Pacific Coast Scenic Highway

July 22, 2011

Today was a day of traveling for us. We drove down the Pacific Coast Highway in Oregon, and it was beautiful. The wind off the ocean was cool, but the sun was shining! We stopped and took a few pictures along the way before stopping for the night.


This is Yaquina Head on 101 Pacific Coast Highway. A beautiful stop along the way south on the highway.


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Location:Oregon

Mount Ranier National Park and Mount St. Helen

July 21, 2011

Ever had something hanging over your head that you really would like to have disappear?

Well, we have had just that! They are called big gray clouds!

Yesterday, July 20, we arrived at Ranier NP. The entrance to the park was beautiful. We felt like we were driving down a corridor with stately Douglas Firs and Western Hemlocks in perfectly straight rows welcoming us. It was a very peaceful feeling.

We drove up the long winding road to the Paradis Visitor Center, hoping the big gray clouds would disappear by the time we arrived. On the way, we saw some awesome snow-covered peaks that were probably 5,000-6,000 feet.....but compared to the master of the park, they were dwarfs.

At the visitor's center, there was a lot of snow.....it was at least 6 feet deep along the road, and people were snowshoeing and kids were playing in the snow. We never saw the top two-thirds of Mt. Ranier.

This morning, the fog was so thick and heavy, we didn't even try to go back up the mountain for another look. We left and headed to Mount St. Helen.

When we got to the Mount St. Helen Visitor Center, we were told that the mountain was in thick clouds. We decided to take the 47 mile trip up to the Observatory anyway, and sure enough......Mount St. Helen was in the clouds. We went into the observatory and watched the film on what happened back in 1980. It was an amazing film, and you can still see much of the devastation 31 years later. The film ended, the screen and curtain was raised and we looked out the expansive window showing the mountain......and the clouds were gone! What a gift! For about 10 minutes the mountain was clear, so we took some pictures we never thought we would be able to take....and we thanked God for the gift He gave us.

After seeing the devastation this volcano caused over many many miles, I was feeling very small and insignificant in this world. I am so thankful that I am not insignificant in God's eyes. After 31 years, the new trees cover the mountains and beautiful wild flowers are scattered over the land. The dead trees and stumps are still all around to remind you of what happened. I am still feeling very overwhelmed by what we saw today.




Pictures taken on the way up to see Mt. Ranier


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Another slip of the finger....this is the Waterton NP, Canada!




This fox came right up to Ethan.....sure he was looking for food.




Another slip up!!




I wish I could figure out how to delete pictures that are mistakes! Sorry!




Ethan has been wanting to see an elk up close.....FINALLY, he got up close and personal with this beauty. On the way down the mountain, a mama elk and her baby crossed the road right in front of us!




Another mistake....Yellowstone.




Mount St. Helen.










This is a beautiful waterfall on the road to Paradis visitor center in Ranier NP.

Location:Washington

Olympic National Park

July 19, 2011

We arrived in Port Angeles, WA Sunday afternoon ready to check out Olympic National Park. On Monday, we drove up Hurricane Ridge...another narrow, winding road!! No guardrails in many places! Unfortunately, the clouds were hanging around the top of the mountain, so we did not see the spectacular view we were hoping to see. The clouds have not cooperated with us at all, so we have not seen many of the tall snow covered peaks.

Today we drove to the Hoh Rain Forest and had a wonderful time. This rain forest is a temperate rain forest that gets about 12 feet of rain a year. The Sitka Spruce and Western Hemlock dominate the forest, with some Douglas Fir as well. They average 200-300 feet tall, and are just magnificent. They live at least 300 years, and have many different kinds of moss growing on them and hanging from their branches. What a peaceful place. We were hoping to see elk while we were there, but they didn't show up for us.

We have seen many other beautiful places here on the Olympic Peninsula, and will never forget these experiences. Tomorrow we will leave here for Mount Ranier.



View from our back yard while camping at the KOA in Port Angeles, WA.





Ranger Sharah talking with us about the habitat living on Hurricane Ridge. As you can see, we were in the clouds....so not awesome views for us.





From one tunnel to another on Hurricane Ridge Rd.






Taken from a beach at Lake Crescent just outside the park.





We could not believe how tall and straight these trees were in the rain forest.




A few of the moss covered trees in the rain forest







Sorry.....hit the wrong picture by mistake...this is a photo from Yellowstone





Ethan found another hugging tree!





Another slip of the finger....these are some of the cedars in Glacier!




This Sitka Spruce is 270 feet tall and estimated to be 500-550 years old! It's diameter is 12 and a half feet.....wonder what the circumference would be?

Location:Washington

Pike Place Fish Market

July 17, 2011

We spent this morning at Pike Place Market. Our first stop was to Pike's Fish Market. We had read several of the Pike's Fish Market books at work..."Catch" and "Fish" and I wanted to meet the crew. I was talking with one of the guys--I think his name was Ernie...at least I will call him Ernie.
We told him we were from Maine, and that I had read their books and was excited about seeing them in action.

Ernie said, "You should catch a fish."

So, he took off his apron and gave it to me. I went up behind the counter and the guys showed me how to catch a fish.....then they did their shouting and threw the fish up over the display counters! I actually caught it!! How much fun that was! They made my day for sure!







I gave Ernie back his apron and thanked him for making my day.

Location:Seattle, Washington

North Cascades National Park

Friday, July 15, 2011

As we travel to the different national parks in our country, we find each one to be such a blessing.

Today we spent our day in North Cascades NP in Washington. They had so much snow this year, there was still deep snow close to the road in some places. Many of the hiking trails are still snow covered in higher elevations.

The snow covered peaks were just awesome. The roads were lined with tall, lush, green trees, and in many places they provided a canopy over us as we drove along the road. With the snow covered mountains in the distance, it was truly a beautiful sight.

We saw some great waterfalls today, and took some short walks. After a long day of traveling yesterday, it was nice to take it easy today and enjoy our surroundings.

It's hard for us to believe that we have been away from home for a month now. As we look at the map, Maine seems so far away.....wait--it is far away!! We have enjoyed every day of our trip, and look forward each day.
May God bless each of you as He has blessed us.

Including a few of the pictures taken today in North Cascades NP.

Location:Washington

Westward Ho!

Today, July 14, is a traveling day..as was yesterday. We left Spokane, WA this morning headed for North Cascades National Park. We have left the majestic peaks behind us and have been traveling through rolling farm land this morning. It is so pretty with the crops of alfalfa growing for acres and the small farm communities along the way. The scenery is very tranquil.

Within hours we will once again be in the mountains as we enter the National Park, and once again we are thanking our God for all He has given to all of us and for the opportunity we have to see all that He has created.

We stopped in Grand Coulee, WA to stretch legs and see the Grand Coulee Dam. It was completed in 1941 and to this day is the largest cement structure in the world. Harnessing the Columbia River, this dam supplies electricity to thousands, and irrigation to the farmlands.




I have never seen soooo many apple trees in my life! We just passed through Brewster, WA. There are acres and acres of orchards on both sides of the road. I will think of Brewster, WA every time I eat a Red Delicious apple!!

Stay tuned........


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Location:Washington

Our Last Day in Glacier

We had a pretty easy day today....slept in, went for a good walk, jumped in the hot tub, had breakfast around 11a.m. and then went into the Park. We really needed an easy day today after all the driving yesterday! We walked The Trail of the Cedars near Avalanche Creek. It was beautiful...some of the cedar trees were hundreds of years old. We actually dipped our feet in the icy old river. It reminded me of the ocean up at Acadia NP.....soooo cold. Ethan walked around in the water and his feet were red when he stepped out!

We have had a great time at Glacier NP. We will never forget the majestic mountains, the rushing waterfalls and the big sky feeling of this state. Tomorrow we will be heading to the state of Washington...another first for us. I may not be posting for a few days.



Took this picture of McDonald Lake from Apgar Village.


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This gorge was in the middle of our walk through the cedars...just beautiful!




Ethan found a hollow cedar tree and jumped in it! Reminds us of a tree on Baxter Island that we would both get in....we called it the hugging tree. Don't know if it's still there or not.




Ethan is taking pictures and I'm waiting!




Here he is walking in the river. I've never seen such clear, blue/green water in a river.

Location:Montana