In July 2017, I started keeping a hit-and-miss log of our walks. Below are the logs leading up to the beginning of this blog. Our walking routes can be seen here.
An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day. — Henry David Thoreau
7/10/2017 – Safeway Route.
Henry spent the night, so Chuck walked alone. It was a nice summer morning; Found a headband and a pair of flip-flops. One person “Thank you; You guys are awesome.”
7/11/2017 – Park and Ride Route.
Henry spent the night again so Chuck walked alone. Found a Northshore House Boats shirt and retrieved an American flag that someone abandoned.
7/12/2017 – Safeway Route.
Henry spent the night again, so Chuck walked alone.
Found:
- Yosemite Half Dome baseball cap. Ready for our trip to Yosemite later this year!
- Someone’s diary, only a few pages used.
- Two separate halves of two different tennis balls.
- A socket to put with my collection of found tools.
Got two honks and several waves.
7/13/2017 – Park and Ride Route.
Henry spent the night, so Chuck walked alone.
7/14/2017 – Safeway Route.
A bus driver honked and waved, and we received two verbal thanks. One black SUV stopped on the Norway hill thanked us and asked if we used Starbucks.
7/15/2017 – Riverside Route.
Relatively light day for a Saturday. The area beneath the freeway is looking much better. When we expand into a new area, especially one that is vary neglected, it takes several passes to clean it up. We call this grooming.
8/9/2017 – Safeway Route.
Nothing out of the ordinary. The bus stops have a new sign on the trash containers stating no dumping of household garbage. We surmise it is probably because we would periodically unload bulky or heavy trash.
9/7/2017 – Park and Ride Route.
We passed a house on the hill of a realtor, Max Rombakh. Later we saw a post from him on NextDoor from Max with a video showing someone removing the wheels from his boat trailer. An older BMW dropped someone off to remove the wheels. Later a Nissan Xterra stopped to pick up the tires. When we passed the trailer on our walk, wheels were on the trailer and we saw the BMW pass us heading in the direction of Max’s house. I checked our cameras and saw a similar Xterra drive slowly into and out of our cul-de-sac. I texted the license number to Max and later the police dropped by to examine the video.
9/9/2017 – Riverside Drive Route.
Saturday walk with a record trash haul.
10/18/2017 – Park and Ride Route.
Found 97 and 1/2 cents.
Also found another pair of men’s underwear (sixth pair) on Juanita-Woodinville. We have been finding men’s underwear in the middle of the street near a certain intersection. Weird.
10/19/2017 – Park and Ride Route.
After blustery night, there was a lot of debris, but not much trash.
11/22/2017 – Seattle Safeway Route.
Found another pair of underwear (7th pair) in the same area. We will start to take pictures.
Also, found some fake dog poop.
1/3/2018 – Safeway Route.
Found another pair of undies (8th pair)
1/31/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Saw a car hit a bus crossing at the park and ride. Caught it on body cam video.
1/11/2018 – Safeway Route.
Another pair of undies. Same place (9th pair.)
1/19/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Found another pair of men’s underwear, but a copycat Drawer-Dropper. Blue undies at a bus stop. Does not count as the serial dropper perp.
1/22/2018 – Safeway Route.
Some rain, but not bad. Moderate amount of trash. Found a tennis ball in the median of Juanita Woodinville
1/29/2018 – Safeway Route.
Yet another pair of underwear. (10th pair)
1/30/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Dragged a heavy, dead raccoon off of Juanita-Woodinville Way.
1/31/2018 – Safeway Route.
Lots of little stuff. We now have three regular horn honkers. An MM Mechanical truck, Mr. Handyman and one Seattle-route 257 Bus. Got all three this morning.
2/1/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Light day.
2/2/2018 – Safeway Route.
Got a late start, closer to 6:00 am. Flung a possum from the middle of 112th and a squirrel near Safeway.
2/3/2018 – Riverside Drive.
Found a dollar bill by the side of the road and a lot of heavy bottles (wine, beer and spirits). Other than that, normal stuff.
2/5/2018 – Safeway Route.
Flung two squirrels. Picked up car crumbs from a fender bender on Juanita Woodinville and up the hill at the curve. A vehicle missed the sharp turn and took out one of the turn signs and a headlight. No Mr. Handyman, but got honks from the 257 bus and MM Mechanical. It is now getting lighter and I can see some people waving back on the hill.
2/12/2018 – Did not walk due to cold.
2/13/2018 – Did not walk due to cold.
2/14/2018 – Safeway Route.
Very heavy trash since we missed two days. Got a thank you from a woman in an SUV.
2/15/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Picked up the remnants of a diaper in the park and ride lot. Got a thank you from a bus driver exiting the park and ride.
2/16/2018 – Safeway Route.
Fast walk since Janet needed to fill-in doing taxes in Kirkland. Very light trash day. Got a honk from Mr. Handyman.
2/17/2018 – Riverside Drive.
Moderate amount of trash. Janet found a woman’s sports bra but did not want a picture. Also found a new roof flashing for a vent pipe, a Pontiac hubcap and a dime. Picked up two downed signs.
2/19/2018 – No walk.
Met Vance and Kandi in Hood River.
2/20/2018 – Too cold 26F
2/24/2018 – New, temporary route.
It finally warmed to 33F, so we walked. We made a new route for Saturday since we had not walked Juanita-Woodinville Way for a while. Went to the Park and ride then past Safeway to the end of J-W then back to the 7-11 and over Norway Hill. 7.25 miles. We were exhausted and were out over 3 hours. Lots of trash to pick up.
2/26/2018 – Jury duty.
Downtown Seattle by 8:00AM, so did not walk.
2/27/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Lots of cans and bottles down 112th. Found a large plastic, knotted bag with something (excrement?) in it. Good thing it is garbage day. Flung a barely-identifiable rabbit across from Four Square Church. Got a honk from Mr. Handyman.
2/28/2018 – Safeway Route.
Today’s take:
Trying to find the owner of the wedding ring, hopefully not the same person who lost the fingernail.
3/1/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Found a bunch of stolen mail, mostly junk mail.
3/2/2018 – Safeway Route.
Found another pair of undies. (11th pair)
3/3/2018 – Riverside Drive.
Missed last Saturday. Nothing special, but a lot of little stuff.
3/5/2018 – Safeway Route.
Found yet another pair (12th)
3/6/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Normal Tuesday walk.
3/7/2018 – Safeway Route.
Wednesday. Found a robin that had been hit by a car but was still barely alive. Moved it off the road to the bushes. No, I didn’t fling it.
3/8/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Quick walk and little trash.
3/9/2018 – Safeway Route.
Not much trash. However, Janet found a newt trying to cross 112th. It would not have survived at the pace it was travelling. I tossed it back into the wetland bushes from where it came.
It did not like being picked up.
3/10/2018 – Riverside Drive.
Fairly light for a Saturday. Keep finding more big, heavy wine bottles. However, we were able to dump them in various recycle cans left out on the street. We keep inching farther down toward the city limits, but the trash keeps getting heavier.
3/12/2018 – Safeway Route.
At the bottom of the Tolt Pipeline, I found an empty, 2-ounce energy drink, a used condom, a Kleenex and an empty water bottle.
There is a story there.
Also found a marble, a tire weight, and a socket set adapter. More for my found tools collection.
Caption: I’m giving up smoking… again.
3/13/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Moderate day, mostly small stuff. Found a lock, but no key. Not much use without a key.
3/14/2018 – Safeway Route.
Fairly light day. We found several plastic water bottles, but absolutely no cans. Possibly a first for us. We heard a vehicle skid on wet pavement followed by a collision. It was at the end of Juanita-Woodinville Way, but too far away to witness. We did see the aftermath. Fender bender. Nobody hurt.
Also found some marble-size translucent spheres.
They are jelly-like and very fragile. We don’t know what they are. Janet is thinking aliens. [Update] They are gel water beads.
3/15/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Very light day. Got honks from MM Mechanical and Mr. Handyman. Also got a verbal “Thank You” from a person waiting at an intersection.
3/16/2018 – No walk today.
The evil woman I live with said I needed to sleep in.
3/17/2018 – Riverside Drive.
Lots of small trash and several bottles that we were able to leave in unsuspecting recycle cans along the way. Found a baseball in the gutter across from Cedar Park school and threw it back into their field.
3/19/2018 – Safeway Route.
Got honks from MM Mechanical and Mr. Handyman. We evidently have a new bus driver since the honks have stopped, but the new guy waves. Also, when I waved at one today as he was leaving a bus stop, he started to stop for me. We need to be careful near bus stops. Received a nice thank-you and a Starbuck’s $15 gift card from a young lady leaving Safeway.
I also found a nickel, so the total profit was $15.05.
3/20/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Lots of little trash but nothing exciting. Found the baseball again in the gutter across from Cedar Park school for the second time. See 3/17/2018. This time I kept it.
3/21/2018 – Safeway Route.
Got a honk from Mr. Handyman and another random honk. Happened to pass MM Mechanical at a stop light. Again, he thanked us for cleaning up.
3/22/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Left the house early, so missed our normal honkers. Very light and a quick walk. Found a needle on NE 145th.
3/23/2018 – Safeway Route.
Very light day. Got honks from Mr. Handyman and MM Mechanical. Near the top of the hill, I moved off the road for an oncoming car, tripped and fell flat on my face. The car stopped to make sure I was ok. The only thing injured was my ego. She did thank us for picking up trash.
3/24/2018 – Riverside Drive.
Moderate amount of trash. Found some garden shears going down the hill. On the way back, we continued down to the end of 112th then back. On the way back, we found 6 bullets strewn along a 2-block area of 112th.
3/26/2018 – Safeway Route.
Lots of little trash. I struggled from too much activity this weekend. Janet rescued a ball that was in a thorny situation.
Also, found a watch that had been run over. Shinola Detroit. What’s the difference between shit and Shinola?
Shinola:
Shit:
3/27/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Fairly light trash day and a quick walk. Found a plier, though.
3/28/2018 – Safeway Route.
Light trash and found a penny.
3/29/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Another light day.
3/30/2018 – Safeway Route.
Quick walk since Janet is doing taxes. Very little recycling, but lots of small trash. Flung a rabbit.
3/31/2018 – Riverside Drive.
Cigarette butts and gum wads next to the Village Sty apartments (our name for them.) Janet found an 18-inch diameter blue ball that she insisted we haul home. Lots more large wine bottles that keep surfacing in the morning light. Left them in a recycle can with the owner’s permission (for once). Also rescued a Lime Bike, but it was unappreciative.
4/2/2018 – Safeway Route.
Lots of trash and recycling. Found 21 cents. Also found a green knit cap that turned out to be a Vashon Island High School Pirates cap with a pair of women’s Victoria’s Secret undies inside.
The school’s mission is “Equipping every student to engage, thrive, and contribute in an ever-changing world.” Well, I guess so.
4/3/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Light day. We got a honk from Mr. Handyman and an unidentified honk-by.
4/4/2018 – Safeway Route.
I almost got hit by a bicycle. The guy was riding the wrong direction a one-way part of Juanita-Woodinville Way with no lights and no helmet. I stepped into the street to pick up something and heard a loud “Hey!” No contact, though.
4/5/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Nothing unusual.
4/6/2018 – Safeway Route.
Normal, but Janet needed to do taxes, so we were rushed.
4/7/2018 – Riverside Drive.
Heavy rain for Seattle. There were a lot of flat frogs on the road. As we walked under the freeway, a Semi overhead deluged us with a spray of water. Found a bong, intact, for once.
Janet made a “bud” vase out of it.
4/9/2018 – Safeway Route.
Lots of trash. Got honks from Mr. Handyman. and MM Mechanical. Found a pair of socks and a scarf, all will head to Goodwill. Also found a bunch of documents pilfered from someone’s car glove box. Mostly receipts for oil changes, tires, etc. Nothing worth tracking the person down for.
4/10/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Light day with normal stuff. Got a honk from Mr. Handyman and lots of waves now that it is lighter. Someone left a tied up large black bag by the bottom of the Tolt Pipeline. Probably a dead animal. Need to call the city to have it removed.
4/11/2018 – Safeway Route.
Heavy rain but moderate trash day, nothing special. Mr. Handyman honked. We passed 10 Million steps with my Garmin tracker since January 2016.
4/12/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Harvested a sign at the end of 112th. Got honks from Mr. Handyman and MM Mechanical. Flung pieces/parts of a crow off the road on 145th. Doing anything with crows is dangerous. You don’t want to get on the bad side of crows.
4/13/2018 – Safeway Route.
Quick walk since Janet was doing taxes. Nothing memorable.
4/14/2018 – Riverside Drive Route.
Found fresh large wine bottles which were distributed among some left-out recycle bins. Found some NRA stickers, but I don’t have a rifle, found a $10 impact socket, but I don’t have an impact wrench and found a needle, but don’t have a habit.
I should have slept in.
4/16/2018 – Safeway Route.
Got honks from Mr. Handyman and MM Mechanical. Fairly heavy day (after the weekend). 22 beer/soda cans. Also found 4 separate white balloons. All but one were deflated. The one that was inflated had a message printed on it from for someone named Zeke. It appeared they were released at Zeke’s memorial. [Update] There is a dog that barked at Janet every walk up Norway Hill. Janet has noticed that since about this time, she has not been barked at. So, Zeke may be the dog.
4/17/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Quick walk. We were early, so the Seattle bus had not hit the bus stop yet. Since there was a long line of people waiting, we did not go to the stop itself. Received a drive-by honk but did not see Mr. Handyman or MM Mechanical. Found another deflated white balloon.
4/18/2018 – Safeway Route.
Started our walk normally but needed to return to the house and start again. Missed our normal honkers. Flung a flat squirrel and rescued another white balloon from a tree. Found a Ninjara pin [Look it up.]
We came to a spoon in the road.
But it seemed pointless. We also found $20:
But it seemed worthless.
4/19/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Normal day. We got honks from Mr. Handyman, MM Mechanical and one drive-by. Flung a large, disemboweled possum that tried to cross 112th. It won’t have the guts to do that again. [insert groan here]
4/20/2018 – Safeway Route.
Normal day. Got honks from Mr. Handyman, MM Mechanical and one (different) drive-by. Found a nearly full pack of Camels. I may need to take up smoking. Also, this was the first morning that it was not pure dark when we left the house. I could see a little dawn.
4/21/2018 – Riverside Drive.
Moderate for a Saturday. Found several signs of Spring along the walk.
Three weeks after rescue and the Lime bike has not moved. With her attitude, I am not surprised.
And bonus! Someone left us breakfast.
4/23/2018 – Safeway Route.
Got an early start and missed our normal honkers but got a couple of drive-bys. Now that it is lighter during the walk, we see a lot more people waving at us. Flung a rabbit.
4/24/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Moderate day. Flung another rabbit. Got a drive-by thank-you from a woman turning in front of me. Also waved at Mr. Handyman who was refueling at Safeway.
4/25/2018 – Safeway Route.
Saw remnants of another animal, rabbit? But did not see where the rest might be. Had a run-by thank you from a jogger. We have been leaving the house earlier, so have been missing our two honkers.
4/26/2018 – Park and Ride Route.
Long walk because of side trips. Got waves from Mr. Handyman and MM Mechanical. Peeled a very flat, unidentifiable animal of the road and flung it into the bushes. By the Park and Ride, a man approached and asked if we were paid or volunteer. I stated we did it for the exercise and he thanked us an bumped knuckles with me.
Walking down Juanita-Woodinville Way, a kid rode by on a bicycle. Later, on 145th, we found a bicycle in the ditch. We pulled it out and leaned it against a stop sign so the owner might see it.
Later, we caught up with the kid wearing a hoodie, minus bicycle making his way up 145th and south on 100th. He did not appear to be very happy. He would walk for a while then stop, sit on the curb and put his head down then move on.
Obviously, he had taken and ditched (literally), the bicycle. He was hurting, but I never caught up to him.
4/27/2018 – Safeway Route.
Got a drive-by thank you, but did not see any of our regulars. Flung a relatively whole rabbit. I think this is the first time I have flung some animal every day in a week. Also,
Lucky pair #13. It has been over 7 weeks since the last pair.
4/28/2018 – Riverside Drive.
Rained continuously. Moderate amount of trash. We continue to find large wine bottles past the freeway on Woodinville Way. Found a quarter and a nickel. Our hourly wage is skyrocketing.
Found a kit with part of a vapor device (I think) and some condoms. Later found a used condom. We don’t know if they are connected.
Week 4 without moving.
Whew, we were fresh out of giants.
A Star is Torn.
Trash Walking 