Home, Sweet, Home

We are home!  And all in all an uneventful return trip:  no delays or canceled flights.  We wondered for a minute when at 12:50 am, taxing down to the runway and in the midst of the safety spiel, the plane lost all power.


The plane, instantly quiet and with emergency lights in the cabin, sat still for a moment.  Then the stewardesses started to joke and eventually the pilot came on to say the P?U was not working, but they were going to investigate.  Great.


But a few minutes later, the plane was moving and taking off.  I chose to believe that it was someone leaning on a button and everything was fine.... 


The connecting flight was on the complete opposite side of the MN airport, but we made it.


We are now home and exhausted.  Note to self:  we are too old for red eye flights.  Jack is thrilled to see us.  Lulu aloof.  And we are going to bed.  We'll return to the living on Friday.

Full Day that’s not over yet

It’s our last day … and night.  I write from SEATAC, and we still have a few more hours to kill before the plane leaves.  Oddly today was a long day.  We headed out this morning and shipped half of our luggage and laundry home, then went on to Fairhaven.  It was hilly, but not as bad as Seattle!  We browsed the shops waiting for lunch. 

We were trying for Archer’s Tavern - but unfortunately we had used up our browsing by 11:30 and by 12 I was starved and they didn’t open until 1!  We settled for a tea shop,  Like so much here it seemed a little off.  Traditional tea sandwiches, but on soft whole wheat bread.  I got “big” (read regular size)  chicken salad and it was like pate.  Still, I was starved, I ate it all.

We then headed south to Redmond in attempt to find Microsoft.  We drove for a good hour plus trying to find the stilly place.  With no luck.  I was then so hot and tired that I didn’t care anymore.  But we tried one last road and….  OMG. 

I don’t know how we could’ve missed it.  Huge is an understatement.  It’s as large as Seatac, as large as Disney World.  Possibly larger.  When the AAA book said the visitor’s center was next to building 92 - they meant it - and that there were over 100 buildings in the “complex”.  And these are not small buildings.  They have their own bus system.   This alone was stunning.

But we did go to the visitor’s center (read: opportunity to play with Microsoft products, inc. Nintendo.  Most of the people there were Asians.  In terms of actual …history?  They had a picture of the original MS team …. Um…. They had a small display of how tech has changed,… um…. They had 6 Surfaces one could play with…. 8 video game stations….  A demo of their ‘new’ tech - an art instillation of a paper dress that randomly displayed twitter twits across it’s skirt and a shopping program that via video camera would simulate you wearing whatever you clicked on.,  Oh and a store, in which you could buy anything you could think of with the MS corp logo  from notebooks (paper kind I mean) to a cook books (3 vols) baby clothes, pens… you name it, none of it cheap and no tech,  I was a sight.

We then headed toward Seatac off the highway (it was a parking lot)  Since we didn’t really have a good map it was a long interesting ride.  Eventually we just stopped for dinner, by that point the traffic was clear, we jumped on the highway and entered the airport.  Entering was easier than leaving it.  But we did arrive early.  I’m ready to be home.

Snow!

Thinking of places that you never thought you’d be….  This morning we traveled north to Blaine, the upper most boarder town in the NW.  Right on the Canadian border.  At this crossing there is a park with a Peace Arch, a large, well, arch dedicated to the freedom of travel and peaceful relations.  We’ll never see that on the Mexican boarder.  We stood in two countries.

Then traveling the secondary roads, we went through numerous small towns to the Cascade National Park to drive up to Mt. Baker.  The snowy peak that we’ve seen for the last couple of days.  The road started off  very reasonably, windy, but with guardrails.  Then we went higher and the view was amazing, the road still okay.  Then higher, and I got a little more nervous.  Then higher, and the guardrails abandoned us and I got pretty nervous, then we drove on more… and more and then pass the ski area - currently closed for the summer.  Then we drove more, the views breath taking, if one still had breath to take…. And then we got to a ranger station and parking area … and there was snow.  Snow.  Piles of snow.  Rocky mountain tops that were in walking distance, all covered with snow.  Snow.  The mountain that we’ve been seeing from a far - we were now standing on it.

There was more road, going up a little higher.  It had a sign that said due to the nature of the switchbacks no trailers, and it had no guard rails.  We decided we’d gone that far, we really had to go all the way to the top, so, though I was so very much NOT a happy camper, I said, ‘let’s go’.    At the top there was more snow.  Snow.  We were 5,000 feet in the air - where there was rock with snow in July.  I still can’t believe I was there.  (But we do have the pictures to prove it, though I think I look a little green in them.)

At any rate, I’m very proud of myself.  And I’m not sure I want to do it ever again.  But it was impressive and something everyone should do at least once.  Snow.   July.

Tomorrow we’ll drive thru Fairhaven, and head south.  I want to visit Microsoft and we’ll end up at SeaTac to head out.  Our flight is the overnight, so I’m not sure if there will be a post here tomorrow or home the next day or…???

I’ll be glad to get home.

Snow...and me on a mountain high enough to walk in it.  Snow.

The Amazing Mt

We are in Bellingham.  It's a small city, but I kind of like it, though it does have an end of the universe quality.  And it does also feel like it's in the woods.  The cool thing is all day we have been able to see Mt. Baker.  a 10k elevation Mt so, this is not surprising.  But to see a snow cap while we drive around in 80+ degree weather is wild.

We're like new parents taking pictures of the silly thing at every turn.  Oh look, the mt's above the clouds.  Hey look this is a different angle.  Is it closer now?  There is a less flat and big sky here though and the sound is just not ocean enough.

We started the day in La Connor, a sweet little town known for it's professional flower farm.  Apparently they do a lot of tulips, so April is stunning.  Even with out this, it's a very pretty farm area.  Downtown has many tourist galleries that we wandered while waiting for the two local museums to open.

The first one we visited was a quilt and textile museum located in an old Victorian house.  The local collection was old quilts made by the original home owner, but the town has some relationship with a community in Japan.  Part of this relationship involved them sending quilts after the tsunami.  And somehow - the story right now is a bit unclear to me, they have Japanese quilters who come here and curate Japanese quilts.  They were phenomenal.  They were both gorgeous and simplistic.  They also had a woman who took old traditional work clothes and made miniature jackets to commemorate the past.  They too were very, very cool.  Makes me have lots of ideas to start sewing.

From there we went to the Pacific NW Museum of Art.  This sounds more grand  than it was.  There was basically four rooms, 3 with visiting artists and one with local permanent collection. The visiting people weren't interesting to me.  Brown water color-y pictures, blown glass that was inspired by organs (ick) and mandalas made from straws (pretty) and well, trash -  plastic milk tops and tea bag labels etc.  Not my thing.  The local art was better, though also not inspiring, like the quilts.  It feels like a very brown corner of the world.

Still it was a nice morning plus - browsing junk and high end art (it's pretty similar everywhere, but still) and these two stops. We went past the Library in town too - they have a thrift store in which they support themselves.  I have ideas!

Eventually we waved to our Mt and headed further north - the Mt came with.  After the booking.com situation, we have been a little gun shy, so we found the motel.  It was right off the exit not far from the airport.  We didn't see it however, and turned left not right and so, we got a really good tour of the airport.  But eventually we figured it out and the hotel DID have the reservation.

All being well, we headed into the city.  It's a nice city.  There was a beer festival going on, but we passed and instead went to the Whatcom Art Museum.  The earlier one was better.  This one had some name prints (Haring, Lichtenstein, Close) interesting Warhols, but all in all not that exciting,.  Their special show was 1940-50 movie poster prints (The day the earth stood still, westerns, etc.).  I thought we'd like it a lot, but.. it did little for us.  We did find a really great Greek restaurant for dinner.  We are seriously considering going back tomorrow.

We're not sure what we're doing tomorrow or Tues, but I'm sure we'll find something.  Fairhaven is in the running (and thanks CK for the warning!!!)  I am ready to be home though.

Harps on the Ferry

Today we left the peninsula, oddly I was sorry to leave it in some ways.  Although mostly park, thus far it’s been my favorite place here.  Mountains, weird.  I’m not saying I’m changing my tune about mountains in general, however.  I have to say - we can see another snow topped mountain off in the distance and that is very cool.  But the mountains are waaay over there - and clearly they are very, very big b/c we can see them and well, there’s snow on top of them.  Some times they stick out from the top side of the clouds and THAT is very cool  - since we are on flat land, with big sky.  I like that.  It makes me wonder about Montana or such?  If only Montana or Iowa had the Atlantic ocean.

In leaving the peninsula, we took the ferry to the Whidbay Isands. The ferry was much larger than the Lake Champlain ones  and more what I know of as an auto ferry.  Though, the inside observation deck had a harp player.  That was a new one.

The ferry says it’s a 40 minute ride, but it felt quicker.  On to the island, we drove south to check it out, though our destination was north.  This is a mostly farmland area, spotted with some water tourist communities.  The water is bays and straights, thus, it does not meet my personal criteria for “ocean” / “beach”.  It was nice enough and we made a few pit stops to wander stores, look at boats and eat.  Out best stop was  a local farmer’s market.  Like home, it also had the craft fair vibe and we oddly, ate African food there for lunch.  (A curry chicken - that was some what of a cross between Indian and Thia.  I think it was authentic, but how would I know really?)

Continuing north, we drove over Deception Pass - a really narrow inlet and a tall bridge crowded with people.  I told M. that the whole thing and the nature in this part seemed insincere.  I know that’s an odd word for nature, but I’m sticking to it.  Formerly, the nature was not crowded, it was a bit wild and untamed.,  This whole area has the feel of it trying to be wild and unkempt, but it really isn’t.

I’m not liking the area at all.  All of it seems like it wants to be or is trying to be something it’s not.  We went up to Anacortes - a large town really for an island.  But it too seems …confused.  It has a little bit of industry and a little bit of art, and a little bit of city, but it’s like it’s all jumbled together in a salad that doesn’t work and it wants to be gourmet. 

We’ve now left the islands and are back on the main land.  We are staying in Mt. Vernon - named after Washington.  It too has a whole different feel from the rest of the state.  More like upstate NY than what the NW has felt like thus far.  Everything here just feels a little off.  For example, we went to dinner at an Italian Restaurant. By all appearances it would  seem it is considered one of the nicest restaurants in town.  (And it was very nice, don’t get me wrong.)  The blue cheese dressing - was fresh, made with real ingredients and high end Gorgonzola cheese.  But it was the consistency of  milk.  It tasted good.  But milk salad dressing?

Tomorrow we will go further north - the goal to go to the northern most tip outside of Canada and we’ll be in Bellingham.  We’re planning to spend the next couple of days here and then head back to SEATAC.

The Vampires

(Post delayed due to internet access issues)

Today we drove to the most north western points, the very edge of the peninsula where the Ma--  Indian Reservation is located.   The secondary road out was not listed as scenic, but certainly was.  It traveled along the mt on one side and the straight on the other.  Filled with snake curves, it did have guard rails and that made a big difference.  It was beautiful.

Along the way we say 3 bald eagles flying.  The first time we’ve ever seen them in the wild.  They are far more impressive that way.

The reservation was a sad place.  Lots of poverty and more signs about not doing drugs.  The museum was fantastic.  One of the best ever, I think.  But probably one that \is rarely seen \given it’s location.  It is over an hours drive from Port Angeles and  PA is a good hour from other places.  So unless one is visiting the park and takes the time for the side trip, the res is out of site out of mind.  A shame.

Since we were in the neighborhood, we traveled to Forks, famous only for vampires.  What trip.  The place is a small mountain town.  It is the home of the lumber museum, another fun small museum.  It too was pretty good, but not among the best.  It was pretty simplistic and at times reaching.  Frankly, without it’s vampire fame, Forks would be nothing.  And when the movie fame dies, it will go back to nothing.  But right now, they are still riding their 15 minutes.  The visitor’s center sells photocopied maps with directions to significance locations.  They have a “Dr. Cullen’s” lab coat, you can try on, T’shirts, etc.  Throughout town (mostly 2 blocks worth) there are signs for tours - a tour bus.  People, and not young people either, posing for pictures at the high school and dressed up in customs for the picture.  Weird.

We drove back to PA via the park and Crescent Lake which was also visually amazing.  Tall mt and big lake.  The lake was also the prettiest shade of teal I’ve ever seen.  This route too had white birch trees.  Absolutely gorgeous.

Places You Never Thought You’d Be

We left Tacoma this morning in the drizzle.  We avoided the freeway and drove through the city.  Again I was struck by what they call “hills”.   These are not hills.  These are like giant carnival rides in cars.  I’m really convinced I hate San Francisco.

Taking far less time then we anticipated, we headed out to the peninsula, and the Olympic National Park, home of Mt Olympus.  It felt like we were entering wilderness and back into lumber jack territory.  This made me even more nervous about our unknown hotel reservations for the night.

After a few stops for rest rooms and Native American gift shops, we arrived in Port Angeles, the main town at the north end of the peninsula. It’s a port town - obviously - with ferry service to Canada.  It is pretty big for the area.  It is a very weird mix of lumberjack, ocean and town. We found the motel - it wasn’t too scary from the outside, and decided we should eat something to give them time to clean rooms.

This resulted in our visit to down town proper. We ate at a seafood place looking out at the sound and the boats, very nice.  We then walked over the marine life center, it looked tiny.  Walking around it, we peered into see the five year olds at the four touch tanks, and decided we didn’t actually need to go in.  Instead, we opted for the local bookstore.

It was a real local bookstore, don’t see that much any more.  I found a good local cookbook (one of our traditions.)  I was starting to wonder if that was going to happen this trip.  At check out, I was chatting with the man whom I think was probably the owner.  He was from NJ, originally.  He told us, we needed to drive up hurricane ridge.  They had snow there this morning.

So we officially checked into the motel, The Riviera Inn.  Thankfully it is not like the Rainbow Motel.  It is mid century modern and vintage, but its clean - and not in a scary place.  I’m perfectly happy.  And it’s keys are on those groovy plastic diamond with the room number on it.  I so love those.

We me not having room stress, we headed off to hurricane ridge.  I know how previously on this trip I was a little, say overwhelmed by the narrow windy road with no guardrail on the side of a mountain?  Much like I was in the Needle Mt drive in SD?  Nothing compares to this drive.  We got half way up, and entered the clouds.  A mix bag, the fog was a little scary, but not seeing over the side of the road was helpful.  Then we climbed higher, entering switch backs, and then tunnels.  And then we went higher.  Where we could see down … onto the cloud and the tops of trees.  The wildflowers were beautiful.  Then there was the view… amazing view, and then we went higher, and higher still, until with me a little green we reached the visitors station at the top.  The view was amazing.  A whole series of snow topped mountains.  Snow topped mountains.  Not even just one, but several.  And whole areas that I would have called mountains, but I was looking at the tops of trees.  Trees that I knew from the drive up, are 100+ feet.  (The official elevations of these mts were 6-8k.)

We also passed a dear or elk driving up.  Just hanging out on the side of the road.  And then at the top, two dear were roaming thru the parking lot. Mixed feelings about this.  On the one hand, being less than 2 feet from a wild animal was kind of cool, on the other hand, that the wild animal didn't mind being two feet from lots of people and cars, is not so good. 

The ride down was not as scary as the ride up.  It was a little less foggy and I had some sense of where the road was going to go.  Fright factor included, it was all well worth it.

Back in town we stopped at the local Art Center, a tiny little place with a show up in which the woman dips cloth in wax, forms it, then pieces it together with screws.  It a little odd, but it actually looked better than it sounds.  We got the grand tour by a delightful elderly lady who wanted to talk to someone.  I suspect as a volunteer there, they don’t see a lot of people.  (She used to teach 3rd grade.)  The location also has a sculpture walk through the woods.  It was not raining, which was a plus, but the bonsai trees, were better.  The sculpture just wasn’t that interesting.

Tomorrow will be another drive day - through more of Olympic Park and out to the Indian reservation.  The plan is also to see Forks, famous only as the setting of Twilight.  (We did walk past the restaurant here in town  which served as the location for Bella and Edward’s first date.  It was kind of neat to see the reference, but we didn’t feel the need to eat there.)

Big Trees Little Trees

Finally rain. Lots and lots of rain.  We opted out of the highway structure and ventured into the heart of Tacoma on secondary roads.  It was a lot quicker.


Our first stop was the Tacoma Museum of Art.  Small, but very friendly.  They featured local artists which is always interesting.  My personal fav was a moose head - life size - made out of beads and jewelry.  They have a cool fundraising idea going on too - a giant dog made out of corrugated cardboard, giant like 9 ft, and they ask for donations for feeding the dog.  (Expect ideas when I get back.)


There was also a show of prints / printmaking that was kind of neat too.  Lots of woodcuts.  It's that kind of place.  The original idea was then to walk to the Tacoma Glass Museum, but as it was POURING, that was out of the question.  As it turns out - Tacoma really isn't THAT big.  We drove the few blocks none the less.


The Glass Museum was also pretty cool.  They have a huge stadium viewing area where they explain what they're doing and crew works on glass projects.  I had been skeptical to walk in - in my mind, you've seen one glass blower you've seen them all, but it was pretty cool after all.  Their guest artist at the moment is a woman, that neat too.  And in the background above the pit where they work they run a video telling about one of the museums projects:  kid designs turned into blown glass pieces.  That was pretty cool too.  In another part of the museum they have them on display.


Of course, Chihuly is well represented and there is a glass bridge (a slight misnomer) here too.  The bridge in fact is a normal walking bridge, but C. has donated several dozen vases that are on display in a wall  and one of his exhibits where he puts all the glass shapes on the ceiling and you walk under it.


After a tea stop, we moved on to find the Bonsai Museum.  Ironic that last week we were looking at the biggest trees in the world and today we saw the smallest.  The down side was that it was an outdoor display and it was pouring.  The upside, the nice lade at the desk, lent us an umbrella and because of the rain the colors on the trees were vibrant.  The "park" was about an acre with about 200 trees on display.  Even in the rain, it was very, very cool.


We are retiring early tonight, as we are quite tired.  I heard Obama was in town (Seattle) yesterday, but he didn't call and we didn't meet him.  We had thought about calling a friend of M's sister (he's one of the guys who rights the library cartoon?)  But we are exhausted and not coherent.  Thus, I hope this makes sense, but am going to head to sleep sooner than not.  We also can't get the wifi to work, so I don't want to be on the public computers all that long.


Tomorrow the plan is to head north out on the peninsula.  Again we have a reservation, though it might be a "rainbow" hotel situation akin to camping.  I'm sufficiently nervous enough about it, that it should be okay.  We'll see... 

For all of you who have kept me sane....

Nerd-vana

Everything including the coffee

Traffic in Portland was particularly heavy this morning and we finally were seeing the region’s rain.  As we were staying in Vancouver, we opted to just head north.   We got on the interstate and made our way to Longview. 

You may be thinking, I’ve never heard of Longview… this would not be a surprise.  It’s a manufacturing town on the Columbia River.  It  does have a huge library, but that’s not why we detoured.  They have a squirrel nut bridge.  It’s a path and suspension bridge over their main road - from tree to tree  for the squirrel’s to travel.  I loved it.  That it was almost right in front of the library was a bonus.  We didn’t see any squirrels traveling it though, which was disappointing.  (This is also the town where the Monticello … I forgot it’s name - happened, where the area petitioned to become what’s now OR and WA and of course, Lewis and Clark slept there.)

By the time we hit Tacoma and Seattle, the weather had stopped raining and became just overcast.  We decided to head into Seattle to our two must see spots.  Seattle is a nice enough city.  The vibe is different than Portland and it’s much, much, much bigger.  It feels like the biggest city I’ve ever seen - on scale with NY and Toronto, but I’m not sure. 

What I don’t like about it - is it’s hilliness.  I can’t imagine what SF would be like.  I was very nervous driving around.  M. thinks is fine though.  On the up hills, I was glad we had the automatic, On the down hill, you could see the lake, beyond the highway that you then drove down hill and under to get onto,

We past by the Boeing plant.  It’s a city in itself.  I decided though that I’d rather watch how they make the airplanes on tv than walking thru the tour.  My father would be disappointed in me, but …

After a brief driving tour of the city, we parked at Seattle Center, home of the needle and multiple museums.  Our first stop the EMP (pop culture ) museum.  I must admit, though I wouldn’t miss it, I was a bit skeptical.  I was wrong, it was the coolest thing yet.  They did music and pop culture far better than the Rock n Roll Hall of fame. 

The exhibition was clearer, had more information, was just all round more substantive, but didn’t loose it’s cool factor.  Our first  experience was a sculpture of 700 instruments - a tower of g’tars.  This lead to the Nirvana display.  I have to again admit, I’m not a big fan.  That being said, the exhibition was good.  It made me appreciate them, and because I was there listening / reading it even established them in relationship to music history and I could see why they were/are significant.  There were other bands in the area whose sound I like better, but … 

This lead to the g’tar history room, more exciting for M. than I, but I did appreciate seeing Hendrix’s g’tar that he played at Woodstock and more so Clapton’s first g’tar on which he also recorded Layla and other Love songs.  It was worn, that was cool too.  They also had a Hendrix show - he went to high school here- but I am not a fan, so it wasn’t as exciting.

Next on to the Horror movie exhibition - how could I resist?  I am a bit appalled at how much about horror movies I know, but that aside…. We saw original copy of Dracula.  It was typed written - that surprised me.  This may not seem as thrilling to others, but there was also Jason’s mask, the pub sign from Am. Werewolf, the aliens’ monster, Buffy’s spikes, and Sean’s shirt (it had red on it).  (And I expect everyone to know these references!!)  There were taped interviews with makers (Corman, etc.) Of course, there was more, but these are highlights.

Keeping up my extreme Geekness, the next gallery was Fantasy Realms… Already being familiar with the archetypes, the information in this display was not news, BUT…the outfits and swords from Princess Bride!  The wicket witch of the west’s hat and the cowardly lion costume.  Bowie’s outfit from Labyrinth, Narnia wear !  I was in pop culture heaven. 

But wait there’s more! Then came Sci fi -- Lt Ahura’s outfit (she was tiny), Kirk’s chair - it looked cheap and fake live,  Neo’s black coat (he was tall),  Jack  O’Neil’s id  tag… and the weapons… Mars Attack, Wraith destroyers, Ripley’s gun against the aliens  and more….  Just so very cool.

This place was nerd heaven.

Then there was Chihuly’s Garden.  It was actually very similar to the show of his we saw in Montreal last year -- so not as striking, but just as cool.  The color and the way he snakes glass in to organic forms is so impressive, particularly in mass.

This is one that I think the pictures are required - we need upload and then I’ll post them.   Of course we saw the mono rail and the needle, but all things pale in comparison to EMP and Chihuly.  

Our excitement today continued when we got to the hotel - booked for two nights - we thought - and discovered they had no reservation and no rooms.  (We’d used booking.com - do not use them,.  Repeat - do not use!!!)  The hotel that didn’t have room, was nice enough to let us jump on their computer and find a place down the road,

The one down the road - the website said a room was available, but when we called they told us that the room wasn’t clean, they couldn’t/wouldn’t clean it and therefore the only room they had was the Jacuzzi suite for significant more money,  However, if we booked the room they didn’t have ready and wouldn’t have ready online for that room’s price, as long as the suite didn’t book before we got there, then we’d get the suite for the other price.  ALL of these rooms were too expensive, but since we’d had trouble finding a place last night for tonight (why we had booked two nights) and we were tired - we took it.

The good thing about it all, my shoulder was bothering me yesterday and today something fierce - not to mention my hip that often screams at me.  The Jacuzzi has done great things for both spots.

We also decided to book (not thru a secondary site, but through the hotel) a place in the area for tomorrow, then two nights at a place that might be scary - in the Mt Rainer area.  We also booked a ferry passage and place further north for Sat night - since it will be Saturday - after that - the plain is sketchy - aside from knowing we need to be at SEATEC Tues evening to fly out at the witching hour.

PS- Forgot to mention OR is the only state other than NJ where you cannot pump you're own gas.  And the EMP also had a lego exhibit of  the world's tallest buildings (Saudi Arabia has the winner.)   It was neat, but lego buildings just can't compete with monsters and sci fi.

One Flew Over Salem

We continue our way north.  Leaving Eugene behind we moved on to Salem.  A town that in many ways was seemingly nicer than Eugene. It is the state’s capital.  Usually we don’t like capital cities, but what we saw of this was nice enough.  (Still has won me from being an Easterner though.)

Our trip through Salem was, oddly, to see the State Hospital.  Yes, we travel across country and see the mental hospitals…. Sadly the museum was not open, but it is the hospital in which they filmed One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s nest.  And equally as odd, while M. gets uptight when I want to go driving around military instillations and artillery storage facilities - just to see them, without camera ready - he had no problem taking a picture at the OR Department of  Corrections Div of Mental Health.  It’s a very creepy looking building actually.  I’m not sure it it’s the one in the film or not, because it’s been too long.  I also find it fascinating that the Dept of Corrections would put this facility right in the middle of a residential neighborhood in a city.  But then, we do live in a town where the mental hospital has frequent walk away’s and we did spend two years in college in apt’s by a prison in which the inmates would leave notes -had to leave on family matters, will be back - and came back.

Traveling north we took a slight detour off the highway to a charming little German town, with a glockenspiel in the center of it.  Here the Frankenstein bar was next to St Nick’s bakery.  Unfortunately neither was open for business.   But there was a sausage co - once featured on Food Network.  As it turned out, they weren’t fully open either, but they did sell us some strudel to take with.  We ate it at the rest area down the road.  (It was not the traditional strudel I am still hunting for; it was deep fried.  Still, it was good.)

We arrived in Portland shortly thereafter.  Definitely becoming nature girl, and Portland would be a city I could like - I just don’t think  I like big cities any more,  It struck me as the kind of place one goes after Boston.  Boston - a big college town.  Then you get a job and you go to Portland.  It’s still young and vibrant.  It definitely has that hippy/eco friendliness… I saw 3 different Whole Foods just driving thru town.  There are lots of old retro & art deco theaters.  Lots of purple hair on those of all ages.  But in the end - it’s still just a city.  The traffic is horrible, the streets go one way, parking is expensive and pain.

Yes, we found Powell’s Books - they are renovating.  We didn’t go in.  (Why?  Like I need more books?  Like I want to ship them home?  Like it’s not bad enough that I can and do, do this online already?  No, I do not need to go in and see yet more books.)

We did go to the International Rose Garden.  What can I say - it was a very heady aroma and more roses than you can possibly imagine.  Seriously. 

And the Japanese Gardens - which was also lovely.   In particular - they had coi fish that actually looked like all those picture you see.  I’ve never seen them looking either so bright nor with such variation in color.  Okay, yes, I’ve seen carp - orange ones, spotted white and orange ones - and they look like giant gold fish (which is by the way, what they are.)  But these guys were the most beautiful kitten grays and 14k gold that sparkled in the sun.  They truly were beautiful. (Surly too, the designer incorporated Mt Saint Helen to be like Mt Fuji, which was also striking.)

We also visited a grotto - which also was very nice.  A large stone cave with stone alter inside.  I’m not sure why we have always gravitated to such places on these journeys,  or what it’s trying to say, but we seem to and they’ve all been pretty interesting.  (As an aside, I was concerned on the list in the gift shop - there is no patron saint of libraries or librarians.  There was everything else, including lithographers, but not librarians.)

And we have seen multiple views of Mt Saint Helen’s.  No smoke - which is good.  But still strange to see a white capped Mt in the distance.  Strange still to know that it has to be a good 100 miles away and yet you can still see it.

The next two days we are going to be in the Tacoma - Seattle area.  Hotel is already booked (and it wasn’t an easy task).  We are going to do selective touristy things - as I think I speak for both of us when I say we pretty much don’t want to be in urban-ness, though there are things that are must sees.

My name is Eugene

Does anyone besides me remember that skit from SNL?   That Eugene was from NJ, but he might fit in here.  Yes, we are in Eugene, OR.  It’s biggest claim to fame seems to be the university, that did look pretty nice as we drove through.  Downtown is okay too, a reasonable small city, but it is divided by a river and has some serious lack of bridges. 

Hard to imagine that our day started in CA.  As predicted, we left the motel pretty early with a strong desire to find a decent place in the evening.  (We did, we are actually in one of the last available rooms at a Comfort Inn - a handicapped room, so it’s big - even bigger than the giant trees and that’s saying something.)

So, when we happily left Crescent City this am, it was to take state hwy 199 to cut up CA and meet the interest.,  Hwy 199 is like 4 different  roads in one.,  We started, it was giant redwood forest.  Like traveling through the forest primeval.  I know I keep saying it, but really, these trees have to be seen to be believed.  Giant does not begin to express.  We stopped at a trail, parking at the point the road turned to gravel and there were some of the biggest trees we’ve seen yet.  M. climbed onto just the roots of one and seemed dwarf like.  Not in height - though certainly that too, but in girt.  Forget enough width to drive a car thru - I think two cars might have been able to fit.  There was stump that was 2 times the size of the bathroom last night (which did I mention was painted tangerine orange?)  

Seriously, I lay down on the stump - and I couldn’t reach the edges in any direction.  It was stunning.  There was also a burnt center tree - though the  outside was still a good 5 inches thick and was growing new tree - that I one I could stand in and not touch the walls.  The size is …amazing.

The road as you progressed left the forest and entered the mountains.  Another narrow road bringing new meaning to the term snakes around.  On one side - the earth went straight up, on the other, straight down to a rocky river.  It was beautiful, particularly when the road widen a bit and there were guard rails.  Thankfully in those sections that were just about two car widths, there were railings.  Then the road would open out in the valley and become almost a highway with multiple lanes.  It went past small towns,  touristy towns, lots of chain saw art lots of mountain views.  We know mt are not my thing, but this was impressive and very beautiful.

The mt here, much like the ocean seem much bigger and pointer.  Oddly, this is less negative to me than the mt’s back East.  Still, don’t get me wrong, I prefer the ocean and I prefer the East.

Along this route we stopped at the Smoke jumpers museum.  It’s a small place, trying to get by.  It used to be a base, but the base closed in the 80’s,  They spent a lot of time fighting with local politics to get the base back as a museum and it’s only been such for a few years.,  It was being manned today by an elderly gentlemen who used to jump there.  He gave us a full tour.

While on the one hand, it was probably more than I needed to know, he was also very charming and it all was far more interesting than one might think.  The process of jumping into a fire area, then having gear and food dropped to you.  THEN after the fire out, having to take all the stuff and hike out of the forest… pretty impressive. 

Exciting for me was getting to see a parachute - I never realized how long they were nor how many ropes are involved - fascinating is how they are packed so the ropes don’t tangle.  I also learned that whole concept of smoke jumpers started when Japan sent balloon bombs to the US.  The idea was to catch the forests on fire.  But they sent them in April - rainy season and the plan was figured out, and stopped and therefore unsuccessful.  Had they sent them in July it would have worked.  There was a whole unit of Black soldiers, the 555 who were trained to jump and disarm the bombs.  It was pretty cool.

Leaving the museum we saw giant pinecones!  They’re the size of cantaloupes.

We next stopped at a location that billed itself as a Burl Gallery.  (this is the kind of art made from burls of trees - the gnarly like warts?  Lots of  Gandalf looking faces - not very exciting, but the guy who lived and ran the place was wearing a utility kilt.  Now, a regular kilt would be unique, but I’d never before seen a utility kilt - one with multiple pockets and places to strap things.  Interesting.

Joining the interstate with headed further north - seeing the edge of the Cascades.  Very different mountains.  So many pine trees, even though they are much smaller than the giants, they are still big.

We detoured to see Noah’s Ark - it was billed as an animatronics display and restaurant.   The building is made to look like an ark and there are pairs of cut out plywood animals surrounding it.  Unfortunately, it was closed.  Though as we were figuring this out - and bright blue Mazda zoomed in.  The woman driving had  a mop of blonde curls, a bright blue sparkling dress with gauzy scarves wafting off it and, my fav, a large floppy leopard print hat.  She told us she was closed b/c  the hotel across the street was open (a grand opening, I think?) and she had to do the food.  She’d be open again later.  We didn’t wait.

Getting to Eugene we got the lodging set and headed to see the Cascade Raptor Center.  A private/non profit raptor rehabilitation center.  There were about two dozen birds - hawks, owls, 2 bald eagles, plus.  All very nice, gorgeous birds - all with some kind of heartbreaking story as to why they couldn’t go back to the wild.  But they had a very nice home and that was good.

No strange food today and no other excitement.  We’re pretty tired.  Tomorrow we expect to be in Portland.

P.S.  I forgot to mention - we are just leaving Bigfoot country.  Driving 199 - I could see Bigfoot living in the neighborhood, but I did not see him.

California

We are in CA.  I can’t explain why that excite me so much.  When we drove down this morning, it was pretty foggy.  A strange experience here.  The foggy is …heavy.  Not thick, exactly.  But it appears like smoke more than fog.  And the clouds hang in the air and waft places.  It was thick enough that down the mountainside where there was the nice drop with no guard rail to the beach and ocean - I couldn’t see it.  This was a good thing.  (On the way back we could see more and nit was beautiful, especially from the other side of the road.

We were on our way to the giant redwoods.  Initially we had some concern about the fog, but it came and went within miles.  Eventually we stopped at a Park center and the nice young man (from Michigan) explained that with fog an the pictures are great - no fog and you see everything - it’s all good.  He was right.

Our first stop was actually a touristy place - The Mystery of the Trees (hear the echo?)  Aside from it having a Paul Bunyan theme (I really didn’t think Paul was from around here) it was pretty cool.  The building size statue of Paul outside had a broadcasting system in which someone could see and hear what was happening, so it was like the giant Paul was present.  I know it’s silly, but I love those things.  But it was very cool, not simply because it was our first glimpses of the giant trees, but what makes the place is the “sky trial”.  The sky trail is a gondola that works it’s way up the side of a mountain, to the tree tops.  The tree tops fo 300 feet tall trees.

I admit, I clutched and whimpered and a little tearfully made it on the ride with minimal amount of eyes closed, but a lot of deep breathing.  It was worth it though.  They say it’s a bird’s eye view - and it was.  The way down was better, but we think that was because I’m short enough to as not actually have had the same kind of view.  Still, it along with the walk in the woods by giant trees was well worth it.

We then entered took a scenic route through the park and the old growth.  Giant is a word that just doesn’t do things justice.  Like the badlands, its something I think one has to see to grasp.  The trees are… how to describe their size?  Our pine trees compared to here are like cats compared to elephants.  The trunks of some of these trees are bigger than my car.  And the height, there were trees I couldn’t see the top of.  And when I could it was dizzying.  You take a picture and it’s like, taking a picture of a wall of bark.

It’s amazing.  We drove around them.  Stopped and walked on some trails. (I’ve iced my ankle already and my hips are screaming, but it was worth it.)  We also visited Elk Meadow - and though I didn’t believe there would be any, elk were there!  About 4 or 5 of them.    Sea lions yesterday, elk to day.  I’m not sure when I started to become a nature girl, but I was pretty excited about it.

We also stopped for lunch/ snack at a road side smoke house.  We ate smoked salmon in the car by the trees, but my fav was salmon candy.  Nope, not kidding.  Salmon marinaded in brown sugar, then rubbed with brown sugar and then smoked to be jerky.  It would be worth the diabetic coma.

Now we are back at the motel, not quite as bad as the Rainbow Inn in Nebraska, but… pretty close.  It does not come recommended.  In fact, nothing here in Crescent City - out side of the Park info center comes recommended.  It’s a pretty sad place.  Though I did see the Library.  It too is pretty small and side.  But the bed is clean - that’s all I care about at the moment as our walks have tired me out.

I’m sure I’m forgetting something.  Every afternoon I remember what I forgot to write the night before and as I sit to write at night, I’ve forgotten again.

Tomorrow is a driving day and we’ll be heading back north, though reluctantly.  We’re not sure about the cities.  But we, or at least I, would like to at least see them.  Still, they might be quick passages.  We’ll see.  We expect to be in Eugene tomorrow.

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Oh and it's COLD here.  I had to buy a sweatshirt this morning and I actually wore it for a long while.  M.'s been wearing a jacket all day.  We're told that it's this temperature all year round -not ever really varying.  That would be nice, but so far that's the strongest temptation.

More ocean

Today was a driving day.  Like the bear, we trav3eled over mts and saw ocean, Traveled over mt and saw ocean, And with each region, the ocean changed.  It  never became my ocean, although it’s a little closer, but still,..

So today started with a nice conversation with a stranger at breakfast.,  (He started it,.)  He was visiting for a reunion of his old navy ship,  Knew exactly where Middletown was b/c he’d been stationed in New London.,   M. thinks he liked us b/c I said it was a very different ocean here,  I recognize this is a theme, but really, words when I’m tired and posting this do not do justice to just how different it feels.,  Anyway, perhaps because of my ocean comment, he told us of having his appendix out on ship, in a storm off Cape Hattis,  Sounded terrifying but he was quite calm about it.  Of course, it was also probably 40 years or more ago,  Still, always interesting to have random conversations with strangers.

Our first stop this morning was the OR Coastal Aquarium.  It is a very nice aquarium,.  I got to name the sea creatures we saw in the tidal pool yesterday, and more exciting touch them.  They’re sticky and surprisingly very, very soft,  All the underwater creatures that live in the tide pool  - one looked like an orange spiky cucumber - they were all soft,  And yes, I did touch them all.  We also saw the largest octopus,  He was .., not pretty still, I renewed my vow not to eat them.  (Other things, not being known to be as smart do not get the same courtesy).  There were also otters - my personal favorite.

Out side the aquarium was the pirate mall.  We did not go into the stores, as I’m pretty sure they were filled with a 101 plastic sharks, but the façade of the two short streets were awesome.  Dragons, and castles, pirate ships and underwater scenes, lots of color and gnomes and pirates.  The only thing missing was animatronics.

|After this we headed south.,  I’m really not sure how to describe the landscape here,   The road  goes over hill and dale  through valley farmland,  Then you’re climbing a mountain,  A serious mountain with some occasional need for guardrails that no one seems too concerned are not present,  Then you round a corner and you’re looking out over the tops of trees for miles of beach and ocean,  Miles - out and miles down. 

Then the road travels this switch back along the side of the mountain and it goes straight up on one side and down to water on the other,   Northern OR, there was long stretches of beach, all clean and sandy.  The water rushing in and the waves breaking way far out.  The distance between say parking and surf was like forever,  The sand went on and on,  Then the 3 inches of water that runs back to the sea went on and on and on, so that to actually get to where the waves broke was forever and flat.  As a result, the  backwash was almost non existent,  There were occasional “haystacks” of rock sticking up, mostly by the shore.,

But central  OR, was a little less distance between regular land and beach, but a lot more rocky and a lot more straight down cliffs.  The rocks though - are not like Maine’s rocky coast,   Some of these rocks sticking out of the ocean are mountains in and of themselves.,

But then, Southern OR is more like what I think of as CA - which makes sense, we’re only  40 miles from the border.  But here the water is closer to things, the beach narrower, the sand more rocks.,  While Central OR had clear  with occasional sand dollar or rock, Southern OR has no shell, the sand is courser and dark, and the beach is filled, FILLED with rocks and driftwood,  I’ve seen  more driftwood in a yard of beach than in my entire life up north,  The water - is still COLD.

In fact, all of today was COLD and windy.  I was wishing I had a coat!

We did stop on the side of a mountain at the Sea Lion Caves.  This spot was a place you could for a fee - of course,  trav3el down an elevator to see the sea lion caves and a look out point,  We did,  (The cave was warmer than the outside.)  There wasn’t really anyone home in the cave, but the look out we saw dozens of sea lions and seals,  We saw some others too at a regular old look out point.  Very cool.

We drove through lots of little towns - that had artsy gift shops, a couple hotels and a diner or two. A fair amount of chain saw art.  Tonight we  are stopped at Gold’s Beach.  We hit it lucky and had another good meal.  (I didn’t know that cod could be cooked to be light and airy.  \M. suggested maybe it’s not the same kind of cod,  Maybe.  It beat lunch at any rate - we stopped at an A&W that still did car hop service.  How can you resist a beach town A&W with car service?  Reminded us of our youth.

Though, I had forgotten to mention - for the past few days we have been traveling in and out of Tsunami Zones.  The signage shows a giant wave chasing a person.  It is disconcerting - especially the signs that tell you what to look for and if the ground shakes move to high land immediately.  But more so, when we checked into the hotel tonight, the nice young man at the desk told us that the town’s vol fire co has an old 1930’s war alarm.  So if we here 3 sirens, not to worry about it,  But if it goes on more than 3 times, then it’s a tsunami warning and take it seriously.  M, asked when the last time they had one was - I’m sure b/c I’ve been fussy about this for days,  (Since Japan, tsunamis are one of my stress dreams.)  The kid said 2011 - Japan.  It didn’t make me feel better.,

Tomorrow we’ll e in CA and are planning to see really big tress.

Not your mama's ocean either

On the things we did scale, today was a pretty dull day.  But on the sights seen, it's been pretty impressive.  We started the day on Cannon Beach with a walk out to the giant haystack rock.  It was a pretty long walk, talking us about an hour to walk there and back, my hips complained, and I didn't care.

The ocean here is huge.  One can walk forever to get to water.  Then the water is a few inches, and you can wade in that other 400 yards.  The breaks are yet another few hundred yards further out still.  The beach goes on forever.  The horizon between distance and haze is also forever.  One has the sense that it is all just mind blowing vast.  But with all this, the sand is hard and far more easily walked upon.  The water too, b/c it's not exactly surf, makes amazing patterns and forms deep tidal pools in the middle of the beach.

Despite the water being cold enough that they post hypothermia warnings, we did semi wade again.  There were snails traveling in the pools that I had to see, and tiny sea monkey shrimp swimming around like tadpoles.  By the big rocks there were sea anemone or coral like things.  And Puffins!  We saw them flying about.

It was late morning before we hit the road. Traveling today down to Newport, we stopped at a lot of scenic vistas.  What can I say, it really does look like it does in  media.  Rock cliffs sheered down to ocean.  Small twisty roads that go straight up on one side and peek out to show massive miles of hard sand and surf with large haystack rocks sticking out of beach and shore.

We did make a couple of stops though.  The Tillamook Cheese factory.  Some of you may remember the Turkey Hill Experience from the around the block blog.  That was better, but same in principle.  A window looking down at the packing of cheese, ice cream for sale...  generally not that existing.  And if you think about what you see too much, you'd never eat prepackaged food, in this case cheese.  But not far down the road from this was the Latimire Textile Center. 

This was a very cool, but tiny place.  Located on a side road, among houses, and a pen with horse, goats and a lama out front the building used to be  a school house.  It was more or less three rooms.,  One in which children were having an art class, learning to sew.  A second room was filled with looms, in which they held weaving classes and a third had a small but incredible quilt display,  It was of quilts that look as good or better from the back than the front,  The work was incredible.  And the concept of a place that teaches textile skills as well as displays was very cool.

The area also has a quilt barn project, but here not just the farms participate.  Local businesses do too.  Very odd to see the quilt square on the side of the Taco Time building, but I'm glad to see the involvement and the support of 'textile arts.'

We also stopped to check out the bay in which they shot One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest.  Weirdly, it seemed vaguely familiar.  I think this might have been my imagination, still it was gorgeous.

Tonight, we even had a meal in which they claimed the pasta would have crab on it...and it did!  For us who come from the land where people say crab and what they mean is that horrid imitation stuff and not much of it at that, you will understand the surprise and pleasure at actually having real crab and it being plentiful.

day 1 supplemental:

Usually I'm not so tired until the end of the trip that i'm forgetting things, but....  So while you read this...well, I don't really understand why you read this, so, I write this so I can remember things in the future.  To that end:

- As we were leaving Seattle, and in a fairly nice enough area not far from the airport, right out side a BK was a sign.  It said hitchhiking was prohibited via statue whatever to prevent prostitution.  This seems very reasonable, but I've never seen a street sign discussing this.  Further, I've never seen an area that I would be fine walking through discussing a prostitution problem.  I'll be curious to see if this sign pops up in other areas of Seattle.

- Raymond, yet another no horse small town, but this one has streets lined with metal cut outs.  People to pigs, beavers to squirrels, dozens upon dozens.  We did a few laps to have the photo ops.

-  We have politely answered the where are you from question.  CT...and I wait for a response.  None has come.  I might have said, Portland.  The most response has been, "Then I guess you've not been here before."

This is not my ocean

Greetings now from OR, the NH of the west.  As I wrote earlier, we started in Seattle bright and early, heading out of town immediately on the interstate.  This was good since it appears that everyone else was heading into town on the opposite side of the highway.  Our 4 lanes were pretty open.

Shortly after Tacoma we turned west and headed toward the end of land.  First passing super size metal bull sculptures in a field of cows, real cows, though.  Maybe the bulls were supposed to keep the girls inline? It was a nice sunny day, but in the distance we could see mountains with a cloud sitting on it.  So it wasn't a surprise when we entered into the mt and the world became overcast.  I thought it would go when we got through the other side...it didn't.

Our first real destination was Aberdeen, home of Curt Cobain.  We did tour the one horse town, though we never found the memorial park with the cement g'tar.  It's okay.  He looks a lot like where he came from.  Which is to say if a town could wear work boots and flannel, be a heavy smoker, and a bit depressed - well, that's Aberdeen.  I'm pretty sure any kid not stoned there has the bus schedule memorized.

We decided to keep going along the more scenic and rural coastal route.  A 50 mile detour, but one that promised ocean.  Soon we arrived in Westport, WA and we got our first view of the Pacific.  It was anti-climatic.  The small beach town (perhaps it had a fifth of a horse?) ended at a rocky wall at the ocean.  Though there were four notable things here:  1. a tower for tourist to climb so they could see over the rocks at the ocean.  I did.  It was not exiting, but did prompt me to think about is an ocean, an ocean, an ocean?  2.  There were these birds that at first we thought were pelicans, but upon further view were not.,  They are more like pelican's skinny, western cousins.  3.  Was the coffee shop - in which, of course I got tea - to go.,  Out of the over 100 choices (I thought we were in coffee country?)  I chose the Hawaiian - a tropical fruity blend, that they insisted on taking 7 minutes (no more no less) to brew.  In  a pot,  Before putting it into a to go cup... coffee country?

 But last, but not least is they had a cat house at the rocks!  A roofed, wooden structure a few feet off the ground, with bedding and food.  Local people donate their time and food and the house is there for wayward homeless cats.  About 6 of there were there when we visited.  It warms my heart.

 So we moved on...to more trees and water.  Tall trees.  Very tall trees. And a real beach, in which I went in ankle deep into the Pacific.  It was cold.   Very, very cold.  The outside temp being about 60 did not help the water feel any warmer.  Perhaps not surprisingly there was also almost no one around.  It was like back home in Nov or Dec.  But it was different.  The beach is long, very long and flat.  The waves rougher, but more like they reach then they pull.

This beach had multiple sand dollars which we tried to collect.  It was good, but not really my ocean.  Still, not so foreign... yet.  Though there were these interesting plants.  They looked almost like a young pine, but they clearly had bean pods.  We'll have to do some research on this.  After much time there, I was cold enough to move on.  And we drove though a few more sad little towns.

Eventually we made it to Long Beach.  We didn't stop for the beach, but for the Kite Museum.  Our expectations were surpassed.  Though small, they had examples of kites from all over the world - Bali, Japan, China, Thailand.... very cool. We tried with instructions to make a paper crane.  It didn't work, but it was interesting.  Then, I was sucked in by a sign for Marsha's Free museum that promised oddities. I did walk in, but didn't stay.  Been there, done that - it was another one of those places that charges you a quarter to see the giant monkey, then hands you a mirror.  101 plastic animals and  faux stained glass window hangings.  We left and got a quick bite to eat.

Moving on, we proceeded into Astoria, OR across the wicked cool bridge,  Okay, I'd read about the bridge and that it was an attraction and I doubted, but really?  The bridge is the best thing in town.  It's got to be a couple of miles long and includes low straight flat portions and roller coaster hump.

 Otherwise, Astoria is yet another tired small town that appears to be struggling.

One of Astoria's great claims to fame is the filming of the Goonies.,    Despite my great nerdiness, I didn't really like the Goonies.  Not as much as I didn't like Gremlins, but still.  Astoria is also the home of the Oregon Movie museum.  A site I couldn't resist.  Sorry folks, it really isn't worth it. The museum is housed in what used to be the local jail.  The jail used to film the first scene in Goonies.,  Personally, it was more interesting to me to see a tiny, and I do mean tiny local jail.  The Goonies memorabilia did not compare with the empty 4 x 5 cell (of which they had 3) which held 4 people when in use.  Also interesting was the article on the wall from 2008, updated 2010 about the increased use of drugs in the area causing local statues to be stolen for the sale of the metal.

The museum did have three popular movie scenes set up with green screens that one could "reenact" famous scenes and have them emailed to themselves.,  Sorry kids, we did not engage.  The place was packed and well, just not worth it.  Like I said, not a Goonies fan, strike one, tired and running out of steam strike two and the jail was more interesting as a jail - strike three.

Astoria actually has had more interesting films made here - if you ask me - such as Free Willy, Kindergarten Cop and what no one will remember, Short Circuit.  But none of these were represented in the Museum.  OR though apparently has had a lot of films shot here.  I'm sure more to come....

More interesting, there was a HUGE tree outside and across the street though.  The biggest I've ever seen - to date.,  The trunk had to be at least 6 feet in diameter.  It was wider than our first apartment.  And around the corner they had on display a piece of a 600 year old Douglas Fir,.  It was the size of a military jeep.

Having driven a fair amount and spend much time on the beach, we then headed to find out prearranged room from which I write.,  It is located on Cannon Beach.  Cannon Beach might be one of those famous places filmed.  It is a beach with ginormous rocks in the middle of the surf. 

Like WA, here too the beach is long and flat.  The waves rougher and more continuously breaking all of there place.  It is not my ocean,  My ocean calls to me.  I feel a part of it.  I feel like it's rolling in to reach for me and wants me to come out into it.  This ocean is throwing itself at the shore, chasing not calling.

This is not my ocean.  I'm glad to visit it.  Like one visits the zoo, but doesn't want to live with those animals.  It is definitely NOT home.  And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I liked Iowa better.

We are currently exhausted, so tomorrow we are planning a slower day.

the magic of the wee hours

We are in Seattle....  it was the longest jouney yet, part of me feels like we walked the entire way.  Normally we leave in the wee hours, this trip we arrived in them.  While we did our usual - carry on only, (and I'm still so impressed that we can do that.  We even it did it without the magic of spaces bags this trip!),  we left mid day.

Leaving mid day did not however mean we weren't up at the crack of dawn, nor that we did not arrive at the airport early.  We did both.  And we waited and waited and got on the first plane.  However, when we arrived in MN expecting a two hour delay, we got a 4 hour delay.  (Apparently it was plane trouble, nothing to do with east coast weather.)  

We immediately went to one end of the airport where a flight was leaving much sooner.  It, of course, was booked.  Our flight was at the complete opposite end of the airport.  But not really an issue since we had time.  Then the 4 hour delay, turned to five and then six.  Our plane was scheduled then to leave at 10:10 pm, but there was one leaving 9:30.  Of course, it was back on the opposite end of the airport.  We managed to get on the 9:30 pm and I have seen more of the airport then I needed too.

As those who know me can imagine, I was not really....secure? in this arrangement.  But, since we don't do checked bags, it was fine and through the magic of tail wind and time changes, we actually arrived in Seattle at 10:30pm. 

Then we went for the car....  Why didn't anyone (and by this I really mean CK) tell me that SEATAC is a bloody city!  Like Atlanta's airport.  When I say huge, I don't even really mean huge I mean HUGE!

By the time we took the subway to the main airport, then found the bus that took us miles down the road to the car rental terminal it was much later.  When I say bus?  I do not mean those cute little vans that drive around the airport at home. I mean full size city bus size.  (Again, I ask why didn't anyone, yup you CK, I know you've been here and done this,  warn me of this???)

Anyway, the people were very friendly.  We managed to get the car, and because our spidey senses are good, even with no sleep, we found the hotel with minimal direction/map and exploring, thus arriving at the hotel at midnight.  Well, midnight here, which was what?  2:00 am for us?

Now it is 6:30 am, I know... I just couldn't help it.  I was up.  We've eatten and I've now written and we shall head out on the next adventure... being sure to avoid the 520 - now a toll bridge we were warned about that is cardleses and will automatically bill at $15 a trip and the I-90 which will drop from 4 lanes to 1 b/c of road work.    The news this am reported a house fire due to a man trying to kill a spidar with spray paint ...and matches.

Perhaps it is just the lack of sleep, but I'm really not sure about this location....