Gypsy & The Navigator

The Desert Is Bursting With Blooms

The rainy days are in the past.  It was time for a road trip to see what the moisture has done for the desert.

The morning was bright and sunny as we drove the Apache Trail (Hwy 88) to Tortilla Flat.

While it is not the California Superbloom it is still pretty spectacular.

Wildflower seeds wait and wait for the rain. This year the rains came.

When the rains fall each tiny little seed sprouts to life.  Soon we can see the beauty they offer.

The adversity the flowers have gone through increases their beauty.

No controlling where they bloom.  They grow where they choose.

Just a little lupine among the grasses.

Wildflowers are up against such high odds..........some years the rain comes some years it doesn't.

Despite the obstacles the blooms glow in the sun.

This was a much needed outing for me.  Our stay in the Valley of the Sun this year has not been one of the best for me.

There hasn't been the sunshine I am used to.  And I have felt so bad about what the terrible winter storms have done and the damage that has occurred and will be impacting some areas for a long while to come 

There have been health concerns in the family.

The additional time spent working at the RV Park has cut into my fun time.  I haven't read as many books as I wanted,  we haven't gone to movies, and we have had hardly any outings.  We have enjoyed the people we have worked with so that is the offset.  Fun to get to know them and learn about the places they are from and their interesting lives. 

We have enjoyed the time we have spent with our family.  They always make us happy.  We continually feel blessed that our children, their spouses and all the grandchildren are filled with such goodness.  They are hardworking in their jobs, school, church, sports, and in parenting.  Their time management skills are amazing.  They are so busy but always "get it done" yet still have time for some fun.

I am really looking forward to Gypsy's wheels rolling on down the road. Two weeks to go!

Travel doesn't remove our cares and concerns but seeing the beauty of nature makes everything better.

One of my favorite quotes is........."Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” -Gustav Flaubert

I need to remember that more often because I frequently think that obstacles I have are monumental.  Not so.

A day among the wildflowers can't help but lift spirits.

I know that I have a little share of DRD4 ( a dopamine receptor) that I have read leads to restlessness and the need to travel and always wanting to see or try something new.  I come by it honestly.............my Dad loved moving on to something new frequently.   

The road to Tortilla Flat is lined with wildflowers and if you are lucky enough to be in the area when the bloom happens it is the place to be.

Tortilla Flat is a real town with a few inhabitants.  It has a restaurant and a store and people usually stop for a Prickly Pear ice cream cone.

This trip we turned around at Tortilla Flat but previously we have gone on past Roosevelt Dam circling around through Superior and back to the valley.

The paved road runs out a few miles past Tortilla Flat and the dirt road is full of hairpin turns and switchbacks but it is a magnificent drive.

The scenery in the desert landscape shows the true beauty of Arizona. 

The magic of spring is touching the trees with leaves of green.

Thank you Walt for taking me on this sunshiny adventure.

 

 

The Sun Has Been Hiding In The Valley Of The Sun

We have been stationary in the Valley of the Sun for 6 months with 1 month to go before we have the wheels rolling.  Good thing we have been very busy because if there was more time for adventures and activities it might have been interrupted by cloudy, rainy skies.  We are grateful for the moisture and I smile every time they show the snow pack up in the mountains.  A break in the drought would be such a good thing.  The weather has not stopped the visitors to my hummingbird feeder.  Mr. and Mrs. Woodpecker are daily diners.  But, they don't deter the hummers at all.

Rainy days make for good napping for kitty.

One sunny day we went to Turf Paradise to the horse races.

We very much enjoy our time at the horse races.  At these races Walt bought the wrong program so it didn't have the owners information or the color of the jockeys silks and I use that to make my winner choices.  That and the name. It did have the jockey information so Walt had a leg up on me because he relies on that a lot so he had quite a day picking the winners.  Me, not so much.   It didn't spoil the fun at all. 

Another day I woke up and saw sunshine and wanted to go for a walk.  

Walt had errands to run so he dropped me off at the Gilbert Riparian Preserve and we agreed to meet in an hour.

I happily started down the paved path that circles one of the ponds.  So many ducks and geese paddling along.  Pure paradise for them.  Water in the desert.

Some of those critters have a face that some say only a mother could love.  

Seems to me that the Muscovy duck has a redeeming feature in its pretty black and white feathers.

The paved path curved back around the pond but I ventured forth out onto the dirt paths.  It was so pretty and peaceful out there.  No people, no noise......just birds singing.   Amazing that this pretty place is right in the City of Gilbert.

The mockingbirds were putting on quite a show.  

The doves were sunning themselves.  All of these distractions kept me going on and on on those narrow little dirt paths.  Checked my phone, there was 10 minutes left until I was supposed to meet Walt.  Checked GPS, if I went in a straight path to where I was supposed to meet him it was a mile and a half.  Straight path? There wasn't even a path going in the right direction. 

I just kept on going until I found a path that was going to right way.  Of course, it meandered and wandered instead of going straight.  Called Walt and told him I would be late and picked up the pace.  I couldn't help but laugh to myself as I kept looking at my phone to make sure I was going in the right direction.  Found a little wider path and it broke out into a clearing and I could see where I needed to be.  My little one hour stroll turned into a 4+ mile adventure right in the middle of town. I am not sure Walt will let me go off on my own anymore if I can get lost right in town.  Can't wait to go back. 

One day that the sky was filled with white puffy clouds and the temperatures were fairly warm we got to take cute little Brooke to Freestone Park. 

She is fearless and up for any adventure out there.

She's a strong willed little girl mixed with a lot of love.

Her big sister has taught her how to pose for the camera.

With two granddaughters playing Club and High School Volleyball it doesn't matter if the skies are cloudy because the action is inside.  

We went to watch Sammie's Club Team play in a tournament at the Cardinals Football Stadium.  That huge venue was filled with teams from all over competing for 3 days.   

The girls do it all.  They play, they referee, they score keep, and then they play some more.

Though not bright and sunny it was warm enough one day to put the top down and take Kristi and Brooke for a drive.

We went to the Riparian Preserve and the girls love all the walls they can walk and climb on.

Some of those walls are pretty high.

We did go for a walk around the ponds but I didn't take them off the beaten path so they didn't have to go for a 4 mile trek. 

Mother Nature stepped up her game and gave us wonderfully warm days when Frosty and Ginger came for a quick visit.  We managed to get in some really great food like this dinner at Gecko Grill.  Then, on to Cheesecake Factory for dessert. 

The Spring Training game between the Diamondbacks and the Reds ended in a tie.  But, the visiting was a definite win.

After the Spring Training game we went to Second Story in Scottsdale.  After the dark, narrow staircase you are greeted by this sparkling chandelier and pretty decor.  Our tableful of shared appetizers soon disappeared.  We enjoyed their quick visit enormously. 

There was decent weather, there was crazy wind, there was rain and yes snow which added a little drama to our winters stay. Our days have been filled with working in the kitchen at the RV Park, volleyball games, family events, Dr. appointments, with a few adventures mixed in.

We have a month left before GypsyII's wheels start rolling down the road and who knows there may be places to go and places to see before that happens.  Stay tuned. 

To get  a cut and curl!

Oh My! 2018 Has Gone By

2018 has flown by.  Updates on my blog have been sorely lacking.  It started with the demise of my much loved camera of 14 years resulting in NO photos.  I was reconciled to a future with no photos and no blog.

I did a little research for a replacement camera and I was so confused.  They were expensive and when I would read about them they seemed difficult to use.  The learning curve looked huge.

My old beloved Sony was so familiar, so easy to use and I really loved some of the photos from it.

Then a miracle happened.  On my birthday Kevin, Kim, Cynthia and Scott gave me a wonderful birthday present.

A Canon Power Shot that amazingly was not too intimidating and not long and I was snapping away.

I am learning more and more about its features.

The only real drawback I found was that I couldn't get it set up wirelessly to download photos to my computer.  Solution found.....old school resolution.  I bought a $4.99 cable to hook the camera to the computer.  Nothing beats the old fashioned way.

So it is time to get back into the routine of chronicling our time on the road.

We arrived back in Mesa Arizona mid September and squoze back into our spot in Good Life RV Resort.  Walt started a search for a car for me while we are stationary so we could each go our own ways and look at this cute little Mustang he found for me.   So far not many warm, sunny Arizona days to have the top down but I am sure we will get our share.

In October our friends Ginger and Frosty came for a visit and we went to the Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum.

Frosty loves anything that flies and I am always surprised at how much I learn as we tag along looking at flying machines.

Walt and Frosty both flew and worked on planes when they were in the Navy and it is fun to listen to them talk about "the old days."

This Museum is a working hangar and staffed by volunteers that share their stories and so much history.

You can actually climb aboard some of the planes.  Walking through this World War II bomber made me admire those men that faced so much danger.  And beyond the danger was the discomfort they experienced.  These planes did not have seats for all of the crew and some of the positions required that they lay prone on the floor of the plane.  Others had to straddle equipment for the duration of the flight.  There was no heat so they had to wear cumbersome flight suits to prevent hypothermia and frostbite. Not only were they courageous they were exposed to a lot of discomfort. 

You can even buy a ticket for a flight in one of the 7 or so planes.  Maybe another time for Frosty and Walt.  Ginger and I didn't think it would be on our wish list.

All in all a fun way to spend a day.  The visit with Frosty and Ginger also included some fall baseball games and lots of delicious food.  We always have such a good time.

Turn about is fair play so we took a December trip to Las Vegas to spend a few days with Frosty in Ginger in a city that was full of the holiday spirit. 

One day we were headed to The Mob Museum and saw these horses all decked out for the holidays.  We asked about them and found that they had been part of a charity event and were waiting patiently for their riders while they were having a little refreshment.  

Then it was on to The Mob Museum.   Can I say "Very Interesting?"

The Museum is housed in the original Las Vegas U.S. Post Office and Courthouse that was built in 1933.  The Post Office was on the ground floor and the Courthouse was on the upper floors.

Locating the Mob Museum in this building is very appropriate. The courthouse was the setting for one of the famed Kefauver Committee hearings. On November 15, 1950, the U.S. Senate Special Committee to Investigate Organized Crime in Interstate Commerce, led by Tennessee Senator Estes Kefauver, heard testimony in the courtroom on the second floor. The Kefauver hearings, held in fourteen different cities, ultimately exposed much of the seedy underbelly of organized crime across America, particularly in Las Vegas. A lot of pretty unsavory stuff started coming out.  Amazingly I can remember my parents watching the hearings on TV and talking about it.  Well, not just my parents.  My Dad bought the first TV in town and my nose was very much out of joint at all the people coming to MY house and watching MY TV. 

True stories of Mob history are brought to life in interesting ways.  You get taken from the birth of the Mob to today’s headlines. You get to see the shadows and the whispers about G-Men and Made Men. Whether you like it or not, this is American history.  

The Museum chronicles the Mob's involvement in illegal activities such as gambling, drugs, prostitution or bootlegging and the efforts of the law enforcement to counteract and eliminate those criminal operations.

Visitors are able to view some uniquely disturbing, otherwise rarely accessible material such as the photographs of victims of the most famous murders credited to the Mafia.  These are quite graphic in nature, because they show the actual corpses of the deceased as well as pictures and short biographies of the most popular and notorious gangster personalities. 

The museum also acquired the brick wall where the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre took place. In 1929 on Valentine's Day seven members and associates of Chicago's North Side Gang were made to line up in front of this wall and were shot.  No proof but it is assumed that they were shot by Al Capone's South Side Gang.

Law enforcement efforts to bring the Mobs under control used forensic science and investigative techniques.  It is a fight that is still going on today. 

John Gotti probably said this in the 80's and it is even more true today.  Most of the success in bringing down the Mob has been information not firearms and much of that information has come from wiretapping and planted bugs. 

While the "Movie Like" days of the Mob are over the fight still goes on to bring organized crime under control.  A very interesting and educational day.  Thank you Ginger and Frosty for taking us to this journey through time.

Another outing took us to Ethel M's Chocolates and Cactus Garden.

The three-acre garden is illuminated with more than one million sparkling lights.

The Chocolate Shop is a feast for the tongue and the garden is a feast for the eyes.

It is free to wander through at your own pace.

This Cactus Garden is Nevada's largest and one of the world's largest collections of its kind. 

Can you imagine decorating and un-decorating these prickly specimens?

Forrest Mars Sr. (Mars Candy Bars was founded by his father), founded Ethel M Chocolates in 1981 after he retired from Mars. He named it after his Mother.  In 1988 it was sold to Mars Inc. but it continues to make the original gourmet chocolates.  I think better than See's but a little pricier.  I guess you get what you pay for.

Between this and our visit to the Bellagio that I wrote about in my Christmas posting we were really treated to the Christmas Spirit.

There was more chocolate at the Bellagio.  This we did not sample because we couldn't find our way into the world's largest chocolate fountain.

Thank you friends for a terrific December visit. 

Looking forward to our adventures in 2019 and grateful for 2018.

Merry Christmas From Us With Some Help From Dr. Suess

Every Who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot. But the Grinch who lived just North of Whoville did not!

The Grinch hated Christmas!  The whole Christmas season!  Now, please don't ask why.  No one quite knows the reason. 

It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.  It could be his head wasn't screwed on just right.

But I think that the most likely reason of all may have been that his heart was two sizes too small.

But, whatever the reason, his heart or his shoes, He stood there on Christmas Eve hating the Whos,

Staring down from his cave with a sour, Grinchy frown
At the warm lighted windows below in their town,

For he knew every Who down in Whoville beneath
Was busy now hanging a hollywho wreath.

"And they're hanging their stockings," he snarled with a sneer.
"Tomorrow is Christmas! It's practically here!"

Then he growled, with his Grinch fingers nervously drumming,
"I must find some way to keep Christmas from coming!

For, tomorrow, I know all the Who girls and boys
Will wake bright and early. They'll rush for their toys!

And then! Oh, the noise! Oh, the noise! Noise! Noise! Noise!
There's one thing I hate! All the NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! NOISE!

They'll stand close together, with Christmas bells ringing.
They'll stand hand-in-hand, and those Whos will start singing!"

"Fahoo forays, dahoo dorays

Welcome Christmas! Come this way.

Fahoo forays dahoo dorays

Welcome Christmas, Christmas Day.

Welcome, welcome, fahoo ramus

Welcome, welcome, dahoo damus

Christmas Day is in our grasp

So long as we have hands to clasp

Fahoo forays, dahoo dorays"

"And they'll sing! And they'll sing! And they'll SING! SING! SING! SING!"
And the more the Grinch thought of this Who Christmas Sing,
The more the Grinch thought, "I must stop this whole thing!

Why for fifty-three years I've put up with it now!
I must stop Christmas from coming! But how?"

Then he got an idea! An awful idea! The Grinch got a wonderful, awful idea!

"I know just what to do!" The Grinch laughed in his throat.
"I'll make a quick Santy Claus hat and a coat."

"This is stop number one," the old Grinchy Claus hissed,
As he climbed to the roof, empty bags in his fist.

Then he slid down the chimney, a rather tight pinch.  But if Santa could do it, then so could the Grinch.

He got stuck only once, for a minute or two.
Then he stuck his head out of the fireplace flue

Where the little Who stockings hung all in a row.
"These stockings," he grinched, "are the first things to go!"

Then he slithered and slunk, with a smile most unpleasant,
Around the whole room, and he took every present!

It was quarter of dawn. All the Whos still a-bed,
All the Whos still a-snooze, when he packed up his sled,

Packed it up with their presents, their ribbons, their wrappings,
Their snoof and their fuzzles, their tringlers and trappings!

Ten thousand feet up, up the side of Mount Crumpet,
He rode with his load to the tiptop to dump it!

"Pooh-pooh to the Whos!" he was grinchily humming.
"They're finding out now that no Christmas is coming!

They're just waking up! I know just what they'll do!
Their mouths will hang open a minute or two
Then the Whos down in Whoville will all cry boo-hoo!

That's a noise," grinned the Grinch, "that I simply must hear!"
He paused, and the Grinch put a hand to his ear.

And he did hear a sound rising over the snow.
It started in low, then it started to grow.

But this sound wasn't sad!
Why, this sound sounded glad!

Every Who down in Whoville, the tall and the small.  Was singing without any presents at all!

He hadn't stopped Christmas from coming! It came!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the Grinch, with his grinch feet ice-cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling. "How could it be so?

It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
It came without packages, boxes, or bags!"

He puzzled and puzzled till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.

Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.
Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more!

And what happened then? Well, in Whoville they say that the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day!

And then the true meaning of Christmas came through,
And the Grinch found the strength of ten Grinches, plus two!

And now that his heart didn't feel quite so tight,
He whizzed with his load through the bright morning light

With a smile to his soul, he descended Mount Crumpet
Cheerily blowing "Who! Who!" on his trumpet.

He rode into Whoville. He brought back their toys.
He brought back their floof to the Who girls and boys.

He brought back their snoof and their tringlers and fuzzles,
Brought back their pantookas, their dafflers and wuzzles.

He brought everything back, all the food for the feast!
And he, he himself, the Grinch carved the roast beast!

Welcome Christmas. Bring your cheer,
Cheer to all Whos, far and near.

Christmas Day is in our grasp
So long as we have hands to grasp.

Christmas Day will always be
Just as long as we have We.

Welcome Christmas while we stand heart to heart and hand in hand.  Dr. Suess.

The photos in this post are from the Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Garden’s 2018 holiday display in Las Vegas, NV.  It is titled “Majestic Holiday Magic” and it was truly a magical part of our visit with Frosty and Ginger during this Christmas season.    

 

    Wishing all our friends and family a very wonderful Christmas.  

A Fair And An Attempt To Be A Cow Whisperer

Friends Frosty and Ginger arrived Friday night from Las Vegas.  We had a nice dinner at Buddy's and DELICIOUS French Silk Pie at Jakers. Up early the next morning we were off the the parade in Blackfoot kicking off the Eastern Idaho State Fair.

The theme this year was "Happy Together."  Police vehicles from all around the area led off.

It seems that every entry was throwing candy.

This little girl was my favorite.  She rode that pony with ease.

There weren't many horse entries.  What's up with that?  This is the real west.  Where are those horses?

I think this was the last horse photo I got.

Ginger, Frosty and Walt talked about how small Blackfoot High Schools marching band was.  They remember the bands being really large.  Everything is bigger when you're young.

The same was said for the Snake River High School Band.

The Snake River Girls were in step but there weren't many of them.

The Blackfoot Bronco's weren't marching.  They rode on a flat bed truck.

There were some pretty girls.

Always happy to see the tanks.

We all were sad that there weren't floats like in the good old days when we spent days working on them and making them as spectacular as possible.

Oops I had forgotten about this pretty lady on horseback that is running for political office in Idaho.  

The four of us weren't convinced that we enjoy ANY Senior Moments.

A fun way to spend the morning.  Now on to the fair.

We first had some of that "only found at the fair" food for lunch and then wandered through the displays and animal barns.

There was lots to see and admire in all the hard work that goes into displaying the animals.


Lots of horses from tiny to huge.

Here is where the fair story begins for Ginger and me.

See this pretty cow.  Doesn't she look sad.  Sad........much more than sad. She was in distress as only a woman who has been through childbirth can understand.  She immediately caught the attention of me and Ginger.  We were so concerned for her.

See that bump right above her brand?   She was laying down and what we assumed was that the calf was trying to get itself into the correct position for birth and with each position change that poor mama would literally be thrown around as if she was as light as a leaf.   She was in such a painful state we couldn't tear ourselves away.  Frosty and Walt were laughing hard at us saying we were just city girls that didn't grow up on a farm and that that is how it goes on the farm.  We couldn't tear ourselves away. We wanted to be a cow whisperer and make her feel better.  We felt so sorry for her and wait for it, wait for it.   All of a sudden she shed big huge teardrops.  I am so sorry I didn't get a photo but we were so caught up in watching her and empathizing with her that I didn't even think of it.  We know....we know.  Cows don't cry.  But, we were there.  We saw it.   No one can make us deny it.   We hated to leave but Frosty and Walt were impatiently waiting.  So, we remembered her in our prayers and we waited for the next day to come back and see her.

There she is.  She looks so much better.  

She was on her feet and eating.  Ginger talked to the young man that was cleaning the stalls and he said that she was definitely pregnant and she had been down the day before and they were watching her closely.  We are relieved and are hoping that she will have an easy birth.  We met more friends from Blackfoot over the week-end and this story had them all rolling in the aisles laughing at us but we don't care.  That's our story and we are sticking to it. Cows do cry! 




 

A Trip To A Wedding

Up early, leaving GypsyII behind, dropping Mr. Kitty off to be boarded, (he let us know when we returned in no uncertain terms that that is never to happen again) and a 3 hour drive to Salt Lake had us boarding a flight to Phoenix.

There were some storms out there so part of the flight was bumpy.  I don't like it but I just tighten that seat belt and hang on.

Not long and we touched down in Phoenix in anticipation of the special event to come.

Our oldest granddaughter, Brianna, has found that special someone in Chris and the wedding is on.

She was such a shy little girl and over the years we have watched her grow into a self assured young woman.

I thought that there would be a little stress in preparation for the wedding.

But no.  Between our very capable daughter (Mother of the bride, Cynthia), our cool and collected son-in-law (Father of the bride, Scott) and their friends and family everything was under control.

The day was very full with the wedding in the Gilbert, AZ temple in the morning, a mid day luncheon and the beautiful reception at night and it all went very smooth.

No catering here.   This splendor was done by Cynthia and Scott and all the helping hands of friends and family.

They had a wonderful photographer and I haven't seen the photos yet and I am sure they will be fantastic.  But, I still snapped away for myself.

It was a luxury to be able to wander through before the festivities began and enjoy all the details.

 A sneak peek at some of the goodies.

So many pretty touches.

The gorgeous photos added to the decor.

Then the excitement began.

The beautiful bride and the handsome groom have arrived. 

After they greeted their guests there was a yummy dinner of street tacos and all the trimmings.

Lots of sweets as well as the Wedding Cake.  That wedding cake that was chocolate with peanut butter was SO good.

There were photos with bridesmaids........lifelong friends.

The cake was cut.

The bride and groom led the dancing.  Isn't her dress gorgeous? 

Dad and daughter had a good time.

The littlest granddaughters had fun.

The evening flew by and the sparklers were lit to send the happy couple off to there Costa Rican honeymoon.

There they go with wishes for their forever love and happiness.

 

 

 

 

 

Lava Hot Springs

After our sea side time in Tillamook we established ourselves in Fort Hall at the Buffalo Meadows RV Park,  It is only a few miles from Blackfoot where Walt was born and raised.  Was Thomas Wolfe right?  "You can't go home again."  Walt seems to try.  He drives the familiar roads and laments how things have changed.  He stops at the Arctic Circle and orders a hamburger, a hot dog, and fries (he did omit the milk shake) just like he did in high school every day for lunch and is sad that it no longer costs just $1 for all of them.  Time marches on.

We spent a couple weeks staying pretty close to GypsyII and getting plenty of rest.  We visited with Walt's brother who has been ill and are happy that he seems to be on the mend.  We had a wonderful dinner with Steve and Sandy.  He is Walt's long time friend and it is so fun to see them reconnect.  Sandy is so amazing.  When I grow up I want to be her.  She is beautiful, has a career, does all those admirable homemaking things, loves her dogs and is adventurous too.  We went to or drove by places we went when we were dating.  But it was time to have an outing.

We took a drive to Lava Hot Springs.

We have been to Lava over the years and it is another place that continues to evolve.

Walt can still remember when it was just one huge indoor/outdoor pool.

Now it is a large resort with a huge outdoor pool and waterslides on one end of town and the multiple hot springs on the other side of town.  There is also an indoor aquatic center.

The hot pools are next to the Portneuf River and I was impressed by the wall they built with flowers planted all along the top.

We spent several hours soaking in the hot pools.  There are 5 pools with varying temperatures of 102˚ to 112˚ degrees.  It was enjoyable but so many of the other hot springs we have been to seem to work better for me.  It was nice to soak but the pools do not have many jets and all the pools just seem like big bath tubs to me.  I guess I am a hot springs snob. I love the rustic multiple level pools with varying minerals and temperatures.  

I do have to give praise to their beautiful landscaping.  I really enjoyed seeing how they incorporated the lava rocks.

The nice soak sent us home relaxed and limp as a just boiled noodle.

The drive back to GypsyII again showed the smoky skies.  Those wildfires are still burning.

 What a wonderful world we live in.  It is full of beauty and each area has its own special charm.  

Next up a wedding.

 

Foggy Skies Still Let Tillamook Shine

It was hard leaving the Olympic Peninsula but I knew I had another week near the ocean to enjoy.

Heading south on Highway 101 the landscape changes and often seems to open up and offer meadow views.

Taking route 101 has us crossing the Astoria-Megler Bridge.

Opened in 1966, it is the longest continuous truss bridge in North America.

Crossing the bridge made me marvel at how big the Columbia River is.  We are only 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean so by now the Columbia has really grown since it started way up in the Canadian Rockies. 

The Astoria side of the bridge is really high allowing ships to pass through.

Heading south from Astoria toward Tillamook this beautiful white slice of cloud gave us a clue of what is to come.

 

This white cloud will be our companion every day of our week in Tillamook.

This is a picture from our visit on practically the same date in 2015.  We had sunshine every day then.

There are additions to the cloud this visit........foggy foggy days but that white cloud is always there behind the fog.  We arrived at the same RV Park that we stayed in in 2015.  Pretty much the same except they have added Yurts.  It was fun to see the comings and goings of Yurt stayers.  A lot of unpacking and packing back up for usually only an overnight stay.

We had found a beach in Rockaway Beach in 2015 that I really liked and amazingly Walt drove right to it this time even though it is down an almost hidden narrow lane off the highway.  Good memory Walt!

Again many happy hours were spent beach walking and this time I was enveloped in the fog that seems to buffer the outside world.   I look at this photo and think what a wonderful soothing color palette this would be for a bedroom.

The nice thing about coming back to a place you have been before there is more relaxation time because many of the "must sees" have already been visited.

This is how Walt spends time at the beach.  Probably listening to a Diamondbacks game as I wander up and down the sand.

Found an abandoned sand castle.

I guess it should be named Starfish Castle.  Not long and the tide will have it completely washed away.

Another day we took a back road drive we hadn't explored before.

Foggy days don't stop fun on the beach.

 Must be a huge shark out there considering the size of its tail fin.

Lots of herons along the shore.

Lots of Tillamook cows ready to do their part in that delicious cheese.

A little hike to a destination we hadn't been to before.

The walk down the sun dappled path was pleasant.  We were far enough away from the coast that the sun was bright and the sky was clear.

The path is bordered by red cedar and sitka spruce and adorned by moss. 

Munson Creek in the fall is filled with spawning salmon but today it is filled with diamond sparkles.

Moss covered rock and the burbling sound of the creek makes me want to linger.

What is it about a waterfall that makes me have to go there?

 This is Munson Creek Falls.  Munson Creek Falls tumbles 319 feet making it the tallest waterfall in the Coast Range.

Not sure why but the trail is closed before you can get right to the base of the falls but it was close enough to enjoy the beauty and the coolness of the spray.

 

Such beauty every where we look.  I will miss all these shades of green.

Walt is always ahead of me on the trail.  I stop often to take photos or look a little deeper.

A banana slug on the path.  Some people actually eat these.  Reminded me of some people we met on the trail to Cape Flattery.  They told us they were slug hunting.  We didn't quite know how to respond to that so we just nodded and headed on down the trail.   

 

Can you tell we are headed back to the coast?  A little fog in the sky.

Even though we had been there before the Cape Meares Lighthouse was nearby so we stopped.  Last time we were here the sky was clear as a bell.  Not so today.

The lighthouse has been inactive since 1963 but the red and white fresnel lens still glows even in the fog.  

Heading back to GypsyII it seemed that the fog made the greens and golds even more intense. 

More foggy beach days were in the plan.

Fog doesn't slow down beach goers.

My trusty white slice cloud is still hanging on.

The last days walk on the beach was a little wistful for me.  Knowing next year we won't be back to the beach it made me wonder if this could be the true last walk on the beach for me.  We just never know what the future will bring. 

Foggy days are good for flying kites.

Our coastal week has ended.  We are going from green to gold and brown.

We are on our way through eastern Oregon with a destination in eastern Idaho. 

Washington Wrap Up

They say that you can tell a lot about a person by how they handle 3 things.......1. a rainy day 2. lost luggage and 3. tangled Christmas lights.  I think another one should be added...........how you respond when something on the computer does not save. Such as a spreadsheet you have worked on for hours or a blog that seemed liked it was almost done.  I handle rainy days really well.  I have never had lost luggage so no experience there.  I FLUNK tangled Christmas lights so it's a good thing I don't do them anymore.  And a lost blog caused immediate shut down on my part.  I can't say the past 3 weeks have been a loss.  I have enjoyed where I have been, I have read 6 books, watched many PBS English mystery shows and have had many hours of Mr. Kitty comfortably settled in my lap.  Now it seems the fog has lifted and I am ready to wrap up Washington for the second time.

I can still confidently say that the Olympic Peninsula has exceeded all of my expectations.

The beaches are rugged,  filled with sea stacks and tide pools.

The mountains come right down to the ocean with many different trees and wildflowers covering every inch.

I will miss taking walks along tree shaded paths. 

I will miss taking drives along tree covered lanes.

And where will I see so many huge bushes full of hydrangeas? 

The last outing we took was to fulfill my wish to go back to Salt Creek when the tide was out.

 With the tide out there is another world to discover.

Sit still by a tide pool and it will come alive.

The most amusing to watch are the hermit crabs.  When a new larger shell becomes available there is a great competition as to who can claim it.  Possession is 9/10ths of the law in the sea world too.  Just like humans, they want a bigger, better home.

Even though they look like plants sea anemones are actually animals.   Those waving little tentacles actually help capture their prey. 

 Loved finding a row of pink anemones.

It was another great day at the ocean in the Olympic Peninsula.

Hard to believe our month at Elwha Dam RV Park is at an end.

Our stay was all about location, location, location.

When I started calling at the first of the year for somewhere to stay in the Olympic Peninsula I got told time after time they had no openings.  I am hearing this mantra more and more now.  When we started RVing 5 years ago there was no problem in securing places to stay.  I remember in one of my blogs saying that full time RVing wasn't for everyone.  Now I am starting to think it must now be for everyone.  There are more and more RV's on the road and "destination" places have no room at the RV Parks. Not to mention how much the costs have increased in these 5 short years. 

Several times I was chastised that if I wanted an extended stay such as a month I would need to schedule at least a year ahead.  

I was determined to spend that length of time so I was afraid maybe we would have to move from place to place.  

I kept on calling.  But now I was asking that they put me on a waiting list for a call back.

Eureka I got a call back from Elwha Dam RV Park.  They could put us in one of their overflow sites for a month.

The pro's..............we have a home base to explore the Olympic Peninsula near Port Angeles which was my first choice of where to be.

The con's....................it is truly a weed filled overflow site.  We have water and electricity but no sewer.  The resolution to that is the owner's young son trails over a "honeywagon" and empties us out as needed for a $15 fee. (The last of which Walt got back because the young man left the outside cover laying on the ground and it got run over as we were leaving.)  The washers and dryers in the laundry room were the most expensive we have ever seen in our travels.  The showers are $1.00 for 6 minutes.  There is no TV reception (even people with satellites were having problems...trees I guess) and the largest con for me was that all of this cost $1000.  

There are no regrets.  (Well maybe one.  I didn't get to meet Sasquatch.) It was the place to be to explore this majestic place.  




 

We Crossed The Strait of Juan de Fuca to Victoria, BC

Leaving early in the morning we boarded the MV Coho to cross the Strait of Juan de Fuca on to Victoria BC.

It is a passenger and vehicle ferry owned and operated by the Black Ball Line.   No frills but a comfortable 90 minute ride.

We arrived in Victoria Harbour.  Here they use the Queen's English and I loved finding the differences in pronunciation and spelling.

Victoria Harbour is a harbour, seaport, and seaplane airport.  It serves as a cruise ship and ferry destination for tourists and visitors to the city and Vancouver Island.

As I scanned the shoreline it seemed almost every building was a hotel or condo or apartment building.

Leaving the Coho we needed to make a plan.

I usually have some sort of a plan in mind but today I really didn't.  We had been to the Butchart Gardens when we had a stop here on our Alaska Cruise so that wasn't on the radar.

I knew I wanted to see Fisherman's Wharf and the Parliament Buildings but that wouldn't take up a full day.  This yacht had been docked in Port Angeles a few days ago.  Curious as to the owner.  We couldn't figure out what the flag was and there are no identifying names or marks anywhere.  Aaaah Privacy.  

We could take one of these cute little water taxis.

We could take a carriage ride.

We could just plan a walking route.

Walt made the decision.  A hop on hop off bus that allowed us to see much of the city combined with some walking destinations.

Right in the heart of downtown are the British Columbia Parliament Buildings.   Victoria is the capital city of the province of British Columbia.

On top of the central dome is a gold covered statue of Captain George Vancouver.  Vancouver commanded an expedition charged with exploring the Pacific region.  He was among  Britain's greatest explorers and navigators and named many of the mountains and other features in the Northwest.

A contest was how the designer of the beautiful buildings was chosen.  Amazingly the young man who won, Francis Rattenbury, was only 25 years old.

The grounds around the Parliament building are a perfect place for wedding photos.

 The Empress Hotel is just kitty corner from the Parliament Buildings.

It also was designed by Francis Rattenbury.  It opened in 1908.  This is where Englands Royalty stays when it comes to Victoria.

Landscaping around the hotel is filled with flowers and beautiful trees.  

 
The roses were sheer perfection.  If you want to partake in High Tea the Empress is where to go.  Wish I would have had girls along and I would have gone.  High tea wasn't on Walt's list.  Plus we didn't come dressed appropriately.  

Dress Code

Sophisticated, smart casual.  

And $75 Canadian to take part in the ritual.

 The buildings cultivate an image of genteel civility within its natural setting along the shore.

Much of the architecture is Edwardian. 

We saw very few empty unused buildings on our tour around the city.

It seems to be a bustling little city.

My perception that there are a lot of apartments, condo's and hotels continued as we toured around the city.  Victoria has a Mediterranean climate with mild, rainy winters and cool, dry and sunny summers.  This has made it a desirable retirement area.  The bus driver said that 1/3 of Victoria's population is retired, 1/3 semi-retired because they work for the government (Canada seems to have the same feeling about their government) and the other 1/3 doing the actual work in technology, food products, tourism, and education.

The Oak Bay Beach Hotel that opened in 2012 was built on the site of the original that was built in 1927 and destroyed by fire in 1930 and then an exact replica was rebuilt.  The aged building finally reached the end of its functioning life in 2006 and was torn down for this new one to be built. 

Victoria has a thriving Chinatown.  It is the oldest in Canada and the second oldest in North America after San Francisco's. 
 

Fan Tan Alley through that little red gate is the narrowest street in Canada.   Some places it is only 35 inches wide but it leads to a barber shop, art gallery, Chinese cafe, apartments and offices.

This is the new Johnson Street Bridge. It opened in March 2018 to the tune of $96.08 million (Canada $) 

It replaced the bridge that had been built in 1924.  Massively over budget and years behind schedule the bus driver said it was a major subject of controversy in Victoria. 

Victoria is known as "The Garden City."   The flowers around the city are bright and colorful and they say they bloom year round. Our bus driver said that there are over 1700 of these blooming baskets throughout the city.

Every neighborhood has a park and every park is filled with flowers.

We saw lots of pretty little churches set amid the high rise apartments and condo's. 

The magnificent Christ Church Cathedral has been a work in progress.

Enough was completed in 1929 that they started to use it but building and renovations have continued to this day.  The stained glass is amazing and Prince Charles and Camilla have attended church here.

We passed by The Victoria Golf Club.It was founded in 1893 and is the oldest 18-hole golf course in Canada in its original location and the second oldest in North America.

This is Mile Zero of the Trans-Canada Highway.  It is the longest highway in the world........all  4,860 miles of it.  Almost twice as long as Route 66.

We walked a path along the shore to Fisherman's Wharf.

We had no idea how far we had to go.  The signs were all in kilometers.  Metric challenged.......yes we are.  I know, I know we could have checked it out on our phones but that would have spoiled the fun. 

Lots of pretty views and the path was not too long.

We arrived in good time and ready for some fish and chips and sightseeing.

Yummy crispy fish and chips was at Barb's.

I was transfixed by the houseboats.  No commentary from here on.......just photos of these quirky, unique, eclectic places to live.

These floating homes sell for around $400,000.  Inexpensive for Victoria since the median house price there is over $900,000.

We hopped back on the bus.  This totem pole is the World's tallest totem.

It is 127 ft 7 inches tall.

After a long day it was time to head back to the ferry for the trip back to Port Angeles.  My head was spinning with all the sights we had seen and all the information we had gotten that will hopefully be retained in this old brain for awhile.  

Farewell City Beautiful.


 

Sol Duc Hot Springs And The Hoh Rainforest

The sky was dark and the sun was hidden away on the day we chose to go to Sol Duc Hot Springs

The fine misty rain was warm.

The Sol Duc River runs by the hot springs.

Not  often do you find a National Park with hot springs to soak in.

We do love soaking in hot mineral water.  Grey skies seemed to make it special.  No chance of sunburn today.

There are three mineral hot springs and one freshwater pool at the resort.

The small mineral pool is only inches deep.   The medium-sized mineral pool is 3 feet deep, and its temperature hovers at 104F. The larger mineral fountain pool is 3 feet deep and stays at 101F. 

The large freshwater pool is unheated but the kids didn't seem to care.

A few pleasant hours were spent soaking and basking in the beauty of the area.

The skies cleared some that led to a little exploring on the way back to GypsyII.

We stopped at the Salmon Cascades of the Sol Duc River.

Each fall, salmon return to the rivers and streams of the Olympic Peninsula to migrate upstream to their birth places where they spawn and re-initiate the life cycle process. 

They say that it is the best easily accessible spots to view the salmon run.

While it was too early to see the salmon we were right on time to enjoy the "sparkling waters" which is the name the Quiluete Native Americans gave the river......Sol Duc.

My expectations continue to be exceeded.

Two happy campers returned to GypsyII that night.

 The Olympic National Park is 572 square miles and made up of three different ecosystems. The sub-alpine forest and wildflower meadow, temperate forest, and the rugged Pacific Shore. With so much we have already seen it is hard to believe that there is more to see.  

Every day it seems more and more unfolds before us. 

I am always fascinated by how the trees lean toward each other across the roadway.  It seems that the trees detect light by phototropism that triggers them to bend their branch growth or to grow their main branches on the side with the most exposure to the sun.

Today's adventure is taking us about 90 miles on Highway 101 to the Hoh Rainforest.

There was no rain in the rainforest today.

The day was clear, sunshiny and warm.

Those kinds of days are unusual here.

This area has 140 to 170 inches (or 12 to 14 feet!) of precipitation each year. 

That is a LOT of water.

Compare that to Seattle that has the reputation of being rainy.  Their average rainfall is only about 38 inches.  Phoenix only averages 8 inches per year. 

Even though the day was dry everything we touched was moist.

The frequent fog and mist contributes the equivalent of another 30 inches of rain, resulting in one of the world's lushest rain forests.

The trail we took is called the Hall of Mosses.

The unique ecosystem here has remained unchanged for thousands of years and it is now the most carefully preserved rain forest in the northern hemisphere.

 The trees are covered with huge clumps of hanging moss and ferns.

 Moss is an epiphyte, which is a plant that grows on another plant without harming it.

I felt like nothing really dies in this place.  Anything that appears to die becomes the starting place of more life. 

 Take this scene for example.  The horizontal tree toppled and became the nurse log for more life to begin and now the trees that started as seedlings there are quite large. 

It is like walking through a cathedral that is multiple shades of green.

 Even though there are a few other people on the trail it is amazingly quiet.  Moss is effective at absorbing sound.

There are plenty of places for the trolls to hide.

There is one drawback of not visiting on a rainy day.  No opportunity to see the 10 inch long banana slug.  They are not out and about on dry days.

In this majestic place you can't help but feel your body relax.  At this spot we sat down and I suggested to Walt that we stay there until there was no evidence of another human. 

I am fortunate that he doesn't mind humoring me and we spent a pleasant few minutes enjoying the peace and quiet.

More troll hiding places.

I am sure the gigantic trees, the lush ferns, the hanging mosses, the twisted contorted tree roots, the fallen trees with new life germinating from them will be foremost in my mind for quite awhile.   More exceeding expectations.

Lavender And Beyond

About 20 miles from where we are staying in Port Angeles is the small city of Sequim.

Sequim is pronounced as Skwim.

It is known as "Sunny Sequim" because it lies within the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains and receives on average less than 16 inches of rain per year.  Just up the road in Port Angeles it is 25 inches per year and we won't talk about on further west yet.

Fogs and cool breezes from the Juan de Fuca Strait make Sequim's climate more humid than would be expected from the low average annual precipitation. 

The city and the surrounding area are particularly known for the commercial cultivation of lavender, supported by the unique climate.

This makes Sequim the "Lavender Capital of North America", rivaled only in France. 

The lavender festival is held each July.

This year it is being held on the weekend we leave the area so we did our lavender exploring in a much quieter way.

We went to the Washington Lavender Farm on the grounds of the George Washington Inn.

The George Washington Inn is a luxury Bed and Breakfast set high on a bluff overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

It was built as a replica of Mount Vernon the home of George Washington.  Having seen the original Mount Vernon last fall it was fun to see its copy.

Here the view off the veranda is not onto the Potomac but to the ocean.

It sits amid fields and fields of lavender.

The Olympic Mountains on the other side and a scale replica of the wooden North Bridge, of Concord, Mass. make another perfect background.

I understand room rates start at $280 for your stay amid all this beauty.

There is a small shop on the property that sells all things lavender.  I came home with a bottle of lavender oil that a little dab soothes me each night as I head for bed.

The original Mount Vernon did not have these white fences but they seem perfectly appropriate here.

Farewell to a very special place.  Do you think that George Washington ever thought he would have a state named after him along with a replica of his beloved Mount Vernon?

Another day trip took us to Freshwater Bay.

This sea stack is named Bachelor Rock. Not sure why it is named that but I read that out there is a shallow rocky reef that kayakers and divers head to to see all the colorful life that lives on or around the reef.

There is a small boat ramp there and during out visit it was busy with boats both coming and going.

The kayakers were launching from the rocky beach.

A great stop for our picnic lunch before traveling on.

Just a few miles away on a bluff overlooking Salt Creek Recreation area is a very interesting place.

Camp Hayden was A World War II Coastal Artillery Camp established in 1941 that operated through 1948.

This was installed to protect the entrance to Puget Sound, the Victoria BC harbor, and the Canadian naval base at Esquimalt.

The fortified gun emplacement sheltered 16" guns on turntables and several other structures.

Those 16" guns are capable of firing a one ton projectile around 28 miles.  The trees are now very high where the shots would have been directed but it is clear that they would have been able to have done a very good job of protecting this part of the United States. Three Worthington diesels supplied power that allowed soldiers operating the guns to revolve the turntables with a flick of the wrist.   They were test fired only once and thank heavens did not need to actually be used. As we have traveled the United States I have been impressed at the many places we have seen that were there to protect us during World War II.  I wondered if we are as prepared today.

The backroads drive has an ever changing landscape.

Counting Crows........1, 2, 3, 4.

Today was one of the few days that we had a good sighting of Mt. Baker in Alberta and British Columbia, in the Canadian Rockies.

 Our day concluded with a stop along the rocky beach watching the antics of the unlikely shore companions.

 

 

We Went All The Way To Neah Bay....And Beyond

Our day started with a stop at the Joyce General Store just a few miles from our RV Park.  It is a place that seems as if time has stood still.

The town was founded by a man named Joseph M. Joyce and the General Store opened in 1911.

The store is jam packed with everything you could think of.  Their motto is "if we don't have it, then you don't need it."  Hidden behind those Hershey Bars are the Idaho Spud Bars much to Walt's delight.

It is a store, post office, gas station, and meeting place for many residents of this very small town.  

The Joyce General Store is the longest continually operating general store in the entire state of Washington.  They even have a laundromat next door that will be our choice to do laundry next week.

We continued west west west and a bit north on the Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway,  a scenic byway also known as Highway 112. It provides a stunning, meandering drive through the Pacific Northwest.  Some places were like a study in blue.

This is the cutest bait shop I have ever seen.

A stop along the way gave us a history of Highway 112.  It started out as trails between logging and fishing camps.  Eventually the trails widened to accommodate wagons, horses, and then more widening for cars, RV's, logging trucks and school buses.

The pretty little town nestled along the shore is Sekiu.

People flock to Sekiu for the salmon fishing.

Miss Salmon welcomes you.  Her male counterpart dressed in blue shorts and tennies is in town at the cafe.

The highway twists through the forest with blind curves galore breaking out often for ocean views.

 Highway 112 is a narrow and winding road with some surprisingly steep hills and thick woods that block a lot of the view and most of the infrequent traffic is logging trucks.

The Highway is listed as The Whale Trail and try as we might we never saw any indication of whales.  Not a spout in sight.

 Our 60 mile trip to Neah Bay took over 3 hours.  Time to stop for lunch at a beautiful spot right in Neah Bay.

Our luncheon companion was a juvenile bald eagle.  I offered part of my picnic to him but he declined.

 Another 7 mile drive took us as far west as you can go by car.  Cape Flattery.  The trail for our ultimate destination was right there.

To hike this trail you have to buy a $10 permit from the Makah Tribe.  They are good for a year.

Heading gently downhill, the trail narrows down to boardwalk to keep us out of the mud.

Next up tree rounds to help us navigate the tree roots.

A bench with this gorgeous view was where Walt opted out of going further.

He always enjoys visiting with people and this first turnoff will be well supplied with plenty of opportunities for him.

I continued on to the next viewpoint.  From the upper deck there is an expansive view of the turquoise waters below.

From the lower deck you get a more intimate view of the sea caves.

The highlight for me from this spot was watching a cormorant dive into the sea and come up with a very large fish and fly with it into one of the sea caves. 

Moving on...........almost to my destination.

I made it!  After climbing a very steep but short stepladder I made it to the viewing platform.  I am at the furthest northwest tip of the contiguous United States.

Straight ahead is Tatoosh Island. Historically, Tatoosh Island was inhabited seasonally by Makah fishing camps and employees of the United States Coast Guard, Weather Bureau, and Navy.   Today no one lives on the island and if you want to visit it you have to get permission from the Makah tribe.

Cape Flattery Light is on the island and has been there since December 28, 1857.  The lighthouse's light was decommissioned after a 30-foot skeletal structure with a solar-powered beacon fitted with six-year solar pack batteries was built on the island in 2008.

The area is often draped in fog and receives over 100 inches of annual rainfall but look at the clear blue skies and the sunlight glinting off the water while we were there.  We are being smiled upon.

Back to the bench where Walt was and we returned the way we came.

 A perfect day on the Olympic Peninsula, where the Strait of Juan de Fuca joins the Pacific Ocean.

A detour down a side road in Neah Bay brought Walt to a large chunk of Smoked Salmon.   

 

The trip back was a bit quicker with fewer stops.

The views were compelling leading me to say "Stop" to Walt to savor more and more of the beauty.  Just not as often as on the way up.   A truly memorable day reaching "the end of the earth" on the northwest tip of the continental U.S. 

 The next day was the 4th of July.

We celebrated in a most American way.  The small town America way.

We went to a baseball game.  The Port Angeles Lefties are a collegiate woodbat baseball team.  True to their name there are several lefties on the team. 

Their mascot is Timber, a native Olympic marmot.   

Over the fence as the game was finishing up we could see the fireworks that were taking place down at the harbor.

" It will be celebrated...

with pomp and parade...

bonfires and illuminations 

from one end of this continent

to the other."

John Adams

 

 

Hurricane Ridge

The skies were see through blue with only puffy clouds so it seemed a perfect day to go to Hurricane Ridge.  Passing through Port Angeles there is always a boat that catches my eye.

From Port Angeles at an elevation of 32 feet the road to Hurricane Ridge feels almost straight up.

It isn't long and we get a hint at what's to come.

In a few short miles we've come a long way up.  See the road way down there.

Stopping at a view point it is a long long way down to Port Angeles and the shimmering ocean.

We went through three tunnels just barely leaving one before entering the next.

So far the drive has been absolutely stunning with mountains surrounding us in every direction that we look. 

The road climbs a twisting grade showing off views that each seem to be better than the last.

It is a heart stopping sight.  We seem to be at eye level with this.

From 32 feet to 5,242 feet in 17 miles we are transported into another world.

We are in the subalpine zone.  The trees thin out and there are ever-widening expanses of open meadow. 

Isn't it like a scene from Sound of Music?

Brrr it's cold.  Hurricane Ridge is named for its intense gales and winds.

The cold won't stop our hike up to the Ridge.

There were wildflowers in the meadow. 

 This was a new one for me.  A fan-leafed cinquefoil.   It's a member of the rose family.

This  blacktail deer didn't seem to mind that I was so close.

Once up on the ridge you have a panoramic view of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Canada in the distance.

 

The wind up here bends and twists the trees.
 

Turn around and see the wildflower meadow sitting beneath the snow covered peaks.

So much snow........even in July.

On a scale of 1 to 10 this is definitely a 10.

But how do you rate nature?  I think this place is near perfection.

After our amazing time spent on the mountaintop it was time to head back down.

More deer along the roadside and WAY up on the ridge a herd of mountain goats.  Too far away for photos but exciting to see.

Back through the tunnels.

A last birds eye view of the ocean brings to close our day on the mountain.  A truly magical experience.

 

Drizzly Day Fun And A Hike To Madison Falls

The day started out lightly raining as we headed to the Port Angeles Farmer's Market.

The nasturtiums in the window boxes were happy with the raindrops.

The stars of the show at Farmer's Markets here are the flowers. Bouquets and single stems are available.

And potted plants like these luscious fuchsias.  Not sure if it was because it was rainy there weren't many vendors and even the produce wasn't what was expected and it was very pricy so we didn't buy a thing.

From the Farmer's Market we did some exploring along Port Angeles waterfront.

Even the chain link fences are decorated.

There is always a lot of port activity going on.

This is the Coho Ferry that goes to Victoria BC Canada.  It takes both vehicle and passenger traffic.

It can even accommodate RV's.  Don't forget your passports.

 I wonder if these Canadian geese have their passports.

The rain isn't slowing down the activity on the dock.

A good share of that activity is because today is opening day of crab season.

This catch was good......Dungeness and Red Rock.

The Dungeness must be at least 6 & 1/4 inches and male to keep.  The Red Rock only have to be 5 inches and either sex is ok.

Fishing is good in the rain.

 

As we drove out of town we went by the Courthouse all decked out for the 4th of July.

The next morning we took the trail by the RV Park.

The trail is narrow and in some places almost overtaken by the growth of the plants.

As we get further along it becomes more forest like with mushrooms popping up along the path.

The trail leads to the Elwha Dam Removal site overlook.

The Elwha Dam was a 108-ft high dam on the Elwha River approximately 4.9 miles upstream from the mouth of the river on the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  It was completed in 1913.

Not far away the Glines Canyon Dam was completed in 1926.

The dams fueled regional growth, but blocked the migration of salmon upstream, disrupted the flow of sediment and wood downstream, and flooded the historic homelands and cultural sites of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe.

In 1992, Congress passed the Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act, authorizing dam removal to restore the altered ecosystem.  Removal started on September 27, 2011 and was completed August 26, 2014.

It was the largest dam removal in U.S. history.

The Elwha River was finally allowed to flow unimpeded from the Olympic Mountains to the Sea, ending over 100 years of restraint on a watershed formerly known for its phenomenal salmon runs.  

Now it is said that Steelhead, Chinook, and Coho all spawn well above the old dam sites. Over 70 acres of new beach have been formed at the mouth of the Elwha, built up by the release of 4.6 million cubic yards of sediment that had collected behind the former reservoirs. Dungeness crab and other shellfish are rebounding along the shoreline. Overall, fish populations are the highest they've been in 30 years. Wildlife is migrating and adjusting to the new sources of food.  Sounds like a success.

There is an abundance of berry bushes.  I am hoping for some sunny days to hasten their ripening so we can enjoy some juicy berries before we leave the area.

A nice morning hike.  Now on to an afternoon one.

We drove down Olympic Hot Springs Road that is right at the Elwha River level.

Unleashing the wild Elwha River has not been without its problems.  In November 2015, winter floods on the river took out portions of the Olympic Hot Springs Road as well as Elwha Campground and Altair Campground. The National Park Service tasked with providing recreational access to these parts of the park has decided not to restore these camping areas for now. More floods are likely, and park managers are taking a wait-and-see approach.   Almost three years seems like a pretty long wait and see time. 

The road closure stopped us here.  Signs say that the road is washed out and a large portion of the river is flowing over the roadway.

That's OK.  The trail to Madison Falls is right here.

 
The trail bends around the trees on its way to the falls.

The trees are laden with soft springy moss. 

The trail to the falls is quite short and because of its easy access it is one of the most photographed falls in the Olympic Peninsula.

The falls here are about 50 feet high but it is said that there is another falls above that is not visible and totally inaccessible.

Pretty impressive falls I think.

Another especially amazing day in this wonderful part of the USA.

Savoring the USA

One day at a time!

A Lighthouse, A River And A Beach

 A short drive took us to Dungeness Spit. It is a 6.8-mile long sand spit jutting out from the northern edge of the Olympic Peninsula into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

It is the longest natural sand spit in the United States.  The body of water it encloses is called Dungeness Bay.

The spit is home to the New Dungeness Lighthouse.  It was first lit in 1857 but the original fresnel lens has been removed and in 1976 an automatic light was installed.   The viewing area we came to this day was quite remote from the Lighthouse so depending upon time we may go in the other direction to see if we can get closer.

The area is a National Wildlife Refuge and is a sanctuary for over 250 species of birds, 41 species of land mammals and eight species of water mammals per their information board.  We must have been there at the wrong time because we only saw a few sea birds. 

Frequently for a good part of the day it is overcast with clouds hugging the mountains and sometimes misty drops settle on us.  It is usually in the 60's so the exploring doesn't slow down.

Very near our RV Park is the Elwha River.  The original bridge that crossed the river here was built around 1913.  When it became unsafe it was demolished in 2007 and replaced with this beauty.  The cars drive across on the top and the walkers or bikers can safely cross below.

It is part of the Olympic Adventure Route.  It is 25 miles of trails through all this beauty.

The river is home to salmon and trout.

Leaving the river we were heading to a beach but we thought it was time to stop for a bite to eat.  No we didn't have a Sasquatch Burger......not sure we are up for that.  On the menu inside it is priced at $89.99.  I wonder if they get orders.

The beach we were going to is located in the Salt Creek Recreation Area.

Salt Creek empties into the Strait of Juan de Fuca here at Crescent Beach.

The cedar trees here are so healthy.  Moist, bright and fragrant.

Just in case we didn't know where we were a message was left for us so we would know our location. 

This picture perfect outcropping is called Tongue Point.

At low tide it is accessible on foot.

This is definitely on my list to return to after consulting the tide table to make sure we are there at low tide.

From what I have read there are tide pools out there that have anemones, crabs, snails, and sea cucumbers in addition to the mussels, barnacles, and sea stars.  

This is a no collection beach meaning you can't take shells, rocks or driftwood.

The seaweed makes such pretty patterns on the beach.  I think it would be a great wallpaper or fabric pattern.

The upper trail is on the return list too.  Looks like a perfect place to do a little contemplation. 

Such a picturesque and quiet Olympic Peninsula beach.  Water on one side, turn around and there are the mountains. It was a perfectly grand day.

Oh look what we saw on our way back to GypsyII.   Ladies if you are interested just go to [email protected].  

 

 

Lake Crescent And Marymere Falls

Continuing our Olympic Peninsula explorations heading up Highway 101 there is construction.  Who cares?  Stopping amid this scenery is not a hardship.

We had two destinations in mind today.  The first is Lake Crescent.

This deep, glacially carved lake makes it an ideal first destination of the day.

At an official maximum depth of 624 feet it is the second deepest lake in Washington.

Lake Crescent is known for its brilliant blue waters and exceptional clarity, caused by a lack of nitrogen in the water which inhibits the growth of algae.

According to legend, the Klallam and Quileute tribes fought a bloody battle beneath Mount Storm King. The mountain became angry, broke off a chunk of rock from his peak, and threw it into the valley over the battlefield. The rock killed the warriors and dammed the river creating Crescent Lake.  

We stopped at Lake Crescent Lodge.  Loved seeing the smoke coming out of the chimney.  It was cool enough to have the fireplace going.

There are rooms in the main building and charming little cottages scattered around the property.

 You can sit on their covered porch in their comfy rocking chairs and enjoy the view.  Built in 1915 Lake Crescent Lodge is one of the first buildings from the modern era in Olympic National Park.

You can rent boats, kayaks, and paddle boards and enjoy being out on the water.

What a perfect place to stay on your Olympic National Park vacation.

I'm not sure if this guy had a reservation but he made quite a splash with the visitors.

He didn't need to rent anything to have some water fun. 

On down the road we found the Marymere Falls Trail. Our second destination of the day.

Fun way to get us under Highway 101 to start the hike.

Right away we are in a fern forest.

The fallen trees are dripping with moss.

The dirt trail goes through old-growth lowland forest consisting of fir, cedar, hemlock, and alder trees.
 

It is like stepping into another world.

Mosses, ferns and lichens festoon tree trunks and branches, giving the forest a "jungle-like" feel.

To me this looks like a mossy umbrella.  Maybe a shelter for the deer or elk.

We are walking under a canopy of green.

So far the hike has been a piece of cake.

Soon we are descending 200 feet into the mossy, fern-laden ravine. 

But once you cross the creek it is pretty much straight uphill.  This is where Walt decided to find a bench and let me go on.

The pretty little creek is strewn with moss covered rocks.

The trail description is that it is an easy to moderate hike. 

I am sure that those descriptions are written by young, fit, athletic forest rangers.  Not for us oldies and out of shapers.

I was determined to get to the falls so I trooped on..........up, around and through.  I wasn't the only one that didn't believe the description.  A 40ish gentleman said over and over "they said the trail was just under a mile in but I swear it is much longer."  A 20 something out of breath young man had to ask his girlfriend to slow down.  The most challenging to my pride was the lady and her two daughters going up the trail as I came down asking me how much further it was.  As they walked off she said "If she can do it I certainly can." 

It was worth it.  

The waters of Falls Creek drop nearly 90 feet from a cliff into a small crystal clear pool at the bottom.

My effort to reach Marymere Falls was justified.  All 7979 steps per my phone. 

Back to the bridge and I found Walt having a good time visiting with the hikers while he waited.

When the massive trees die, they eventually fall, but can take centuries to slowly decay back to the soil. Throughout their long death, they provide important habitat for whole communities, including mosses, tree seedlings, fungi, small mammals, amphibians, and insects. 


I was a happy hiker. Ferns, mosses, huge trees, a lake, a deer, and a waterfall.  What more could I ask for? Great day in the forest.  The Olympic Peninsula continues to exceed my expectations. 



 

Living My Great Expectations On The Olympic Peninsula

Heading north and then west on Highway 101 I had my camera constantly clicking.  Yes, that's me in the rearview mirror clicking away.

If I was worried about the Olympic Peninsula living up to my expectations the trip had just begun and my expectations were confirmed and exceeded.

The colors of the water are indescribable.

It seems there is every shade of green on the roadside and mountains.

Our 100 mile trip flew by with all of the pretty roadside views.  We arrived in Port Angeles at the Elwha Dam RV Park and it will be our base to explore the Olympic Peninsula National Park.

Our first excursion out exploring was to familiarize ourselves with Port Angeles.  Port Angeles is a city of about 20,000 that was originally a fishing and logging village.  When the downturn in those jobs occurred much of their economy now comes from tourism as a point of entry to the Olympic National Peninsula.

The port seems to be busy with the comings and goings of large ships as well as small boats.  The harbor is deep enough to provide anchorage for large ocean-going ships such as tankers and cruise ships. 

There is one mill still in operation and I love the smell of the newly scaled logs as we pass by.

The city is situated on the northern edge of the Olympic Peninsula  along the shore of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  The Strait of Juan de Fuca separates the US from Canada here.

The landmass in the distance is the city of Victoria, Canada.  

Port Angeles features a long and narrow glacial moraine named Ediz Hook that projects  nearly three miles into the Strait.

Ediz Hook creates a large, natural deep-water harbor shielded from the storms and swells that move down the Strait from the Pacific Ocean. 

We drove along the Hook as far as allowed.  At the tip is the Coast Guard Air Station.

Looking toward shore there are views of the logging operation, homes in Port Angeles and the cloud shrouded mountains. 

We also found the grocery stores, places to get a Diet Coke, and where the movie theatre is.  

We also found a fun burger place.  Double ramp drive thru.  No walk up orders, no inside seating just drive through and get one of their really good burgers. 

 

Speaking of burgers we saw this cheeseburger on a log cabin roadside cafe on our way in on Highway 101.  
 

Sasquatch is big around here.  This woodcarver shop is on our route to and from the RV Park.  This one is a work in progress.

Looks like this one is completed and ready for sale.  I wave at the carvings each time we pass in hopes that if I come across the real thing while we are here he will know I am a friend. 

It appears that there are so many things to see and do here that if we choose an adventure each day we may only touch the surface of this incredible place.   We will give it our best effort.  Stay tuned.

 

Finishing Up At Little Creek

One of the perks staying at the Casino RV Park is you can go over and enjoy the entertainment that they have in the lobby.  The pianist was very talented and the music transported me from being in a gentle rain to a dramatic battlefield. 

We visited Tumwater Falls Park.  It is planted with a large variety of native flora much to my enjoyment.

I was afraid that I wouldn't get to see any rhododendrons in bloom because they usually finish up in early May but there was one still in full bloom here.

They grow wild and in some places they are as big as a tree.

It wasn't too late for the dogwood trees.

They were bursting forth in all their glory.

The park is along the Deschutes River right in the middle of the town of Tumwater.

The park is 15 acres filled with natural, picturesque beauty bordered by native trees and bushes.

 The walking trail is only about a half mile long but there is a lot of beauty packed along it.

Here is what most visitors come to see.

The cascading waterfalls are the number one attraction.

The falls were on the labels of the beer of the now defunct Olympia Brewing Company.

There are a series of cascades as you walk along the path.

Owned by the Olympia Tumwater Foundation, Tumwater Falls Park is open to the public and free of charge.  Tumwater means falling water that sounds like a human heart beat. I didn't really hear that.......I heard more of just a gentle roar.

One final cascade as the river continues on.

Although smaller and less famous than the similarly named river in Oregon, the Deschutes River in Thurston County runs 57 miles from its headwaters in Lewis County, past Rainier and through Tumwater, until it reaches Budd Inlet in South Puget Sound.   If you come here in September or October you can watch as the salmon work their way up the fish ladders to the top of the falls.

Enjoyed another Northwest spot of abundant beauty.

We spent a morning at the Olympia Farmers Market.  We came home with a bag full of produce (more cherries Yum) but the delicious pastries did not make it home.  They were eaten on the spot.   

Our Washington visit so far has been a great experience.  Now on to the Olympic Peninsula.  It has been on my bucket list for a very long time so it is with excitement and a little fear.  What if it doesn't live up to my expectations?  I am expecting incredible beauty, ocean beaches, lakes, cloudy skies, rain and cool air.  I think it will all be covered. 

 

Our Week At Little Creek Casino RV Park Was Fun

After our enjoyable stay in Gig Harbor we moved just over 50 miles to the Little Creek Casino RV Park.  Clean little park with nice level spots, cable TV,  the thriftiest laundry, along with Passport America half price for our stay.  Nice for the budget. 

The park is near the little town of Shelton.  The countryside is luxuriously green filled with never ending ferns.

The roadsides are lined with foxgloves.  Again I babied them in my yard and here they grow wild.

Wildlife is plentiful.

Nearby is Olympia.......the Washington State Capital.

On our first day in Olympia we went to lunch at Anthony's.  It has always been one of our favorite restaurants and again it didn't disappoint.

We arrived just before noon and I snapped this photo and in a few minutes all of these tables were full.

Anthony's is waterside and just up the hill is the State Capitol.

Up the hill we go to visit the Capitol.

It is actually called the Legislative Building because it is part of a campus of government buildings. Located on the campus are the Legislative Building, Temple of Justice, John A. Cherberg Senate office building, Irv Newhouse Senate office building, Insurance Building, John L. O'Brien House office building and others. We only toured the Legislative Building.

The Temple of Justices is where the Supreme Court convenes and also houses the state's Law Library.

The grounds are extensive and perfectly groomed.

The fountain is a replica of the Tivoli Fountain in Copenhagen, Denmark. 

The Legislative building has a rectangular footprint and is constructed of brick and concrete and faced on the exterior with limestone quarried from Wilkeson, Washington. 

The entrance is in a portico framed by eight Corinthian columns reached by 42 granite steps.  Washington was the 42nd state added to the Union.

All the rain that makes Washington green makes the Capitol look like it needs a cleaning. Lichen, a combination of algae and fungus, is giving the dome and trim its dirtier-than-usual look.  Depending upon budget approval the building gets cleaned about every 5 years.

Unlike most Capitol's we have visited there are no security procedures in place here. There was a gentleman at an information desk but no other evidence of any kind of security.

The floors and many interior walls are covered by Alaskan marble and marble from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy are used in other parts of the interior.

All lamps and Roman fire pots in the rotunda were made by Louis Comfort Tiffany. 

Some of the marble from other countries was originally brought to this country as ballast in ships.

 The Capitol has been hit by three earthquakes, most notably the 2002 Nisqually Earthquake. The building held up amazingly well, but did require a $118 million repair job that also updated its internal infrastructure.

The Tiffany under the dome swung back and forth for two weeks after the Nisqually Earthquake.   It is 25 feet tall, 8 feet wide and weighs 10,000 pounds. It dangles from a 101-foot chain, but is still 74 feet above the floor.

The desks in the House of Representatives Chamber are made of black walnut.

The desks in the Senate Chamber are made of mahogany.

The massive dome is the fifth tallest masonry dome on the planet, meaning that the rocks hold themselves in place without reinforcement.

Washington became the 42nd state in the United States on November 11, 1889.

A pleasant day was spent in the Capitol of the state that was named after our first President.  More to come to finish up the week.