Seattle

We stayed in the Seattle area in a campground at Gig Harbor. This little community was on the Puget Sound about 50 miles from downtown Seattle. We had a chance to drive in for a dinner at a former co-worker's home on a lovely sunny evening.

Patty is a gourmet cook in addition to many other attributes and it was such a treat to enjoy a dinner with her, husband Stu, and daughter Katy. We spent the evening catching up while the children soaked in the hot tub.




Visiting Patty, Stu, and Katy on their deck.



Enjoying one of Patty's gourmet meals!

Nancy-Jane and Patty

The kids relaxed in the hot tub!

Later in the week we had a chance to take the ferry into downtown Seattle from Bremerton. The weather cooperated, and Patty met us again for some sight seeing. Our first stop was the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Seattle was the launching point for most of the adventurers heading North for the gold rush of 1986-98.

On the ferry to Seattle.

First stop for the Klondike Gold Rush.

Patty picked us up and we visited the locks that link Lake Washington to the Pacific Ocean. It was so interesting to see how boats can come through and the salmon ladders built to allow the salmon to run in the late summer.

Watching the boats at the locks.

BEFORE!

AFTER!

Lunch at the locks.


Our treat for dessert was a tour of the Theo Chocolate Factory. Patty had made reservations for us to tour the factory complete with lots of tasting!!!

We were willing to wear hairnets to get the chocolate.

The roaster!

Patty returned us to downtown all full of chocolate and we continued our sightseeing at the Pike Place Market. Famous for all kinds of fresh produce, from flowers to fish.

The flowers were incredible.

At the Pike Place Market.

Olympic National Park, Washington

We arrived at the Olympic National Park on a rainy gray afternoon. We spent a night at the Heart of the Hills Campground in the park, with hopes of a clear morning to make the 9 mi. trip up to Hurricane Ridge. The next morning was mixed, but dry and the drive and views were fantastic. We could see the Olympic Mountain Ridge and Mt. Olympus through breaks in the clouds.

View of Mt. Carrie through the clouds.

The view from Hurricane Ridge.

There is still plenty of snow at the top of Hurricane Ridge!

Juan de Fuca Straights between Olympic Penninsula and Vancouver Is.

The Olympic Peninsula boasts of a temperate rain forest along the western side of the park. It receives over 180 inches of rain a year. We spent a night at the campground with the kids enjoying exploration of the Hoh River banks. The next day we hiked along the Spruce Nature Trail in the sunshine! Peter and Rich also ran along the Hall of Mosses Trail.

Even the phone booth grows moss!!

The third section of the Olympic National Park is the Pacific Coast area. We drove from the rain forest out to the Kalaloch Beach on the Peninsula. It wasn't very sunny, but the tide pools were the richest we've ever seen. Lots of anemones, starfish, fish, and mussels- it was a fantastic spot to explore. The kelp made a great jump rope.

The kelp rope



The colors were fantastic!



More starfish.

Tide pool area.

Mt. St. Helen National Monument and Mt. Rainier National Park

Mount St. Helens on a damp day.



Our stops at Mount St. Helens and Mt. Rainier were both very interesting and informative. Unfortunately, both of the volcanic mountains were shrouded with clouds on the days we were there. The visitor centers were excellent. We learned all about the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens and the impact it had on Washington. Effects of the eruption and giant lahar (mudslides) are still visible today.

The kids became Jr. Geologists!

Mt. Rainier is a 14,410 ft. volcanic peak that towers over eastern Washington. Although we were not able see the snow covered peak on our visit that day, we had a great hike at the Longmire visitor center on the Trail of Shadows. This trail took us around a meadow filled with natural mineral springs and through the old growth forest.

Mineral springs in the meadow that drew early visitors.

Mineral springs.

Old growth forest.

A deer visiting the meadow to feed.



The gray days allow ample time for school work!



Second grade on the road!

Lewis and Clark Trail, Oregon and Washington- by William

Ft. Vancouver, Vancouver Washington.

This fort was built along the Columbia River in 1825 by the Hudson Bay Company. It was instrumental in establishing fur trade and later supplying American settlers on the Oregon Trail. Beaver pelts were used to make top hats throughout Europe and the fort was the center of trade between Native Americans, French Canadian, and American trappers.

Fort Vancouver was like a village. There was a blacksmith, bakery, coopers, trade post. The biggest house belonged to John McLoughlin who was the chief factor, responsible for the trade market.

Dad in his usual spot!

Fort Clatsop is on the Lewis and Clark River at the mouth of the Columbia River. It was the fort that Lewis and Clark stayed at with the 32 members of the Corp of Discovery for the winter of 1805 before returning East. The fort was medium sized, with 4 cabins and one storage room. The used the storage room to gather supplies for the return trip.

Lewis and Clark always posted one sentry looking out for attackers, the rest of the men would either drill or hunt. We were able to see replicas of the dugout canoes that they used to go along the rivers on their trip.

Over the course of their trip only one person died, Sgt. Floyd.

Fort Clatsop flag

Entryway into a cabin.

This is one of the cabins where the soldiers would stay.

Wreck of the Peter Iredale, Fort Stevens, Or.

Ft. Stevens Oregon was both Civil War and World War II Base.

Washington's Cape Disappointment had another L&C Center

Cape Disappointment Lighthouse at the mouth of the Columbia River.

We saw a couple of Grey whales feeding at the mouth of the river and bald eagles overhead!

Will's Chance to Build BIG!!

Mt. Hood Epic Skiing!!! by Peter

 On Friday the  29th we drove up into the snow (and cold) of Mt. Hood, the highest mountain in Oregon (over 11000 ft)!! We bundled up and walked to the Timberline Lodge. A snow tunnel was needed to get in, which was up to the top floor windows!!We watched a short movie on how the lodge was built by the WPA and dedicated by Franklin Roosevelt in 1937. We decided for the two reasons  a) the building was very unique and b) we all felt like ditching the camper for a night to get a room there.

After bringing all of the gear into our room we went to the OUTDOOR pool and hot tub. We soaked in the hot tub and the jumped in the snowbanks.  We had a snowball fight in the hot tub, and then realized that the snowbank was right next to the pool. We climbed up it and jumped into the water. That night we went out to eat at the Ramshead Bar in the lodge. We also watched the Royal Wedding on TV.

Two other identical Winnebagos nutty enough to go up the snowy road!

Swim or Ski?

The jumping snowbank!

                                                  

Hot Tub- 104 degrees. Snow- Brrrr!

The next day we put on our new long underwear and many layers of clothing, rented skis, and hit the slopes. Dad, Will and I skied together on the top part of the mountain. It was very cool to be above the treeline and the clouds. You could ski almost anywhere, because there were no trees. We also had fun skiing through the trees in the powder. We met up with Mom and Caroline for lunch at the lodge. We skied with them in the afternoon. At 2:15pm, they opened the Palmer lift for the first time since September! It brings you to 8,000 ft., WAY above treeline. The trails are wide open, steep, and REALLY long, so you could go very, very fast! The icy top of Mt. Hood looked amazing.

In front of the W' yeast Lodge.

Will & I in front of the Silcox Hut at 7000 feet. (It is a 2 story building- all covered in snow!)

The top of Mt. Hood

Caroline and Mom at the top of the Magic Mile Chair

The top of the Palmer chair- as you can see, it took a long time to dig the whole thing out!

The Timberline Lodge buried in snowbanks!!!

Will & I above the clouds!