construction proceeds

Walmart is going up in West Valley after settling considerable dispute from neighbors.

Does that make it a biker bar?

A quarter turn from taking the tutu shot, it looks like this small tavern caters to the motorcycle crowd, with ample parking for bikes. Rather than the Hell's Angels types, most of these bikers appear to be the white collar workers who hit the roads on two wheels on the weekend.

tutu

Downtown Yakima was awash in tutus Saturday night as the season of dance school recitals is underway. How exciting to perform at the historic Capitol Theatre! When my girls danced, it was a the local school auditorium.

PhotoHunt/SkyWatch--Advertising

I don't usually do a PhotoHunt on this blog, and I am late for that meme as well as for SkyWatch, but looking through files for another reason I came across this, which fits for both. It was taken in October 2007 as we came through Yakima on our way home from Wenatchee.

trains--crossings

Because of the tracks that cross Yakima north to south sometimes interfering with cross-town traffic, there is concern about emergency vehicles being delayed in their duties by a train. The debate goes on--someday a solution will be found.
.
In other parts of the valley (this one is in Grandview) it seems like waiting for a train is a matter of timing. There may not be many trains a day, but they always seem to be crossing when you have to get somewhere and you are running late.

Ding! Ding!

Trolley rides leave from the Yakima Electric Railroad Museum on summer weekends.

Cruisin' for a million

A million dollar lottery ticket sold at Cruisin Bill's on Yakima Avenue May 11 has not yet been claimed. Hmmm. Wonder where the winner is? Does he even realize he has a winning ticket? The ticket holder has 180 days to claim the winnings. Perhaps he is researching his tax options. Or maybe he figures that the million will still be worth a million in 180 days, but claiming it now and investing it, the amount could depreciate.

Gap to Gap breakdown

Today is the 25th Annual Gap to Gap Relay. This cyclist was having some problems as I drove by. (Couldn't frame a better shot because the light changed to green.) The Gap to Gap includes several divisions. Teams can do it as a relay or individuals can do the portions of the race themselves. The kid's division includes roller-blading as well as running, biking, and kayak. The adult kayak arm of the race was cancelled this year for the second time in its 25 years. The waters of the Yakima River are running very high and very fast, making it unsafe for the competition. The kids kayak on a lake.

More Gap to Gap details are at the event's website.

Old

When the Northern Pacific Railway bypassed Yakima City in 1884 at its original location which is now Union Gap, more than 100 buildings were moved on rollers to be closer to the railroad terminus. Though this does not date back that far, it is an example of an early business still functioning in its old building.

And so my friend saw me pull out my camera...

...and hunch down at the blank side of the cinderblock building.

"You see things. I don't." she stated.

Does that camera in you pocket (Mine doesn't fit in the pocket any more.) make you observe differently? see more?

Another sign of spring

Suddenly we see forsythia wherever we go.

Good Friday Gray Skies

This is the same cross at Holy Family Church that I showed a night-lit view of in December. Symbols in the cutwork circles include the Trinity in the arms of the cross, and the seven sacraments.

Other SkyWatchers can be found here.

Looking down the road

...into Yakima from way west on Summitview Road.

All a book club needs...

...books and coffee!

We had a lively discussion of The Shack by William Young. Next month is Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris? Have you read either of these?

Is the book club there yet?

My book club meets once a month at Inklings on West Summitview. And no, no one was there yet, even though it was time. Can you guess from the photo where I found them?

From the benches 5

More toward the west--Yakima and the Cascades in the distance.

From the benches 4

Toward the east, walkers on the Greenway along the Yakima River.

From the benches 3

To the west you can see the mountains over the rise.

From the benches 2

Northwest from yesterday's bench.

From the benches 1

There were two of those two way benches at Sarge Hubbard Park, and I checked the views from both of them. This on looks out South at Ahtanum Ridge.