy Queen?

Car, airplane, train, boat or walking?

Coffee, tea, water, milk or soda?

Drama, comedy, horror, action/adventure or thriller?

[konamicodex]

bold your favorites

Coca Cola, Pepsi, Sprite, Mountain Dew or Dr. Pepper?

Cats, dogs, horses, lizards, or hamsters?

TV, cinema, computer, iPod or gaming console?

Rock, rap, pop, metal or punk?

Black, white, blue, red or green?

Salad, hamburger, ice cream, chips or fruit?

Kindergarten, elementary, junior high, high school or college?

United States, Canada, Australia, France or England?

Swimming, fishing, tanning, theme parks or camping?

Snowball fights, snowmen, snow angels, sledding or iceskating?

English, math, science, history or art?

Gummy worms, lollipops, gum, chocolate bars or cotton candy?

Xbox 360, Gamecube, Playstation, Nintendo, Wii or Handheld?

Facebook, WordPress, Tumblr, YouTube or Google?

Flats, heels, uggs, flip flops or skater shoes?

Early morning, noon, early afternoon, late afternoon or evening?

Bathroom, living room, bedroom, kitchen or attic?

Face-to-face, home phone, cell phone, instant messenger or twitter?

Skinny jeans, flared jeans, capris, shorts or skirts?

T-shirt, hoodies, tank top, tube top or halter top?

McDonald’s, Wendy’s, KFC, Burger King or Dairy Queen?

Car, airplane, train, boat or walking?

Coffee, tea, water, milk or soda?

Drama, comedy, horror, action/adventure or thriller?

[gdmbrwiththerealcrew]

Day 11 - July 9th

Pleasant start to the morning. It was a little brisk but we all were out of our tents by 6:30am or so. We had our standard breakfasts (oatmeal, coffee/tea) and we packed up our gear. While we were pulling things together the moms next door came by with a couple of their kids to wish us well and to have us tell their kids a little about our cycling adventures. Perhaps they will ride the Divide in a few short years!

Today looked to be an all gravel day although we didn’t know what that meant. All gravel? Some double track? Single track? We would certainly find out.

Early in the ride.

Coming out of Holland Lake we turned east away from the highway. The road quickly turned upward, gaining 1000’ in less than 10 miles. A dip, a pop, another dip, and we were climbing again. This time 1500’ in 6 miles. Somewhere along the way we came off the traveled road and turned onto a closed forest service road that was really a double track route with no car tracks and few bike tracks (except, of course, J, J, & N who were somewhere ahead of us). The double track was easy, with few obstacles. In some places we rode through high grass. The views back into the Swan Valley were quite impressive.

Views back on Swan Valley.

Some double track.

David’s happy. All is right with the world.

Near the top of the climb, the double track stopped and turned into a single track. It was more like a hiking trail but it was open to cyclists. The view of the Seeley Valley below us at that point was absolutely stunning. I’d like to say the view was what shot my heart rate up but the reality was that the single track clinging to the side of a mountain is what really got me going.

Jose, the great descender, took the lead. Ed followed. David and I were a little more tentative. Me because I’m uncomfortable with heights and David because this was literally his 3rd single track experience.

VIDEO TO FOLLOW.

On one twenty foot stretch, I quickly came to understand our navigation systems caution on the route: “Slide Zone - road has failed in the past”. Jose and Ed zipped right over this 18 inch wide track with a 100s foot drop on the left side. A few other less precarious stretches were nail-biters, nonetheless.

Jose and Ed bombed down the course. Once the single track pulled away from the edge, I was able to open up. David was right behind.

I’m the red speck in the pic

You’ve got to zoom to see David in this pic.

Of the 3-4 miles of mountainside hugging single track, only about a half mile was treacherous to me. The rest was totally exhilarating. Congrats to Jose and Ed for riding it like pros.

The single track spilled out onto a gravel road which basically carried us into Seeley Lake. In 13 miles we gave back all of our elevation gain for the day. It was a great way to pull into town.

VIDEO TO FOLLOW.

We stopped for the best sandwiches we’ve ever gotten from an Ace Hardware Store. Town was hopping. Every ice cream shop had a line. We filled our bellies, drank plenty of fluids, and then got back on our bikes for the final climb into Placid Lake.

It’s always a mistake to eat big and then ride in the heat. We needed the food and the rest and we knew we would pay for it. The eight miles to our final campground of the trip were mostly uphill on soft gravel. The steepness of the climbs took us by surprise. The heat drained us.

Immediately upon entering the Placid Lake State Park Campground we saw John and met his wife Beth. The other John and Nick were at another campsite with Bill and Annette (and Finn their pooch) who we would soon meet. John and Beth offered us a beer and an invitation for dinner. We gratefully accepted!

While looking for a campsite, a woman approached Ed and offered us one she had reserved but wasn’t using. Again, we gratefully accepted.

Since we had no change to pay for showers, we all headed to the lake for our second lake bath in two days. Back at our campsite we considered setting up tents but decided to just wait until after dinner. Once we were all spiffied up we walked over to Bill & Annette’s lakeside campsite for a fantastic dinner, beers, and conversation. After profusely thanking them for a wonderful evening we headed back to our camp for the night.

All was peaceful until Jose started shouting in his sleep while having a nightmare. My guess is he was dreaming about riding across the slide area but he doesn’t remember!

Cheers.

Ride stats:

Miles ridden: 40.9

Elevation gain: 3,650 ft

Max elevation: 6,623 ft

Total descent: 3,546 ft

Start time: 8:49am

Moving time: 5:06:32

Elapsed time: 7:36:51

Ave speed: 8 mph

[utahlawassociation]

Top Hotels To Stay In Utah

Utah, known for its stunning natural landscapes and outdoor recreational opportunities, offers a range of exceptional accommodations for travelers. Whether you're visiting the majestic national parks, hitting the slopes in the winter, or exploring the vibrant cities, you'll find a variety of top-notch hotels to choose from. Here are some of the best hotels to consider for your stay in Utah:

The Grand America Hotel:

Located in Salt Lake City, The Grand America Hotel is a luxurious retreat renowned for its elegance and impeccable service. The hotel features beautifully appointed rooms, fine dining options, and a world-class spa. Its central location allows easy access to nearby attractions such as Temple Square and the Utah State Capitol.

Amangiri:

Situated in Canyon Point, near the Utah-Arizona border, Amangiri is a breathtaking desert oasis. This exclusive resort offers unparalleled luxury and privacy, with stunning views of the surrounding canyons. Guests can enjoy indulgent spa treatments, fine dining, and unique outdoor activities, including guided hikes and hot air balloon rides.

Stein Eriksen Lodge:

Nestled in the picturesque Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Stein Eriksen Lodge is a premier destination for ski enthusiasts. The lodge offers luxurious accommodations, world-class dining, and a wide range of amenities, including a spa, outdoor pools, and a ski valet service. With its ski-in, ski-out access, guests can hit the slopes right from their doorstep.

Sorrel River Ranch Resort and Spa:

For those seeking a serene retreat amidst the red rock canyons of Moab, Sorrel River Ranch Resort and Spa is the perfect choice. This boutique resort offers rustic yet elegant accommodations, an award-winning spa, and a range of outdoor activities, including horseback riding and river rafting. The resort's idyllic setting and breathtaking views make it a haven for nature lovers.

The Lodge at Blue Sky:

Located in the scenic Wasatch Mountains near Park City, The Lodge at Blue Sky is a luxury ranch resort that seamlessly blends rustic charm with modern comforts. Guests can choose from luxurious rooms, suites, or private villas, and indulge in farm-to-table dining experiences, horseback riding, fly fishing, and rejuvenating spa treatments.

After choosing a good hotel let us now get to know about the legal facilities in this area. The Utah Law Association is well known for its quality services that enhanced the lifestyle of people. Moreover, the Salt Lake City Utah personal injury attorneys is the one whom you can contact in case of an emergency. You should know these in detail because you are visiting a foreign city.

Contact us

Moxie Law Group Personal Injury Lawyer

2100 W Pleasant Grove Blvd 450 B, Pleasant Grove, UT 84062

Phone: (801) 599-0691

Map Driving Directions

[bigaladventures]

Days 29-32: Glacier National Park 🧊🐻😍

I’ve been trying to choose one word or phrase for each park I’ve visited on this journey.

Indiana Sand Dunes = Underdog

Rocky Mountain = Majestic

Grand Teton = Awesome

Yellowstone = Mesmerizing

My desire to visit Glacier National Park was one of the inspirations behind my itinerary. It is one of the older National Parks, and I had heard nothing but gushing reviews. And unfortunately, time is of the essence to visit: soon, there will be no glaciers in Glacier. 

So, did Glacier live up to the hype? No... 

…it was better. 

Glacier = Magnificent. 

In the end, Glacier made it to the top of my list as my favorite park that I’ve visited on the trip so far, and it’ll be hard to beat. There is no doubt in my mind that I will return, hopefully in time to see the Glaciers at least once more.

Day 29 - Friday, September 30 - Avalanche Lake and Going To The Sun Road

I got up early on Friday morning to do laundry (did you know that many hotels, at least Hiltons, have a guest laundry room? I didn’t but now I do!), and then I hit the road as soon as possible. The famous Going To The Sun Road in Glacier National Park was partially closing starting the following day, and I was determined to make it to the park in time to drive the whole thing.

The combined drives from Yellowstone to Helena to Glacier is one of the more beautiful drives I’ve had. Montana’s state and national forests feel soulful. I wrote down multiple lake-speckled forests along the way for return trips! 

I made it to West Entrance of Glacier by around 2:30pm, enough time for a short hike and to drive to the East side of the park where the Going To The Sun road was still open, many of the hikes I wanted to do were located, and where despite the lateness of the season, two campgrounds were still operational as primitive (this means there is no running water or amenities other than a pit toilet). 

My first hike in Glacier was to Avalanche Lake. The hike itself goes through some pretty old growth forest with streams with multicolored rocks (the rock colors turned out to be one of my favorite features of Glacier, more on that later). But Avalanche Lake itself is really why you do take this walk. Because it was an overcast day with little wind, the view was spectacular, and I ended up taking one of my favorite and more surreal photos of the trip there. I was disappointed to have missed only by 5 minutes seeing a grizzly bear on the other side of the lake, but I would have more 🐻 chances to come… 

On the hike back from Avalanche, I made another new friend, another nomad named Chris from Chicago. As it was getting late, we decided to team up for the rest of the Going To The Sun Road drive, and to find a campsite at Saint Mary’s campground. We got there just in time to snag one of the last available first-come-first-serve sites with plenty of room for both of our tents, made some dinner, and hunkered down for the night.  

Day 30 - Saturday, October 1 - Grinnell Glacier

Everyone, and I mean everyone, I have talked to who had visited Glacier told me “you have to do the Grinnell Glacier hike!” So I made sure the first big hiking day was reserved for what would turn out to be one of if not the single most beautiful day hike of my life! 

The Grinnell Glacier trail isn’t just about the destination - the entire journey offers up sweeping panoramic views of lakes, including the turquoise Grinnell Lake, waterfalls, and of course, the Grinnell Glacier itself. The cliffs are purplish magenta and stand out against green grasses, and at this time of year, lots of red and yellow foliage. About halfway up blue slate merges with the purple and pink to make for a rainbow geology. It was just - so - unbelievably - beautiful!  

To have the opportunity to sit by the Glacier at the top was a surreal experience. While it is clearly receding quickly, with chunks of ice floating in a lake that was once fully frozen, the remaining Glacier is still fairly large. And because of the little icebergs you can also touch this ancient ice! We ate lunch by the Glacier and spent about an hour or so basking in its glory. (And since you’re probably wondering, yes, some people did jump into the frigid lake. No, I wasn’t one of them).

This day also offered up an incredible amount of wildlife viewing opportunities! Between our drive into the Many Glacier area of the park and the hike itself, Chris and I, along with our new friend Tori from Ithaca, who we met shortly into the hike, were lucky to see:

Three black bears (mom, two cubs)

Three grizzly bears (mom, two cubs)

A mother cow moose with her calf

Six big horned sheep

Two mountain goats

And countless wooly caterpillars

Chris had a real camera with longer range lenses, so I left it to him to photograph the animals. Still waiting to see his pictures so stay tuned for those (Chris, I’m counting on you!).

After about 12 miles of continual awe, and with tired feet, our now-trio made our way back to the campground to cook up a feast of what we coined “burracos” - burritos that were stuffed so full that you have to eat them more like a taco because you can’t fold them up all the way. I had bought the ingredients for burritos in Kansas City but realized shortly into the trip that if I cooked them just for myself I would be making enough food to eat for a week… and leftovers while camping, they’re just not good. It was nice to have a small group of friends to share a meal with! 

Day 31 - Sunday, October 2 - Three Waterfalls

On Sunday morning I made a leisurely breakfast and hung out at camp for a while before Tori, Chris and I headed back up the Going To The Sun Road for an easier hike to 3 waterfalls: Baring Falls, Virginia Falls, and St Mary Falls. This hike has a very high reward to effort ratio - it’s a short hike and the waterfalls are spectacular. The forested area surrounding the hike had a big fire in 2015, but after some getting used to it we remarked on the alternative kind of beauty that the landscape presented: rebirth, new life, new growth.

We spent a lot of time simply being present at each fall, photographing and admiring the views.

By the time we made it back towards the parking lot it was already sunset… and what a spectacular sunset it was! After the prior few days of more cloud cover, the sky began to open up, but with just enough remaining clouds to create bright fiery colors followed by cotton candy-looking skies as the sun tucked behind the mountains. 

 Day 32 - Monday, October 3 - Iceberg Lake

On Monday morning I packed up camp, said goodbye to Chris, and Tori and I headed back into the Many Glacier area to embark on a trek to another glacial lake, Iceberg Lake. In the earlier months of spring and summer there will be actual icebergs floating in the lake, a similar crystal blue color to the other glacial lakes I had visited (Am I getting to used to this beauty? Will normal lakes be boring to me now?). 

Iceberg Lake is about 10 miles round trip, and while the views along the way are less grandiose than those on the Grinnell Glacier hike, it’s still worth the effort! The view on the shore of the lake at the top is beautiful. In warmer weather, I might have been more brave to jump in… Tori and I brought our bathing suits, and even changed into them, but I got as far as piercing pins and needles in my feet and ankles before I chickened out.  Tori was braver than me, though, and she went all the way in! And inspired another hiker to do so in the process. 

We got down from Iceberg Lake with barely enough time to drive to a hotel near Kalispell Montana for a night’s rest — I wanted to be energized for my next day’s long drive to Spokane WA to visit mv friends, David, Roni and Ryan Funk! 

[bezumiyevremya]

The following describes a scenario within “The Sims 3″ (2009)

The CIA is the most evil organization ever to exist, even including the SS and all other organs of Nazi Germany. The CIA has pillaged the entire world, upset countless democratically elected governments, committed vile acts of torture and the most heinous crimes against humanity. It serves the United States, which itself has commit the greatest genocide in human history, that of the indigenous peoples who once lived on what is now the United States. 

When the revolution is complete, this is what we shall do with them:

A concrete box will be prepared of necessary length and width, and it shall be placed 10 feet underground. It has a single entrance and exit, an iron door at the end of a concrete staircase. Harsh white lights have been fixed in the ceiling. These lights will flash once every 1-5 seconds on a random timer. Written in red paint on one wall of the room are the words “You are meat. Blood is water.” The prisoners shall be led in one by one into the room through the single entrance. The door shall then be shut, and the staircase filled with concrete. Over the top will be spread soil, on which we will plant grass, flowers, bushes, and shrubs. After 7 days, the power necessary for the lights will be disconnected. 

Everyone is safe. 

North Dakota Access Pipeline Protests 北达科他州接入管道抗议 Ferguson Riots 弗格森暴动 2017 St. Louis protests 2017年圣路易斯抗议活动 Nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll 比基尼环礁的核试验 Unite the Right rally 团结右集会 Charlotte riots 夏洛特暴动 Attack on the Sui-ho Dam 袭击穗河水坝 Milwaukee riots 密尔沃基骚乱 Shooting of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile 奥尔顿·斯特林和菲兰多·卡斯蒂利亚的射击 Occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Malheur国家野生动物保护区的占领 death of Freddie Gray 弗雷迪·格雷的死 Shooting of Michael Brown迈克尔·布朗的拍摄 death of Eric Garner, Oakland California 奥克兰奥克兰市埃里克·加纳(Eric Garner)逝世 Operation Condor 神鹰行动 Occupy WallStreet 占领华尔街 My Lai Massacre 我的大屠杀 St. Petersburg, Florida 佛罗里达州圣彼得堡 Kandahar Massacre 坎大哈屠杀 1992Washington Heights riots 1992年华盛顿高地暴动 No Gun Ri Massacre 无枪杀案 L.A. Rodney King riots 洛杉矶罗德尼·金暴动 1979 Greensboro Massacre 1979年格林斯伯勒大屠杀 Vietnam War 越南战争 Kent State shootings肯特州枪击案 Bombing of Tokyo 轰炸东京 San Francisco Police Department Park Station bombing 旧金山警察局公园站爆炸案 Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. 小马丁·路德·金遭暗杀。 Long Hot Summer of 1967 1967年炎热的夏天 Bagram 巴格拉姆 Selma to Montgomery marches 塞尔玛到蒙哥马利游行 Highway of Death 死��之路 Ax Handle Saturday 星期六斧头 Battle of Evarts 埃瓦茨战役 Battle of Blair Mountain 布莱尔山战役 McCarthyism 麦卡锡主义 Red Summer 红色夏天 Rock Springs massacre 岩泉大屠杀 Pottawatomie massacre 盆大屠杀 Jeju uprising 济州起义 Colfaxmassacre 科尔法克斯大屠杀 Reading Railroad massacre 阅读铁路大屠杀 Rock Springs massacre 岩泉大屠杀 Bay view Massacre 湾景大屠杀 Lattimer massacre 拉蒂默大屠杀 Ludlow massacre 拉德洛屠杀 Everett massacre 埃弗里特屠杀Centralia Massacre 中部大屠杀 Ocoee massacre Ocoee大屠杀 Herrin Massacre 赫林大屠杀 Redwood Massacre红木大屠杀 Columbine Mine Massacre 哥伦拜恩矿难 Guantanamo Bay 关塔那摩湾 extraordinary rendition 非凡的演绎 Abu Ghraib torture and prison abuse 阿布格莱布的酷刑和监狱虐待 Henry Kissinger 亨利·基辛格