It was a tough weekend in the Turnbull household. Our 12 year old family cat, Jordie, had to be put down due to severe kidney failure. He had a tough life, but at the same time a wonderful life, mostly thanks to my wife Tara. She found him on the street when he was a baby, almost dead. He had everything you could imagine: worms, fleas, covered in dirt, pneumonia, infection in eyes, malnourished. Yet he purred the whole time when she picked him up and took him home. That was his signature in his life, his purring no matter what the situation. Tara nursed him back to health. I “inherited” him (or vice-versa), when I married Tara in ’99, and although not a cat person, I became one because of Jordie. He was a very loveable cat. In later years, he developed kidney problems. Twice Tara nursed him back to health again, but this third time was just too much for him. He will be missed.
Now on top of this sad news, I also learned that I will be losing my job in a few months. Our entire team and most of the I.T. department in our company, will be outsourced, and we all will be losing our jobs. I will either be laid off outright with severance, or possibly offered a job with the oursourcing company (which I will not likely take). This whole situation is troublesome. We employees have worked hard for 10 or more years, to make the company into a great company. And then they turn around and do this to us, treating us like crap. They are making billions in revenue each year, and they only want more. I’m not too concerned about getting another job. God has always provided for myself and my family, and I believe He will continue to do so. Nonetheless, this is all very upsetting.
And to make matters even more grand, I have an extremely bad cough and cold this weekend, and really feel crappy. Ah, yes, what a weekend. Hope yours was MUCH better.
Posted in Uncategorized by leapin26: March 8, 2008
Just below the main waterfall at Shingle Falls is this 29 ft. high beauty. When I was here 7 years ago, I missed it completely. I don’t know how that could have possibly happened. I had actually thought that the lower falls was just a small set of rapids further downstream from here, which is probably why I didn’t give it much attention. This time, however, I noticed it was indeed much more. Making my way down to see it did involve a bit of scrambling. But it was slightly easier than getting to the bottom of the main Shingle Falls. I was quite impressed with this waterfall, mostly because I wasn’t expecting it to be very much at all.
Posted in Uncategorized by leapin26: March 6, 2008
Posted in Uncategorized by leapin26: March 5, 2008
The North Fork American River, near Weimar CA. This river ranks by far as my most favourite river that I have yet seen. It is so beautiful, so pristine. Now at this location, the river is very calm and it has very easy access. You can’t really appreciate its true beauty. And yet, it is still incredibly green and picturesque. I did not over saturate the colors in this photo. It really was this green and lush.
But at most spots upriver from here, the access is difficult at best. Only the hardiest hikers and kayakers enter its 2000-4000 ft. canyon walls, and truly experience the amazing ruggedness, pristineness, cold, green rushing waters, and amazing waterfalls that abound along this incredible river for some 60 miles. Tributary creeks, swollen with snow melt, crash down cliffs in amazing waterfalls, some over 500 ft. high. One of those is 2200 ft. high, the 2nd highest in all of California, and you probably haven’t even heard of it. Many of these waterfalls are too difficult to reach because of the ruggedness and steepness of the canyon. I have been to some, but not all of them. I do love it there.
This shot was taken near Codfish Creek Falls, on my hike a couple weekends ago. After visiting the falls, I still had time before I had to retreat back up the trail, so I stopped by my favourite river to see how it was looking that day. I am glad I did.
Posted in Uncategorized by leapin26: March 4, 2008
This weekend’s hike was to Shingle Falls in the Spenceville Wildlife Area, near Marysville. No cougars were spotted on the hike this time. But plenty of cows. Now that’s exciting. Well, it was for my dog, Kaya, anyway. She would’ve chased them if she could, but they were on the other side of a fence. Nonetheless, the cows didn’t like the look of her or something, and scampered off (scamper is definitely the appropriate verb here). On the way back from the falls, they were a bit more brave, and didn’t scamper away, but they did watch us (or Kaya) very closely.
Shingle Falls is a very scenic 47 ft. high waterfall. I think it resembles a giant warped spatula. Now ask me why I think a giant spatula is scenic. It is also a waterfall with many names: Shingle, Fairy, Beale, Dry Creek. I have never known a waterfall with so many names. It is a bit steep to get to the pool at the bottom of the falls, but is not too difficult. Unfortunately, Kaya could not get down there. It was just a bit too steep for her. When we were here last 7 years ago, I remember she was able to get down, but I think my wife and I must have carried her down some parts. So anyway, Kaya stayed halfway up the cliff side, while I went down and took photos. She did pretty well with that, but I kept talking to her the whole time saying “stay Kaya”, “it’s all right Kaya”, “I won’t be too much longer Kaya”, “don’t go off chasing cows Kaya”, etc. etc.
There is also a Lower Shingle Falls just downstream from the upper falls. Click here to see a photo of it. Although not as scenic as the upper falls, and not resembling a giant spatula, it is a very impressive 29 ft. high plunge. It is also a bit steep to get down to, but not as bad as the upper falls, and Kaya was able to get down to this one with not too many problems. Though she did moan and complain a bit. She’s getting more cranky in her old age.
Later on in the day, I drove up to Stirling City, north of Paradise. I was trying to hit Big Kimshew Falls there, one I have not yet been to. Unfortunately, there was too much snow there, and the road I needed to get down was closed. I was really not expecting there to be so much snow at that elevation. Bummer. I guess this one will need to wait until spring. But I wish I had known that before I drove all the long way up there.
Posted in Uncategorized by leapin26: March 2, 2008
