The Olympic Penninsula

Some neat islands just off shore.

We drove up the coast road on the west side of the Olympic Penninsula and when you were within 100 yards of the ocean, it was foggy, and cold. It was 53 degrees around noon here.

This was a lacey one.

There were a couple of nice waterfalls in the area where we were camped last night too.

It was tall too.

The base of the tree was hollow. It was about 20 feet across inside.

We hiked about 1/2 mile through dense rain forrest to see this tree. It is the largest Western Red Cedar in the World.

Looking up the tree.

I'm standing at the base holding a white piece of paper.

Last night we camped about 100 feet from this tree.

By the way, I haven't mentioned the weather recently. This is a photo of the local weather forecast near where we are. Note the highs and lows! ;^)

Private RV park amongst the tall trees.

Seattle's Space Needle.

We drove through Seattle last Sunday. It was raining and foggy.

Finally figured out how to post on this Blog!

Whidbey Island looking out at one of the marinas in Oak Harbor.

Sandy is attracted to wind mills and takes pictures of them where ever she finds them. This one is in Oak Harbor, Whidbey Island.

Beautiful retirement community in the heart of Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island.


Whidbey Island in Pugent Sound.

One of the State Parks on the island.

July 10, 2009

On our drive between Leavenworth and Whidbey Island, we got our first glimpse of Mount Baker.

In the park.

The indoor mall corridor leading the Angel Haus.

Sandy in the square's park where the arts council festival is going on.

Some of Bavarian village businesses on the square.

Leavenworth, Washington July 9, 2009

Featured last Christmas on the Travel Channel's 10 best towns in the U.S. for Christmas decorations. This town was about to become a ghost town in the late 1950's until 5 enterprising townspeople reinvented the "village" into a Bavarian themed oasis. The town sits high in the Cascades of central Washington and seems perfectly suited to the Bavarian facelift. It is charming and brimming with charm and flowers, all the while serenading all with piped and broadcasted Bavarian music. Sandy was in Seventh Heaven. Great "eye candy".

Ellensburg was a surprising treat in the high desert of Eastern Washington. You first see it as you begin your descent from the high hills. It is a green oasis of irrigated farms in a field tan dry grass lacking moisture. Washington Central University is located in this town.

Ellensburg, Washington

This is a functioning "antique" filling station.

Driving alongside an enormous lake down to Yakima.

July 8, 2009

White Pass Washington on our way to Yakima and eventually Ellensburg.

We finally got Wi-Fi again!

Picture of a picture of what Mt St Helens looked like before it blew.

Picture of a picture of the mountain after it blew.

Tree blow down. We couldn't believe this all happened 29 years ago.

We went to see Mount St Helens. Most of the mountain top was covered

in clouds, but we eventually saw some of the crater.

We found a farmer's market in Corvallis also.

We drove to Corvallis, Oregon. It is the home of Oregon State University. The town seemed perfect... except for three things. It was cloudy all winter, it rained all winter, and the houses cost more than twice as much as in Houston.

They were having a fourth of July parade, where anyone could enter.

The flowers were beautiful.

Even the trash cans had flowers on them.
This is Mount Hood, taken in the Columbia Gorge.

We drove down the Columbia River gorge. It had magnificent cliffs and the river was very wide. It had several small dams so it was relatively slow, but very deep.

The river had some barge traffic on it below the last dam.

Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Oregon

Greetings!

We spent several days at an RV Owner's Ralley for the brand of RV we have. It was interesting, but nothing of photographic note.

We went from there (LaGrande, Oregon) to Lake Wallowa, OR. The lake is a beautiful deep lake that is fed by a river. See some pictures posted above. WELL! Somehow, I erased the pictures of the lake, and our beautiful camping spot under very large Ponderosa Pines. RATS!

The next day, we drove down a VERY twisty road through what is called "Hell's Canyon". It gave Sandy some very scary feelings because we were on a road that had no shoulder, and the edge of the road was crunbling in spots. VERY steep drop offs too. Those photos are gone also. Fortunately, in both cases, Sandy took lots of video, so we didn't cpmpletely lose the record of those experiences. That afternoon, we took a tram (ski lift) up the local mountain to see tha area from the top. I still have those pictures! See above. Note the door to nowhere!

Today, we drove west on I-84 to a campground on the Columbis River that separates Oregon from Washington. I'll post pictures later.