Hike - Falls Creek Falls

Falls Creek Falls

The hike to Falls Creek Falls is one of my favorite waterfall hikes in the Pacific Northwest. The falls and Falls Creek are spectacular, especially in late winter or spring when the water flow is high. The falls are made up of three tiers starting with an upper tier at 109 feet, a second tier at 135 feet and a final tier at 91 feet that plunges into a narrow amphitheater gorge. At high-water levels, the falls are pretty loud and surrounded by a refreshing cloud of spray.

Falls Creek

The trail to the falls is a relatively easy 1.7-mile hike that parallels Falls Creek and includes two bridges, one of which is a cable suspension bridge that spans a spectacular rock gorge. 

Cable suspension bridge

The road to the falls had a lot of pot holes but was passable. The pit toilet at the trail head was one of the worst I’ve ever experienced. 

Falls Creek from suspension bridge

Falls Creek cable suspension bridge

TILOTD - Stay Woke

Things I Learned On This Day – In the last decade, “Stay Woke” has become a common phrase that, I would wager, most people (including myself) would have a hard time defining. For that reason, I felt the need to get a better understanding of the phrase. 

According to Wikipedia, the term "Woke is an adjective derived from African-American English used since the 1930s or earlier to refer to awareness of racial prejudice and discrimination, often in the construction stay woke. The term acquired political connotations by the 1970s and gained further popularity in the 2010s with the hashtag #staywoke. Over time, woke came to be used to refer to a broader awareness of social inequalities such as sexism and denial of LGBTQ rights. Woke has also been used as shorthand for some ideas of the American Left involving identity politics and social justice, such as white privilege and reparations for slavery in the United States

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

This is what ChatGPT said when asked:

“What is the history and meaning of the phrase stay woke?”

The phrase “stay woke” has a rich cultural and political history, rooted in African American experiences and language. Here's a detailed look at its origin, meaning, evolution, and modern usage:

Meaning of "Stay Woke"

At its core, “stay woke” is a call to remain aware, vigilant, and conscious—especially regarding social injustice, racism, and systemic oppression. Over time, its meaning has broadened and also become contested.

History of “Stay Woke”

1. Origins in Black American Vernacular

• Early 20th century: "Woke" appeared in African American Vernacular English (AAVE) as a slang term meaning "awake" or "alert."
• The term evolved metaphorically to mean being "awake" to social and political realities—especially injustices faced by Black Americans.

2. 1938: First Documented Use in Music

• Blues musician Lead Belly used the phrase “stay woke” in reference to the Scottsboro Boys case—a group of Black teenagers falsely accused of rape in Alabama.
• In a spoken introduction to his song, Lead Belly warned listeners to “stay woke” to racial injustice in the U.S.

“I advise everybody, be a little careful when they go along through there—best stay woke.”

This early use linked the phrase explicitly to racial awareness and self-protection.

3. Civil Rights Movement Era (1950s–1970s)

• The phrase wasn't mainstream, but the idea behind it—being politically and socially conscious—was central to the activism of the time.
• While "stay woke" itself wasn’t a dominant slogan, it was part of a broader culture of Black consciousness and resistance.

4. Modern Resurgence (2010s)

• Black Lives Matter movement (post-2013) brought “stay woke” back into common usage, especially on social media (e.g., Twitter).
• It became a hashtag and rallying cry encouraging awareness of:
• Police brutality
• Systemic racism
• Injustice in the legal system
• Broader social inequities (gender, LGBTQ+ rights, immigration, etc.)
• Celebrities and activists used the term to signal solidarity and social consciousness.

5. Cultural Mainstreaming and Corporate Adoption

• As "woke" became popularized, it was adopted by media, brands, and politicians.
• “Stay woke” appeared on T-shirts, in TV shows, movies, and advertisements—often stripped of its original racial and political significance.

6. Backlash and Politicization (Late 2010s–2020s)

• Critics—especially in right-wing media—began to mock “wokeness” and use “stay woke” sarcastically or dismissively.
• It became a politicized buzzword and culture war term, used to criticize:
• Social justice movements
• Cancel culture
• Progressive education or corporate diversity programs
• For some, “stay woke” became synonymous with overreach or virtue signaling, rather than sincere activism.

Conclusion

“Stay woke” began as a Black cultural expression of awareness and survival in a racist society. It gained renewed urgency in the age of social media and protest movements like Black Lives Matter. Today, while still used sincerely by many, the phrase has also been co-opted, commercialized, and politicized, reflecting broader tensions around race, activism, and identity in modern society.

Rally - Good Trouble - Jul 17, 2025

Good Trouble Lives On Rally - July 17, 2025 Photos & videos from the “Good Trouble Lives On” rally in downtown Vancouver, WA. Good Trouble Lives On was a national day of action in response to the attacks on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration. Coined by civil rights leader Congressman John Lewis, “Good Trouble” is the action of coming together to take peaceful, non-violent action to challenge injustice and create meaningful change.

SOUND ON🎧

CLICK HERE ☝

Rally - Good Trouble Lives On - Jul 17, 2025

Good Trouble Lives On - July 17, 2025 will be a national day of action to respond to the attacks on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration. Coined by civil rights leader Congressman John Lewis, “Good Trouble” is the action of coming together to take peaceful, non-violent action to challenge injustice and create meaningful change..

Video clips are from the 2020 documentary on the life of Congressman John Lewis. Additional clips are from a video by Tom Barry that was based on a version of the song “What The World Needs Now” by Tom Clay.

SOUND ON🎧

CLICK HERE ☝

Rally - Banners Over I-5 - Jul 11, 2025

Vancouver, WA Friday July 11, 2025 - Banners Over I-5 Rush Hour Resistance sign waving on the Evergreen Street bridge overlooking I-5 during 4-5 PM rush hour.

SOUND ON🎧

CLICK HERE ☝

Book Review - Mark Twain

Title: Mark Twain
Author: Ron Chernow
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: I loved this book. I was afraid it would be too long but that wasn't the case. Mark Twain has always been a hero of mine. I love his wit and ability to find humor in life, politics or you name it. I was surprised and a little dismayed at how susceptible he was to get-rich schemes and how it caused so much heart ache for him and his family. The amount of detail in this book is amazing and I can hardly imagine how much work it took to bring it all together. I totally recommend this book.  

Description (Audible): In this richly nuanced portrait of Mark Twain, acclaimed biographer Ron Chernow brings his considerable powers to bear on a man who shamelessly sought fame and fortune, and crafted his persona with meticulous care. After establishing himself as a journalist, satirist, and lecturer, he eventually settled in Hartford with his wife and three daughters, where he went on to write The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He threw himself into the hurly-burly of American culture, and emerged as the nation’s most notable political pundit. At the same time, his madcap business ventures eventually bankrupted him; to economize, Twain and his family spent nine eventful years in exile in Europe. He suffered the death of his wife and two daughters, and the last stage of his life was marked by heartache, political crusades, and eccentric behavior that sometimes obscured darker forces at play.

Drawing on Twain’s bountiful archives, including thousands of letters and hundreds of unpublished manuscripts, Chernow masterfully captures the man whose career reflected the country’s westward expansion, industrialization, and foreign wars, and who was the most important white author of his generation to grapple so fully with the legacy of slavery. Today, more than one hundred years after his death, Twain’s writing continues to be read, debated, and quoted. In this brilliant work of scholarship, a moving tribute to the writer’s talent and humanity, Chernow reveals the magnificent and often maddening life of one of the most original characters in American history.

Description (ChatGPT): Pending...