Just another gorgeous fall day. Warm enough to dry clothes on the line and where I definitely did not need the sweatshirt that I was wearing to rake leaves. Mary and I threw a football around and played Frisbee golf at the park in the afternoon sun. Can’t complain.

Some pictures from last Sunday. I had been kind of aimlessly pacing around the house, not entirely bored, but not very purposeful either. I must have been bugging Mary though because she kicked me out. “You need to go hiking.” Ten minutes later I was out the door.

Sunny and gorgeous, unlike this weekend where it’s been drizzly and overcast (not complaining, it’s actually a nice change of pace). I didn’t want to drive too far so I decided to head up into the Tieton River Canyon area (about a thirty minute drive) to explore some of the bolted rock climbing areas. Other than Royal Columns and the Bend (which I did not stop at), I didn’t know exactly where any of the spots were, but I at least had a rough idea.

I went looking for Moon Rocks first. I knew there was a footbridge near Moon Rocks, but when I parked at what I thought was the correct dirt pull-off on Highway 12 I didn’t see anything. I ended up crossing the highway and scampering up the north-side slope to get a better view of the Tieton River. On my last three hikes in this area I had run across five rattlesnakes, so even though it’s not prime snake season, I was picking my steps cautiously as I headed up the dirt and scree. I scrambled up a rock outcropping and immediately saw that I had driven just past the correct parking area. Since Moon Rocks was still sitting in the shade though I decided to keep heading down the road, planning to stop there on my way back.

I jogged back down hill to my car and drove up to the tiny town of Rimrock. I parked on the side of the road and headed upslope hoping to find Rainbow Rocks. I didn’t know exactly what I was looking for but figured with a name like Rainbow Rocks that it would be fairly self-evident. I followed what appeared to be a game trail that eventually started to look more human-trampled. Sure enough Rainbow Rocks popped into view (pictured below top right).

I played around at the base of the rock columns wishing I had rope along and someone to climb with, then hiked up the back side (treading lightly on the loose flakes of basalt) and peered down from above.

I hiked back to my car and drove back east toward The Cave. Again I didn’t I know exactly what I was looking for, but this formation turned out to be clearly visible from the road and I was able to park right across the highway from it. There was a group of four climbing as I followed the clearly marked switchbacks up toward them. As much as I liked Rainbow Rocks, this was easily my favorite spot of the day. It looked like it had a variety of routes, deciduous trees for shade and ambiance, and interesting rock.

I pulled myself partway up a few routes then hiked up and around the backside. Squinting into the late afternoon sun, I eventually ended up at what I assumed is The Cave’s namesake. As I stopped to take a picture of the cave I felt something stabbing into my hip and I pulled aside my waist band to reveal a tick half buried into my skin. I thought I remembered that you were supposed to burn those little suckers out with a match (I looked it up later and found out that this was completely wrong), so I grabbed a match from the first aid kit that I usually carry when hiking and held a flame against his backside. He just flailed his little legs and looked like he was trying to burrow in further. And I was cooking myself. Nuts to that. I yanked him out with fingers and spent the next few minutes trying to remember the symptoms of Lyme Disease. It’s not even tick season.

Finally, with my daylight disappearing I headed back toward Moon Rocks, parked in the correct spot, crossed the Tieton on the footbridge, and made the short hike upward. Neat spot. I sat under the towering columns for about twenty minute, snacking on granola bars and drinking the last of my water, then called it a day and headed for home.

Mary scored some authentic Meijer bulk gummy bears. My mouth stated watering the moment she even mentioned the possibility. So many good memories. Best gummy bears in the world and for $1.50/lb (on sale) nobody’s even a close second. The Meijer shopping bag was a nice touch.

Autumn in central Washington is ridiculously nice. The colors here aren’t as dramatic as they were back in Michigan (more yellows and browns than flaming reds and oranges), but the constant sunny weather easily makes up for that. Every day it seems like it’s in the 60s with blue skies. Sometimes rain is forecasted and it gets cloudy for a few hours, but then the sun pops right back out. I planted grass in some large bare spots in the back yard about a month ago figuring we’d get some fall rain to help the process along. Nope. Still running the sprinkler. If you look closely in the picture on the left you can see that we have the slider door open and the thermometer reads 60 degrees in the shade yesterday evening.

All that said, there is some possibility that this will be our last autumn in Washington. No real plans yet, just some possible rumblings. The project that I’m working on ($545M interstate redesign) for work will be kicking off construction in the spring of 2010, which means that much of the environmental planning work (my work) will be completed by late 2009. There is environmental work that will continue throughout construction, but that will be handled by the state workers. Our office in Yakima was created solely to work on this project, so when the planning work slows up, no more office and no more environmental planner job for me. There are a couple of possibilities that would extend the life of the office:

1. Funding comes through for a second phase of work on the interstate. This funding would have to be at least on an order of magnitude of what we’re currently working with. It seems unlikely though that given the current economic situation that legislators would push through approval for a tax to raise $1B for a wildlife-friendly highway. Our project director has already predicted that this won’t happen.

2. Our company is able to rustle up enough work (smaller projects) in/around Yakima to justify keeping the office afloat. This also might include support work for the Seattle and Portland offices. I don’t see that one happening either, given the size of this city and the specificity (transportation) of most resumes in our office. The original plan had been for employees to transfer to other offices once the work in Yakima was completed and I think that’s how things will play out.

The possible disbanding of the Yakima office doesn’t bother me at all though. It’d be an excuse to do something new, whether that’s a new job in Yakima or somewhere else. But recently I have been ruminating on the prospect a little more. I should have plenty of warning, but even a full year’s warning is not that long when you consider the time to make new plans, find new work, get organized, and sell a house. Realistically we should figure out some sort of game plan in the next six months or so. As I see it, there are a few prevailing options for us if my office closes next fall/winter:

1. Stay in Yakima.
Mary keeps working and I would find a new job. We could stay in the house that we put so much work into in a neighborhood that we love. I could keep running around the mountains and our weather would stay ridiculously nice. I might have to take a pay cut and the job market in the fields I’m qualified in are not exactly booming in a city of 75,000. But all in all not much would change.

2. Move back to Michigan. I’d transfer to the Grand Rapids office.
We have offices everywhere (60,000 employees) and GR is no exception (that huge triangle building on the corner of Sparks and East Paris. This option is very much dependent on there being a specific job opening for me in GR. I would think another company branch shutting down would work in my favor, but definitely not guaranteed. Mary would find a new job (or maybe an old one). Pros: Most likely 100% of our moving costs would be covered by my work. I would probably keep my Washington salary and a cheap housing market means more disposable income. Mary could re-enroll in the Counseling Psychology Masters program that she was all set to begin before we left for Washington. We would be close to family. Cons: I passionately hate Michigan’s weather and lack of elevation. Hate. I might lose my mind drifting into wanderlust. And I would still be sitting in an office all day with no sunshine-filled weekend mountain outlet.

3. Move back to Michigan. We both would find new jobs.
Pretty much meaning that I would end up working with at-risk kids again in an experiential setting (probably at St. J’s again), running around constantly all day and getting paid for it. A job that more and more I realize may end up being my career. Moving costs would not be covered. My salary would potentially half of my current salary. I wouldn’t be locked behind cubicle walls all day.

4. Move somewhere else. I’d transfer to another city that has a job opening in my field.
This solves one issue with option #2 and last I checked there were at least thirty openings in various cities that I would be qualified for. We’d have income from day one. It’d be exciting to live somewhere new and we could pick an interesting locale. I’d still be at a desk and we’d have neither the comfort of the house we’ve developed over the last two years or the familiarity and convenience GR.

I was driving to the gym tonight and as I pulled up to a traffic light I felt myself start to get annoyed. There were four cars in each lane in front of me. Eight cars at one stop! I felt like I was suffocating in a traffic jam! I get so used to traffic-free drives that this was genuinely a frustrating feeling for me. Until I thought about it and started laughing. I love where we live. There are no traffic jams. It’s gorgeous here. We’re within a two hour drive from dozens of classic peak climbs. We have four seasons and huge amounts of sun (it was a big snow year last year and I barely shoveled the driveway). We can walk to a perfect park for running our dogs. There’s no state income tax. People are friendly. Granted crime is atrocious in some parts of the city, but I don’t ever have to go to those sections.

But I don’t feel good sitting in an office all day. I don’t feel purposeful in my work. I’m just working for a pay check. I honestly felt healthier and more energetic in my old routine in Michigan than I do now. And there are few other realistic work options around here (I’ve looked). Mary tolerates her job much more than I do, but I think she misses working with kids too. She misses home and having family close by more than I do. I know she really likes where we live now though too, so I guess we’ll just have to see how it all plays out.

Really all I want is to be able to stay here, get a new job as a wilderness counselor, make the same amount of money I’m currently making, and have Mary be able to start a Master’s program she loves. And the dogs are happy as long as they have a tree branch to chew on.