Inconceivable, in a Princess Bride sort of way
I am just back from a three day hike into the Olympics to escape
the heat. Escape the heat in the Pacific Northwest, he says?
Preposterous. "Inconceivable", as performed, spitting
in indignation. by Vizzini (Wally Shawn) in the movie 'Princess Bride.'
Vizzini: Inconceivable!
Inigo Montoya: You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
With three dear friends, I hiked the Seven Lakes Basin loop, a 25
mile round-about to the High Divide and back again to the Sol Duc River
valley. Two of us, along with my partner Robert, had participated
in the first Indianola Triathalon on the day prior. At 6 a.m. the
following morning, I was off to damage my knees further still.
Westley: A few more steps and we'll be safe in the fire swamp.
Buttercup: We'll never survive!
Westley: Nonsense. You're only saying that because no one ever has.
It was splendid. I wish I could transport all of you to the
moments of high voltage expanses of Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja
spp.), Lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus), Delphinium (elatum), Glacicer Lily
(Erythronium grandiflorum), Columbine (Aquilegia formosa) as well as
that cross-continental, endearing tart known as Trautvetteria
caroliniensis. I will not deceive you. It was steep and hot and
my muscles were weary from the beginning. We worked hard for the
privilege.
Buttercup: You mock my pain!
Westley: Life is pain! Anyone who says differently is selling something.
Ok, so the timing was not perfect. The heat wave
brought on a Tsunami of insects. This was not a minor annoyance,
which I generally consider such things, but a full frontal, arthropodic
assault. As it developed, contrary to how I wish to express my respect
for living things, I became quite joyful in dispatching mosquitoes and
biting flies.
Inigo Montoya: You seem a decent fellow... I hate to kill you.
Westley: You seem a decent fellow... I hate to die
We ate very well, we all like to eat very well.
Collectively we suffered the weight of fresh onions and garlic,
eggplant and cabbage, in order to savor an altitudinal cookoff. The
effort of the hike, of course, made our meals better still. We
even had a glass of merlot with our spaghetti. I think it was the
best food I have ever eaten.
Vizzini: Am I going MAD, or did the word "think" escape your lips? You were not hired for your brains, you hippopotamic land mass.
A herd of Roosevelt Elk felt the heat as we did, which was both
gratifying as well as fascinating. Unfortunately, not captured in
the following video clip (please do visit it!) was the play between the
calves of this mammalian aggregation and a feisty raven which landed
nearby.
http://gallery.me.com/djhinkley/100000 (best viewed on Safari)
We arrived home on the evening of the hottest day on record in
the Puget Sound. Robert had ready cheeseburgers and fries and
double chocolate shakes readied after a collective dip in the Sound to
cool and refresh. I felt very pampered.
Buttercup: Farm boy... fetch me that pitcher.
Westley: As you wish.
Later, I discovered the fruit laden vines of our
tomatoes in our vegetable garden damaged by the heat. I must
repeat this! After a collective dip in the Sound (48F) to cool
and refresh, I discovered the fruit-laden vines of our tomatoes in our
potager damaged by the heat.
In the
Pacific Northwest? I cannot rest. This is so weird. It is
what we have feared! Too hot for tomatoes? And even potatoes!
Inigo Montoya: You have a great gift for rhyme.
Fezzik: Yes, yes, some of the time.
Vizzini: Enough of that.
Inigo Montoya: Fezzik, are there rocks ahead?
Fezzik: If there are, we all be dead.
Vizzini: No more rhyming now, I mean it.
Fezzik: Anybody want a peanut?
Daniel J Hinkley
8/11/09
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