Firstenburg Community Center, Vancouver WA

Last week, I visited the Firstenburg Community Center in Vancouver, Washington. This large facility offers a complete fitness center, many meeting and activity rooms, and an impressive indoor pool. The cost to me was $6.00 for an all day pass into Firstenburg. I walked the second floor indoor track for 30 minutes, and enjoyed the elevated views through large glass windows and from above the active basketball games.  Finally, I attended a very enjoyable one hour Tai Chi Chuan class conducted by Jill Ross from 12:20 to 1:20 pm.  We practiced the Yang 24 and Sword 32.  

After Taijiquan practices, I then browsed and borrowed two books from the spacious Cascade Park Community Library of the FVRL which is right next door to Firstenburg. There was ample available parking at Firstenburg, at 700 NE 136 Ave.., on the northeast side of the building.  Map View.

One could easily walk to nearby Leroy Haagen Memorial Park a bit north of Firstenburg for outdoor sidewalk and walking path jaunts.  

This is an excellent fitness facility.  The library is beautiful with many great reads, and superior inter-library request services and ebook lending.  There is a Kitchen Table Cafe and a Coffee Revolution coffee/tea room directly across the signaled street from Firstenburg, as well as a small food and drinks outlet inside of Firstenburg.  Plenty of restrooms.  Many fitness equipment options, lockers, large workout rooms.  

Firstenburg is less than a mile north of busy Mill Plain Blvd and scores of new retail stores and restaurants.  Firstenburg is about 8 miles from my home in the Orchards. I thoroughly enjoyed this outing, and this facility will definitely be part of my future pleasures. 

Firstenburg Community Center

Cascade Park Community Library

Leroy Haagen Memorial Park

Reading about Washington State

I use the Fort Vancouver Regional Library System (FVRL) [Three Creeks and Vancouver Mall libraries], and the Washington State University at Vancouver Library to borrow books about Washington State and the Northwest.  I also have purchased numerous books on these subjects since April of 2017 when we moved to Vancouver, Washington.  We have also traveled extensively in Washington  State.

Since childhood, I have always enjoyed reading books about travel, geography, science, technology, nature, and history.  Since 1998, I have done much more reading about Northern California, Oregon, and Washington. 

My next trip will be to explore the Klickitat River from Goldendale to White Salmon. 

Recently, I have read four books related to rivers or cities in Washington State.

Atomic Frontier Days: Hanford and the American West.  By John M. Findlay and Bruce W. Hevly.  Emil and Kathleen Sick Book Series in Western History and Biography.  University of Washington Press, 2011.  Index, bibliography, notes, 384 pages.  ISBN: 978-0295990972.  FVRL.  The story of the Hanford nuclear products production plants (1942-1990) and toxic nuclear waster storage (1950-) along the Columbia River; and the development of the nearby cities of Richmond, Kennewick, and Pasco, Washington. 

The Spokane River.  Edited by Paul Lindholdt.  University of Washington Press, 2018.  Index, biographies, reading list, 282 pages.  FVRL. 

Oregon River Maps and Fishing Guide.  Edited By Doug Rose.  Frank Amato Publications, 2014.  88 pages.  ISBN: 978-1571885142.  VSCL.  Many rivers flow north from the Oregon Cascades into the Columbia River: Willamette, Sandy, Hood, John Day, Deschutes.  Excellent resource for river trips and fishing. 


Washington River Maps and Fishing Guide.  Edited By Doug Rose.  Frank Amato Publications, 2013.  87 pages.  ISBN: 978-1571885135.  VSCL.  Excellent resource for river trips and fishing.  

Winter Readings: Native American Peoples

During the last few days,  a 2" blanket of snow has covered everything.  It has lingered for two days in the shady areas.  Nothing significant in terms of travel, and quite beautiful.  No outdoor work for awhile.  

I have been reading two books from the Fort Vancouver Regional Library, Three Creeks Community Library, in the Salmon Creek neighborhood of northwest Vancouver.  I request books online from the library, and then pick up the reserved books and browse at the nice Three Creeks branch library.  The Three Creeks Library is very close to my daughter's home in Salmon Creek.

A Guide to the Indian Tribes of the Pacific Northwest. By Robert H. Ruby, John A. Brown, Cary C. Collins. Norman, University of Oklahoma, Third Edition, 2010. Index, 415 pages. ISBN: 978-0806140247. FVRL.

Native Peoples of the Northwest: A Traveler's Guide to Land, Art, and Culture. By Jan Halliday and Gail Chehak. In cooperation with the Affiliated Tribes of the Northwest Indians. Seattle, Sasquatch Books, Second Edition, 2000. Index, appendices, map, 319 pages. ISBN: 1570612412. An excellent handbook for traveling to Native American reservations, museums, cultural centers, historical sites, businesses, festivals, artists, tours, etc., in the Northwest including British Columbia. FVRL.