Urban Hike.

Finally having a break in the wet and gray weather this morning gave me a chance to take a short (2.68 mile) hike through my South Lake Union neighborhood. Although we're almost a month into Spring, I'm not yet willing to testify to its arrival in Seattle. It sure feels slow this year. The one thing that does seem to support Spring's arrival is the rhododendron (Washington state flower). It is in bloom at every corner.

I started my hike at Denny Park, Seattle's very first park, established in 1884. Trivia fact: it was once a cemetery. As parks go it's rather tiny. I appreciate its existence in my neighborhood, but rarely find reason to visit. That will likely change as the residential population increases with the opening of several, new condo and apartment building in the neighborhood.

From Denny Park, I walked to South Lake Union Park on the Lake Union waterfront. The park is home to the Center for Wooden Boats. If your interested in maritime history or sailing, I would recommend visiting the CWB. They offer youth and adult sailing classes, rent boats for use on Lake Union, and hold workshops on the craft of wooden boat building and maintenance, including a bronze casting workshop this next weekend (April 22nd and 23rd). Had I not already made plans for Earth Day I would have signed up for the bronze casting workshop.

My return trip was much less glamorous. With all the construction in South Lake Union tearing up the landscape, and the high volume traffic of Mercer Street and Denny Way, I stayed off the beaten path. The side streets of Terry Avenue North and Boren Avenue North are very industrial, but contain gems such as the Open Circle Theater and Consolidated Works.