Cover photo courtesy of James P. Johnson By James P. Johnson Hiking for exercise and the scenery is plenty justification to hike. However, when I find an additional purpose, hiking is even more satisfying. In the mid-1990s, I compiled a list of the 50 highest mountains in eastern Washington and then hiked to the top […]
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Cover photo courtesy Shallan Knowles By James P. Johnson Unless you commute by ferry, it’s a special occasion to ride one. We took the Anacortes to Orcas Island ferry and enjoyed island vibes and the summit of Mt. Constitution, the highest point in the San Juan Islands, where a stone tower with a lookout gives
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Cover photo courtesy of James P. Johnson By James P. Johnson “Daddy, I don’t think I want plastic surgery,” my 8-year-old daughter Tricia stated as we drove through Central Washington. An interview about the topic I’d tuned into on the radio earlier apparently caused her to contemplate it. Her thoughtful expression produced a follow-up statement.
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Cover photo by James P. Johnson There are a lot of reasons to like Coeur d’Alene—among them, a couple of enjoyable, well-known, lakeside hikes. Tubbs Hill, with a main trail that follows the lake shore and is mostly flat, begins next to the Coeur d’Alene Resort downtown. But less-trafficked Mineral Ridge, which demands a little
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(Nature Photography/Natural History, 2022) By James P. Johnson When I saw this hardcover book on the store shelf, there was no doubt I’d buy it. Eastern Washington’s landscape and the floods that ravaged it during the last ice age intrigues me, and I’ve seen the results while hiking thousands of miles over the years. So
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Cover photo courtesy of Danielle Denham @thePDXphotographer By James P. Johnson On April 8, a total solar eclipse will cross the U.S. from Texas to New England. My streak of witnessing totality of every solar eclipse in the contiguous U.S. for the past 45 years may end. My claim is true, but hyperbolic. I haven’t
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By James P. Johnson There are plenty of reasons not to run during winter, but for runners who want to stay fit and active despite the season, joining a running group can make it easier. There are several Spokane-area groups that meet year-round, and a couple that are winter-only. Most meet on weekday evenings; others
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By James P. Johnson When I hike, it’s often an all-day, 15-25 miler. I pack a variety of snacks, but I need a main item to raise my caloric intake to the mucho level. Let me introduce my veggie sandwich. I’ve been making my own multi-ingredient, vegetarian sandwiches that have evolved over the years and
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I’ve had an organic, backyard vegetable garden for over 35 summers, and tomatoes have been in every one. Having a glut of tomatoes as the weather turns cool means taking action. I once brought a potted tomato plant inside when the weather turned cold as an experiment. It survived, but there was no growth. I
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Locating a submarine base on a lake, hundreds of miles from the ocean would be a huge, strategic error. If military action called for a submarine, the time needed getting to the ocean, if it could, would cause navy commanders to stomp and yell in frustration. Military leaders recognized this and established bases on our
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