Uncategorized – Page 2 – The Inside Scoop

A spectacular day at USC

What a day in LA LA land. The University of Southern California has a rich football tradition. All that history, SC’s game-day traditions and the pageantry of the great game of college football were on full display on a beautiful, sunny day in Los Angeles. We flew into Santa Ana on Friday, and made theContinue reading “A spectacular day at USC”

I brainwashed her, and I’m truly sorry … sort of

Vicki teaches a Bible study on Friday mornings. Last week, she told her group she couldn’t be there tomorrow because she’ d be in California. “Oh, you’re going to see your sister?” one of the women asks Vicki, who grew up in California and two of her sisters still live there. “No, we’re going toContinue reading “I brainwashed her, and I’m truly sorry … sort of”

Hiking (not so) Easy Pass, step by step

EASY PASS – Before we get started, let’s just make one thing clear: There’s nothing “easy” about the hike to Easy Pass. Sure, the clearly-marked sign off Highway 20 is easy to spot. The trailhead, unlike many starting points for hikes, is easily accessible, just a short, paved road from the highway. After that?Continue reading “Hiking (not so) Easy Pass, step by step”

The tall and short of it

I entered the Land of the Giants recently – literally and figuratively. It was the 68th gathering of the Northwest Basketball Legends in Seattle. Seven-foot-1 Spencer Hawes was there. His uncle, Steve Hawes, a mere 6-foot-10, received a Merit of Excellence award at the banquet. Steve was an All-American at the UW and also playedContinue reading “The tall and short of it”

It’s time for me to get Kraken

They said playoff hockey will hook you. Consider me hooked. I tried to be disinterested. But how can you not be caught up in this team and this game of skill played at lightning speed? I credit my Chicago-raised, son-in-law, Karl, for sparking our interest in hockey. Karl is a big Chicago Blackhawks fan andContinue reading “It’s time for me to get Kraken”

I have a shallow interest in the Kraken’s deep dive into the postseason

The Seattle Kraken are in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Whoop-dee-freakin-doo. Please excuse my sarcasm. I’m trying – I really am – to embrace hockey. I should be over the moon that the Kraken, in just their second season in the NHL, are in the postseason. I may watch tonight’s Game 1 against the Colorado Avalanche.Continue reading “I have a shallow interest in the Kraken’s deep dive into the postseason”

Duel in the Desert

I am a huge Washington Husky fan. That’s not a surprise to anyone. I can thank my dear dad for that. It’s in my DNA. My earliest childhood memories of Saturday afternoons in the fall were listening to Husky football on the radio with my dad, watching the rare televised game together (on black-and-white TV),Continue reading “Duel in the Desert”

The tale of Two Queens

We mourn the loss of Queen Elizabeth. Her magnificent 70-year reign is over. Just two days after her passing, we celebrate “Queen Victoria,” who turns 66 today. I only mention the two in the same paragraph because they’re connected … at the neck. When Vicki turned 60, I planned a birthday party fit for aContinue reading “The tale of Two Queens”

Eyes in the sky

Doing a story on a fire lookout watchman has long been on my bucket list. I can now check that box. I have to say, though, this was not an easy story to do. First of all, only about a third of the state’s remaining 93 fire lookouts are staffed. I talked to several rangersContinue reading “Eyes in the sky”

Visiting the mecca of auto racing

To paraphrase the most interesting man in the Dos Equis beer commercial, “I don’t visit race tracks very often. But when I do, I kiss the bricks at the finish line of the Indy 500.” Full disclosure here. I’m not into motorsports. The last time I stepped near a racing oval was Skagit Speedway, inContinue reading “Visiting the mecca of auto racing”