Tag: travel
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A new post goes in and the old fence comes down
In the northwest, wood decays into the soil. Fence posts and entire fences biodegrade into the soil. I’ve seen this after just a couple of years in the ground. Pay a little more for pressure treated and the fence will last longer. Pay the extra, it’s worth it. I have a fence on the side…
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The way pharmacies used to be 100 years ago
While visiting my sister in Guthrie, Oklahoma, she brought me to the Oklahoma Frontier Drug Store Museum. Located on one of the many side streets in the historic downtown district, we entered through the ancient doorway. I thought it was an old bar with dark wood counters on both sides and bottles in the cabinets…
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the oregon trail’s start and finish lines re-visited
Over the years, in my travels, I’ve come across portions of the Oregon trail. Where possible, roadside markers indicate the exact location of this famous emigrant route. You look and see two ruts where the wagon wheels traveled. There must have been a lot of wagons traveling the road to embed such tracks. We called…
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Get your kicks on route 66 with al childs
route 66 turns 100 years old this year. The road runs from chicago to santa monica’s pier. it cuts through oklahoma and they know it and celebrate it. we’ve heard of a get-to-gether in tulsa, oklahoma may 30 of old classic cars. they will attempt to set a guiness book of world records during this…
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Good day, bad night on the skagit
I’m enjoying being at home sometimes day after day. However, i get the itch to go camping. In january i packed up and made reservation at rasar state park in skagit county. the park is located along the skagit river. The river flooded in december so I expected to see some evidence of the flooding…
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Golden; Ghost Town of Southern Oregon
In Golden we have standing structures that can be entered, at least some of the structures as of this writing (October 2025). There are five main structures to Golden and these were vital to the community when it had residents roughly from 1890 to the mid twentieth century. The structures include a one room schoolhouse. These were common in rural areas and in this case…
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Marta Becket and the Amargosa Opera House, a chance meeting
Some thirty years ago, my wife and I were wandering the region around Death Valley. We were coming in the back way for some reason. We came to an odd looking building and I just had to stop. It had a strange color scheme and long arched exterior corridors. It was absolutely deserted or rather…
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Bird bath repair. Sealing a leak and raising the water level. Dry pouring concrete.
I’m taking a discarded bird bath and putting it back into service. I bought it for someone as a gift. It returned to me but is useless. Birds never went to it. I surmise that it is too deep and wobbles due to its light weight. One more thing; it’s made of plastic. I’ve observed…
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Mexico 1989: An unexpected stay in Angahuan, gateway to Volcan de Paracutin
It was after arriving back from our trek to Volcan de Paracutin and the visit to the cathedral that survived the lava flow, we found ourselves stuck in the town of Angahuan. We dropped off the horses, paid the young guide, and went to the little market to wait for our ride back. Because we…
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Mexico 1989: Volcan de Paracutin. Mistakes were made.
When my father was young, he heard of a volcano exploding and devouring an entire town. The only thing left after the lava flow was the church steeples. By coincidence, Michele and I journeyed to that volcano on our 1989 rail trip to Uruapan in the state of Michiocan. The lava flow still exists as…
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Mexico 1989: Exploring beautiful Uruapan and surrounding towns
See the video on Youtube: Mexico 1989: Exploring beautiful Uruapan and surrounding towns We travelled to the town of Uruapan, Michoacan by way of the colonial town of Morelia. Arrangements with the Motel Pie de la Sierra were made in advance in the states from a guidebook. In 2024 I Google searched this same motel…
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Yuma Territorial Prison
A prison well suited for the frontier days of lore where bad men and women lived in an untamed territory and occasionally needed locking up for bad behavior. Like Pearl Hart a repeat criminal who dressed like a man and robbed stage coaches. She was a guest at the prison until her pardon by the…
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River access makes this park rock
The park with the unpronounceable name is just 6 acres. New to most of us, ƛ̕ax̌ʷadis Park has the one feature that puts it at the top of the list: direct access to the Sammamish River, and with that; boat, kayak, canoe, and SUP storage. River access is more than a muddy trail to the…
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Gondola to Whistler Mountain
Die hards find a way to ski to the last remnant of snow. Snow by mid-May will have receded to the top of the mountains. Here we go, not to ski, but to sight see. We aren’t the only ones taking the gondola up to Whistler Mountain to get a better lay of the land.…
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La Push on the Quileute Indian Reservation
Everything about La Push appears exceptional. At the Quileute Oceanside Resort we have first classaccommodations, an ocean view like no other, and a beach to roam with more driftwood than I’ve ever seen in one place. The best part is that we arrive in daylight and have time to enjoy it. The view from our…
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Port Angeles: Gateway to the Olympics
Another promising day that begins in La Push with a quick stop at Rialto Beach. Back on Highway 101 we head north and then go west with the highway. If the Olympic Peninsula were a square we’d be in the upper left. The highway, unfortunately, doesn’t hug the coast but cuts inland bypassing the northwest…
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Mt. Olympus from atop Hurricane Ridge
If the Olympic Mountains were a crown, Mt. Olympus would be the jewel. Protected by miles of deep valleys, glaciers, and thick forests, they’re only viewed from afar by most. To have a grand view of the entire range is to appreciate a place called Hurricane Ridge (elevation 5,242 feet). Hurricane Ridge is popular with…
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Port Angeles, Sequim, and Port Townsend
We descend Hurricane Ridge on the same windy road we came up. The only difference is there’s more traffic as the day has worn on. The line at the park entrance has gotten longer. We avoided this line by purchasing a 7-day pass at the Hoh Rain Forest. We’ll head east on Highway 101 without…
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Big Four Ice Caves
Expect company on this immensely popular ADA accessible trail to ever-present ice caves. Though highly unstable, the caves remain a year-round sensation for some 50,000 visitors annually. For many, it’s simply an awesome sight to behold, and for others, an irresistible opportunity for deep exploration. Because of the many hazards associated with the ice caves,…
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Summer’s last road trip to Fidalgo and Whidbey Islands
For every day of rain there’s four following it that are hot. On Friday it poured more than the previous three months combined. We got over two inches, close to a record for an August 14 day. The rain was accompanied by lightening that sparked numerous fires in the eastern part of the state. As…
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From Grand Coulee to Leavenworth on Highway 2
One last glance back at Coulee Dam before we start back home. We go at our own pace becausenobody’s behind us pushing, pushing, pushing. However, we’ve got to make good time because I told Michele we’d be home by noon. With the dam behind us, we breeze through three towns whose existence is owed to…
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Grand Coulee Dam
The goal lay ahead; Grand Coulee Dam. I’ve wanted to come here since talking to an older lady some 30 years ago when Curt and I lived off the Hood Canal. She went on about her husband working on the Coulee Dam. Every other sentence had the words “Grand Coulee” and she was boisterous as…
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Colville: Welcome to the Reservation
Kettle Falls turned out to be a remarkable place of mountains, valleys, forests, and small towns. Thenthere was Lake Roosevelt; huge and wide with hardly a boat on it. Where is everyone? This area marks the farthest point east on our giant loop. Looking at the map of Washington we’d be near the upper right…
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Kettle Falls and a step beyond to Colville
In my haste I had us staying in Kettle Falls. The name comes from a location on the Columbia Riverwhere the Indians would gather and catch salmon. The falls hemmed in the fish for easy harvesting. Only after making reservations did I find out that the falls are under water. They are no more. They…
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The road less trampled: Omak, Okanogan, Tonasket, and Republic
With the North Cascades behind us we drop into the high desert of Eastern Washington. Temperatures will reach and exceed 100 degrees in the next couple of days. At State Route 97 we head north through the towns of Omak and Okanogan. From here on out it’s small dusty towns with the road leading right…
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The beautiful Methow Valley and a town called Winthrop
When Michele returned from Atlanta on Tuesday she asked if we could go on a road trip for the rest of her week’s vacation. No problem, when Aaron gets out of summer school on Thursday we’ll go. But where? The first and last portion of the trip was planned some time ago as a small…
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Iron Goat Trail and the vanished town of Wellington
A vanished town, weird structures, and a tale of death by avalanche. I had high hopes for this hike. But an error on my part caused three of us to turn back. It went like this. The town of Wellington no longer exists. It was a railroad town for the Great Northern Railroad (now BNSF).…
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Returning to Hoodsport and Lake Cushman
Sunday after a long weekend. We are returning home after circling the Olympic Peninsula in aclockwise direction. If the peninsula were a clock, Hoodsport would be at 4:00. To say Hoodsport is a small town would be an overstatement. Thirty years ago, it was even tinier. Today, it has a winery bearing its name, a…
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Ballard Locks and saving of the anadromous. The what?
I’m sure you’re all familiar with the word “anadromous.” Not andromeda, but anadromous, meaning the salmon give birth in fresh water then live out their lives in salt water. At the end of their lives they return to fresh water. But if the whole canal is man-made then why would the salmon return to this…
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Drift-wooding into Rialto Beach
Being at Rialto Beach has been one of my goals in coming to Washington. I didn’t think it would happen so soon. And like many goals directed towards places, it doesn’t entirely meet my expectations. The beach itself lacks nothing in beauty and wonder. But I thought that it would be more isolated. The truth…
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The Hoh, Hoh, Hoh, Rain Forest
Everything we’ve done on this day is a run-up to the Hoh Rainforest. I believe we stopped here on our 1972 trip to Canada. We didn’t stay long as I remember, but long enough to get an eye full of the rainforest. They call this a temperate rainforest instead of a tropical one. Storms come…
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Roosevelt Beach
Last week Michele wanted a road trip for her birthday and Mother’s Day. We did over 700 miles circling the Olympic Peninsula. It was an epic trip done in 2.5 days. Come Monday I really felt I over-did it as usual. Yet, nobody complained about being tired. Our first full day was packed with driving,…
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Leaving Yakima for Toppenish and Zillah. Where?
With a continuous snow storm and two kids down with the noro virus, we contemplated the situation. We can go back in the direction the storm had already passed, stay put and wait it out, or move forward. Neither option sounded right and check out time approached. A better, fourth option emerged to re-evaluate and…
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Palouse Falls, scablands, and Ellensburg
Another full travel day. This time on state route 26 heading west through the scablands in the central part of the state. It’s straight through with a couple of planned stops. In Colifax we hit a thrift store and take a look at the codger pole. The pole commemorates a football game played between rivals.…
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A Forks in the road
We’re making our way up the Olympic Peninsula, traveling on the western side with mountains on our right and the Pacific Ocean to our left. We’re returning to Highway 101 from a short visit up the Hoh River. Our next stop is the town called Forks. Those familiar with the Twilight novels and movies will…
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Day trip to the Hoh Rain Forest
The Hoh Rain Forest is reason enough to explore the western side of the Olympic Peninsula. The drive along Upper Hoh Road penetrates a good 18 miles up the Hoh River and deep into a primeval wilderness dominated by massive conifers. With annual rainfall reaching 170 inches, the forest is fertile and thriving. A couple…
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Lake Quinault and the Valley of the Rainforest Giants
We’re moving along Highway 101 from Ocean Shores to La Push. There’s a lot to see and more time is needed. With precision and quick execution, we just might manage some sightseeing along Lake Quinault. But once in the Quinault Valley, it’s inconceivable that we can just turn around and leave. Being the off-season, it’s…
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Ocean Shores on Washington’s west coast
Ocean Shores is ideally located, however, not because its easy to get to or convenient. Its peninsular location makes it perfectly isolated from the rest of the world. Getting here is not quick or simple, but worth it, especially in the off-season with barren streets, plenty of vacancies, and a beach almost exclusively your own.…
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From Grand Coulee to Leavenworth on Highway 2
One last glance back at Coulee Dam before we start back home. We go at our own pace becausenobody’s behind us pushing, pushing, pushing. However, we’ve got to make good time because I told Michele we’d be home by noon. With the dam behind us, we breeze through three towns whose existence is owed to…
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Camano Island for the landlubber
We came for the water – blue, rolling white caps, skiffs plying Skagit Bay, and a distant dreamy view of the Olympic Mountains. It all comes with the territory here on Camano Island. Touching the water is not necessary to enjoy this multi-faceted island getaway. What makes Camano Island so inviting is its close proximity to…
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The last hike – Mt. Pilchuck
If you remember I was writing hike reviews for North End Metro. My last submission was a hike up Mt. Pilchuck. Not sure if they published it. I got busy with inspections and they quit asking for more reviews. I think as they grew to be a trendy magazine the trail review didn’t fit in.…
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Close To A Mile Wide, GRAND COULEE DAM
The goal lay ahead; Grand Coulee Dam. I’ve wanted to come here since talking to an older lady some 30 years ago when Curt and I lived off the Hood Canal. She went on about her husband working on the Coulee Dam. Every other sentence had the words “Grand Coulee” and she was boisterous as…
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AN OLYMPIAN TOUR OF THE CAPITOL
To tour a state’s capitol for the first time is one of life’s sweet pleasures. Today’s tour of the statecapitol in Olympia surpassed all expectations. Both chambers were in session and we observed activity on the floor. At one point, the Senators looked up at us in the gallery and applauded. They mistook us for…
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HIBULB LOOKOUT
With time between appointments I happened upon Hibulb Lookout in Everett. This is a spot that overlooks the mouth of the Snohomish River. With just 2.25 acres, the layout is simple. Vehicles park facing northwest with a clear view of the water below. Land forms and water channels appear in every direction. In the distance…
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A LOOK AT THE OLD WAYNE GOLF COURSE
Park at the old club house and make your way down to the Sammamish River via gravel trail. There’s a bridge over the calm waters with plenty of room to wander off trail. It’s quiet and pastural. The City of Bothell purchased the property in 2017. In total there are 89 acres of which 68…
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Gum Wall at Pike Place Market
The gum wall part of an alley below the bustling market. People chew gum and then stick the gum onto the wall. It’s become a big touristy thing to do. Sort of like the love lock bridge in Paris only gushier. In a way it’s public art which Seattle is big on. Pa, Wendy, and…