Great Big Western Trek

This is the side of Johnson's Ridge. Johnson's Ridge is 9 miles away from  Mount St. Helen's. It took the pyroclastic flow only 17 mnutes to make it up and over the 4,000 foot Ridge. The vegetation is just starting to grow back on it's own. Wildlife is also making a comeback on the ridge. The gorge ion the top center of the picture was made by eroding rains and meltoff. The smooth areas in the picture are pumice.

Dandelions and small daisy-like flowers dot the landscape.  Without them, it would appear to be the surface of the moon.

Out of nothing comes beauty. A small, purple flower clings to the mountainside, growing out of a petrified tree blown down in the blast.

Huge trees, tossed like pick-up-sticks on the mountainside

We heard about the day and to look around 20+ years later and find that STILL there is almost nothing. It is a humbling experience underscoring the powerful forces of Mother Nature. Some flowers are just starting to poke their blooms thru the volcanic soil next to the petrified remains of trees, which had formerly occupied that very space. While we were walking around, a little chipmunk cam right over to me and sat on my shoe! He was waiting for a handout, I think. I tried to get my camera from around my neck to take a picture, but he was too fast. Opportunists are everywhere, it seems, even in the animal world.

On the way back from 4000 feet up, we stopped to eat at the Toutle Diner at the base of the mountains. Since it was also the local Hairdressing Salon, we tried to think up catchy names at dinner. I suggested Pie and Dye, but Mom came up with the best ones - Clip and French Dip or Beauty and the Feast!   We giggled all through dinner at that! Mom also told me about the dream she had about Marcus and the protest march. She dreamed that the police had come to raid the house and had taken the two of us to the Police station and arrested us. She is sitting there saying, "Look, I'm 85 years old. What harm can I do? I am visiting my grandson, that's it. Just visiting. I am not talking to anyone till I see my lawyer!" LOL!