May 29, 2011. A Day to Drive. And What A Beautiful Drive it Was

I spent the day driving, not wanting to hike. So here is a brief description of my day followed by many thoughts from the road. I drove around Bellingham and loved the old town as well as its location.

Wow Washington State is huge! And I chose back roads to experience it. I drove Route 20 through Cascade National Park but skipped the visitor center because I was annoyed by slow drivers. Maybe not my best decision, but I wanted to make Montana. I got to see LOTS of snow, and tons of people outdoors. I liked that. I loved the old western town of Winthrop and if it wasn’t so busy would have spent much more time there. I went through another old town called Republic. I like oldness. Except sometimes old people, because they make me sad. I got tired around 6pm and decided to stop in Sand Point, Idaho on Idaho’s biggest lake. I didn’t make Glacier National Park, but it’s really pretty here!

Thoughts:

A small part of route 20 reminded me of CT, then I came to gorgeous open fields with misty hills behind them and horses with barns.

I’m not sure why I love falling down old houses and barns so much. Yes they are a little sad to see but they intrigue me so much. I find them historical and beautiful.

High tension wires running along a scenic route REALLY kill the mood.

I can’t stand when people don’t go the speed limit. I mean 15 below is a bit crazy. Especially when I have eight hours of driving to do.

The Cascade National Park may be my favorite mountains. Scenery wise that is. There were tons of snow capped mountains, waterfalls, and A LOT of what looked like cross country skiers. Could have been downhill for all I know.

Winthrop, Washington is an amazing picturesque western town.

The Washington State topography is very diverse.

Kettle Falls, where 1640 people live and one grouch.

Young people, and not so smart people, suck at giving directions. They just got to their fancy phones and believe them! The maps don’t lie but the internet does. Well, at least my maps don’t lie.

There are a ton of dams out here.

Northern Idaho is much prettier than southern Idaho.

Hello huge homes on beautiful lake Pend Oreille.

May 28, 2011. I Know It’s a Road Trip of the U.S But….

Early morning I woke to catch a Ferry to Victoria, BC where I have always wanted to visit. I was so close I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. I only had a few hours there but was assured that would be plenty of time. I thought I would let everyone off the boat before me so I could just read as the line died down. It’s a good thing I am patient but it was a bad decision. Due to a full boat I waited in the customs line for over an hour. Then I was put through the inquisition of Canada. Damn they were serious and untrusting of everyone. I cannot imagine living that way. Once in Victoria, hehe I’m Victoria, I did some walking tours, got some lunch, had an amazing chocolate from Rogers, looked for trinkets, explored a huge old hotel , and enjoyed the artists. That was it.

I made my way to Port Townsend for an 8:30 ferry which I had a reservation for. However, I arrived at 6pm. I bribed the ferry attendant (at least he wanted me to), and got in line for the 6:45 ferry to Coupeville. I was bummed I didn’t get to see Port Townsend so I abandon my car in the loading line to hustle into historic town and walk around, which I am so glad I did. Port Townsend is an amazing old artsy port town. I loved it! The ferry drops you off on Whidbey Island, which I am still not sure why I have heard of it. Probably because it is freaking gorgeous and panoramic. I made the beautiful drive off the island, with a quick stop to walk over Deception Pass, heading up to Bellingham with beautiful sunset to accompany me.

Thoughts:

Um, why does the automated ferry update message tell you there are no spaces when there are tons? And why do you need a reservation if you can show up, get a space, and the ferry isn’t even full?

There was a street named Kitchen Dick and a river named Jimmy-Come-Lately.

I love having my windows down in the car for fresh air but sometimes it is way too loud.

I could maybe live on Whidbey Island

May 27. Misty in Western Washington

I waited for my passport to come in the mail and said goodbye to Jake. I left his house and had great timing getting to Edmonds for the HUGE car ferry. I then slowly and in the rain drive to and into Olympic National Park. I stopped a few times on my way to the hike to Sol Duc Falls. Although rainy it was BEAUTIFUL. I loved the rolling rock and moss fall better than Sol Duc, but both were inspiring. I stopped at the Sol Duc Hot Lodge and last minute decided to soak up some sulfer. The place was crowded and when they closed one pool for cleaning it over crowded the other. Not wanting to fight the people I made the drive out of park where I sat by a beautiful lake. The weather began to clear and as I looked over a lake at snow capped mountains I made some phone calls and wrote a few letters. I like nature.

Thoughts:

Even thought the park is under clouds it looks like pretty mountains. Then when you enter its beautiful misty rainforest covered in soft moss.

I think Olympic National Park would be better for back country hiking or longer hikes.

I really like the Pacific Northwest. Especially Oregon and Washington.

I saw a beautiful rainbow, then minutes later a full rainbow over a lake with snow covered mountains in the background. It was so close I could have gone after the gold.

I really want to learn to surf well.

Port Angeles, Washington has a great geographical location with views of the mountains and water.

I saw a Twilight, like the movie, storefront thing. Very strange, but fitting for up here.

Thursday May 26. I Like Seattle

I awoke to a not so bad weather day in Seattle. I took the bus to the Experience Music Project and sci-fi museum which was extremely technological and interesting but crowded with school kids. I walked down to the Olympic Sculpture Park and from there to the market. I hoped in line to get some food at Piroshky Piroshky and while eating talked to random Mick about the first Starbucks. He had some damn good info. Don’t know if it’s true, but I’m buying it. It began to sprinkle but I made the walk to public library anyways. This may be one of my favorite buildings in the U.S. It also amazes me how libraries are safe havens for homeless. From the library I walked to the historic area of Pioneer Square. Under recommendation of Jake I did the underground tour, which was soooo informative and a must do! Who knew there was an underground to Seattle? I walked around a bit, saw the fire fighter memorial, and walked in rain to catch a bus back. It just so happened I saw Jake on my bus. We hopped off and grabbed dinner at Cuban shop in Fremont. The rest of the night was spent finally getting caught up on my blog, and “helping” Jake pack for his backpacking trip.

Thoughts:

Why build a city on such difficult land? Is it really worth the money and time? I guess that plays into the Seattle Motto. It also says a lot about the U.S.

I love that there a no chain stores in downtown Seattle!

You could totally lie on tours as a tour guide. I’m glad they don’t and that I learned about Seattle’s real history and the Seamstress women and the cities sewing machine tax.

I had no idea Seattle hated Tacoma so much. The humor was great.

Wednesday May 25: All For a Doughnut

I said goodbye to Cristina and Jared and headed back into Portland. My GPS failed me miserably but I have a good sense of direction and got to see some BEAUTIFUL neighborhoods. I stopped in the Laurel Hurst area and went into one of Powell’s like 500 book stores. I think I love Powell’s Books and all their different shops. I met a very kind lady who tried to help me find Voodoo doughnuts. This was my original destination. After two and a half hours I got to Voodoo Too and enjoyed a Bacon Maple Bar. Although I refer to the experience as the doughnut fiasco, it was worth it to see this place. Too bad the original location was closed for renovations. I then made the wet but pretty drive back to the Coast to Cannon Beach. Finally I have found a west coast town that reminds me of quaint New England. On my way up the coast I stopped at the Lewis and Clark Fort Clatsop, which I had no idea was there. After a quick drive around maritime Astoria I crossed the beautiful bridge into Washington State. I wanted to drive on the Long Beach Peninsula more but got stuck behind a slow driver and had to turn around. The beautiful peninsula and Kite Museum and Hall of Fame will have to wait till next time. I wanted to get to the Mount Saint Helens visitor center before it closed. I made it with only 15 minutes until five and didn’t get to see any of the exhibits, or the volcanoes due to clouds. So I made the drive to Seattle. I wanted to get to Jakes so I passed on Olympia and Tacoma. Tes reminded me that I hadn’t seen Jake in three years. Its crazy how time flies!

Thoughts:

Northeastern Washington really does look like the Twilight movies. I guess it should be vice versa.

When you only have one day in a place the weather can really affect your opinion of the place.

Tuesday May 24. Spicy Mango

Leif and his father had to work early so the three girls went to breakfast at Hale’s. I said goodbye to me new friends drove around Portland for a bit seeing Portland State, Pearl district, and everything in between. The sun was shining (for the first time in months) so I took a scenic drive out 84. I hiked to the top viewpoint of the Multnomah waterfall but my favorite part was where you could feel the spray. I drove over The Bridge of the Gods and wondered what made it so godly. I drove on the scenic side to Hood River known for its wind surfing and got to see two wind surfers that day. I drove back on 84 wanting to cross back over the godly bridge but missed it. So I headed to Vancouver Washington to meet Cristina via highway. We met at her adorable place and headed back into Portland to eat some yummy food at Urban Fondue, and drink martinis. It was happy hour and I wanted to try something new so I went for the spicy mango martini. Interesting. I helped Cristina clean a Bikram Yoga studio and I learned A LOT about Bikram Yoga studios. Once back we hang out with Jared and called it a night. I love that all my friends have jobs. I just feel bad making them stay up. Oh well, it’s worth it!


Thoughts:

The on/off ramps off of 84 in Oregon are crazy unique. I’ve never experienced them before.

The Pearl area seems ritzier than the rest of Portland and has a lot of new glass buildings.

I really like how green and uninhabited Oregon feels.

When I crossed the bridge into Hood River there was a gorgeous view of a snow covered Mount Hood. I now have a great mental picture.

Monday May 23. Road Trip Road Trip Road Trip!

I said goodbye to Kim and McKinleyville, but I wasn’t too sad. I knew I would get to see her soon. I drove the 101, also known as the Redwood Highway, all the way up to Newport, Oregon. Of course stopping along the way. My first stop was in Brookings and as I left town I saw apartments right on the water I wanted to live in. I think I want to live on the water somewhere.

A brief stop was made for some Oregon info and a walk on the water. I drove out to Cape Blanco which is the farthest point west in the continental U.S and has a pretty lighthouse I couldn’t get to. I then drive along the Oregon Dunes National Area which is crazy long and beautiful. I should have stopped but wanted to make it to Leif’s by 8pm. I had called ahead to Crater Lake and Oregon Caves National Park. They were both still mostly closed for winter so I stuck to the coast and they’ll have to wait for another trip in the summer.

My next stop was at Sea Lion Cave in Florence. This place was definitely worth the money and the stop. It’s the world’s largest sea cave! And there are always lots of sea lions. It also offers a beautiful view of the Heceta lighthouse. Which I probably should have visited. I then made the long drive to I-5 on route 20 which felt like forever. As I was going to meet Leif and his family and girlfriend at a Mexican restaurant In Oregon City I saw a vivid rainbow. We spent a few hours hanging out and getting caught up which I loved. I can’t believe a year has passed so quickly since last time I saw him. His parents were awesome. They not only let me spend the night, but treated me to dinner, and gave me some good info. Thanks Palmers!

Thoughts:

Wow they do a TON of logging in Oregon.

Dropping from 60mph to 20 makes you feel like you are crawling in slow motion.

I saw TWO Connecticut license plates today!

I’m bummed I missed the Northern California Coast. I absolutely LOVED the Oregon coast but don’t have much to compare it to.

I don’t think I want to live in California. Taxes and gas are too high.

When I got to the first town in Oregon the gas was more than 50 cents cheaper!

It was sad to see so many casinos in small towns and not much more going on.

May 6 – May ?

I made the drive up the 101to McKinleyville in quick time. I was going to stop in Fort Bragg and drive the Avenue if the Giants but I just wanted to get there. Also, I thought I would be going back down to the city later in the month.

Before I went to James’s I stopped at Starbucks in Eureka to see Kim, but she wouldn’t let me through the drive through. I was walking. I was a little PMS’y and not feeling great, but later that evening I got to meet Ashley and see Chris and Erin again while eating pizza.

I’m not sure the order in which we did things but in between trips to James’s we did do a lot. I met Sam and Ben whom I really wanted to meet. On Saturday I helped Kim participate in the 50mile bike ride of Tour of the Unknown Coast and got to know Ferndale. Sunday Kim, Ben, Megan and I played my first ever round of disc golf. In the evening we headed to the Cher-Ae Heights Casino where I picked a card that gave me 200 casino bucks with which I won $91. I also sang karaoke for the first time and Kim got asked to try out for a karaoke competition. We saw Singing In The Rain on the big screen at the Arcata Theater Lounge and I met Brooklyn. I also finally got to eat a Hole in the Wall sandwich which we took to the Marina. Then in one day we tried to see whales, went to the post office, I got to eat an It’s It ice cream, which I loved, some Have A Good Chips, and a Burrito at Rita’s with Chris and Erin. Good times.

During the week I got to try lots of yummy Starbucks treats including TONS of chocolate covered graham crackers. We also watched The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Adventures of Ichabod Crane and Mr. Toad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and a movie Hillary worked on. Not sure when I will be taking off for the rest of the road trip. I like being in California and there are still a few more things I would like to do before I leave.

Monday May 2- Friday May 6.

Somewhat Sad Sunny Days in San Francisco

After landing in San Francisco I went straight to the hotel where my mommy was staying. Although we were not in San Francisco for the most joyous reason we tried to make the best of it. The next day Mom forced me to do some shoe shopping. Which I admittedly needed. The following day, once we made our way through Fisherman’s Wharf and along the water, we took an open air bus tour to Sausalito. While walking around Sausalito we heard someone say Andrea and it was people from West Hartford. Crazy. The next day we headed to Ocean Beach and although our minds were elsewhere we tried to make the best of it.

I arrived in San Francisco Monday evening and on Friday morning it was time to head up to Kim and James’s. While in the city we also got to drive through the Golden Gate Park, fed some homeless, ate a lot of cottage cheese from Whole Foods, drove around Castro, walked through a Farmers Market, and walked around a food truck night. There are a few good memories.

Wedding Weekend Pics (but not the professional kind)

Thurs. April 28th-Mon. May 2nd Better than the Royal Wedding

I must begin by saying: Unfortunately I do not have any pictures, yet.

I arrived late Thursday and did not want to bother the boys so I enjoyed my amazing hotel (which I had previously mentioned).

Friday morning I woke up early for an amazing breakfast then went back to the very comfy bed. Although I did not pay attention to the TV during breakfast I did see the royal dress. I got a late checkout, had some yummy cookies, then made my way back to the airport. No I was not leaving Indiana. I may have offended the shuttle lady (which I feel a little bad about) by not sitting in front, but I think it turned out okay because I wasn’t judging her on some of her strange views.

I made it to the airport, got a seat, and waited for Tes and Emily to arrive. It was so nice to see them and get a hug. We realized Sarah, Frazier, and Bethany were all at the hotel and Kelsey was close so we headed outside to wait for Kels. It was a little chilly so we found the sun and then saw Kels pull up. It was so nice to get picked up at the airport and get caught up on each other’s lives.

The moment we pulled into the parking lot we got to see, and hug, Matt (the groom) and Heath. The moment we entered the hotel we saw everyone else. I forgot how loud we are when all together and how nice it is to be together. I thought the commonality between sorority sisters was cool, but the bond between Returned Peace Corps volunteers is just amazing.

Then on our way to get a snack we ran into Anna who had driven in from NY. The gang was all together. Well, except for a few who didn’t make it to the wedding. You know who you are. We grabbed a snack, then all got ready. We had some amazing luck entering the hotel because upon our return from a snack at Bourbon Street we got to see Ann Marie for the first time. Her dress was amazing and she looked beautiful. That was our first time “meeting her”.

We headed the to the Indian Historical Society for the wedding, cocktail hour, and reception. The room was great and lighting beautiful. Outside the sun was shining and right on the canal. The ceremony was not religious, short and beautiful. I think three brides maids and grooms men is a good number. We closed the place down and were the liveliest group there. It was a great wedding. Usually weddings are for getting to know new people, but we all just wanted to get caught up with each other. We kept trying to think of who would get married next so we can get together again.

After the reception we headed back to Bourbon Street, the bar, not street, and I was so impressed when Ann Marie came up the stairs in her wedding dress. The newlywed couple hung out with all of us, and many other guests, in the bar for quite awhile. What a great couple.

The next morning we headed to Matt’s childhood home and had an amazing day there. The weather was great and his parents made a lovely brunch with food, drinks, and games for us out of towners. It was a perfect day, and it wasn’t even over. We were there all day and I hung around until the end to drive the couple back to their house. They have such a pretty kitty that they can’t take to Costa Rica nd I wanted it! If I wasn’t on the road trip it would have been mine! We then all met up again for a AAA baseball game. Of course the Indianapolis Indians lost but we all had a great time. I got in a mustard fight with Dan, which I feel really bad about, and we all got to see Heaths body building pictures. Although the couple called it a night us Peace Corps people headed to Adobe (or something like that) to celebrate Emily’s birthday, dance some salsa, and get amazing food. Unfortunately the music was sooo loud I didn’t stay after dinner. I really don’t like loud places, and it was around midnight. Luckily I didn’t have to go home alone. No, no stranger from the bar. Kels wasn’t feeling well, Sarah was sleepy, and Heath wasn’t feeling the noise either. Good times, good times.

Sunday morning I had to say goodbye to all my friends but Anna and Heath. We had a hot breakfast in the hotel together and they slowly trickled away. A little later, once we made it out of the hotel and parking lot, Anna drove us to a neat part of Indianapolis to meet Matt and Ann Marie for lunch. Anna was going to leave us, but made a last minute great decision to stay for some yummy Thai.

After lunch Anna took off and the newlyweds drove Heath and I to the airport. Ann Marie taught me how to play with the Ipad 2 and it was great. Once at the airport it was time to say goodbye to this amazing couple. I am so happy they are such a Pura Vida pair and we got to hang out so much. I wasn’t flying out until Monday morning so I caught a shuttle to the airport and at 2pm went to bed. I then awoke to watch some Glee, eat a little, and rented a movie for my I-pod. Wow am I getting good at technology, insert laughter here.

Monday morning I awoke early to take my flights back to San Francisco and see my mommy.

What a great wedding weekend with great people and a great couple! Stay tuned for pictures.