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5K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  Islandwoodworker 
#1 ·
May 18 Ride into Mt. Baker National Forest

For those of you not familiar with this area; we are just now opening the roads into the backcountry due to the remaining snow as well as avalanche danger. Sunday May 18th, we decided it was time to 'venture into the backcountry for a bit of road travel. Here are a few photos of that day and the map will give you the general idea of the area.






I have always been facinated by the logging that was done here at the turn of the century. No… not 2000 but 1900 !! The trees were huge, the equipment marginal by todays standards and the men dauntless. These guys worked hard, long days for little; no insurance, no retirement, no benefits… a paycheck, meals and a poor roof over their head at night. The rain here in the wet season doesn't let up as you can tell by the moss on the stumps. I drove down the "Excelsior" road and found these stumps that still show the "Spring Board" notches in them. The trees were so big; especially at the stump butt, the men would climb on these spring boards to get above the butt width and chop a notch then use a "Whip" saw to hand saw the trees. Might take a whole day.



If you don't have any idea what a spring board was; here's a photo from another site to give you an idea.
http://www.co.linn.or.us/museum/linn_county_history/sweet_home/logging-history/old-photos/index.htm

It kind of puts things in perspective.

Driving up NF road #39, one encounters an alternative to a bridge. Just let the water run over the road and ford across. Here's a photo of that.



Nooksack Falls is awesome: the power of water is unbelievable. In fact there is a hydro line taking water out of the river just above the falls and to a power generation plant below in what once was a town called Excelsior. Nothing left now but the plant and it is off limits to travel. (gate, fence and cameras ~ thanks to 911)



The North Cascades should be on your list of p[laces to see befopre you die. I'm origonally an New Englander and spent years walking those hills but I'm in love with the wild ruggedness of the NC's. Here's my album if you want to go directly to it. The photos will come up full size directly from the album; they are quite a bit more clear.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Islandwoodworker/May18thMtBakerNatForest
 
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#3 ·
wow great stuff david , i think the high peak in my state may be the sunshine skyway bridge ! no it dosent have a snow cap ! lol all my family were loggers in the old days , your right it was a geuelling job in them days . thanks for shareing your pic s i really enjoyed them
 
#6 ·
Boeing Museum of Flight in Seattle

A trip to the Boeing Museum of Flight

After seeing the movie about Amelia Earhart and a book report project for our granddaughter we had a perfect opportunity to visit the Boeing Museum of Flight in Seattle. If you are not from the area and should ever happen to visit, I highly recommend it weather you are a history buff, airplane nut or a woodworking jock, looking to see some extraordinary displays. Their web site is here and is equally as good as the museum. They do an outstanding job of organizing and displaying a plethora of information and memorabilia. http://www.museumofflight.org

I've always been drawn to the classic old wood constructed airplanes of the barn storming years: hand shaped parts, meticulously formed, assembled and fastened. Bill Boeing was a perfectionist when it came to craftsmanship and the term craftsman was never gender limited. He demanded only the best and many women worked in the Old Red Barn especially during the war years quickly followed by Rosie the riveter.

Here are a few photos I took of the woodworking displays in the Red Barn just to encourage you to put this on your bucket list. It's between downtown Seattle and SeaTac airport if you fly in. Needless to say, it's on Boeing Field which is still very active but not the usual hub for commercial traffic although Air Force one lands there when in town.













 
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