Fraternizing with the Locals

These are random pictures from the last few weeks. Aside from Mt. Rainier, I've been doing things closer to home lately...trying to enjoy what this area has to offer before we leave in less than 3 weeks (sad face): berry picking, hiking, lavender festivals, and wineries.

4th of July...view of Port Angeles from the dock...awaiting fireworks.

Donkey swimming with his most favorite Cindy.

Lavender Farm

I fell in love with lavender at the Sequim Lavender Festival.

Hurricane Ridge...these are the mountains that I look up at through my kitchen window.

Move Over Yosemite

This past weekend, we went to Mt. Rainier National Park. Having not done my homework on the park, I didn't realize that there was so much to see and we had to squeeze what could have been a week long trip into a day and a half. Although we saw the main attractions and did a little hiking, I would like to go back one day to do more hiking. To summit Mt. Rainier there is an 8 mile trail with a 9000 foot elevation gain...way out of my league. I think I may stick to trying to complete the 93 mile Wonderland Trail that encircles the mountain. Traveling across this country for the past year has allowed me to see so many beautiful places, but Mt. Rainier definitely takes the cake. These pictures can't quite capture her size and grandeur, but they are all I have to offer.

Plans

My assignment here in Port Angeles is regretfully over at the end of August. I have been offered and extension but have decided to stick to the original plan of heading back to FL and staying through the holidays. Its too soon to interview with anyone but the plan is to get an assignment close enough to PSL to drive home for the weekends. I am not looking forward to the heat...I've spent my entire summer between 60 and 70 degrees...but I am looking forward to seeing the family and exploring the natural side of FL. There are so many places I've never seen.

We are going to take the northern route home, stopping at Mt. Rushmore, then head south through the Appalachians, stopping in Asheville for a few days to determine its potential for permanent residency. We have been traveling not only to see the country but also to find a place that we want to settle. We haven't come to an agreement on the perfect place...but we are both discovering what we want. Unfortunately our opinions seem to be going in different directions. I loved Flagstaff and Port Angeles, two smaller sized mountain towns with national parks nearby, tons of outdoor activities, and adorable little downtown areas. Danielle is into larger cities with more culture & diversity and really liked Tacoma. I'm hoping that Asheville is going to be a good combination of the two.

Olympic Peninsula

These are just a few of the pictures from some of our weekend adventures around the Peninsula.

Hoh Rain Forest

Hoh Rain Forest

Hoh Rain Forest-Hall of Mosses

Cape Flattery


I can't even believe how beautiful this cove was.


Lighthouse in Port Townsend

Whidbey Island



Deception Pass

Portland

We wanted to visit Portland sometime during our stay in the NW. Danielle had never been and the last time I was there was in 2004. I didn't love Portland at the time...I had just just moved to San Francisco and everywhere else paled in comparison to my beloved city by the bay. In my more recent quest to find a place to settle, Portland had been creeping its way up my list of possible cities. We decided to go during pride weekend and kill two birds with one stone.

On our first venture into downtown, I was verbally assaulted by a drunk outside of a bar at 10:30 am. Not off to a good start...but the rest of the weekend went smoothly and I think that I would really love it there, if not for the rain. I just can't get past the gloomy gray skies. We did enjoy our trip though and crammed a lot into one weekend: meatless chicken, waterfalls, pride events, Chris Pureka & Andrea Gibson on the same stage back to back, rose gardens, and a lot of walking around to discover neighborhoods.

Gorge on the way to Multnomah Falls


Multnomah Falls...beautiful

Rose Garden


View from the waterside in downtown Portland

The Olympic Peninsula

Here are a few pictures of 2 hikes we took right outside of Port Angeles in Olympic National Park. The hikes were low key but it was nice to see a few falls. We hiked to Madison Falls and Marymere Falls before heading over to Lake Crescent to hike the Spruce Railroad trail, which runs along the lake's shore on an old railroad grade. The lake is one of the deepest in Washington but is still an impossible blue.

Otherwise, I have been busy transporting Rocky to his many appointments. He tore his ACL (ligament in the knee) playing outside a few weeks ago and we've been on a roller coaster ride of vet appointments, acupuncture treatments, and water therapy to get him feeling good again. The hardest part has been my roll change from crazy auntie to party police...everytime he runs, skips, hops, or shows any other physical sign of happiness, I have to yell for him to lay down. Poor Donkey. Everyone, cross your fingers for a speedy recovery.

Donkey in his cage.

Marymere Falls

Log Bridge

Elwha River

Madison Falls

Lake Crescent-This pic does not do the color justice.

Lake Crescent

Old Railroad Tunnel