OK, back to the travel log.   I think that this leg of the sisters’ Olympic roadtrip was my favorite. 

As we turned off of Hwy 101 and up the road toward the falls, I said - “I really hope we see rays of light coming through the trees….”

And not 15 minutes later, we rounded the bend and saw this.  

Cool huh?

Of course another abrupt stop, in the middle of the road, was in order.

When we arrived at the trailhead, a group of young scouts was just coming back, leaving the area nearly empty.  I think we only saw 3 - 4 people while on the trail - it was perfect. 

The falls are very beautiful, but the .8 mile (each way) trek to get there was as enjoyable and memorable as the falls themselves.  The path was simply enchanting, and I wish that we’d stopped to take a few photos of the trail itself.  We thought of doing so on the way back, but were both in urgent need of the restroom so couldn’t take the time

Along the trail there were a couple of charming bridges and several babbling brooks. 

One in particular was covered with mossy stones.  Kristin was very patient as I obsessively took photos from a dozen different angles (I hauled my tripod on for just this purpose).   Because we were in the dry season, there wasn’t much flow in the stream - I really want to go back in spring when the water is cascading over the even more brilliantly green mossy rocks, and take a hundred pictures.

This is a hike/walk that most anyone could handle…. this is going to be on my “must see” list whenever I have visitors.  Michelle, Chris - you guys need to make another trip up here!  Kathleen and Ashley, you too.  

To see more photos of Sol Duc trail & Falls, click here

After spending a couple of hours in Hoh Forest, Kristin and I decided to head to the beaches for the late afternoon, and hoped to catch a colorful sunset.  First up was Ruby Beach, about 25 minutes south of Forks. 

We were relieved (no pun intended) to find a rest room in the upper parking area….  until we got within about 10 feet of it.  Man, it was stinky But we used it anyway. 

We could hear the roar of the ocean as soon as we got out of the car.  I love that sound. There is a quarter mile trail to get down to the beach, and the first switchback gave a breathtaking view.   

And as we walked further down the path I spotted a bald eagle just before it landed in a VERY tall pine.   Even with my telephoto lens, this is as close as I could get, and not very crisp.  He sat there looking cool and posing for my camera for a good 10 minutes. 

The haystacks (big, off-shore rocks) were amazing - close to shore and very interesting.  I decided to shoot them in a way that got as many of them in as possible…..  took a bunch from this angle below.

It wasn’t til I was sorting through them back at the hotel that I noticed the rather unfortunate placement and prominence of the one the right.   It just looks very erect if you know what I mean.  It’s just a bit embarrassing.

We decided to see if we could make it back to First Beach in La Push before sunset. After a reluctant 2nd visit to the restroom/outhouse in the parking lot we sped north, wishing we had Edward Cullen to drive us at break-neck speed.

We arrived a little before dusk and had the beach to ourselves. Kristin scoured the beach for colorful rocks while I took pictures of big foam blobs the waves had left on the sand. The sky was pretty grey, but we were rewarded with some pink before it got dark.

For more pictures of the beaches, click here

After the sunset, we returned to Forks and stopped at the Forks Outfitters - combination Grocery and outdoor store.  They had a big display of Twilight books and a bunch of clever Twilight t-shirts and sweatshirts on sale.  Several businesses in town had signs like “Welcome Twilight Fans” and a clever motel’s sign said “Edward Cullen never slept here.”  Kristin got a picture of that one : ) She was reading book 3 at this point I believe…..

Next up - Sol Duc Trail & Falls….

    By the way - my hummingbird was back again today. 
    It’s getting COLD here!  He needs to fly south!

Day 2 of the sisters’ roadtrip took us first to:

Hoh Rain Forest

In the first “oooooh!” moment of the day, the sun turned dew drops on gossamer moss into sparkling diamonds.  It looked magical to me. I have a bit of a fascination with moss.  In fact, Kristin probably lost track of how many times did I said, “I love moss” as we were walking through the forest.    I think we also confirmed that I love living in the northwest.  It’s just so beautiful here.

It’s a good thing Kristin loves taking pictures too, because I think most people would have wanted to slap me upside the head for all the abrupt stops I made along the side of the road to capture a picture. I think she may have wanted to as well

One advantage to being there in the off season in the middle of the week (besides the ridiculously low motel rates) is very little traffic on the road to the forests. Which was good since I developed a habit of stopping in the middle of the road, as there was no pull off.  

There were also very few people walking the trails, so we had the place nearly to ourselves.  It was a beautiful, sunny day which really lit up the yellow maple trees. 

One of the highlights was coming upon an extremely hyperactive little squirrel in a tree.  He scrambled down a branch and pulled off a leaf, then scrambled up to a more solid branch and gobbled it up VERY FAST.  Then back down again.  Squirrel on speed.  But he was very cute.  With a very orange underbelly.

To view photos from the Hoh segment of our journey, CLICK HERE.

Next post, Ruby & First Beach.

During my August trip to the Olympic Peninsula with Brandon & family I decided I was going to have to make another sojourn to see more sights as well as spend more time in others.  

I invited Kristin to join me, and she was available this week - so we made some last minute plans and headed off on Monday afternoon.

We only turned into Port Gamble because we were chasing a rainbow, but discovered an absolutely charming town.  It is a 120-acre National Historic Landmark complete with picturesque, turn-of-the-century buildings filled with antiques, breathtaking views, expansive grounds and charming New England style houses on maple and elm tree-lined streets. Unfortunately, we were there after shops were closed for the day, so I think another trip may be in order.

As we continued on towards Sequim, Port Angeles and ultimately our little motel near Lake Crescent (which had a minor bookkeeping error and forgot we were arriving late, and didn’t leave our room key… so we ended up driving all the way to Forks for the night) Kristin spotted these really unusual and interesting mammary clouds.  She thinks they have a rather embarrassing (and strange) name, but they are very cool.  Worth sneaking onto private property in order to get a clear shot.

Next up….  Hoh Rain Forest,  Ruby Beach and First Beach. 

I recently made the dreaded trip over Snoqualmie Pass to visit my sister and family, and participate in Sam & J’Neil’s fantastic scavenger hunt.   I say dreaded, because I drove….  and it’s a long drive (4 hours)….  and I drive fast….   

In fact, here is a picture of the badge of the officer who gave me a ticket just outside Ellensburg.   Is 82 in s 70 mile an hour zone REALLY that fast? : )  

Every trip to Kennewick, which is on the southeast corner of Washington, is a study in contrasts.  Here’s what it looks like on my side of the state (taken at Snoqualmie Pass). 

I call it “Eden”

And this is what it looks on Kristin’s side of the state. 

I call it the “lone and dreary world.”  Taken near the Hanford Nuclear Reservation.  Need I say more?

Fortunately, once I arrive in Kennewick I get to enjoy the company of Kristin, Craig, Sam and J’Neil.  The scavenger hunt was a ball - Kristin and I had a great time coming up with ideas for crazy things the kids needed to find or do, and then she put together an incredible (and organized, of course) adventure for the kids.  I think she should package and sell it!  Best scavenger hunt ever!  I keep hoping she’ll start her blog and share this stuff she creates… 

But in the meantime, here is a picture of J’Neil’s team meeting one of their “action” requirements…. 

  Sam’s team won (I wish I had video to share of the eulogy he gave at the funeral for a dead bug) and found the final clue first, leading them to the biggest treasure chest where they divided the loot.  The silly string was a big hit.  But J’Neil’s team was pretty happy with their bounty as well.  Needless to say, a good time was had by all.  Don’t you wish Kristin was YOUR mom?

I had such a great time traveling around the Northwest with Brandon and family. 

We enjoyed some great activites and saw beautiful sites.  One of the favorite activites was exploring the tidepools at Salt Creek.   

We had previously been to the Seattle Aquarium and and saw fabulous sea life - but there’s nothing like experiencing it out in the natural setting.

Tidepools are cool - and we all had fun touching the anenomes and finding the hermit crabs.   

The girls LOVED it…

I was a bit surprised (but delighted) that Emily wanted to hold the little, recently deceased, crab I found.

I think if we hadn’t had to run to catch the ferry to Victoria, we could have spent hours here.

Come visit again and let’s go see more tidepools!

With a roadtrip planned to the Olympic Peninsula with Brandon (my son) and his family this past weekend, it seemed like the perfect time to finally start reading the Twilight Saga.  So I ordered the first two books from Amazon and they arrived the day before we left. 

My brief review:  I really enjoyed it.  I, like Michelle, wish it had been written as an adult novel rather than for teens - would have enjoyed more depth and less filler.  Neverthertheless, I think Stephanie Meyer has crafted an original and compelling story.  And reading it in the book’s setting made it come even more alive for me, so to speak. 

I finished up Twighlight while lying in bed at the Forks Motel on Sunday night, after a visit to the Hoh rain forest.  Started New Moon the next day and stayed up til 4:30am Tuesday night to finish it - just couldn’t put it down even though I was exhausted.  Ordered Eclipse and Breaking Dawn from Amazon today…

Of course I took my camera with me and captured a few images of this breathtaking country.  I created a special page for you to view them.  I think I live in the most beautiful state in the nation… 
 

then come back and share your thoughts.  Do you recognize any scenery described in the the book?  Can you spot any vampires?

*The page may take a few moments to load.

My son and his family are here visiting for a few days.  We spent Thursday in Seattle with a stop at the aquarium.   There are lots of cool things in the aquarium - but my favorite are the jellyfish.  So of course I had to try and caputre them as they glided around the circular tube, back lit with different colored lights.

 
These funky little eels were pretty cool too.

Maybe it’s just because I’m a Pisces, but I really think sea life is cool. You?

**Note to Ashley & Chris…. I’m in Forks tonight, finishing the first Twilight book………..

And now, part 2 of our
British Invasion adventure…. 

Journey to the San Juan Islands

On Sunday Kathleen and I took a somewhat leisurely and scenic drive north to Anacortes Washington (stopping only for brunch at the Swinhomish casino). 

The rhododendrons (which are Washington’s state flower) were in brilliant display in a rainbow of colors.  

After a ferry trip through the beautiful islands we pulled into port at Friday’s Harbor - a charming little town with a lively waterfront - shops, art galleries, restaurants.  Just sailing over, even without a car, to spend a few hours in Friday’s Harbor would make a fun day trip.

For the educational part of our journey, we decided to visit the English Camp we saw on all the maps.  Here is Kathy on the road to the camp, saluting in memory of fallen comrades, perhaps?  

Frankly, I’m not quite sure what Kathy was doing, but it was along this road that we waved to Patricia, a lovely woman simply going for a walk (back toward the main road).  Wondering how we knew her name?  Read on.

And here is Kathy at the marker which tells the story of the Pig War between the British and Americans. (click photo to read it)  Did you know that San Juan Island was the last American soil held by the British? Me either.

It was at this point that we met an older gentleman, returning from the path to the bay, with whom Kathy engaged in conversation…

Kathy: Hello, how are you today.
Man:  (seeming a bit despondent) Oh, I’m doing ok. I just lost my wife.
Kathy: (consolingly) I’m so sorry.
Man:  Oh, I’m sure she’ll turn up sometime.

LOL.   I spoke up and told the man we had passed a woman, who was probably his wife, walking up on the road.  So he called out “Patricia!?“  I pointed out that she had been WAY up the road… far enough she probably wouldn’t hear him calling.

He headed up the road after her, and we took the path to the bay…. but for the next 15 minutes we were heralded with sounds of Patricia!?   PATRICIA!!!!   PA-TRI-CIAAAAAAA!!!!!!!   We could hear him clear down by the bay.  

From there we headed to Roche Harbor for dinner, but made a stop at the Wescott Bay Sculpture Park.  VERY COOL.   There are about 108 sculptures in the 19 acre park.   This piece is called “Broken Melody.”

If it had not been so hot, we’d have explored further - but the weather was warm and after our hike (for most people it would be considered a walk, for us it was a hike) around the English Camp, we were a bit overheated and worn out.  

We drove into lovely Roche Harbor, which is a charming resort town.  Dinner was so-so, the water tasted funny, and the service slow, but the view & ambiance were spectacular.   

After dinner we took a stroll through the beautiful formal Victorian garden, filled with peonies, forget me nots, lilies, wisteria, clematis, hydrangea, poppies, and many more…  including this really interesting plant.  I have no idea what it is.  Do you?   More pictures at the link at the end of this post.

We stayed at the States Inn & Ranch - a working alpaca ranch bed & breakfast.  They also had chickens, sheep, and a friendly cat.   Although it was a pleasant stay (& the lavender shortbread cookies were delicious), I probably wouldn’t stay there on a future visit.  The most memorable part for me was the wonderful frog chorus which sang us to sleep.  Yes, I recorded them   Listen and enjoy….

The next morning, we woke up to breakfast in the dining room with the other guests -  made from locally grown produce and their own farm fresh eggs.  The scones were particularly yummy.

In addition to the farm animals,  we saw quite a bit of  wildlife as we drove around the island.  There was a fox sitting near the road, with two smaller foxes tumbling and playing.  I really wish I’d stopped in the middle of the road and taken a picture (a car was behind us, and no where to pull over).   

We also saw several deer - including a doe and two small fawns hiding in the trees, along with a pheasant, a bunny, an eagle, and a fat lazy seal.

On our final day we made a visit to the Lime Kiln Lighthouse / State Park.  We met a family from Minnesota (or Winconsin?) who have traveled and spent every summer for 15+ years volunteering at the lighthouse - which is one of the best places to watch for whales.  
 

 
We didn’t stay long enough to see the orcas that were making their way up the coast that day…  we had a lavender farm to visit!

We stopped by the Pelindaba Lavender Farm and store.   Of course we bought more lavender shortbread cookies.  Even though the lavender was not yet in bloom, it was still a beautiful farm.  And don’t you love this huge pi sculpture sitting in the middle of the field???
         

After spending an hour or so browsing art galleries, gift shops and book stores, we grabbed a bite to eat at the Rocky Bay Cafe and then hopped on the ferry for the trip home. 

Look - a marshmallow farm!   On the drive back, we were lucky enough to capture a picture of this new and extremely rare crop of giant marshmallows.

We left for the airport the next morning where I bid farewell to Kathleen and sent her back to SLC….  it was so fun to have you here - come visit again soon!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS OF OUR ADVENTURE

Ok, so it was more of a visit than an invasion… and really more from SLC than from Britain… 

Two days after the Ashleye departed, Kathleen (who really is British) arrived to spend 5 days in the lovely northwest with her fantastic friend (me).  She thought she was coming to relax, but I had other plans.  Actually I didn’t really have other plans, but we kept ourselves busy nonetheless!

She arrived in Seattle at the ungodly hour of 7:50am (neither of us are “morning people”) and we headed straight into Seattle for the “Savor Seattle” tour at Pikes Place (review to follow in another post).   This is Kathy standing by one of the many flower peddlers in the market.

After a fabulous, but exhausting, 2 hour walk around the market, we made a few purchases and headed back to my place.   Kathy (who hadn’t slept the night before, worried she wouldn’t hear her alarm) took a much needed 2 hour nap…. that lasted until late the next morning .   

We took it pretty easy on Friday, exploring my small garden and left the condo only for dinner at Azuls and a little shopping at the fabulous Musings, which features the work of local artists.  We finished the evening off with pedicures. Our feet were very happy.

Saturday was another big day.  We started off by browsing a couple of shops at The Country Village, then headed to downtown Bothell (which is tiny) for a bit of lunch at the Kozy Corner Cafe - and then were off on a quest to find the Chateau Ste Michelle winery.    We took the scenic route through some lovely Woodinville farmland (i.e., I didn’t know where the hell I was going),  and eventually found ourselves entering the incredibly beautiful grounds.

Neither of us had ever been to a winery before so decided to take the free tour.  We both learned a lot about how wine is made, why red wine can be so expensive (aging them in expensive, hand made oak barrels imported from France or Italy) and all about why Washington’s Columbia Valley offers the perfect climate for growing wine grapes.    And did you know that the year of a wine is not the year the wine was made, but the year the grapes were picked?    Neither did I.

The tour ended with a tasting of 3 wines….  I should point out that I hate wine.  I think it’s nasty.  And it’s deceptive!  It smells so wonderfully fruity, and then has this dry, bitter taste.  Blech!  So the tasting was a bit awkward to say the least.   I graciously did try a sip, and when our cute tour guide noticed I was disposing of the remainder (or pouring them in Kathy’s glass for her to finish )  I explained that I like my drinks sweet.    

So she was delighted to tell me that the final wine we would be tasting is a sweet wine…  a dessert wine, Muscat Canelli (2006, I believe), available only in the retail shop at the winery.    I was a bit apprehensive, but discovered it was quite tasty and finished the glass.   Wouldn’t it figure that I’d like a dessert wine?  And an expensive one at that.   I’d probably never buy a bottle, but if you offer me a glass of dessert wine, I’ll try it.

Kathy, on the other hand, really enjoys wine in all its varieties.  She can expound on which were her favorite. 

We would have loved to spend some time exploring the beautiful grounds, joining the other winery visitors who had spread blankets on the grass to enjoy a picnic or some wine and cheese…  such a delightful place to spend a Saturday afternoon… but it was TOO DAMN HOT!   Most residents of the area were enjoying Seattle’s unseasonably warm weather (80-ish) that weekend, but we both prefer a cooler temp, so we got back in the air conditioned car and made the requisite pilgrimage to nearby Molbaks.

Look - while I was taking photos of hydrangeas, Kathy found more wine and passed out on a lounge chair.  

Molbaks is the ultimate garden store…   acres of flowers and fabulous interior decorating/gift sotre. On a rainy or cool day we’d have spent hours there.  But, unfortunately, it was also a bit warm for both of us - so our stay was brief. 

We had a party to get ready for anyway.

After a bit of freshening up, and preparing a tasty spinach salad for the potluck, we headed to Mercer Island for lovely evening socializing with 15 members of my fabulous Seattle Post Mormon group.  Great conversation, good food, perfect temperature, and a beautiful view of Lake Washington. 

Kathy was a hit at the party, of course.  This woman is very clever and knows how to tell a story… she can even make funerals funny.  They were very disappointed to learn she lived in Salt Lake and won’t be a regular attendee.

And so ends part 1 of our adventure…. tune back tomorrow (or the next day) to hear about our journey to the San Juan Islands…