Stevens Pass

Stevens Pass on US 2 at about 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday January 30, 2008. The snow on the sides of the road was at least 12 feet high for several miles. This long haul truck is coming up the East side of the pass. He is about 4 miles from the summit and Steves Pass Ski Area. He has chains on his drive axles and a set on one of the trailer axles. No problem. The drive was beautiful.

Calm before the storm

This picture was taken on Monday afternoon, January 28, 2008. The evening brought more snow. It snowed well into the next day and the next. Snoqualmie Pass on I-90 was closed due to avalanches (continuing). To get to Seattle trucks and the rest of us had to go over White Pass (US 12) or Stevens Pass (US 2).

The Prisons

The area west of Spokane is used "as an institutional setting" for our efforts as a society at the "correction" of people who cannot abide by the rules. The first picture is of Martin Hall, a jail for juvenile boys from a bunch of Eastern Washington counties.

The second picture is of the "exercise area" at Pine Lodge Correctional Facility -- a prison for women.

The third is of the "Geiger Correctional Facility." This is a low security prison for men.

I suppose most of the souls who are at these places are there because they have been involved in the drug economy. Were it not for the drug economy and the laws we have to stop the flow of drugs the population of these places would probably go down.

The major institution is in Air Way Heights, on the border of Spokane near the new focal point of much of our idle interest, the Northern Quest Casino.

Trail at Eastern State Hospital

Saturday afternoon on a hike with the dogs along the path on the west side of Medical Lake. The path is on the grounds of Eastern State Hospital. Came across one other person. A half mile or so along the path the dogs and I dropped down to the lake "plowing" through a 1 1/2 feet of snow. Because we were going down hill it was easy to make a trail.

At the lake we tramped near the shore back to the north bank of the lake and the road. Dogs love snow and so do I. It would be hard to do without winter.

A Snowy Road Trip

McFarland Road west of Spokane on a late January (2008) day. The power lines make it possible to navigate the road. We have had about 10 inches of snow since yesterday afternoon. Spokane is beautiful.

Hayford Road in the West Plains area of Spokane going south on a windy, cold winter day. It was beautiful. Lonely? No, it was refreshing to be driving the road seeing the deep colors and whites and blacks.

Eastern State Hospital

Here are two pictures of an old building at Eastern State Hospital west of Spopkane. And, a picture of the current hospital itself.

The old building has not been used for a long time. The windows are made up with bars to ensure no one escapes.

The new buiding does not have bars although there are areas where the windows have grates or bars.

As I drove through the grounds today a group of patients at the hospital were walking over to the therapy building. They did not look unsual. Many of them warmly waved to the dog and I as we drove past. I waved back and said hello from my car window.

West Medical Lake, The People We Do Not Want to See

West of Spokane on a hill above the west shore of Medical Lake there are a number of buildings all of which house those of us we do not want to have anything to do with. The buildings are institutions for the insane, the very troubled, young boys who have broken the law, young and older women who have broken the law, men and women who are mentally disabled. This is one of the buildings now standing idle. It is out of date as are even the buildings which are being used today.


The hill above Medical Lake is a beautiful place. It is peaceful. It is a place one must go to at least keep in touch with the diversity of beings we are a part of. And, it is a place to go to pay respect to the hundred or so mule deer who have taken refuge on the grounds of the institutions.

Mount Spokane, January 2008

Here is a picture of Mount Spokane. This view is to the East. The ski area is to the right and out of site. The mountain is about a half an hour's drive from the center of the city of Spokane. The white spires are communications devices mostly. There is also a weather station of sorts at the summit. In the summer one can drive all the way to the summit. Thanks for the picture Nancy.

A Market on Broadway

This is a picture of a neighborhood market on Broadway Ave. west of the Spokane County Court House. The market is in the heart of the "West Central" neighborhood. West Central is a community development block grant neighborhood. CBDG means that federal money comes to the city for expenditure in low income neighborhoods. Despite the fact West Central is near downtown Spokane, it is a poor neighborhood "deserving" of federal money. The CBDG program is left over from the Model Cities Programs of the 1970's. I think Richard Nixon was President of the United States at that time.

The Urinal Building

This building was here in Spokane when I came to the area in 1977. When I first saw it I was reminded me of urinals in a men's room. I call it the Urinal Building. Some say the building has won awards for style. Not surprising.

Diamond Parking Lots: The Privileges of Wealth

The Joe Diamond family of Seattle (Joe Diamond is dead now) have parking lots all over downtown Spokane. As best I can tell when the snow falls they plow their lots but do not shovel or plow the snow off the sidewalks surrounding their lots. I am not surprised. People like to have government do their work, meet their responsibilities. When I looked yesterday I saw the government plowing the Diamond sidewalks.

Of course no one likes me to criticise the conduct of the Diamond Family. The reason of course is that most of the rest of the population wants to have someone else do the work for which they are responsible.

Most of us are like spoiled children.