tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18996639237851551732011-07-07T18:14:47.930-07:00Photos, experiences, and thoughts from the Pacific Northwest: Mountain biking, climbing, MMA, big-game and bird hunting, and Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. Oh, yeah, I might mention politics from time to time.Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.comBlogger421100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-42789850122241410732009-07-24T10:57:00.000-07:002009-07-24T10:58:52.330-07:00

Sgt. Crowley is an honest guy, just trying to do a very difficult job. Police Report

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-24902587994011972482009-07-03T14:11:00.000-07:002009-07-03T15:05:52.519-07:00

Gov. Palin resignsThis is an interesting development. Many people, wrongly in my opinion, have a low opinion of Governor Palin. I believe that this has been mostly crafted by the mainstream media, who will always side with Liberalism, and against Conservatives. I think she has a role in the future of conservative American politics; I hope that she will take this time to fill in the holes in

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-44494159774993693202009-06-22T11:14:00.000-07:002009-06-22T16:36:08.455-07:00

When I wrote about my first trip down the Stafford Creek drainage here, http://tinyurl.com/stafford-creek, it was just a matter of time before I returned to finish what we glimpsed on our last trip: an additional 1.2 miles of trail dropping 1,000-feet.I arrived back in the Teanaway in the early afternoon, and scored a nice camp spot near the trailhead. I gave the dogs time to run around, setting

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-59386787560339645712009-06-11T08:12:00.000-07:002009-06-11T08:58:39.768-07:00

Senator Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) wrote an Op-Ed today about his plan for Government Healthcare. What is miraculous about Mr. Gregg's plan is, it will not increase the size of goverment. You know how I know? It says so in the title of his article.Senator Gregg has the 'R' behind his name, but I am guessing he is not too much on the Conservative side of the Party. He calls his plan 'CPR' (for Coverage,

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-75166252318526938282009-06-08T16:59:00.000-07:002009-06-08T19:34:48.695-07:00

This photograph makes me laugh: Mrs. President Obama ought to know by now that cameras are ALWAYS on her. You cannot let the mask slip, 'Chelle. I have always said that Michelle Obama was one angry, racist, individual (okay, I didn't use 'individual').

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-43114082503326056252009-05-28T15:32:00.000-07:002009-05-28T15:32:28.550-07:00

I was impressed by the clarity and succinctness of Sultan Knish's take on the current drive for "peace." Check it out.If you believe the current regime of diplomats and pundits, peace is something that can be obtained for the right price. Where peace once meant the mutual cessation of war, peace has now become something that can now be bought and sold. ...We live now in the era of the

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-22509799934488208352009-05-27T08:03:00.000-07:002009-05-27T15:36:48.665-07:00

I found it interesting that these two articles came out on the same day:Obama Administration looking at VAT"With budget deficits soaring and President Obama pushing atrillion-dollar-plus expansion of health coverage, some Washington policymakersare taking a fresh look at a money-making idea long considered politicallytaboo: a national sales tax....'There is a growing awareness of the need for

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-81305081518951882052009-05-06T13:41:00.000-07:002009-05-06T19:54:29.558-07:00

A propos of nothing, I re-read Ronald Reagan's "Shining City on a Hill" speech, from January 1974. Here it is in its entirety; emphases are mine:The Shining City Upon A HillOn January 25, 1974 There are three men here tonight I am very proud to introduce. It was a year ago this coming February when this country had its spirits lifted as they have never been lifted in many years. This happened

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-52867225223330794342009-05-01T12:03:00.000-07:002009-05-01T12:16:18.295-07:00

The snow is finally starting to leave the forests, and roads are opening up. The family and I headed over the mountains to check in with our friends at Owen's Meats, and take a little hike in the Teanaway. After fueling up at Pioneer Coffee Roasting Company , we headed over to Owen's to order some beef. These guys are super helpful, and they are big MMA fans.We finally headed out of town, and

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-35529782936171199312009-04-28T14:50:00.000-07:002009-04-28T15:11:10.601-07:00

full article hereIt is always refreshing to hear people express national pride, especially from a country so demonized by many. In my opinion, people do not have enough pride for the country of their birth, or of their homeland (in the case of Sara Miller). Happy Independence Day, Sara.Independence Day / I am a Zionist and I am proudBy Sara Miller"I'll give you six months," said a close relative

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-46161171921058743972009-04-28T08:50:00.000-07:002009-04-28T10:30:15.350-07:00

Though I am not surprised, I am still sickened. I guess it is pretty much par for McDermott to crow about grubbing even more pork, despite the current state of economic affairs. Way to show some integrity, Jim.McDermott's websiteRep. McDermott Announces His Earmarks in Omnibus LegislationMarch 11, 2009 - Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) today released a comprehensive list of federal earmarks he

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-34631427386035603522009-04-20T13:53:00.000-07:002009-04-20T14:18:03.251-07:00

This is an essay I wrote, not long after Obama was elected. It was too long to be submitted as a 'Letter to the Editor' so, it languished on my harddrive for all these months:What’s so cool about government, Mr. Obama?Over two hundred years ago, our forefathers fought to throw off the yoke of excessive governance, and become free citizens of a free and independent nation. The unfair taxes, trade

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-78706990787028044102008-08-29T12:56:00.000-07:002008-08-29T12:57:12.984-07:00

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-16658448691882331902008-08-22T13:17:00.000-07:002008-08-22T13:18:18.191-07:00

It used to be, as unevolved climber-types, we would not even look left or right, as we drove the long road to get to the Ingall's Lake Trailhead. Oh, what jewels did it possess, we never thought to look. Once again, the valley that is the North Fork of the Teanaway River offered up a wonderfully diverse mountain bike descent. I had been wanting to descend the Stafford Creek drainage, since it

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-90010572395130038732008-03-20T12:01:00.000-07:002008-03-20T12:04:57.456-07:00

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-61011869417822946812008-03-17T16:44:00.000-07:002008-03-17T18:05:07.280-07:00

I ran the Super D Race held by the Friends of Capitol Forest, this past weekend. FOCF is a great group of people who work very hard for trail advocacy and do tons of maintenance down on the Capitol Forest, outside of Olympia, WA. I was very impressed by the level of organization and preparation which went a long way to making this a very fun event. All the proceeds from the race go back into

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-57399203321529736692008-01-05T15:42:00.000-08:002008-01-05T16:07:38.327-08:00

2008. Little did I know that when I published this entry,Transitions , that it would take on an entirely different meaning as the remaining months of 2007 passed. The neat little package that Anastacia and I had envisioned in the days surrounding that posting was not to be. Upon graduation, we found a tougher job market than expected; mainly, due to our decision to stay in Seattle for a couple

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-7437978875386552542007-12-29T13:14:00.001-08:002007-12-29T13:14:52.203-08:00

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-1764330137442352692007-12-27T08:04:00.000-08:002007-12-27T08:10:44.180-08:00

"If a vocal minority, however fervient its cause, prevails over reason and the will of the majority, this Nation has no future as a free society." - President Richard M. Nixon, 1969"A spirit of national masochism prevails, encouraged by an effete corps of impudent snobs who characterize themselves as intellectuals." - Spiro T. Agnew

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-36204695594474829312007-12-07T13:48:00.000-08:002007-12-07T13:53:25.295-08:00

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-74035375229046381222007-12-05T15:08:00.000-08:002007-12-06T19:09:28.715-08:00

"The forgotten man... He works, he votes, generally he prays, but his chiefbusiness in life is to pay." - William Graham SumnerSo sets the stage of the new book, The Forgotten Man, by Amity Shlaes. Miss Shlaes uses her experience, as a financial columnist and historian, to take a new look at The Great Depression. Specifically, FDR's impact on the economy, and Sumner's forgotten man, during that

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-46889728985547789372007-12-05T08:25:00.000-08:002007-12-05T13:27:43.479-08:00

From the National Post: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=145182At first, Joe Horn appears to be doing his neighbourly duty. When he sees two men allegedly breaking into a home on his street in suburban Pasadena, Tex., in the middle of the day, he dials 911.But the 61-year-old's call quickly takes a decidedly unneighbourly turn."I've got a shotgun. Do you want me to stop 'em?" he

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-2446122556662883232007-12-04T21:50:00.000-08:002007-12-04T22:14:28.446-08:00

My desire and my riding has finally outgrown my '04 Specialized Enduro Expert. I bought that bike from my friend, Mike. That bike got me hooked on mountain biking. Lately, we've been trending to the steeper, faster, bigger...and I needed a ride that could propel me forward. I looked at a few different bikes, but always came back to the Enduro line. Mike had an '07 Enduro Expert that he let me

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-87747726999517921352007-10-17T10:11:00.000-07:002007-12-30T10:27:12.953-08:00

Part I was a truncated ride up Miller Peak, which is chronicled here:Digging Deep on Miller PeakOne week later, and much convalesced, we headed back into the Teanaway to get some more mileage in this beautiful area before the snows shut things down. We decided on a counterclockwise ride of what is known as the "5 Drainages" ride. Most people do it in a clockwise direction to take advantage of the

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-27074976581092731792007-10-01T08:37:00.000-07:002007-10-02T08:31:26.819-07:00

Having climbed in the Icicle Canyon, outside of Leavenworth, WA, for the past seven years, I have had ample opportunity to stare up at the heights of Icicle Ridge and wonder. Other objectives always kept me from just hiking up the ridge and checking it out. Touted as one of the great, classic mountain bike rides in the area (if not the State), I finally decided to have a go at it.Mike and I met

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-47749003143383806762007-09-17T11:04:00.000-07:002007-09-17T11:40:15.450-07:00

Another early Saturday morning, and Mike, myself, and the ‘Nug’, are heading off to our next objective: Devil’s Gulch, outside of Cashmere, WA. Most who ride it claim it is one of the top 5 descents in the State. I was looking forward to it. It was a beautiful, cool morning to ride the 12-miles of forest road to reach the trailhead.Mike set what I thought was a brisk pace, but I discovered

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-62640318130500115572007-09-10T09:39:00.000-07:002007-09-10T09:56:32.348-07:00

Little Bald Mountain, 25 miles East of Chinook Pass, has been on my radar screen for about a year. Mike and I had heard good reports about the ride, and the scenery was supposed to be stellar. People call it an 'epic' ride; as climbers who have had a few epics between us, we were braced for a memorable day. I picked Mike up at 0515, in North Bend, and we headed out. Mike mentioned he was not

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-18623027117882886232007-09-05T10:08:00.000-07:002007-09-10T09:47:19.164-07:00

I took a good part of the summer off from mountain biking to focus on MMA training. I got some good Spring riding in but, training five days a week was kicking my ass for doing anything on the weekends. With Mike, my main riding partner, back in town, we set some serious goals to take advantage of the remainder of the riding season. So far, this late season onslaught has been about discovering

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-64287646615732061902007-08-22T13:30:00.000-07:002007-08-22T13:51:14.087-07:00

We are entering the fourth week of a competition cycle. Fights are October 6th. The intensity increases each week. The combinations get more complex. The level of expectation rises with each passing week.The advertised two-hour session has been stretching to 2-1/2; beyond that, Ivan keeps us late to spar. The nights grow longer; camaraderie is strengthened. Most of us agree that our mental

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-29024095932570620062007-07-30T10:33:00.000-07:002007-07-30T12:23:26.158-07:00

Another phase of life is ending, and a new beginning is quickly approaching as we map out our future. Our two-and-a-half year association with the University of Washington Medical School is coming to an end. The past two years have been a singular focus for Anastacia to wade through, persevere, and excel in the Physician Assistant Program. Anastacia graduates in a month; finally, the needle

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-14808223198884501582007-07-26T09:24:00.000-07:002007-07-26T09:32:46.197-07:00

Thanks to M.A. for spotting this gem.

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-63563182321258912212007-06-27T09:46:00.000-07:002007-06-27T10:17:24.835-07:00

A common, colloquial definition of 'insanity' is, "repeating the same action and expecting a different outcome each time." Robert Mugabe, esteemed dictator of Zimbabwe, is about to become a living definition of insanity. Mugabe seized farms from white landowners, only to see their new black owners run that industry into the ground. One cannot expect this action to end any differently.While the

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-59355433588775536522007-06-24T18:32:00.000-07:002007-06-25T21:19:13.898-07:00

Mount Stuart is a big mountain (9,415'), dominating the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, and the foundation stone of the Stuart Range in the heart of the Cascade Mountains of Washington State. Early mountaineer Claude E. Rusk called Mount Stuart a "mountain of thrills." (Beckey, 2000) Having been on the mountain three times, successfully summitting twice, I can attest to the veracity of Mr. Rusk's

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-6378913137941744682007-05-12T21:25:00.000-07:002007-05-12T22:03:02.452-07:00

My buddy, James Nakagami, and I finally got together to do some rockclimbing. I didn't climb much in '06 but, lately, I've been wanting to get out. We both really love climbing at Index, WA, and made that our destination. Many people don't like Index; mostly, I think, they are intimidated by the grades. Index is 'Old School'. Guys from Washington went to Yosemite and learned how to climb

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-68946159041813785752007-05-05T14:01:00.000-07:002007-05-05T14:43:23.778-07:00

Since my main riding partner, Mike, is out of the country for a while, I am competing against the clock when I ride up the Tiger Mountain Trail (Preston RR - NW Timber). I usually push myself to keep up with Mike but, solo I have to have something to drive me.When we rode Tiger Mountain the first time this year, we slunk away after riding for 1-hr 33-min. and turning around before the top. Mike

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-52899749076030831682007-04-15T18:23:00.000-07:002007-04-15T18:23:31.595-07:00

I saw 300, the film adaptation of Frank Miller's graphic novel (read: long comic book), recently. For those of you who don't understand 'graphic novels', or their screen adaptations, you may not like it. A 'graphic novel' is, essentially, a long comic book; thus, a film adaptation will include some animation, as well as some peotic license. Frank Miller also wrote Sin City, adapted for the silver

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-67593673677646845852007-04-02T08:48:00.000-07:002007-04-02T09:30:47.647-07:00

UN Watch shows the truth to the UN Council on Human Rights, and they refuse to see. It is interesting that the President of the Council is more concerned about the "harsh" language used in the speech than he is about the content.www.unwatch.org

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-51670198294665108802007-03-28T11:32:00.000-07:002007-04-02T09:21:31.566-07:00

Once, again, Michelle Malkin nails it...HARD:The John Doe ManifestoBy Michelle Malkin www.jewishworldreview.comNote: Earlier this month, six publicity-seeking imams filed a federal lawsuit against US Airways and the Metropolitan Airports Commission in Minneapolis/St. Paul. The Muslim clerics were removed from their flight last November and questioned for several hours after their suspicious

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-25348386353495258322007-02-11T18:57:00.000-08:002007-02-11T19:17:05.378-08:00

Simply put, this movie is awesome.Tony Jaa puts on a Muay Thai clinic as he delivers serious ass-kickery all across Sydney, Australia. A big part of the excitement associated with this picture is the display of Muay Thai; a more brutal cousin to the martial arts displayed by Jackie Chan in recent films. The fierceness and purity is reminiscent of Bruce Lee's big screen offerings. With the

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-28811892275891744672007-02-10T07:13:00.000-08:002007-02-12T14:08:02.848-08:00

February 9th, I had the opportunity to attend an event celebrating the arrival of the first Ducati 1098 to Ducati Seattle. It is actually a 1098S, and the new owner was there to twist the throttle for all of us to hear. David Roosevelt, Owner of Ducati Seattle, puts on a great party with food from Outback Steakhouse and champagne (for this IS a celebration). There was a great display of Superbike

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-13361125444101053672007-02-05T18:54:00.000-08:002007-02-05T19:02:30.737-08:00

Descending from the entrance to the Gib Ledges just after sunrise. Poor snow conditions turned us around at 11,000'; we sat out the night huddled on a ledge. Photo taken in April 2004.

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1899663923785155173.post-51679661413634124902007-02-04T08:55:00.000-08:002007-02-04T13:59:39.123-08:00

2006 was an eventful year for our little household.Anastacia finished her didactic year in the University of Washington Physician Assistant Program. To say that she was stretched in every way possible, is an understatement. She finished with great grades. The summer was a welcome respite for her, and a chance to visit family back East.I took up mountain biking and had the great opportunity to

Gregory Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950468661457687232noreply@blogger.com2