Portland and the Columbia River Gorge

Toni, Chris and Nita in Portland

Rhys and Kelly's back yard

Vineyards and orchards above the Columbia

The mighty Columbia River Gorge

Kayaking the sea stacks in La Push, Washington

Empress Hotel in Victoria B. C.

Royal British Columbia Museum Totem display

Around the Olympic

Fair weather and incredible scenery met us at every turn during our tour of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. Rain forests of old growth Cedar, Douglas Fir, Red Alder and giant ferns crowd the roads and trails giving one the feeling that a hobbit will appear at any time.

Port Townsend, lying on the passage between the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound, kicked off a very memorable trip. This town is the essence of quaint having held firm against the big box stores and brand name hotels. Instead it is a mom and pop burg with a sailing heritage and a non-profit school where kids or adults can learn the art of building wooden boats.

Next stop, Port Angeles where we took the Coho ferry to Victoria, Canada for a day trip. The unexpected surprise there was the Royal British Columbia Museum that overflowed with native art ranging from intricate stone carvings to totem poles hundreds of years old. Unfortunately the ferry returned before we could experience “High Tea” at 4:00 at the Empress hotel. We did get a chance to gawk at the magnificence of this historic treasure however.

Sekiu, a sleepy little fishing port was our last stop before Cape Flattery on the northwestern tip of the peninsula. Here we got our sea legs, kayak style, paddling out into the Strait and riding the incoming ocean swells. Adrenaline extraordinaire.

Then it was onward to La Push, located on the western coast of the Peninsula. Waves from the Pacific pound the endless beaches and break against fortress like sea stacks. Seals, sea lions and native Quileute fishermen compete for the salmon that make their run to spawn in the Sol Duc River. Tide pools abound and the beach extends a far reach when the tide recedes. Had to caution Toni about the additional weight the collected sea stones would add to the already burgeoning mother ship. Here, seals and sea lions peered at us in our kayaks wondering about these strange intruders.

Olympic Peninsula Photos

A classic in Port Townsend

The ferry Coho docked in Victoria, British Columbia

The Mother Ship lying at anchor in Sekiu

Cape Flattery

La Push sea stacks and endless beach

along the way

Seattle with Daria

Team Spokane

Rails to Trails around Lake Coeur d'Alene

Susan and Jack

The Hiawatha Trail's tunnels and trestles

Northwest

After a leisurely and scenic drive to the Pacific Northwest we find ourselves anchored at the home of Charles and Daria who live just outside Seattle. Sunday we toured the city a bit hitting Pikes Market for some fresh halibut and some people watching. Later in the day we were fortunate to spend a little time on the fabled sail boat "Journey" whose owner's, John and Carol, gave us directions to "bust in" to the marina where she is docked.

Our personal journey has taken us through Phillipsburg, Mt., Missoula, Mt., Harrison, Idaho, Lake Coeur d'Alene and Spokane. While on Lake Coeur d'Alene we parked at Brian and Susan's home which sits at the shores of a tranquil bay on the south end of the lake. While it's obvious waters-sports are a big part of the lifestyle there the road biking too is endless. The Rails to Trails program has turned miles of old train track beds into incredible bike paths. The Hiawatha Trail that passes through multiple tunnels and over trestles as high as 230 feet was one of the more interesting bike paths we've seen. Quite a ride.

Our stop in Spokane was blessed by beautiful weather and a great stay with Linda and Charlie. I learned never say never (again) because we played golf and enjoyed the day greatly. Spokane is hooked into the same rails to trails bike paths as Coeur d'Alene and it parallels the Spokane River for a scenic ride.

Though enjoying our adventures and our freedom we are missing Jackson Hole and savoring the time we had there over the summer. Happy Trails to all, we'll see you soon.

Photos of the Hole