Pacific NW and Alaska

[REWahoo]

It was Memaloose State Park, near Hood River. Great spot!

Have you seen any loose mema's?

 

[Helen]

It was Memaloose State Park, near Hood River. Great spot!

Thanks for the offer, but we're all set. Drove the rest of the Gorge yesterday, and going to visit Mt St Helens today.

Audrey

It must have been a great day to visit Mt. St. Helens! I have a permit to climb MSH on 9/19.

Your trip sounds wonderful.

 

[Meadbh]

Pike Place Market, home of the FISH! philosophy
Fish! Training Video DVD - Catch the energy, release the potential

Seattle Art Museum, aka SAM (great staircase!)
Seattle Art Museum - One of the best Seattle Museums

The Washington Park Arboretum
Washington Park Arboretum Tours (w/Bonus Arboretum Scoop!) - Freeattle See Free SEA Photo Galleries - Fresh-Picked Seattle: Food Events and Resources

 

[audreyh1]

It must have been a great day to visit Mt. St. Helens! I have a permit to climb MSH on 9/19.

Your trip sounds wonderful.

Yep! Super clear. Incredible!

Audrey

 

[Queenie]

Wow, you peeps are making me want to visit the Pacific NW again! I went there just over a year ago when my youngest moved there (only lasted 6-7 months though ) I visited for 3 weeks and fell in love with the Portland area. I had envisioned retiring part time there. hmmm maybe next summer I will do a road trip and take in Washington state, too! Am still on good terms with the GF and her family, the kids were just a little too young to start playing house. I have never seen so much green and the coast was wild and breathtaking. The place just has good energy and makes you want to do things. People were friendly, too. I felt much less an outsider there than I do here in SW Florida (where everyone came from somewhere else! )

Queenie

 

[braumeister]

I have never seen so much [-]green[/-] rain

Fixed it for you.

 

[Queenie]

Fixed it for you.

Braumeister! Well, yes, I was there in May and loved helping plant a veggie garden with them....there was some light rains... but good thing about being retired, you don't have to go out into it if you don't want too! Are you trying to put me off?

Queenie

 

[kaudrey]

We did a similar trip in May . In skagway we took a trip into the Yukon . The scenery was unbelievable . I also recommend a stop at "The Red Dog Saloon " in Juneau .Pack an umbrella and you'll have great weather . Enjoy !

Moemg - We did both of these on our cruise - and loved them!

We did the float plane trip out of Ketchican - it was beautiful. Here is a pic from the plane:

 

[braumeister]

Are you trying to put me off?

Not a bit of it!
I learned decades ago about the PNW when I visited (from the east coast) some friends near Olympia. I remarked about all the rain, and was instantly corrected:
"No, no, no!" they said, "you don't mention the rain, you say "Gee, everything is so green!"

Later, I realized that the myth of constant rain is cunningly perpetuated by the locals, who hardly want more immigrants cluttering up their roads.

I had a similar experience the first time I visited northern California (Sacramento area). It was in the summer, and I commented on how the whole landscape was so brown.
"No, no, no!" they said, "you mean golden!"

 

[Brat]

Not a bit of it!
I learned decades ago about the PNW when I visited (from the east coast) some friends near Olympia. I remarked about all the rain, and was instantly corrected:
"No, no, no!" they said, "you don't mention the rain, you say "Gee, everything is so green!"

Later, I realized that the myth of constant rain is cunningly perpetuated by the locals, who hardly want more immigrants cluttering up their roads.

I had a similar experience the first time I visited northern California (Sacramento area). It was in the summer, and I commented on how the whole landscape was so brown.
"No, no, no!" they said, "you mean golden!"

So true, so true!!

Actually Oregon and Washington have communities ideal for a retiree (and others too if they bring their job with them). PM me if you want one woman's opinion.

 

[kcowan]

When in Victoria, make sure to visit Bouchart's Gardens.

The trans-Canada highway begins at the Beacon Hill Park in town.

City of Victoria - Parks Division

 

[Chuckanut]

It may not rain every day, but from October to the end of June, the grass at the parks will make your bottom wet when you sit on it. Not so good.

 

[Brat]

That's what Gore-tex pants are for...

 

[audreyh1]

On 8/17/11 we are off to Seattle where we'll take a 7 day cruise to Victoria, Alaska (Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, then back to Victoria) then back to Seattle where we tagged on an extra day or two to sight-see. We chose not to do serious inland excursions but may take a helicopter or float plane trip.

Today (8/23) I was standing on Point Hudson (at the Port of Port Townsend) admiring the expansive views, and I saw an enormous cruise ship heading out into the Strait from Seattle. I could barely make out the name with my bins, it said Carnival [something squiggly]. I wondered if Rich was on it!

Gorgeous evening, mostly clear, sunny, almost calm. Could see Mt. Baker very clearly, and could even see the top of Mt. Rainier to the southeast. Beautiful cruising weather. I love to do panoramas, but today's scenery was too big and wide for even that!

Now I see that Rich's cruise was last week! Just missed ya!

And the ship must have been the Carnival Spirit, as that is heading out to Alaska from Seattle on Tuesdays. Almost the end of the season apparently.

Hope you had a great one Rich!

Audrey

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

We're back after a highly successful journey, a bit jet-lagged to be sure. Seattle had perfect weather all 5 days we were there. We visited Bainbridge Island by ferry (including Dock's - thanks, Brat), the Public Market, numerous restaurants including Cutters and a bunch of cheap places, took tours, walked like mad and had a blast.

Alaska was misty and gray but with good visibility for scenery and whales. We skipped the aviation excursions in favor of a leisurely whale spotting tour. The inner passage fjords were magnificent. The cruise itself was a nice way to do this if you aren't looking for rugged hiking or hours of inland buses; I can see doing that as a separate fly-in trip.

Thanks for all the tips which we used frequently. This ends the official celebration of DW's 60th, my retirement, our 40th anniversary and a few lesser milestones in the past year or so. I'll post pictures when we can sort them out.

 

[DblDoc]

Glad to hear you had a good trip. Looking forward to the pics. Everyone has been behaving themselves here while you were gone.

DD

 

[W2R]

Glad you are safely back, Rich, and that you apparently had a very nice trip.

 

[Moemg]

Glad you had a great time . We loved Alaska and will probably go back .

 

[JOHNNIE36]

Welcome home Rich.Sounds like you had a great trip. Something I always wanted to do. Still might. Looking forward to the pics.

 

[Brat]

I hope you had the opportunity to eat on Doc's deck. A beautiful setting.

 

[kcowan]

Sunny and warm! Pretty lucky this year.

Welcome home.

 

[audreyh1]

It's been pretty nice for a while out here. Perfect weather day again 9/4. We went to Seattle to meet my brother for lunch. Anyone visiting the Seattle waterfront, I highly recommend Elliot's. Wow! - especially for the oysters.

Of course being Labor Day Weekend and gorgeous sunny and warm, waterfront Seattle was packed! (Well, Pike's Place Market in particular - horrendous!) I think maybe it was all those cruise ships docked in the harbor.......

Audrey

 

[Brat]

Hush, hush. Don't you know every visitor the the PNW must swear to tell all upon their return that all it did is rain!