Et Cetera

Miscellaneous ramblings on my part.
I forgot to include some Mt. Rainier info in my last post so here goes.

Mount Rainier National Park was established on March 2, 1899 and encompasses 235,625 acres, ranging in elevation from 1,610 to 14,410 feet above sea level. The mountain is an active volcano encased in over 35 square miles of snow and ice, surrounded by old growth forest and stunning wildflower meadows. The park is also rich in cultural resources and was designated a National Historic Landmark District as an outstanding example of early park planning and NPS rustic architecture. ~ as printed on the package of my Mount Rainier mousepad. Cool huh? I guess if you're a geek like me.

What this little snippet fails to convey is the real danger the volcano presents to the surrounding communities. It is a ticking time-bomb and volcanologists agree that it is long overdue for a major eruption. Hopefully officials have learned something from the Mt. St. Helens disaaster and have early warning systems and evacuation plans in place. But it's nearly impossible to be completely compared when you're dealing with mother nature.

On a completely different note, I got some more outdoor gear yesterday. Yays!!
I got a small tent, a folding chair, and other little camping supplies. I also got a new backpack - double Yays! It's a really awesome pack and perfect for day-hiking except it is just a tad, a smidge tight in the waist where it buckles. That's okay though, in fact it's perfect incentive to stay active and lose weight so I can wear my new backpack more comfortably!

I'm sure I'll be posting new adventures soon. The weather for this weekend is not looking so hot. Friday is supposed to be fabulous though, so here's hoping the meteoroligist got it wrong and the nice weather pushes back to Saturday. *fingers crossed*