Helen of Washington

Nothing sparks up a weekend like an active volcano. Moxie and I hiked through old-growth forest along the southwestern flank of Mt. St. Helens on Saturday. Climbers will again have access to the rim starting on Friday for the first time since the mountain awoke in 2004. She's still awake, though -- and belching forth lava at a rate of about a cubic meter per second. Moxie and I were content to enjoy the view from a good distance.