Musings
Last Adventurer
#preservethegood

As you’ve seen above, #preservethegood could mean anything – it could mean helping someone in a time of need; it could be picking up trash on a trail, or a wilderness area; it could be educating people on leave no trace principles; it could be making a difference in any way you want; and it could be just about anything you want as long as you are focused in keeping the magic and the unique positive things in this world and this life. In terms of tangible things, I encourage you, my readers and followers to use the hashtag when you post a photo of something amazing; or when you’re talking about something exceptional you – or someone else has done to improve the world. I look forward to seeing how all of you end up preserving the good in 2015, and you can rest assured that as always, I will keep preserving the good where I find it as well, because as Plato says, “Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others.” 

#preservethegood
Hiking, State Parks
Last Adventurer
Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls

As I mentioned previously, Waimea Canyon is a site that is most definitely one of the “must-view” locations on Kauai, and in the world; and as I also mentioned, the best way to experience it is to hike it. While there are many great hikes through the canyon, the best hike in my book is the Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls. It is the best hike to me because at four miles roundtrip, it is accessible, it has stunning views of the canyon from inside the canyon, and it ends at the top Waipoo Falls. It also allows the hiker the chance to swim in a waterfall, which is a once in a lifetime experience.

Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls

Fremont Troll

Bruce Lee's Grave

Bruce Lee's Grave

Seattle is home to many internationally recognized tourist destinations, such as the Space Needle; and it is also home to many tourist destinations - such as the Fremont Troll and the Lenin Statute that are slightly strange. One of Seattle's popular tourist destinations is Bruce Lee's grave, and is something that like the Space Needle, is sought after by thousands of domestic and international visitors on a yearly basis. Among other things, Bruce Lee was the founder of the martial art known as Jeet Kune Do; and was and is one of the most well-known and pre-eminent martial artists in cinema history. After his untimely death in 1973, his wife had him interred at Lakeview Cemetery. Since that point in time, his grave site has become a destination for people wishing to pay their respects to him, the effect he has had on their lives, and a spot for celebrity grave seekers and others to visit. While rumors regarding the popularity of his grave site are difficult to substantiate, as he is interred in a cemetery and not an amusement park, his grave has been named by Time Magazine as one of the "Top 10 Celebrity Gravesites" in the world, and is rumored to be visited by over 10,000 people a year.

Fremont Lenin Statue

Fremont Lenin Statue

For many people, the terms "Lenin" and "Communism" evoke dark memories of the Cold War, and the potential for mutually assured nuclear destruction. For other people, however, the remnants of the former Soviet Union are noteworthy for their cultural significance in the world's larger historic picture. Irrespective of how one feels about the former Soviet Union, its art, propaganda, and iconography, one can view some of it with ease in Seattle in the form of a giant, sixteen ton iron statue of Lenin which now sits on Fremont street corner. Originally designed and constructed in 1988 by Emil Venkov, it was later consigned to a trashheap (literally) after the Berlin Wall fell and the Cold War ended. Slightly before it was scheduled to be melted down, a Seattle resident, Lewis Carpenter found it, and felt that it should be preserved. For $41,000.00 Carpenter was able to purchase the statue, and move it to Fremont, where it has resided since, despite mixed feelings about its presence. Since Carpenter's passing in 1994, the statue has been for sale on numerous occasions, however, as of the present date, no party has stepped forward to make an artistic purchase of this magnitude.

Fremont Troll

Fremont Troll

One of the more interesting pieces of public art in Seattle can be found in Fremont; although technically, if one’s being honest, a lot of interesting things can be found in Fremont. In case you’ve never heard of Fremont, it is a suburb of Seattle that was its own town until it was annexed in 1891. Today, Fremont is known for its claim that it is “the Center of the Universe”, for its unique and funky vibe, and for its street art. Even though the reclaimed giant statute of Vladimir Lenin is fairly impressive, the Fremont Troll is by far the most-well known piece of art in Fremont.