These are all the pictures I took on June 17, 2006.
Besides being a leisurely, early morning walk on during the fun run, this opportunity to stroll upon the Alaskan Way Viaduct accomplished two other goals:
▪ Another check off on my "list of things to do this lifetime" and
▪ The chance to say good-bye and let go to of some aspects of being a Seattlite.

Gregg in the parking lot.

Paul in the parking lot (Gregg -- next time say "smile" before you click the shutter.)

Paul still in the parking lot

More of Paul in the parking lot

Have you seen enough of Paul in the parking lot

A recruiting ad at the Starbucks.

The guy on the poster, Darren, is known to Gregg and me.

Darren was one of Jack's former house mates in 2005.

A nice guy, but it didn't work out for him and Jack.

The original Starbucks store and logo.

The mermaid is topless here... she has since been made more p.c.

This picture would be enough.

But I always say a decent tourist picture should have someone you know in it.

So I got on the floor.

But can I get up?

It is nice to know your parents are somehow enshrined in a landmark.

Remember before digital cameras....

you had to buy film....

few cameras could take more than 36 pictures on a roll...

so you would only make one or two pictures and hopefully took your time to set up the shot...

now we can take 10 pictures of the same thing or nothing.  But in this case, it does turn out I like the last one the best.

In all my years working in downtown Seattle, I would rarely go the market during lunch, except during the rainy season (October through May).

But even on a clear day in June, the place is empty at 7:00 AM.

Nothing says "farm fresh goodness" like Sara Lee.

Still today, there is a lot of local growers who bring their stuff to the market.  But the fancy, permanent stalls seem to get most of their wares from same produce broker.

Whenever I would to the market for lunch, I would usually go to the same few places: dim sum deli &  the place selling New York egg crme.

I would usually buy a piece of fruit from who ever didn't have a big crowd.

This picture was taken for Jack. He always likes to have something coming out of my head. So why not the Space Needle.

Gregg in his Ultili-Kilt.

There is a car here, but it is part of the fun run.

I love this shot... Seattle's oldest sky scraper next to the tallest.

The are some parts of Seattle I will miss.  It is a "nice to look at" place.  But knowing the city's history makes me a stick in the mud and old fogey.  Rather than be tormented and embittered by the inevitable changes, I think it is better to just walk away and the take the memories.

The waterfront is one of those things I will miss.

When I was a kid, there were many days Dad and I would come down to the waterfront early in the morning and look around the docks.  That was back when it was more of a working waterfront and not a tourist attraction.

Looking up to Pioneer Square, the heart of old Seattle.

Here is some earthquake retro-fitting to strengthen the viaduct... but it is doomed. The next major tremor might weaken it beyond repair.

The fun runners approach.

Pioneer Square

This street is Yesler.  It was the original skid road.   Logs would skid down to the mill on this route back in the 1880s.

The building on the right is the Federal Building. I spent a lot of time there in the late 70's & early 80's doing Coast Guard Reserve active duty.

An on ramp.

The Coleman Ferry dock.  Ferries to Bremerton and Bainbridge Island.

Can you see how old and worn out the concrete is?

Ivar's Fish 'n Chips next to the fire boat.

The mere mention of Ivar's name brings back a flood of memories about being a Seattlite. When I was a kid, Ivar was routine guest on the afternoon children's TV show Captain Puget.  Ivar set up a trust fund to pay for Fourth of July fireworks -- still going many years after his death.  Ivar's restaurants also had some memorable TV commercials and slogans.  Keep Clam

Proof that nature will overtake civilizations monuments. Notice the pier... it is not perpendicular to the shoreline.

All the shipping is now south of the water front. In years gone by all the ships would pull in to piers like Ivar's. The piers were at an angle to allow sailing ships to use the wind.

Notice the thousands of runners on the lower deck.

A stampede!

I think of my dad every time I see these railroad tracks on the waterfront. The are entering a tunnel which goes under the city at Virginia Street. The tracks continue about a mile to the tunnel's end at Main Street. My dad used to confuse me when I was a little kid, telling me that the longest tunnel in the USA was in Seattle -- it went from Main(e) to Virginia.

My mini-van in the parking lot under the market.

The end of fun run/walk.