I will be starting a Master's Program at the University of Iowa in the Fall of 2009. I am planning a six week trip this summer during June and July. I will be traveling through Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, and Wyoming.
Left Glacier on the 9th of July and made the long drive to Gillette, WY. Had a very nice time staying with Mary and Luke and Thelma in Gillette on Thursday. On Friday the 10th, drove to the Battle site of the Battle of Little Big Horn. Watched a film about the battle and listened to a ranger talk, then walked up to Last Stand Hill. It was pretty cool, but I wish I would have had a little more time to walk around the site a little more. Left there and drove to Cody where I met up with Mom and Dad. We started to watch the gun fight in Cody, but left when it started to drag on. Went to the park and listened to a band for a while, then walked around the ... read more
Spent another day in the very nice Glacier Park. Drove to the Saint Mary's Visitor's Center and took the shuttle up to the Logan's Pass Visitor's Center. Walked the trail up to Hidden Lake, which is probably the one you are thinking of, mom. Had to trudge my way through the snow for probably 3/4 of the way, and I did see some mountain goats when I got near the lake overview. Took the shuttle back down to the Saint Mary's Falls trailhead and walked to Saint Mary's Falls and Virginia Falls. Got a little wet from some rain, but not too bad. Took the shuttle back to the Saint Mary's Visitor's Center and drove back to Two Medicine Lake. Walked on a trail there to Paradise Point and Aster Falls. Headed back to the hostel ... read more
Drove in to East Glacier from Spokane today. Drove in on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, which was spectacular. Lakes, trees, mountains, islands, waterfalls, the weeping rock. Forgot that I lost an hour, so I didn't have a lot of time to explore today. The hostel is near the Two Medicine Lakes area, and I was able to walk a couple of trails around there to a couple of waterfalls. Planning on driving my car up to the shuttle area for the Going-to-the-Sun Road tomorrow to walk some more trails.... read more
Left Port Townsend in the morning and swept around the west side of the Olympic Peninsula. Stopped at the Hoh Rain Forest. Walked both of the trails there, and kept going around the peninsula. Stopped at one of the Olympic National Park beach areas for a little stroll on the beach. Kept circling around the peninsula until traffic slowed to a near standstill where the peninsula connects with the mainland. Everyone was coming back home from the area after the 4th of July weekend, and it took me 45 minutes to go 2.5 miles. After I got passed the jam, I continued driving east and stopped in Yakima, WA. I left Yakima today and stopped in Spokane, WA for the night. On to Glacier National Park tomorrow.... read more
Drove down the rode to Olympic National Park in the morning. Started off on Hurricane Ridge. Very nice views of the mountain range and wild mountain flowers all over the place. Walked a trail there and headed down the road to Sol duc Springs. Walked a trail there to a really cool waterfall. Headed back towards Port Townsend after that, but stopped to walk a trail to the Marymere Falls. After that I head back to Port Townsend. I got back around 7:30 and grabbed a book and headed down to the beach to wait for the fireworks to start. Nice place to see the 4th of July fireworks. They set them off from a barge in the harbor, and the fireworks went off right over the water.... read more
Didn't have internet access there for a couple of days, so I'm going to try to remember everything and get these caught up. Left Seattle on the 3rd. Took the ferry over to Whidbey Island and stopped in Langley. Panicked a little when they told me at the chamber of commerce that the earliest I could get a reservation on the ferry over to Port Townsend was 11:00 pm. Walked around in Langley a little bit and got something to eat. Decided to just make my way up to the ferry terminal to Port Townsend. Got on standby on the 4:30 ferry. Didn't really get to see all that much of Whidbey Island which is too bad, but Port Townsend was very nice anyways. The hostel was in the state park which was right along the ... read more
Another great day in Seattle. Did a lot of the same stuff as yestarday, but still great. I really like this city. Went down to Pike Place Market in the morning and got a muffin and some coffee. Walked around some of the shops again. That palce is so big and mazelike, I bet you could walk around in it for years and then all of a sudden discover someplace you never knew was there. Walked down to Pioneer Square and had lunch at the Elliot Bay Cafe below the Elliot Bay Bookstore. Didn't know this before today, but it is the place that Frazier and Niles used to go to in Frazier. Walked a few blocks to the Klondike Goldrush Museum and looked around in there for a while and watched a film. Walked back ... read more
Had a really nice day in Seattle. Walked to the Pike Place Market, which must be the biggest Farmer's Market in the world (with shops, clothing, and arts and crafts too). Really cool. Saw the Original Starbucks down there and found the Martin Family Orchards stall. Walked down to the Waterfront and walked along the Piers for awhile. Found the sculpture park at the end of the piers. Walked up to the Seattle Center area and saw the Sapce Needle. Decided not to pay the $20 to ride to the top. Took the monorail back to the hotel to take a shower. Walked back down to the Pike Place Market and found Matt's in the Market and had a really good catfish sandwich for lunch. Made from fresh ingredients found in the Market. Walked down to ... read more
Made it into Seattle earlier this evening. Stopped by Mt. St. Helen's on the way. Stopped at the first Visitor's Center a few miles off I-5 and watched a movie about what happened in May of 1980 and checked out the displays which included newspaper articles documenting what was going on. Headed up the road a little ways to another visitor's center and observation deck. Watched another film, and when it was over, they lifted the backdrop and Mt. St. Helen's was right out the window. Read the displays that detailed accounts of people who struggled to survive while they were in the area of the erruption. Also saw a ranger presentation on the observation deck which was really good. Drove on up I-5 to Seattle after I was done at Mt. St. Helen's. Had to ... read more
Had a relaxing day today. Slept in, got my oil changed, and headed South about 7 miles to Cannon Beach. Grabbed lunch and walked around the shops for a bit. Headed to the beach and read a book for about three hours. Doing laundry now and will be getting dinner sometime soon. Tomorrow, I'm on to Mt. St. Helen's and Seattle.... read more
