September 5-22, 2016 Anacortes, Washington

Arrived in Anacortes on Monday Labor Day... Traffic leaving the area was very heavy... Staying at Pioneer Trails RV Resort... a very nice camp where people own their site and rent it when not using it. Wooded, hilly and impecable grounds... we could hang here for a while, but have to finish with the hikers first!!

  

Celebrated our first anniversary at Anthony's restaurant with Debi and Erik...

  

WASHINGTON PARK
Walked around Washington Park... The land in the background is some of the San Juan Islands... very nice views!!!

                   


DECEPTION PASS
This pass is in between two land masses with an extraordinarily strong current. The first people to see this thought that the current came from a mighty river upstream. Years later when the area was mapped, it was discovered that there was no mighty river, but a very strong ocean current in between two islands, Fidalgo Island and Whidbey Island.. hence the deception...





  

Next to the pass on Fidalgo Island is Bowman Bay... very nice area...




On Whidbey Island there is an Air Force Base... we got treated to some jets doing "touch and go's".

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
Drove to two hours north to Vancouver. Spent the day in Stanley Park but did not have time to walk the gardens. The views from the park are really nice...

  

SAN JUAN ISLAND
An hour ferry ride from Anacortes takes you to Friday Harbor in San Juan Island. This island is about 50 square miles, but as small as it is, you don't have the time to explore it in one day... will be back to spend more time here and some of the other islands...

Lots of boats enjoying the great weather...

  

  

Passengers on a "Three Hour Tour"... (Gilligan is taking the picture)

  

Great views of Mount Baker in the distance...

I want this!!!

Or this!!!

HARTS PASS, WA
Drove to Harts Pass on "Washington's most dangerous road" to meet the hikers and for Monty join them the last 40 miles to the end at Manning Park, Canada...

   

Hikers at Harts Pass...

      

MANNING PARK, BC, CANADA

After finishing the trail at the border, the hikers needed to hike an additional 9 miles to get to Manning Park, Canada where they were picked up...




From here we are heading to Los Alamos, NM to visit Andrew and then back to Houston for a short stay...

August 21 - September 5, 2016 Silver Creek, Washington

Only a 2.5 hour drive from Silverton we are now in Washington! Staying at the Harmony Lakeside RV Park in Silver Creek Washington. This park is small and a little rustic, but very quiet, right on a lake and centrally located in middle Washington. One more state to add to our map!!

  

  

MOUNT ST. HELENS
An hour and a half from here is Mount St. Helens... On the way up the mountain we stopped at the Weyerhaeuser Visitor Center. A lot of interesting information about the eruption in 1980 and what was done to reforest the area. The view from this point is very nice as you can see...



Past this area there are numerous places you can stop and take pictures of the mountain. It's amazing how this mountain's top was sheered off.



This is Mount St. Helens before the eruption...

And then you can clearly see the hole it left inside of the mountain and the dome that now caps the center of the mountain!!!

  

The best view is from the Johnston Ridge Observatory. The observatory is named after David Johnston a volcanologist stationed where the observatory now sits. Just before the mountain erupted on May 18, 1980, he called from his radio and said "Vancouver, Vancouver, This is it!" He was never found, but parts of his trailer were found in 1993!! This is the view from the Observatory... Stunning!!!



Helps you to realize... Never underestimate the power of mother nature!

Just a few short miles from the observatory sits Coldwater Lake. This 200' deep lake was formed as a result of the eruption and is now a beautiful lake with crystal clear water...

MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK

Just north of Mt. St. Helens is Mount Rainier. Mt Rainier is an active Stratovolcano. It is 14,411' in elevation with several glaciers on its slope. It's a beautiful mountain...






There are many water falls, lakes and many amazing views...

Christine Falls

Christine Falls

Narada Falls

Falls by Paradise Inn

Falls near Reflection Lake

View from Reflection Lake

What a view!

OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
This park is huge! We spent a day here and could only see two areas on the southeast side. We will have to come back and spend at least a month to really see the park and enjoy it.

Hood Canal

Cushman Lake

Cushman Lake

Mt Walker View (North)

Mt Walker View (South)