tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40510239173012616762024-03-04T21:37:06.863-08:00OnTheMove-Road TripsSeattleDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885122380991510212noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051023917301261676.post-48191382790382619842013-06-22T22:10:00.000-07:002013-06-22T22:12:50.330-07:00Travel and Ferry Schedules <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sigh! we <i>just</i> missed the ferry home, arriving mere minutes too late to board for the 5:30 crossing, even though the boat was still idling at the Bainbridge Island dock. Did we dawdle too long departing the shipyard? Was it that brief, unplanned detour to purchase a Dairy Queen treat? Should we blame it on the heavy Friday evening traffic? No big deal, the next scheduled run would depart in an hour and we were plenty early to catch that one! There was an upside to just missing the boat... we were at the head of the line for the next crossing and had a superb view of the Seattle skyline during the 8.6 mile crossing from Bainbridge Island to downtown Seattle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can't imagine living far away from big expanses of water for any length of time... not cheerfully anyway.</span>SeattleDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885122380991510212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051023917301261676.post-59628598577634265322013-05-26T23:01:00.002-07:002013-05-26T23:01:44.702-07:00Quilcene and Oysters<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We took a spur of the moment detour recently to visit Quilcene, a small Hood Canal town on the Olympic Peninsula. Quilcene is famous for its oysters, or at least it used to be. Coast Seafoods appeared to be the only company still active in Quilcene Bay, growing spat for commercial resale rather than fresh bags of oysters for retail customers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't often think about oysters, never buy them at the market, and rarely order them at downtown pubs or restaurants. But there's something about being near northwest oyster beds that develops full-blown oyster cravings. Freshly harvested oysters served on the half shell are awesome, briny treats. Barbecued oysters hot from the grill are delicious beyond description, with or without sauces. What do I order when we're in oyster territory... you guessed it, oysters of course.</span><br />
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There are four different species of oysters grown in the Pacific Northwest; Olympia (the only NW native), Pacific, European Flat and Kumamoto. Fresh oysters are tagged by both growing location and species name so buyers and diners can know which variety they have purchased and where their shellfish were grown and harvested. I need to remember this fact in the future. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Still optimistic about finding some fresh, local oysters for a late lunch, we joined the pickups and boat trailers outside the Twana Roadhouse and headed inside to check out the menu. The place was packed with a happy crowd of all ages, decked out in jeans, fleece, sweatshirts and rubber boots. Shrimp season had opened that day and judging by the noise and the smiles, the catch must have been good. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We were really hungry and our baskets of oysters and fries were okay, but this was not the special lunch I had anticipated. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sigh, the oysters were <i>not</i> local, pre-breaded and supplied by a large restaurant supplier and the tangy coleslaw was also a commercial product, not house made.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I should plan ahead next time, or at least ask a few questions before ordering.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Has commercial oystering disappeared elsewhere in Washington State, or is the change in Quilcene Bay an unusual occurrence? British Columbia appears to have a thriving industry, or perhaps we have been lucky and cruised by some of the expanding locales (<a href="http://otm-cruisenews.blogspot.com/2010/09/desolation-sound.html" target="_blank"><b>link</b></a>). More research is definitely required. </span><br />
SeattleDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885122380991510212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051023917301261676.post-1918561745054559022013-04-14T17:47:00.001-07:002013-04-14T17:47:14.573-07:00The Other Angeles<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Use the term<i> Angelenos</i> and most people think of residents of Los Angeles, the City of the Angels. Well, West Coasters, there's another set of <i>Angelenos</i> farther north up the same coast in the Port of the Angels. <br /><br />The southerly (California) city, El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora de los Angeles, "The Town of Our Lady of Angels" </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> was officially named in 1781. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(history <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Los_Angeles" target="_blank">link</a>) LA's San Pedro waterfront is one of the busiest in the nation (<a href="http://www.eekarchitects.com/portfolio/1-waterfronts/70-san-pedro-waterfront" target="_blank">link</a>), but I think of it more in terms of tourism and sandy beaches than as a working, commercial entity. <br /><br />Spanish explorers sailed into the northern (Washington State) harbor in 1791 and named it Puerto de Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles, "Port of Our Lady of Angels," though it wasn't until 1862 that President Abraham Lincoln designated Port Angeles a federal city. (history <a href="http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&File_Id=8210" target="_blank"><b>link</b></a>) Port Angeles' waterfront is considerably less busy than LA's, blending an interesting mix of small town commerce and a variety of maritime-linked activities. </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Centuries of development have altered the waterfront for both sets of Angelenos, but I find a connection with recent history whenever I explore the Port Angeles shore. Fishing and logging have long played a major role in the economy of the region. It's easy to imagine acres of log rafts ringing the harbor, waiting for tug transport to sawmill or for loading on a ship.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This old-timer might have more than a few stories to tell, tales of long hours and large catches. She may look neglected and forgotten, but someone still loves her enough to pay her yard fees. Is she a project in the making, or just a reminder of times past? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lace curtains still hang in the cabin windows, a reminder that fishing was always about people as much as it was about boats and fish. Did this vessel house a family, or did the fisherman's wife provide this touch to remind him of home? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Surprisingly the stern, at the apparent end of its useful life, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: left;">still holds a propeller and rudder...</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...and, not so surprisingly, remnants of the colonies of mussels and barnacles that also hung on this ship.</span></div>
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Dee's Note: this could have easily been posted in Cruise News, but it feels like a road trip when we head to Port Angeles.</div>
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SeattleDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885122380991510212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051023917301261676.post-17147505849599438752011-11-04T09:40:00.000-07:002011-11-04T09:40:18.314-07:00The Snake Ranch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sCATmDbdftI/TrQSUhZVQNI/AAAAAAAACJk/n7x3-iKgwJs/s1600/IMG_0111+v2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="328" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sCATmDbdftI/TrQSUhZVQNI/AAAAAAAACJk/n7x3-iKgwJs/s400/IMG_0111+v2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
No, it's not really a snake ranch, but it looks like it could be snake territory. I think only one rattlesnake has been spotted in all of the years Mom has owned and hiked the property, but we all still call it the Snake Ranch. These ten acres are in the Yucca Valley portion of the <a href="http://www.desertusa.com/du_mojave.html">Mojave Desert</a>, near Twentynine Palms and the <a href="http://www.desertusa.com/jtree/jtmain.html">Joshua Tree National Forest</a>.<br />
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The high desert landscape is appropriately dry, but rugged and beautiful in its own way. Hardy trees and plants thrive in the challenging climate, and nature has decorated the landscape with amazing rock formations, even <a href="http://www.desertusa.com/magdec97/rock/rockpile.html">inselbergs</a>. Inselbergs? what? Okay, I'm showing off with that word, it's a geologist's word for rock pile, from the German word meaning "island mountain".<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>The erosional and weathering processes operating in the current arid conditions of the desert are only partially responsible for the spectacular sculpturing of the rocks. The present landscape is essentially a collection of relic features inherited from earlier times of higher rainfall and lower temperatures.<a href="http://www.desertusa.com/magdec97/rock/rockpile.html" target="_blank">*</a></i></span></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qcz2HOo_ing/TrQSW7RBGgI/AAAAAAAACJ0/H7x_rDO60lo/s1600/IMG_0113+v2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qcz2HOo_ing/TrQSW7RBGgI/AAAAAAAACJ0/H7x_rDO60lo/s400/IMG_0113+v2.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>SeattleDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885122380991510212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051023917301261676.post-54000039729398051092011-10-13T15:57:00.000-07:002011-10-13T15:57:44.853-07:00Hotter than Hell<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While the title might be a slight exaggeration, anything in three digits feels like it <em>must</em> be hotter than hell. Trust me on this one. I left cool, gray, damp Seattle and landed in the blue sky and sunshine of Southern California... so far, so good. Walking out of the Burbank terminal was a shock, like walking into a preheated oven. All that lovely sunshine came with 99 F, and the day was still warming.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've spent months lamenting the cool weather in the Pacific NW, whining that summer never arrived. Spring was damp and overcast and moved right on into Autumn. I wished hard for a warm Indian Summer transition into a sunny Fall. I might have been a bit smug about enjoying our <a href="http://otm-cruisenews.blogspot.com/">2011 Alaskan cruise</a> despite the cool, wet days, and wondered why folks in the east and midwest were carrying on about the heat. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fast forward to mid-October in the L.A. basin, 99 - 105 F yesterday and 101 - 110 F predicted for today. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Note to self: Be careful what you wish for!</span>SeattleDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885122380991510212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051023917301261676.post-10837164450543806832011-04-09T22:30:00.000-07:002013-01-13T13:40:36.311-08:00Riding on the Verde Canyon Railroad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That first step onto a train is a step toward adventure, and who doesn’t love an adventure? The destination may be fixed, but adventure is all about anticipation, the thrill of what happens next? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As a Portland, Oregon teenager, RL had a memorable train trip along the Columbia River. Enroute to Pendleton the fast moving train stopped abruptly, a violent braking, unscheduled kind of stop and definitely <i>not</i> at a station. Curious about the cause, RL and a few companions leapt off and walked forward to discover one engine in the river and a second engine about to tumble in. A landslide had swept the rail bed into the water. That was quite an unexpected adventure on a very short trip!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On my first solo train trip I traveled from home in Chicago to visit my grandparents in Portage, Wisconsin. Entrusted to the care of a watchful conductor (or porter perhaps), I stored a few, brief memories.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> I can recall </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the nervous excitement of traveling alone, carrying a cardboard shoebox tied with string and filled with sandwiches wrapped in waxed paper and a few brownies to snack on. I think I passed the time reading and rereading some comic books and creating fanciful dialogues with my favorite paper dolls.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On another solo trip I traveled to Girl Scout camp near Iron Mountain, Michigan. With few camp memories to recall, and zero memories of the train ride itself, I wonder if there was any adventure involved.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fast forward many decades. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During a trip from Munich, Germany to Salzburg, Austria I stayed tethered to my window, captivated by the scenery rushing by. Small village appeared, one after the other, their church steeples poking skyward through the trees, each steeple a different design. It was restful, bucolic scenery. But my first step off that train, into a flurry of swirling snow, announced that the train ride had ended but the adventure was just beginning. Today, closing my eyes, I can relive the sights and scents of Christmas Markets, my first-time-ever view of the Alps, a heavenly evening of Mozart, my first </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festungsbahn_(Salzburg)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">funicular</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> ascent... All that and more, plus the continuing anticipation of "What next?" </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But that's all history. For the 2011 Verde Canyon Railroad trip we looked forward to a pleasant ride through interesting scenery. It turned out to be much more than we expected! The refurbished first-class seating and large windows of our vintage train car were largely ignored. Once the train began moving we spent most of the time standing in an open-air observation car. Intriguing 360 degree views and the naturalist's on-going narration about Verde Valley <o:p></o:p></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">geology/biology kept us outside with our cameras. We did retreat inside briefly to nibble on some appetizers and an ice cream bar to keep up our strength. Then back to the observation car for more photos and information.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Built around 1911 to connect the copper mines at Jerome with a smelter at Clarkdale, this shortline still hauls some freight and connects Clarkdale with the larger Burlington Northern/Santa Fe line at Drake. We only traveled a portion of its length on this four-hour trip. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Abandoned sites along the route recall Clarkdale's mining history. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The slag heap still looms large as a Clarkdale landmark, a reminder of an active mining era.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mM32t4K35kI/TZ1aa0yCVgI/AAAAAAAABvM/HH9KtoJjN14/s1600/Rusting+Steel+and+Slag+Pile+.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mM32t4K35kI/TZ1aa0yCVgI/AAAAAAAABvM/HH9KtoJjN14/s320/Rusting+Steel+and+Slag+Pile+.JPG" width="225" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Steel trestles carry the train across wide arroyos. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(note the open-air observation car)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The rail bed follows the slow-flowing Verde River for much of the trip.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_XW3wTogKGw/TZ1aYhDPN5I/AAAAAAAABu4/gKghSpbj4y8/s1600/Following+the+Verde+River+.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="185" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_XW3wTogKGw/TZ1aYhDPN5I/AAAAAAAABu4/gKghSpbj4y8/s320/Following+the+Verde+River+.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are few ranches or residences along the route, and much of the land has been declared a wilderness area.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cXxAsNrEcbw/TZ1aZ47iYvI/AAAAAAAABvE/njvFYHDHNZ4/s1600/Perkinsville+Ranch++.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cXxAsNrEcbw/TZ1aZ47iYvI/AAAAAAAABvE/njvFYHDHNZ4/s320/Perkinsville+Ranch++.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Towering red-rock formations line the deep canyon. A 680-foot curving tunnel made for a long moments of total darkness! I was too much "in the moment" to capture it on camera.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBFuQHimQCe4jv-mrE0g8KnPwmsqNOX6xIQePkkyi_2cyS_8waxZIVbFxMyShQ-7vx_Dabz8lYKjHhAAoshk5Su8Twxt-AtQ1iRE499M7aF37mWMrTfHrI1l2ZAM-2qyqI8_D3CpmpUc8/s1600/View+Uphill+in+Verde+Canyon++.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBFuQHimQCe4jv-mrE0g8KnPwmsqNOX6xIQePkkyi_2cyS_8waxZIVbFxMyShQ-7vx_Dabz8lYKjHhAAoshk5Su8Twxt-AtQ1iRE499M7aF37mWMrTfHrI1l2ZAM-2qyqI8_D3CpmpUc8/s320/View+Uphill+in+Verde+Canyon++.JPG" width="221" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Several Sinaguan Indian cave dwellings pepper the cliffs along the route.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cHtpcSYDVCQ/TZ1aZQeDN3I/AAAAAAAABvA/7cCmcHEp_kU/s1600/Natural+Cave+in+Verde+Canyon++.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cHtpcSYDVCQ/TZ1aZQeDN3I/AAAAAAAABvA/7cCmcHEp_kU/s320/Natural+Cave+in+Verde+Canyon++.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The train station at the Perkinsville ghost ranch was abandoned long ago, but the ranch still operates. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yrCfcREFsB0/TZ1aaSFU1-I/AAAAAAAABvI/jOGtZpY5h_U/s1600/Perkinsville+RR+Station+.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="245" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yrCfcREFsB0/TZ1aaSFU1-I/AAAAAAAABvI/jOGtZpY5h_U/s320/Perkinsville+RR+Station+.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The posh interior of our train's caboose hints at the sumptuous comfort of long-ago travel in private cars.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Every train story must end with the caboose, right? The End.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AX47y0DRjU0/TZ1acEZ6dlI/AAAAAAAABvU/1_zUb-06xNE/s1600/The+Caboose+++.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AX47y0DRjU0/TZ1acEZ6dlI/AAAAAAAABvU/1_zUb-06xNE/s320/The+Caboose+++.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">More adventure came the next day when explored a few miles along the far side of the river.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Links you might find interesting:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.sedona-verdevalley.com/clarkdale/ghostsatpackardcabin.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Packard Cabin/Perkinsville history</span></a></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.arizonarails.com/verde_valley_train.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Arizona Rails photos and videos of the Verde Canyon RR trip</span></a></div>
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SeattleDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885122380991510212noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051023917301261676.post-63880635804895490682011-03-29T19:22:00.000-07:002011-04-09T18:08:22.080-07:00Picture Perfect Prescott<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The mile-high city of Prescott, Arizona ranks high on my list of road trip destinations. The winter sunshine and clear blue sky helped to feature the city and the scenery at their best. The high desert, towering pine trees, fresh mountain air and scattering of snow on the ground were a welcome contrast to the valley's desert dust - not that we don't love the lower desert too! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We based at a B&B, the </span><a href="http://www.prescottpinesinn.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Prescott Pines Inn</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, and enjoyed its hospitality and comfortable accommodations. It was a welcome treat to curl up under a thick comforter, grab a book and read in bed with a view of the fireplace. We lingered over the multi-course breakfasts, visiting with other guests and planning our day. We decided to focus on the countryside, since we had already explored the city on a previous trip. One quick walk around Courthouse Square, a warming Irish coffee at the Palace Saloon, and off we went.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The swinging door entrance to the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://www.historicpalace.com/index.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Palace Saloon</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">on Prescott's Whiskey Row. Opened in 1877, the Palace claims to be the oldest frontier bar operating in Arizona.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-vD8BdQ0Wv_s/TYwCLjNzpQI/AAAAAAAABts/lzsyF5SjrF4/s1600/Palace+Saloon+Interior+02092011+F+v2.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-vD8BdQ0Wv_s/TYwCLjNzpQI/AAAAAAAABts/lzsyF5SjrF4/s320/Palace+Saloon+Interior+02092011+F+v2.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Palace burned down during the 1900 Whiskey Row fire, but the Brunswick Bar was saved. This beautiful bar, carved in the 1880's, was carried out by customers and hauled across the street to the courthouse lawn. By 1901 the Palace was back in business and the bar was back in place. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-YJFYZKBTtS8/TYwCK9KWrdI/AAAAAAAABto/DYtxB-hgT3k/s1600/Palace+Saloon+Interior+02092011+A+v2.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-YJFYZKBTtS8/TYwCK9KWrdI/AAAAAAAABto/DYtxB-hgT3k/s320/Palace+Saloon+Interior+02092011+A+v2.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Granite Lake, Granite Dells, granite rocks - we toured and hiked and took tons of photos. I could spend weeks in the area, exploring and marveling at the scenery.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wonder how long that huge boulder, larger than an RV, has been defying gravity?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-vCTo5lPds2g/TYv8m-6S_YI/AAAAAAAABtc/kyMY_0JM_gQ/s1600/Granite+Basin+Lake+Drive+02092011+AB+v2.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-vCTo5lPds2g/TYv8m-6S_YI/AAAAAAAABtc/kyMY_0JM_gQ/s320/Granite+Basin+Lake+Drive+02092011+AB+v2.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Interesting formations were seen everywhere we looked!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ye7ktq9QrNc/TYv8ncd8w5I/AAAAAAAABtg/hxc_zQ-LsIU/s1600/Granite+Dells+NW+Of+Prescott+02092011+D+v2.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ye7ktq9QrNc/TYv8ncd8w5I/AAAAAAAABtg/hxc_zQ-LsIU/s320/Granite+Dells+NW+Of+Prescott+02092011+D+v2.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d0GfD9HGxyM/TYv8sm0d5PI/AAAAAAAABtk/tLFT1fqhPzc/s1600/The+Canyons+at+Granite+Dells+01022000+Z+v2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d0GfD9HGxyM/TYv8sm0d5PI/AAAAAAAABtk/tLFT1fqhPzc/s320/The+Canyons+at+Granite+Dells+01022000+Z+v2.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was it, the lot I wanted to purchase for a new home. You think I'm kidding? Just check out the real estate website for </span><a href="http://www.livethecanyons.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Canyons at Granite Park</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> and you might be tempted too. At least for a moment or two. Think Sedona landscape without the crowds. But I was too late, this lot was no longer available.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>SeattleDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885122380991510212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051023917301261676.post-9477582499778836602011-03-22T16:43:00.000-07:002011-03-22T16:44:32.512-07:00The Road to Stanton, Arizona<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wDgW926Cxy4/TYf3Fl45CUI/AAAAAAAABs0/ZCY2J_Yf5yE/s1600/Ceramic+Pepper+Ristras+02082011+A+v2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wDgW926Cxy4/TYf3Fl45CUI/AAAAAAAABs0/ZCY2J_Yf5yE/s400/Ceramic+Pepper+Ristras+02082011+A+v2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Close your eyes and picture "Arizona". Does that flash a slide show of brightly colored images? Visions of spicy SouthWest food platters, or the intense colors of flowering cactus, perhaps the primary hues of chile ristras hanging in an open-air market, and even some colorful people. Arizona colors are bold, except when they're dusty, or old or sun-bleached. I love it all. Well, not so much the old, dusty, rutted dirt roads. Those I will take in <i>very</i> small doses.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Along the 60-mile drive from Wickenburg to Prescott (historic US Route 89) the map showed County Road 109, a side road leading to the ghost town of Stanton. That sounded interesting so we set off to explore. Oh my, what a long, lumpy bumpy detour those few miles turned out to be. We traveled very slowly, 15 to 20 miles per hour, to avoid being bounced off the Explorer's headliner. Each mile of scenery looked the same as every other mile. I called "Stop!" for a picture of <i>any</i> interesting sight, just to get out of the car and walk around. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">Interesting sight 1</span>: a bullet-riddled sign for a dairy farm not far from the city. There was no green pasture here - do you suppose the cows care?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">Interesting sight 2</span>: a handful of range horses, curious to see if we had any treats I suppose. What do they graze on, in the midst of acres and acres of dry ground and cactus? </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-nHWWOPtYX0g/TYf3GoTUYhI/AAAAAAAABs8/rHqanRoHTj0/s1600/Ranch+Horses+on+Range+v2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-nHWWOPtYX0g/TYf3GoTUYhI/AAAAAAAABs8/rHqanRoHTj0/s320/Ranch+Horses+on+Range+v2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">Interesting sight 3</span>: some pieces of mining equipment scattered around the hills, but not a person in sight (not aboveground anyway). </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IH1SqpA3hAU/TYgQ6mxMG4I/AAAAAAAABtM/-XmIDZSNYOM/s1600/Stanton+Ghost+Town+02082011+C+v2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IH1SqpA3hAU/TYgQ6mxMG4I/AAAAAAAABtM/-XmIDZSNYOM/s320/Stanton+Ghost+Town+02082011+C+v2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had expected Stanton to be a quiet, deserted site with a few old buildings. So why was there so much traffic kicking up dust on this stretch of gravel road? Weeks later I googled Stanton and discovered the old ghost town is now owned by the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.goldprospectors.org/Membership/LDMA/Stanton/tabid/131/Default.aspx"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Lost Dutchman’s Mining Association</span></a> and has been transformed into an RV campground. That explained the traffic, but not <i>why</i> RVers would find this location so attractive. These must be serious hobbyists who come to prospect for gold in the Rich Hill area. There were scores of white sticks in the ground everywhere that could have been claim stakes. LDMA owns 125 acres; ample room for a lot of prospecting.</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-o6LpwNQB5nw/TYgEzJb8BDI/AAAAAAAABtA/Tkv15QPfGW4/s1600/Stanton+Ghost+Town+02082011+F+v2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-o6LpwNQB5nw/TYgEzJb8BDI/AAAAAAAABtA/Tkv15QPfGW4/s320/Stanton+Ghost+Town+02082011+F+v2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Stanton appears much tamer now than it was during its Gold Rush past. (click <a href="http://www.arizona-leisure.com/stanton-ghost-town.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">here</span></a> for a summary) Following an 1863 gold discovery at nearby Rich Hill, the stage stop called Antelope Junction grew rapidly into a boom town. Charles P. Stanton (a <i>colorful, perhaps unsavory</i> character) renamed the town after himself in 1871. Stanton was shot and killed in his store in 1886, but the town continued to prosper until gold mining ended and it finally became a ghost town.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Interesting Stanton factoid: (found <a href="http://www.goldmountaintrading.com/stanton.html">here</a>)</span></span><br />
<blockquote>The Saturday Evening Post, which bought the town in the late 1950s, gave the 10-acre site away in a jingle contest. The New York winner of the contest had no idea what to do with a beat-up ghost town and sold it.</blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Notice the dusty, curving gravel road heading up the the hill in the photo below. County Road 109 remained as bumpy as ever on drive out of Stanton. However the scenery became greener as we wandered up and over one hill, down and around another hill, and up another hill... Finally we reconnected with Hwy 89 at Yarnell and continued on the way to Prescott. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">We departed Wickenburg, elevation 2056 feet, in the warm morning sunshine. By late afternoon the pine tree city of Prescott, elevation 5400 feet, offered cooler sunshine. Cool? oh yes, there was snow on the ground along the shady side of the road. It felt like we had toured two different Arizonas in one day.</span></span>SeattleDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885122380991510212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051023917301261676.post-41685031309869998332011-03-16T21:36:00.000-07:002011-03-17T08:38:41.636-07:00I-5 in Northern California<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We love the winding drive along the coast, Hwy 101 and Hwy 1, but we had a schedule to meet - a special birthday party in the Los Angeles area. So we left the Pacific at Reedsport, turned inland toward Roseburg, and drove through Northern California along I-5. Wow! Mt. Shasta looked as impressive as always, though the snow cover appeared a bit thin for winter. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lake Shasta itself was a pleasant surprise. The water level was a mere 42' below its banks, while recently it has been down as much as 70'. We stopped for a cup of coffee at a marina/resort restaurant and marveled at the hundreds of houseboats moored on the lake. We could enjoy a weeklong houseboat rental for a warm-weather cruise on this lake, sometime when we're not cruising in Alaska on Rhapsody. Random thought: it's been a very long time since I first learned to waterski, right here on Lake Shasta.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Dxuh1MS8l0g/TYGHI8L7Q2I/AAAAAAAABsM/991y0RiZjNk/s1600/Lake+Shasta+Bridge+v2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Dxuh1MS8l0g/TYGHI8L7Q2I/AAAAAAAABsM/991y0RiZjNk/s320/Lake+Shasta+Bridge+v2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Road Trip sunshine turned into thick I-5 fog north of Bakersfield, predictable but it made for cautious yet boring driving. Eventually we turned off the freeway to explore the area around Buttonwillow. Why Buttonwillow? No special reason, I just liked the name, and the map indicated a State Tule Elk Reserve nearby. I did find a brief explanatory note <a href="http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/5fcc8/b772d/#ixzz1GoxA0oHa">online</a>:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left;">Buttonwillow started from a Buttonwillow tree as a landmark on an old trans-valley trail, and was used by ancient Yokut Indian as a meeting place, later becoming the site of settlers' store.</blockquote></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Buttonwillow was very quiet and seemingly empty. If winter is the quiet season, I wonder if there is a lively time of year. We never did find the Elk Reserve, but marveled instead at the huge expanses of empty cotton fields and leafless almond orchards, occasional oil fields, and countless flocks of unshorn, wooly sheep and their frisky lambs. The sheep were not feeling sociable: some chose to move off but most just ignored us. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EqZRWANwIhA/TYGK002i3NI/AAAAAAAABsQ/cTT2G21dN9I/s1600/Flock+of+Sheep+in+Field++v2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EqZRWANwIhA/TYGK002i3NI/AAAAAAAABsQ/cTT2G21dN9I/s320/Flock+of+Sheep+in+Field++v2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo:There are some sandhill cranes, upper left in the background,, but they are hard to spot in this photo. Double-click and you can see them more clearly. Are we on the great migration flyway or are they residents?</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The many oil rigs, resembling flocks of mechanical preying mantis, ignored us too. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-mN67-4tdtRw/TYGK1xrzSjI/AAAAAAAABsY/X0mj_t8L9yk/s1600/Oil+Well+in+Fog++v2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-mN67-4tdtRw/TYGK1xrzSjI/AAAAAAAABsY/X0mj_t8L9yk/s320/Oil+Well+in+Fog++v2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We headed back onto 1-5.</span><br />
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</span></div>SeattleDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885122380991510212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051023917301261676.post-31931998494720154842011-02-08T21:37:00.000-08:002011-03-21T20:21:09.570-07:00Hwy 101 - the Oregon Coast<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/TVE9UOEaILI/AAAAAAAABoU/MPpnrcxbmZo/s1600/Oregon+Coast++0031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/TVE9UOEaILI/AAAAAAAABoU/MPpnrcxbmZo/s400/Oregon+Coast++0031.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sunshine along the Oregon coast that makes my heart sing, brings a smile, lifts my spirit... I can't explain the response, but it happens every time. Any day at the coast is a welcome treat, but a sunny day is worth celebrating. On this trip we drove slowly, made frequent stops and savored the two days it took to travel the miles.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/TVE93d0_jgI/AAAAAAAABoY/qz7KEun7aCQ/s1600/Cannon+Beach+0026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/TVE93d0_jgI/AAAAAAAABoY/qz7KEun7aCQ/s320/Cannon+Beach+0026.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Haystack Rock, a well-known Cannon Beach landmark, appears through the afternoon haze. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/TVE-PtkCmAI/AAAAAAAABoc/PH7y5LYAaWE/s1600/Canon+Beach+Sunset++0038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/TVE-PtkCmAI/AAAAAAAABoc/PH7y5LYAaWE/s320/Canon+Beach+Sunset++0038.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sunset as seen from our hotel balcony in Pacific Beach.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/TVFB5J6vc_I/AAAAAAAABog/BcWxlHNJ1Ag/s1600/Depoe+Bay+entrance+0031+v2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="291" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/TVFB5J6vc_I/AAAAAAAABog/BcWxlHNJ1Ag/s320/Depoe+Bay+entrance+0031+v2.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Low tide at the narrow harbor entrance to Depoe Bay. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/TVFDoyKHe2I/AAAAAAAABok/gESZUL8Sg9Y/s1600/Coast+Guard+Rescue+Boat+0129+v2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/TVFDoyKHe2I/AAAAAAAABok/gESZUL8Sg9Y/s320/Coast+Guard+Rescue+Boat+0129+v2.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Two of the 47-foot Coast Guard rescue boats from Depoe Bay practiced surf maneuvers along the coast south of the harbor. We shot still photos and videos, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">marveling at their maneuvers. It was exciting to watch the boats charge up the face of the incoming waves, surf in toward shore, and then pitch and roll as they turned to run the troughs parallel to shore in between wave sets. Whew! fun to watch but I woudn't want to try it.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/TVFJwa78-VI/AAAAAAAABos/n5yUOGsSzn0/s1600/Dune+Path+to+the+Beach+0053+v2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/TVFJwa78-VI/AAAAAAAABos/n5yUOGsSzn0/s320/Dune+Path+to+the+Beach+0053+v2.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We hiked up the dunes trail at Florence...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/TVFJjGeEQMI/AAAAAAAABoo/wyHTrmOpyIU/s1600/Dune+Beachfront+0045+v2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/TVFJjGeEQMI/AAAAAAAABoo/wyHTrmOpyIU/s320/Dune+Beachfront+0045+v2.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">... to reach the beach.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOVEogXupvyMjXP83rufqHwjp0tPCLoimAgC8hcsLkudf_a0sPMcwVYX5YF6r8FiudulxS21a7AC_ZbiOH3x0dWgGzMdtRIObBk-bj7DckzTQdNX9GLEsoJcXtFNxSf8hp_Kt4Vl1jHeZB/s1600/Dune+Rider+0015+v2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOVEogXupvyMjXP83rufqHwjp0tPCLoimAgC8hcsLkudf_a0sPMcwVYX5YF6r8FiudulxS21a7AC_ZbiOH3x0dWgGzMdtRIObBk-bj7DckzTQdNX9GLEsoJcXtFNxSf8hp_Kt4Vl1jHeZB/s320/Dune+Rider+0015+v2.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are shorter and faster ways to get to the top.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/TVFKDnQxxQI/AAAAAAAABo0/WrP2cQ2cbqM/s1600/Dune+Rider+0034+v2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="303" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/TVFKDnQxxQI/AAAAAAAABo0/WrP2cQ2cbqM/s320/Dune+Rider+0034+v2.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hmmmmmmm, maybe next time.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>SeattleDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885122380991510212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051023917301261676.post-10265097041359376722010-03-18T19:50:00.000-07:002011-01-16T10:34:53.889-08:00A Local Trek to Northwest Trek<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Early morning sunshine and mild March weather drew us outdoors for an unplanned adventure, a mini road trip just to get out and about. I suggested a photo safari to the zoo, but RL was ready to head out of the city. We piled the camera gear into the Explorer and headed south on SR 167, destination unknown.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One freeway exit and a few wandering turns later, we spotted a sign listing Electron and Powerhouse… places we had never heard of before today. The 1904 Electron Dam, run by Puget Sound Energy, is 41 miles up the Puyallup River from Commencement Bay. It may have been an engineering marvel when it was built, but today it just looks… well, old. In 2000 the addition of a 290-foot fish ladder opened access to 30 miles of upriver spawning grounds and fish habitat. (facts from an interesting article in the </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1951&dat=20001002&id=KS8yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oa4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2058,683139%E2%80%9D"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tri-City Herald</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.)</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6KuGvbpArI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/BP737NDLJf4/s1600-h/Electron+Hydroelectric+Plant+03142010+Bv2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6KuGvbpArI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/BP737NDLJf4/s320/Electron+Hydroelectric+Plant+03142010+Bv2.JPG" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The sign for Northwest Trek was too inviting to pass by. The 725-acre park opened in 1975 and I’ve never been inside the gate - I hardly even drive past. Today it’s time, right now, no matter that the day is half over. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This gorgeous bronze moose welcomed us </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6K1G8Ako-I/AAAAAAAAAtY/Rdk_XxW68xc/s1600-h/Bronze+Moose+03142010+Bv2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="277" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6K1G8Ako-I/AAAAAAAAAtY/Rdk_XxW68xc/s320/Bronze+Moose+03142010+Bv2.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- though his real life cousins were considerably more reserved, staying well away from the motorized tram.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6K2Psobl9I/AAAAAAAAAtg/MKQ4Y_VPA8g/s1600-h/Moose+03142010+Cv2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="157" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6K2Psobl9I/AAAAAAAAAtg/MKQ4Y_VPA8g/s320/Moose+03142010+Cv2.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The hourlong tram ride was a convenient way to tour 435 acres of varied habitat, with wetlands, forests and meadows filled with large herbivores in a natural setting. </span><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The tram moved slowly along a looping road, pausing when the animals were near the roadway and even stopping occasionally when animals ambled in front of the 3-car tram. We saw a lot of critters, but I kept wanting to shout “Wait, stop here!” so I could play with camera settings and composition. I’m still a slow shooter, sigh.</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LIGXKJ5nI/AAAAAAAAAto/lYRvgS0K9jo/s1600-h/Mountain+Sheep+03142010+Ev2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="202" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LIGXKJ5nI/AAAAAAAAAto/lYRvgS0K9jo/s640/Mountain+Sheep+03142010+Ev2.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The herd of Bighorn sheep was pretty active, and several frisky sub-groups browsed the meadows. One ewe commanded a lot of attention, in-season but out of season. I won't share that picture today.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6K1G8Ako-I/AAAAAAAAAtY/Rdk_XxW68xc/s1600-h/Bronze+Moose+03142010+Bv2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LIK0rZVXI/AAAAAAAAAtw/EGMdWfuRAsA/s1600-h/Mountain+Sheep+03142010+Fv2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LIK0rZVXI/AAAAAAAAAtw/EGMdWfuRAsA/s320/Mountain+Sheep+03142010+Fv2.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bison are big,imposing creatures, 5 to 6 feet high at the shoulders and the bulls can top 3,000 pounds. They reportedly can run faster than 30 mph, but today they weren’t moving much at all. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LZjoI2C8I/AAAAAAAAAu4/HURvf7cyt8M/s1600-h/Bison+03142010+Ev2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LZjoI2C8I/AAAAAAAAAu4/HURvf7cyt8M/s320/Bison+03142010+Ev2.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bison are not pretty, but they surely are impressive, even if immobile animals.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LZn2SG9EI/AAAAAAAAAvA/aXPxD9WcqRc/s1600-h/Bison+03142010+Hv2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LZn2SG9EI/AAAAAAAAAvA/aXPxD9WcqRc/s320/Bison+03142010+Hv2.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The black-tailed deer were well camouflaged in the leaf-strewn woodlands,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LKfVHb-kI/AAAAAAAAAt4/U5XAMGfiINQ/s1600-h/Deer+03142010+Bv2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LKfVHb-kI/AAAAAAAAAt4/U5XAMGfiINQ/s320/Deer+03142010+Bv2.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">but posed and camera ready in the meadow.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LKiCZtJ_I/AAAAAAAAAuA/KZB4I4NvqqE/s1600-h/Deer+03142010+Av2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LKiCZtJ_I/AAAAAAAAAuA/KZB4I4NvqqE/s320/Deer+03142010+Av2.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Roosevelt elk are large,impressive animals standing 5 feet at the shoulder and weighing 350 to 1,000 pounds. They are noted for being very vocal, and we heard a small sampling of their squeals, grunts and whistles. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LMqPmKJSI/AAAAAAAAAuQ/yQo4Yfx81l8/s1600-h/Roosevelt+Elk+03142010+Fv2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LMqPmKJSI/AAAAAAAAAuQ/yQo4Yfx81l8/s320/Roosevelt+Elk+03142010+Fv2.JPG" /></span></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LMwsvo-RI/AAAAAAAAAuY/EX_Zl5FOLh0/s1600-h/Roosevelt+Elk+03142010+Gv2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LMwsvo-RI/AAAAAAAAAuY/EX_Zl5FOLh0/s320/Roosevelt+Elk+03142010+Gv2.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">They will really look stately and impressive in the Fall, when they have fully-developed antlers (up to 5 feet). But today they were sporting nubbins.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LMkTdrcmI/AAAAAAAAAuI/MGCf-4LSzmc/s1600-h/Roosevelt+Elk+03142010+Av2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="222" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LMkTdrcmI/AAAAAAAAAuI/MGCf-4LSzmc/s400/Roosevelt+Elk+03142010+Av2.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After the tram tour we roamed the grounds, pausing whenever something caught our eye, like this busy little skunk actively searching for food. Note the leash... I liked that feature. A NW Trek Naturalist holding the other end of the strap shared details of all things skunk.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LUR_rempI/AAAAAAAAAug/bLmGM5JSVgs/s1600-h/Skunk+03142010+Av2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LUR_rempI/AAAAAAAAAug/bLmGM5JSVgs/s320/Skunk+03142010+Av2.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We spot hundreds of eagles when we are boating and there are resident bald eagles around Lake Washington, but they still draw my attention. There’s just something about that piercing stare - forget the fact that they have a silly call. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bald eagle </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LWqNX0ZhI/AAAAAAAAAuo/tfb1stvdFBM/s1600-h/Bald+Eagle+03142010+Cv2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LWqNX0ZhI/AAAAAAAAAuo/tfb1stvdFBM/s320/Bald+Eagle+03142010+Cv2.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Golden eagle</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LWvl7jE4I/AAAAAAAAAuw/jMDxgeMm5zE/s1600-h/Golden+Eagle+03142010+Hv2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LWvl7jE4I/AAAAAAAAAuw/jMDxgeMm5zE/s320/Golden+Eagle+03142010+Hv2.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In harsh climates bears den up for the winter, but here the black bears and grizzlies were out and about. They moved slowly, and napped a lot, but they look a lot fatter and healthier than the bears we will see up north in April and May, just out of the den.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LccdfbPxI/AAAAAAAAAvI/LDEJCL3Ck0o/s1600-h/Black+Bear+03142010+Bv2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LccdfbPxI/AAAAAAAAAvI/LDEJCL3Ck0o/s320/Black+Bear+03142010+Bv2.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LchwmDiqI/AAAAAAAAAvQ/zx3TO0gD-1A/s1600-h/Grizzly+03142010+Bv2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LchwmDiqI/AAAAAAAAAvQ/zx3TO0gD-1A/s320/Grizzly+03142010+Bv2.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Paw prints versus hand size comparisons were interesting, but really don't reflect the stature of these omnivores.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It was getting late and we had to choose between searching for wolves or coyotes. No contest - sorry coyotes, but we can see you and hear your calls all over the West. The gray wolves were relaxed, but alert, motionless except for their eyes following our every movement. We were fortunate to be alone in their area, enjoying this rare encounter.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LeiXIaVgI/AAAAAAAAAvY/y081riyh4ZA/s1600-h/Wolf+03142010+Av2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LeiXIaVgI/AAAAAAAAAvY/y081riyh4ZA/s320/Wolf+03142010+Av2.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Gray wolf watching RL's movements </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We had enjoyed a terrific day, but it was 4:30 in the afternoon and lunch had not been important - until now. Adventurers need nourishment and I needed food now, right now! The onsite Fir Bough Café offered a varied menu and seating in front of a toasty stone fireplace, but we settled for our favorite snacks instead. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LiIGCD-SI/AAAAAAAAAvg/lRKD7G6a1-U/s1600-h/Ron+and+Ice+Cream+Cone+03142010+Av2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LiIGCD-SI/AAAAAAAAAvg/lRKD7G6a1-U/s320/Ron+and+Ice+Cream+Cone+03142010+Av2.JPG" /></span></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LiOaPzZUI/AAAAAAAAAvo/zA6U9A10B50/s1600-h/Popcorn+Keeps+Dee+Going+03142010+Av2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S6LiOaPzZUI/AAAAAAAAAvo/zA6U9A10B50/s320/Popcorn+Keeps+Dee+Going+03142010+Av2.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This was a day trip, hardly qualifying as a road trip, but who cares?! We had fun, and now I can hardly wait until we move aboard the boat and travel north to view the wildlife of northern BC and SE Alaska in it's northern home.</span></div>SeattleDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885122380991510212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051023917301261676.post-13683452400283593962010-02-07T21:10:00.000-08:002010-02-08T19:47:40.703-08:00Mom's Birthday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We flew south last week for Mom's birthday celebrations, gatherings of our immediate family and her close neighborhood "family of friends". </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><div class="MsoNormal">Mom's favorite waiter delivered an awesome chocolate cake, a surprise treat from the Almansor Court staff. After our delicious, multi-course brunch, we were too appetite challenged to eat it then, but it will be a welcome treat later... much later. Guess who found room for an ice cream cone on the way out to the car?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The neighborhood party, hosted by Sue and Dave, followed later that afternoon. We enjoyed more good food and the lively conversation and laughter continued. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-Gf514UqI/AAAAAAAAAmw/kh3hu-hKTbc/s1600-h/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++V+ver+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="346" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-Gf514UqI/AAAAAAAAAmw/kh3hu-hKTbc/s640/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++V+ver+2.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">love</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> the cakes from a local specialty bakery, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Pastries by Nancy</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. Chocolate cake with chocolate mousse and fresh raspberry filling, frosted in chocolate ganache... lemon cake with lemon cream filling, frosted in vanilla... what's not to love? Sue's selection of ice creams provided just the right cool balance to the decadent richness of the cakes. Choose one? no way, how about a slice of each?</span></span> </span> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-HPxt2ZRI/AAAAAAAAAnA/smCu7IR5SXI/s1600-h/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++R+ver+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-HPxt2ZRI/AAAAAAAAAnA/smCu7IR5SXI/s200/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++R+ver+2.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-HIf8-1wI/AAAAAAAAAm4/lG9YIGXoSE4/s1600-h/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++A+ver+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="176" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-HIf8-1wI/AAAAAAAAAm4/lG9YIGXoSE4/s200/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++A+ver+2.JPG" width="200" /></span></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-IWRzeBzI/AAAAAAAAAng/9-dwtR5QhMQ/s1600-h/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++E+ver+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="136" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-IWRzeBzI/AAAAAAAAAng/9-dwtR5QhMQ/s200/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++E+ver+2.JPG" width="200" /></span></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-JmIIZS1I/AAAAAAAAAnw/X2I46Q53hoY/s1600-h/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++X+ver+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="168" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-JmIIZS1I/AAAAAAAAAnw/X2I46Q53hoY/s200/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++X+ver+2.JPG" width="200" /></span></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-IP-IgE2I/AAAAAAAAAnY/MU40pyrGhm4/s1600-h/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++G+ver+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-IP-IgE2I/AAAAAAAAAnY/MU40pyrGhm4/s200/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++G+ver+2.JPG" width="200" /></span></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-ILEG8MFI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/Ya54lqVyp-E/s1600-h/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++D+ver+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-ILEG8MFI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/Ya54lqVyp-E/s200/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++D+ver+2.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">See what I mean? there was a whole lot of chatting, laughing and noshing going on in the California sunshine.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-VV-aH-BI/AAAAAAAAAoo/Hq6Cw60pAa8/s1600-h/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++V+ver+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="185" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-VV-aH-BI/AAAAAAAAAoo/Hq6Cw60pAa8/s200/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++V+ver+3.JPG" width="200" /></span></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-VSmc085I/AAAAAAAAAog/Y6h12JThuH8/s1600-h/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++V+ver+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="193" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-VSmc085I/AAAAAAAAAog/Y6h12JThuH8/s200/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++V+ver+4.JPG" width="200" /></span></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-U8zCbdeI/AAAAAAAAAoY/ch4Pw5kemm4/s1600-h/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++L+ver+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-U8zCbdeI/AAAAAAAAAoY/ch4Pw5kemm4/s200/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++L+ver+2.JPG" width="165" /></span></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-URUvR11I/AAAAAAAAAoI/e9kcw_rxBiE/s1600-h/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++K+ver+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="195" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-URUvR11I/AAAAAAAAAoI/e9kcw_rxBiE/s200/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++K+ver+2.JPG" width="200" /></span></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-QEWcBa7I/AAAAAAAAAoA/tc523NUNN1M/s1600-h/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++C+ver+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-QEWcBa7I/AAAAAAAAAoA/tc523NUNN1M/s200/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++C+ver+2.JPG" width="200" /></span></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-LfQXWzJI/AAAAAAAAAn4/aglzcqYKa9o/s1600-h/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++P+ver+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="168" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-LfQXWzJI/AAAAAAAAAn4/aglzcqYKa9o/s200/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++P+ver+2.JPG" width="200" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-UeE-VNwI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/HWDjtgHGZIg/s1600-h/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++Q+ver+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S2-UeE-VNwI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/HWDjtgHGZIg/s200/Linick+Party+For+Dottie+01312010++Q+ver+2.JPG" width="133" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This was a day of love and friendship, honoring Mom, a very special lady who continues to live considerably younger than her years. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(click on any photo to enlarge)</span> </span></div>SeattleDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885122380991510212noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051023917301261676.post-57288537212185979782009-12-28T20:39:00.000-08:002010-01-05T21:59:57.719-08:00Christmas 2009<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
Over the river and through the wood, To grandfather's house we go;<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">The horse knows the way To carry the sleigh,</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">Through the white and drifted snow. (Lydia M. Child)</span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;">…well, almost. Our holiday road trip </span></span><b>did</b> take us over the Columbia River and through the Cascade woodlands, but then we continued over the mountains and into the high desert of Central OR.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Light traffic and nearly bare pavement made for easy going on the long six-hour drive. I amused myself by reading the camera manual and playing with some new settings. Surprisingly noisy hail tapped on the windshield on I-26 east of Portland but the road remained clear as we gained elevation on the Mt. Hood Hwy. It was such a treat to have the snow piled on the highway shoulders and not in the traffic lanes.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Donna's house glowed with candles, Christmas lights and holiday treasures. Tree lights sparkled in the living room and radiated warmth out into the frosty yard… a welcoming Holiday Festival of Lights.</span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Clear blue skies greeted us the next morning, bringing a brilliant clarity to the mountain peaks in the distance. But the best treat was a pair of deer that roamed the yard, nibbling on the underbrush and settling down in a sunny patch of sunshine. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fog moved in later in the week and coated lawns, bushes and trees with an icy white frosting. Then the whole city looked festive, decorated with sparkling ice crystals. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">An Open House on Christmas Eve is a long-standing family tradition. A day full of chatter and cooking prep quickly slid into an evening of sociable conversation and dining on the tasty Mexican buffet.<span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Three generations mixed happily at this event, greeting old friends </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(and some of us met new friends).</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our nephew Lane, and his nephew Coen</span>.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our niece Slone, and her niece Whitney</span> </span><br />
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</div><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sleeping in was <b>NOT</b> an option on Christmas morning (though some in the crowd were more lively than others). Santa had visited, the kids were sure they had heard sleigh bells and hooves. Santa's plate of cookies, set out just for him, was empty! Now there were stockings to be examined and piles of gifts under the tree waiting to be distributed. Everyone smiled for ages, watching the kids’ growing delight with each new package. Empty boxes, wrapping paper and ribbon soon littered the living room furniture and floor... but the smiles continued. </span> <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S0QM5JU5_VI/AAAAAAAAAhM/uFhz6QP3OxU/s1600-h/Bend+Christmas+2009+12252009++AQ+ver+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S0QM5JU5_VI/AAAAAAAAAhM/uFhz6QP3OxU/s400/Bend+Christmas+2009+12252009++AQ+ver+2.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Darbi, Peter, Bentley and Slone - before the coffee kicked in.</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S0QNhGfM7MI/AAAAAAAAAhc/9faW9_vgf30/s1600-h/Bend+Christmas+2009+12252009++W+ver+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S0QNhGfM7MI/AAAAAAAAAhc/9faW9_vgf30/s400/Bend+Christmas+2009+12252009++W+ver+2.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S0QNhGfM7MI/AAAAAAAAAhc/9faW9_vgf30/s1600-h/Bend+Christmas+2009+12252009++W+ver+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: small;">Coen, Britt, Whitney and Ron wonder "what's in this package?"</span><br />
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</div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S0QOSwa-PfI/AAAAAAAAAhk/Mg1c_kiXGGY/s1600-h/Bend+Christmas+2009+12252009++BB+ver+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S0QOSwa-PfI/AAAAAAAAAhk/Mg1c_kiXGGY/s400/Bend+Christmas+2009+12252009++BB+ver+2.JPG" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">There's <b>always</b> some adjustment necessary.</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Naps (for some unnamed family members) followed a big Christmas morning breakfast, and then it was time to think about Christmas dinner. <i>Turkey and dressing and ham... oh, my!</i> The youngest cook-in-training is an experienced assistant with the traditional green bean casserole - and yes, he did taste-test the French fried onions with gusto.<br />
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</div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S0QSvf7OsWI/AAAAAAAAAhs/sfmr9AqBKZ4/s1600-h/Bend+Christmas+2009+12252009++BD+ver+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S0QSvf7OsWI/AAAAAAAAAhs/sfmr9AqBKZ4/s400/Bend+Christmas+2009+12252009++BD+ver+2.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We lingered in Bend for a few days, and then it was time to head back over the mountains, through the woods, across the river and north to Seattle.<br />
</div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S0QNhGfM7MI/AAAAAAAAAhc/9faW9_vgf30/s1600-h/Bend+Christmas+2009+12252009++W+ver+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/S0QNhGfM7MI/AAAAAAAAAhc/9faW9_vgf30/s1600-h/Bend+Christmas+2009+12252009++W+ver+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a>SeattleDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885122380991510212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051023917301261676.post-1822071885081928732009-10-31T17:25:00.000-07:002009-11-01T19:06:17.745-08:00Amtrak Adventure<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/Su0TcvJ1S6I/AAAAAAAAAds/AsQLRuKPc4U/s1600-h/LA+To+Seattle+Amtrac+Trip+10222009+D+ver+2.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 206px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/Su0TcvJ1S6I/AAAAAAAAAds/AsQLRuKPc4U/s320/LA+To+Seattle+Amtrac+Trip+10222009+D+ver+2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398992912702065570" /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">My journey began with a flight from SeaTac into Burbank's Bob Hope Airport, followed by a pickup by niece Hilary, and an overnight at Mom's - what a fun three-generation gabfest. The next morning the train passed the same airport on the rail trip back to Seattle.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/Su0SabNSI_I/AAAAAAAAAdk/q4bsNgAzfMk/s1600-h/LA+To+Seattle+Amtrac+Trip+10222009+F+ver+2.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/Su0SabNSI_I/AAAAAAAAAdk/q4bsNgAzfMk/s320/LA+To+Seattle+Amtrac+Trip+10222009+F+ver+2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398991773476463602" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The lounge car was our comfortable home-away-from-compartment for much of the 35-hour trip. We visited with other passengers, gazed at the scenery, read and chatted, and enjoyed an afternoon wine and cheese tasting. (Oh yes! Already a favorite, Rogue Creamery Blue remains a tasting standout.)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/Su0SNJSrKGI/AAAAAAAAAdc/FjBPUx86nbM/s1600-h/LA+To+Seattle+Amtrac+Trip+10222009+L+ver+2.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 186px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/Su0SNJSrKGI/AAAAAAAAAdc/FjBPUx86nbM/s320/LA+To+Seattle+Amtrac+Trip+10222009+L+ver+2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398991545328937058" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Clear blue skies and calm blue water made for scenic Pacific Coast viewing. We saw few boats, fewer surfers and an occasional otter. Photos out the window proved challenging... just when focused for distance a tree would flash by! Oops.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/Su0Qa4RROFI/AAAAAAAAAdU/FzcXPgK08jc/s1600-h/LA+To+Seattle+Amtrac+Trip+10222009+P+ver+2.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/Su0Qa4RROFI/AAAAAAAAAdU/FzcXPgK08jc/s320/LA+To+Seattle+Amtrac+Trip+10222009+P+ver+2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398989582254553170" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">California's tourism bureau's description of green and golden leaned heavily to the dry and golden side for miles of inland travel. Starkly beautiful, with interesting textures and shadows.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/Su0QKS1XL1I/AAAAAAAAAdE/Qao4DrmERzQ/s1600-h/LA+To+Seattle+Amtrac+Trip+10222009+X+ver+2.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/Su0QKS1XL1I/AAAAAAAAAdE/Qao4DrmERzQ/s320/LA+To+Seattle+Amtrac+Trip+10222009+X+ver+2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398989297327484754" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Oil fields were active, slowly pumping away. But where are the tall derricks shown in all those old movies? you know, the ones with the gushers when they first struck oil.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/Su0QBi-rm9I/AAAAAAAAAc8/GWcdaFLhM0E/s1600-h/LA+To+Seattle+Amtrac+Trip+10222009+W+ver+2.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 185px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/Su0QBi-rm9I/AAAAAAAAAc8/GWcdaFLhM0E/s320/LA+To+Seattle+Amtrac+Trip+10222009+W+ver+2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398989147042716626" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Salinas Curves provided a view of the end cars of our train and then the engines. Now that's pretty curvy.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/Su0P6x_mDXI/AAAAAAAAAc0/LetBgtUvq-U/s1600-h/LA+To+Seattle+Amtrac+Trip+10232009+Z+ver+2.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcWRi1Ke2kU/Su0P6x_mDXI/AAAAAAAAAc0/LetBgtUvq-U/s320/LA+To+Seattle+Amtrac+Trip+10232009+Z+ver+2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398989030813994354" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Can you tell we're in the Pacific Northwest? Oregon, to be precise? Could the greenery and raindrops on the windows be a clue? IF I had looked out the window at 5:04 am I might have seen Dunsmuir, CA and the Mt. Shasta area, but NOPE, it was dark outside and my eyes were still scrunched shut.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Coast Starlight run from Los Angeles to Seattle was comfortable and on-schedule, meals were reasonably tasty, service staff were helpful and attentive, and the scenery was ever-changing and captivating. Sleeping car accommodations were clean and comfortable, if not spacious. The only challenge was getting any restful sleep with the unpredictable jerking and lurching motion, accompanied by the intermittent squeaking and the screeching of metal wheels on metal tracks. Were the rails smoother and quieter during the day, or did it just seem that way?</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This is a wonderful route to drive, with so many tempting side trips for exploration, but train travel is a relaxing second-best way to view some of the same highlights. I'm ready for another scenic trip by rail - IF the sleep challenge can be mastered.</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div></div></div>SeattleDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885122380991510212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051023917301261676.post-47666732494323549592008-11-22T21:00:00.000-08:002008-11-22T21:22:40.907-08:00Any day now...<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>If we're not at home and we're not cruising, then we must be on a road trip. Can a day trip along the back roads NW of Mt. Rainier count as a mini road trip? That's all we can claim this month. Now we've seen the historic Carbonado Tavern with it's parking lot full of bikers on a road rally. We found Mud Mountain dam. We viewed acre after acre of fall color. All in all a lovely day, but not a REAL road trip.<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Stay tuned for pics and details of future adventures.<br /><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><br /><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> </div></div></div>SeattleDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885122380991510212noreply@blogger.com0