An adventurer is me.

My sister and I went on a little adventure yesterday, took a little trip to Vernonia Lake Park, site of the former Oregon-American Lumber Company.  I've been wanting to check this place out for a couple of years now because I knew there was an old building covered in graffiti on the site.

It was a bit of a drive but totally worth it. I had been expecting something like the Blair Witch Project, but the site is actually a park now with a bike trail going all around the mill pond (Vernonia Lake). There are even picnic tables and a couple of grills.  You could see one of the old buildings from the parking lot, west of the lake. It was a short walk and soon I was standing inside the old fuel shed.

I was in Goonie (not to mention photographer) heaven. My sister and I walked around and took pictures of graffiti for a while, and a teenage couple came in and walked around. They climbed up in one of the windows and asked me to take their picture.  The guy said, "Mine isn't as good as yours, though." Hee.  I had both of my Nikkormats and my stupid digital with me. 

I climbed up in the window after they left and my sister took my picture.

I really wanted to see the old refuse burner because there's a tunnel underneath it, and the toppled cyclone blower, but everything was covered in brambles and I'm not even sure if they're still there. I'm definitely going to look again this winter. 

I had a good time prowling the grounds and climbing around everything. Took over two rolls of film, and I can't wait to get them developed.

I love old, abandoned stuff. I wish there was more of it around here. 

On this day, Galway liberated from Indians, Marathon becomes Snickers. Aha: Ice Age ends.

In summary

Sing loud for the sunshine, pray hard for the rain 
And show your love for Lady Nature
And she will come back again 
The people turned away
The people turned away

Tank and I went to Rockaway for the Fourth. My friend's family has a little beach house out there (JEALOUS).  It was quiet and ... well, quiet.  I didn't have a good time, but I had a nice time. I got to be with my dog and just enjoy his company without being bothered by other dogs or people. It was bittersweet, though, because the last time I took Tank on an adventure, just the two of us, he was young and strong and unstoppable.  He's still a happy dog, but he sleeps a lot and it makes me sad. He's going to be 15 in September and it's hard for me to see how much he has aged, particularly because he's always been so puppy-like. Losing our other dogs really took a toll on him, and he hasn't been the same since. But he's still Tank, just slower. 

I had the Doggy Ride and we went down to the beach for a few hours. Tons of people around and Tank wasn't bothered at all. It could be because he's mostly deaf and kind of blind, but either way I'm glad he was able to relax. He's been "owner protective" his entire life and it makes him incredibly anxious. 

I took him back down to the beach later for the fireworks. He's never been bothered by fireworks, thunder or any sort of loud noise, but when they started up, Tank looked around in confusion, and I was worried he might start to get anxious so we walked back to the beach house. I gave him his Goodie Ship (stuffed with peanut butter) and he lay on his blanket and went to town. I watched "American Movie" and then "Wayne's World," had some dinner, played my guitar and fell asleep. 

I didn't want to leave, but I had work Thursday night and wanted to get home early enough to get some errands done and take a nap.  

I never got the nap and was dead tired at work, but it was worth it. Tank was so happy to be back home with the other dogs, it was adorable.

Getaway

I'm taking my dog to the beach on Wednesday. I hate the Fourth of July, but I need to get away and not think about things.

I'm taking the Doggy Ride my sister got for her (now deceased) dog because Tank is 14 and can't walk as far as he used to.  It'll be good for us. I can't wait. Going to bring my guitar, my camera and some movies and have a nice and hopefully relaxing time with the only joy of my life: Tank.