We toured the west side of the Olympic Mountains from LaPush, WA, Lonesome Creek Campground , located right on the ocean. The beach was strewn with great logs gathered there over time, and protected by the Quileute Indian Tribe who own the property. It was impressive. We hiked to the beach from several trail heads and took the bike to the Hoh Rain Forrest. There we saw gorgeous vegetation, the ground covered with ferns, and huge trees hung with moss including Sitka spruce, red cedar and western hemlock. We learned about the "nurse log" where new trees take hold when the [View Full Entry]

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Today we took the perfect hike (suggested by one of the long-time employees at Alta Crystal), through a variety of terrains (forest, meadow, tundra, barren rock) in perfect weather, with perfect views of Mt. Rainier and the incredible Emmons glacier on the east side of the mountain. So much gorgeousness, it’s hard to describe! The only downsides were a very narrow section of the trail with a sheer drop-off and shale like rock surface—Dave’s height issues kicked in; heck, even I had a few “issues”! And then we passed through so many meadow areas of dried out, de [View Full Entry]

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July 20th Mt. Rainier National Park,Washington We got up from "boondocking" at Walmart and made our way to Mt. Rainier National Park. We spent about $40 at Walmart before we left so it wasn't really free camping for us! It took us longer than we anticiapted to get to Mt. Rainier than we thought which is becoming commonplace for us. They don't have a lot of road options in the west we've learned. What looks like a close trip on the map really isn't! We finally made it to Mt. Rainier. Believe it or not we had to sit at a [View Full Entry]

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<<...Continued There were few faces along the river. Many were leftover weekend-goers from the 4th of July festivities. Others were people, families and wayward souls living off the grid. They were stationed in the forest with their old dusty RVs, outdoor picnic benches setup as an all-in-one kitchen, dining room and den, and 4H petting zoos. One group tethered two goats where food scraps were tossed beside a carriage of horses that slashed their black wispy tails [View Full Entry]

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I stood out in the Seattle streets. A summer day, one shrouded by clouds, cold gray ugly clouds spitting a crisp wind. I checked the time. 8:03 in the morning. Where was he? Why didn’t I wear more layers? Cursed weather! With this thought, I shivered at possible outcomes ahead if, and only if, the weather turned its brutality upon me. I was wearing pants, socks, two top layers and a beanie. But still cold prevailed as I watched the early morning city rumble and tumble. Grizzly trucks motored passed. Buses spewed passengers, fares and resources within poisonous ex [View Full Entry]

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Sometimes the best scenery is in your own backyard... I'm scheduled to depart for Australia and New Zealand on the 1st of October. My pit stop back in Seattle has been good... I had my annual MRI (clear and normal!) and got to experience one of the most beautiful hikes in the world... The Wonderland Trail around Mt. Rainier, which is only a 2-hour drive from my house. My hiking companion was my best bud, Dave, who had been planning to hike the Wonderland Trail for many years. He is an experienced outdoorsman who knows all the backcountry survival skills that [View Full Entry]

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AMERICAN AIRLINES LANDED US ON THE WEST COAST. WE THEN HEADED TO OUR FAVOURITE RENTAL CAR COMPANY, DID THE DEEDS AND THEN BEGAN TO MOTOR SOUTH EAST TO BAKERSFIELD, TO OUR DEAR REVY AND THE CHEVY. THIS LITTLE TRIP, WE GOT QUITE BRAVE AND DID MINUS OUR LITTLE BARB (GPS) AS WE FELT WE NOW KNOW THIS SIDE FROM LAST YEARS TRIPPING AROUND AND IT WAS TUCKED IN THE RV WAITING FOR US. ARRIVED IN BAKERSFIELD AND HEADED STRAIGHT TO THE STORAGE TO SEE HOW OUR USA HOME AND TRUCK HAD SURVIVED 7 MONTHS IN THE CALIFORNIAN SUN. ALL LOOKED PRETTY [View Full Entry]

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We crossed over the Idaho border and headed straight for Mt. Rainier. I have heard so much about this mountain and the northwest weather, so we prepared for the worst. Well, not exactly! We were planning on getting in a couple of hikes and then camping, but the rain and fog were so thick that it was almost impossible to see on the twisting and winding roads on the mountain. We did get a few hikes in, but with the weather being as wet as the great northwest can be, we decided to check in to a bread and breakfast instead. [View Full Entry]

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It's been nearly one year to the day since we arrived in the Seattle area and we still hadn't made the time to go visit the mountain. The mountain I look at nearly every day, the mountain that symbolizes the northwest, the same mountain I used to reminisce about when I was away....yes, that mountain. At 14,410ft Mount Rainier dominates the Seattle sky-scape and when the weather is clear and the haze is low it appears suddenly on the horizon, so close you feel as though you can almost touch it. Still it has eluded out grasp, just beyond our reach, [View Full Entry]

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Over the last few years, I have become increasingly more interested in traveling to places of natural beauty. As much as I love visiting cities and seeing incredible architecture, experiencing new cultures, and enjoying the wide range of eating options, there is something about the beauty of nature that pulls at my heartstrings in ways I cannot describe. Maybe it's the fresh mountain air, the vivid colors found only in the great outdoors, or the awe-inspiring views that force me to ponder the meaning of life. All I know is that some of my most enjoyable and memorable experiences have occurred [View Full Entry]

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