Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Portland, Oregon
From Seattle, I drove south towards Portland. I had called my brother's friend (and recent groomsman), Matt, and he was willing to let me crash at his place in Portland. But, before making it there, I stopped at Multnomah Falls and Hood River. Multnomah Falls, I believe, is one of the largest falls in the US and sends water plunging down from cliffs over 500 feet high. Hood River is just a few miles east of Multnomah Falls and boasts one of the best spots in the world for windsurfing and kiteboarding. Despite the overcast day, the water was filled with kites of all colors dancing just above the water. I sat and watched for over an hour, filling myself with jealousy and seriously considering delaying my way to San Fran to get some time on the water. But, I finally dragged myself away from the gorge and headed back to the city. I arrived in Portland and was welcomed into Matt and Emma's home just a few mintues from the downtown area. We went out for dinner and then spent a few hours tasting many of the fine brews of Deschutes Brewery. If you enjoy a good pale ale, you have to try their Red Chair. You won't regret it. Tomorrow morning I will be leaving early to drive down the coast of Oregon with a goal of making it to the redwoods of northern California.
Olympic National Park
From Whistler, I headed south down to Olympic National Park, just west of Seattle. I had a few problems getting to the Olympic Peninsula as the ferries were booked solid until 6pm. But, I finally made it across. However, because of the late time of day and my exhaustion, I found a cheap motel in Sequim and stayed there for the night. When I woke on Monday morning, I decided to finally take care of a traffic ticket I got while crossing Kansas, so most of my morning was spend getting money orders and some document notarized and sent off to the DA in Kansas. I then ventured into Olympic National Park and spend the day exploring Elwah Valley. I hiked up to the Olympic Hot Springs and was reminded of my time in Yellowstone. The hot springs were amazing and definitely me the Perry standard for warmth...the hot springs were about 105 degrees. After spending several hours hiking through the forest around the hot springs, I visited Madison Falls, a 100 foot waterfall just a short hike off the road leading through Elwah Valley.
Instead of spending the night in the rain at a campsite, I made my way to Seattle to visit some old friends who had moved to Seattle about a year and half ago - Nick and Ingrid. We ventured out for a great dinner and then sampled some of the local beers at a one of the local pubs.
Instead of spending the night in the rain at a campsite, I made my way to Seattle to visit some old friends who had moved to Seattle about a year and half ago - Nick and Ingrid. We ventured out for a great dinner and then sampled some of the local beers at a one of the local pubs.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Whistler, BC
My family along with the Alamedas (plus Blair, Kristin, and Sara) spent a week up in Whistler. I had been to Whistler once before in college but it was for snowboarding. I have not spent much time in ski areas in the summer...and Whistler blew me away. Over the course of a week, we played golf, went kayaking, did a little hiking, and spent some time exploring trails on mountain bikes. I loved Whistler and that trip has definitely inspired me to spend some time in the very near future in an area like Whistler where I can fully enjoy the surroundings for an extended period of time.
But, aside from being able to enjoy the amazing beauty of Whistler, I was also able to spend some quality time with my nephew, Gavin. I can't get over how much he changes on a daily basis. He has started taking his first steps and I know it won't be long before my sister and Andy are chasing him around. I can't wait!
But, aside from being able to enjoy the amazing beauty of Whistler, I was also able to spend some quality time with my nephew, Gavin. I can't get over how much he changes on a daily basis. He has started taking his first steps and I know it won't be long before my sister and Andy are chasing him around. I can't wait!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Anacortes, Washington
Wednesday night I made it as far as Ritzville, Washington, before I had to find a motel where I could sleep for the night. I slept in Thursday morning and made it to Anacortes around 1:30pm. After having lunch with my brother, I reluctantly made it to my haircut appointment...but, both my brother and his fiancee said they approved of the Jesus/Eddie Vedder look and that I should only get a trim. Thankfully Apryl, the appointed stylist, agreed and only took a tiny bit off. This news was not extremely well received by my sister, but as long as the bride and groom were happy, I figured no one could say anything to me. Thursday night we had a great picnic along the water at a park with friends and family who had already arrived for the wedding. We then sampled some of the local bars and did our best to not destroy the groom before his big weekend.
Friday morning a bunch of us got together and headed out to a spot for some cliff jumping into one of the nearby lakes. We would only let Blake go off the 25 and 30 foot cliffs, but some of the other guys in the wedding party tried the higher ones, including Blair Morrison who threw himself off the 70 footer that required him to clear several tree branches in the air before splashing safely into the water below. In the evening, the wedding party and family got together for the rehearsal dinner with a cocktail party following. Everything went great and Blake and Shawmonee were surrounded by tons of friends and family who were able to make the long trip out. Unfortunately some of the guys who made it out to for the wedding ran into some local trouble after the cocktail party. Thankfully no one was seriously injured, but several of the locals were arrested...promising to return the next night to crash the reception.
We woke up Saturday morning to gray skies and weather predictions calling for rain in the afternoon. However, the pastor performing the ceremony promised no rain, and we hoped we would have the man upstairs on our side for the day. The wedding ceremony was performed on cliffs overlooking Deception Pass. The bride was (and remains) gorgeous and the weather held just as the pastor predicted. During the ceremony, several orcas passed below as if they were wishing my brother and his new bride a bright future. As we were taking photos of the bridal party after the ceremony, the skies opened up and the rain came. Thankfully, many of the pictures had been taken before the ceremony, so we quickly scooped up the bride and groom and headed for the reception. The reception was wonderful (and the promised threats from the locals from the night before did not come to fruition). Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves and we were able to send of the new couple in style. Blake and Shawmonee spent the night in a small bed and breakfast a little outside Anacortes and would be catching a flight the next afternoon to head to Kauai for their honeymoon. I couldn't be happier for my brother or more excited to have Shawmonee join our family.
Sunday morning we had a brunch at the hotel where most of the wedding party stayed. We all had a great time sharing stories from the previous night and nursing our hangovers with a wonderful buffet. Early in the afternoon, my family and the Alamedas packed up and drove north to Canada where we would be spending the next week in a house in Whistler, British Columbia. I do have to say that I was suspect of where Canada had come since my last visit to British Columbia as I was detained with my buddy Kevin at the border...I'm pretty sure it was because of the long hair and the fact that I stated I was unemployed. During the seconday inspection, the border agent furthered my suspicions of the good-naturedness of Canadians by asking my how I was going to support myself for a week in Whistler if I was unemployed. Not the friendliest group of people at the border. But, we made it across, and apparently none to soon since a women a little later in the day attempted to cross from Canada into the US carrying a suitcase she claimed held a bomb. We finally made it to Whistler Sunday evening and I am looking forward to a great week hiking, biking, golfing, and exploring the area I have only known in the winter.
Friday morning a bunch of us got together and headed out to a spot for some cliff jumping into one of the nearby lakes. We would only let Blake go off the 25 and 30 foot cliffs, but some of the other guys in the wedding party tried the higher ones, including Blair Morrison who threw himself off the 70 footer that required him to clear several tree branches in the air before splashing safely into the water below. In the evening, the wedding party and family got together for the rehearsal dinner with a cocktail party following. Everything went great and Blake and Shawmonee were surrounded by tons of friends and family who were able to make the long trip out. Unfortunately some of the guys who made it out to for the wedding ran into some local trouble after the cocktail party. Thankfully no one was seriously injured, but several of the locals were arrested...promising to return the next night to crash the reception.
We woke up Saturday morning to gray skies and weather predictions calling for rain in the afternoon. However, the pastor performing the ceremony promised no rain, and we hoped we would have the man upstairs on our side for the day. The wedding ceremony was performed on cliffs overlooking Deception Pass. The bride was (and remains) gorgeous and the weather held just as the pastor predicted. During the ceremony, several orcas passed below as if they were wishing my brother and his new bride a bright future. As we were taking photos of the bridal party after the ceremony, the skies opened up and the rain came. Thankfully, many of the pictures had been taken before the ceremony, so we quickly scooped up the bride and groom and headed for the reception. The reception was wonderful (and the promised threats from the locals from the night before did not come to fruition). Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves and we were able to send of the new couple in style. Blake and Shawmonee spent the night in a small bed and breakfast a little outside Anacortes and would be catching a flight the next afternoon to head to Kauai for their honeymoon. I couldn't be happier for my brother or more excited to have Shawmonee join our family.
Sunday morning we had a brunch at the hotel where most of the wedding party stayed. We all had a great time sharing stories from the previous night and nursing our hangovers with a wonderful buffet. Early in the afternoon, my family and the Alamedas packed up and drove north to Canada where we would be spending the next week in a house in Whistler, British Columbia. I do have to say that I was suspect of where Canada had come since my last visit to British Columbia as I was detained with my buddy Kevin at the border...I'm pretty sure it was because of the long hair and the fact that I stated I was unemployed. During the seconday inspection, the border agent furthered my suspicions of the good-naturedness of Canadians by asking my how I was going to support myself for a week in Whistler if I was unemployed. Not the friendliest group of people at the border. But, we made it across, and apparently none to soon since a women a little later in the day attempted to cross from Canada into the US carrying a suitcase she claimed held a bomb. We finally made it to Whistler Sunday evening and I am looking forward to a great week hiking, biking, golfing, and exploring the area I have only known in the winter.
Glacier National Park
I arrived in Glacier National Park on Monday (8/4) afternoon. I got lucky and found one of the last campsites available at Avalanche Lake. One my camp was pitched I decided to explore the nearby lake. The hike to Avalanche Lake was an easy 2.5 miles each way and provided amazing views of the lake and surrounding peaks and waterfalls.
Tuesday I made the 3 mile hike to Hidden Lake and was greeted by several mountain goats along the way. Hidden Lake was gorgeous...and teeming with spawning trout. Normally the 6 mile round trip would have only taken me 2 hours or so, but I got caught by several elderly folk on the way back that wanted to chat...extending my hike by another 2 hours. But, I learned alot about hunting in Montana and Wyoming. After the hike I decided to head to the other side of the park (Many Glaciers area) and stopped for lunch at a great diner along the way - Two Sisters. One in the Many Glaciers area I jumped on the trail to Iceberg Lake, a 10 mile round trip hike up into the mountains with hopes of catching a glimpse of some bears and moose. I passed several other day hikers along the way who had spotted a bull moose, but when I arrived at the prescribed location, no moose was to be found. I trudged along to Iceberg Lake and was glad to stop for a bit and soak my feet in the icy waters. Even with air temperatures well above 80 degrees, icebergs littered the crystal clear blue waters. While resting, I also spotted several mountain goats precariously climbing the dangerously steep inclines of the peaks surrounding the lake. When I returned to the trailhead I was changing my shoes before getting in my car and I spotted a mother grizzly and her cub walking towards the trail I had just exited. I tried to quietly follow them (at a safe distance) but quickly lost them in the thick brush.
On Wednesday I decided to do one more hike before leaving the park and heading towards Seattle for my little brother's wedding. I decided to try the Highline Trail, a 13 mile hike to the Glacier Park Chalet. I was completely exhausted afterwards, but had plenty of time to rest on teh bus ride from the end of the trail back to Logan Pass where I had parked my car. I then left Glacier National Park with hopes of making it into Washington before calling it quits for the day.
Tuesday I made the 3 mile hike to Hidden Lake and was greeted by several mountain goats along the way. Hidden Lake was gorgeous...and teeming with spawning trout. Normally the 6 mile round trip would have only taken me 2 hours or so, but I got caught by several elderly folk on the way back that wanted to chat...extending my hike by another 2 hours. But, I learned alot about hunting in Montana and Wyoming. After the hike I decided to head to the other side of the park (Many Glaciers area) and stopped for lunch at a great diner along the way - Two Sisters. One in the Many Glaciers area I jumped on the trail to Iceberg Lake, a 10 mile round trip hike up into the mountains with hopes of catching a glimpse of some bears and moose. I passed several other day hikers along the way who had spotted a bull moose, but when I arrived at the prescribed location, no moose was to be found. I trudged along to Iceberg Lake and was glad to stop for a bit and soak my feet in the icy waters. Even with air temperatures well above 80 degrees, icebergs littered the crystal clear blue waters. While resting, I also spotted several mountain goats precariously climbing the dangerously steep inclines of the peaks surrounding the lake. When I returned to the trailhead I was changing my shoes before getting in my car and I spotted a mother grizzly and her cub walking towards the trail I had just exited. I tried to quietly follow them (at a safe distance) but quickly lost them in the thick brush.
On Wednesday I decided to do one more hike before leaving the park and heading towards Seattle for my little brother's wedding. I decided to try the Highline Trail, a 13 mile hike to the Glacier Park Chalet. I was completely exhausted afterwards, but had plenty of time to rest on teh bus ride from the end of the trail back to Logan Pass where I had parked my car. I then left Glacier National Park with hopes of making it into Washington before calling it quits for the day.
Big Sky, Montana
I spent Saturday afternoon through Monday morning in Big Sky, Montana, visiting Jamey Cunningham who I had met on my travels in the Galapagos Islands. Jamey and her boyfriend Izzy have been in Big Sky for several years and treated me to a great time. Saturday afternoon we spent at a local brewery and then we spent the night checking out several of the local watering holes. Sunday morning we headed up one of the lifts and spent a little time walking around the snowless runs of the Big Sky ski resort. In the afternoon, the three of us grabbed some tubes and beers and floated down one of the nearby rivers. Despite the occasional rain flurry, we had a great time. We barbequed Sunday night at Izzy's apartment. It was a great weekend and it was wonderful to get a few nights in a real bed. I left early Monday morning for Glacier National Park.
Yellowstone National Park
On Monday (7/28), I took a day off and wandered around Jackson, Wyoming. Tuesday I spent doing a couple more hikes in the Grand Tetons and finally spent some time relaxing at my campsite.
Wednesday morning I woke up early to head into Yellowstone National Park in hopes of securing a good campsite. Unfortunately, I ran into tons of traffic after entering the park due to road construction. By the time I arrived at the Canyon Village campsite, there were no sites available. I quickly made my way to the campgrounds at Norris and luckily found one of the last few sites available. It was a gorgeous campground nestled in a valley with a small creek weandering down the middle. It was already mid-afternoon by the time I pitched camp and settled in, so I decided to head to Mammoth Hot Springs in the northern section of Yellowstone. Mammoth Hot Springs has some amazing rock and sulfur deposit formations atop a cliff overlooking a beautiful valley. I spent a couple hours exploring the area and then found a small cafe where I could grab a bite to eat. Finding food a night has become an issue for me since I try to stay out and explore until the sun sets, but I am finding that most establishments close their doors at sunset (about 9pm).
On Thursday I woke up early to try to catch an eruption of Old Faithful at sunrise. Unfortunately I missed the 6:30am spouting, but old reliable went off again around 8am. I spent the rest of the day exploring the hundreds of geysers, hot springs, and rock formations that surround Old Faithful. I got to see some amazing eruptions and some of the most beautiful natural colors I could have ever imagined. In the afternoon I was hanging around Castle Geyser waiting for its eruption and I met a couple of girls who were working at one of the lodges in the area. It turns out the girls were from Turkey (Istanbul and near Ephesus) and were quite impressed that I had previously visited their country. We ended up hanging out and exploring some more of the geysers and hot springs as the sunset.
As the sun rose Friday morning I made my way to Lamar Valley in the northeast part of the Yellowstone. I was heading out there in hopes of spotting some bears and wolves that are known to roam the area. On my way out I spotted a large bull moose with some gorgeous antlers. When I arrived in the Lamar Valley, several other people had beaten me there and set up large telescopes for viewing the wildlife. The contingent included Bill Wengeler, a summer Ranger in the park and high school teacher in Santa Monica, who I ended up chatting with for several hours as we peaked through his telescope and saw 4 wolves, several bald eagles, and lots of Pronghorn antelope. Around 11am I left the Lamar Valley and went to the Canyon area where I grabbed a quick lunch and then drove up South Rim Drive to the top of Lower Falls and Uncle Tom's Trail. After hiking down over 500 feet towards the canyon's bottom, Uncle Tom's Trail provided me with a spectacular view of the Lower Falls and Yellowstone River. I then made my way to Artist Point and reached one of the most photographed places in all of Yellowstone. From Artist Point I had a view of the Lower Falls and the incredible painted walls of the canyon in both directions. The day before I had missed one of the "must see" geysers near Old Faithful, so I quickly made my way to Fountain Geyser and made it just in time to see the tail end of the eruption. From there, I visited Biscuit Basin where I made the short hike to Mystic Falls. To cap the day off, I returned to the Old Faithful area and met up with the two Turkish girls I met the night before (Ipek and Mŭge), Ipek's boyfriend, and another Turkish guy who was working in the area. We had dinner and then hiked up to a viewpoint that gave us a great view of Old Faithful. We watched the famous geyser erupt and then enjoyed a brilliant sunset.
Saturday morning I packed up my tent and drove to the parking lot for Fairy Falls. I broke out the Mongoose mountain bike and after a short ride, found myself at the trailhead to Fairy Falls where bikes were not allowed. The short 1.75 mile hike was incredible peaceful that early and I only saw a few other visitors. Fairy Falls throws water off a cliff over 200 feet hight into a small pool surrounded by bright white and purple flowers. In the distance several hot sulfur springs could be seen constantely spouting steam producing an eerie fog that enveloped a large part of the valley. After the hike, I said my goodbye to Yellowstone and exited the West entrance of the park and jumped on the 191 towards Big Sky, Montana.
Wednesday morning I woke up early to head into Yellowstone National Park in hopes of securing a good campsite. Unfortunately, I ran into tons of traffic after entering the park due to road construction. By the time I arrived at the Canyon Village campsite, there were no sites available. I quickly made my way to the campgrounds at Norris and luckily found one of the last few sites available. It was a gorgeous campground nestled in a valley with a small creek weandering down the middle. It was already mid-afternoon by the time I pitched camp and settled in, so I decided to head to Mammoth Hot Springs in the northern section of Yellowstone. Mammoth Hot Springs has some amazing rock and sulfur deposit formations atop a cliff overlooking a beautiful valley. I spent a couple hours exploring the area and then found a small cafe where I could grab a bite to eat. Finding food a night has become an issue for me since I try to stay out and explore until the sun sets, but I am finding that most establishments close their doors at sunset (about 9pm).
On Thursday I woke up early to try to catch an eruption of Old Faithful at sunrise. Unfortunately I missed the 6:30am spouting, but old reliable went off again around 8am. I spent the rest of the day exploring the hundreds of geysers, hot springs, and rock formations that surround Old Faithful. I got to see some amazing eruptions and some of the most beautiful natural colors I could have ever imagined. In the afternoon I was hanging around Castle Geyser waiting for its eruption and I met a couple of girls who were working at one of the lodges in the area. It turns out the girls were from Turkey (Istanbul and near Ephesus) and were quite impressed that I had previously visited their country. We ended up hanging out and exploring some more of the geysers and hot springs as the sunset.
As the sun rose Friday morning I made my way to Lamar Valley in the northeast part of the Yellowstone. I was heading out there in hopes of spotting some bears and wolves that are known to roam the area. On my way out I spotted a large bull moose with some gorgeous antlers. When I arrived in the Lamar Valley, several other people had beaten me there and set up large telescopes for viewing the wildlife. The contingent included Bill Wengeler, a summer Ranger in the park and high school teacher in Santa Monica, who I ended up chatting with for several hours as we peaked through his telescope and saw 4 wolves, several bald eagles, and lots of Pronghorn antelope. Around 11am I left the Lamar Valley and went to the Canyon area where I grabbed a quick lunch and then drove up South Rim Drive to the top of Lower Falls and Uncle Tom's Trail. After hiking down over 500 feet towards the canyon's bottom, Uncle Tom's Trail provided me with a spectacular view of the Lower Falls and Yellowstone River. I then made my way to Artist Point and reached one of the most photographed places in all of Yellowstone. From Artist Point I had a view of the Lower Falls and the incredible painted walls of the canyon in both directions. The day before I had missed one of the "must see" geysers near Old Faithful, so I quickly made my way to Fountain Geyser and made it just in time to see the tail end of the eruption. From there, I visited Biscuit Basin where I made the short hike to Mystic Falls. To cap the day off, I returned to the Old Faithful area and met up with the two Turkish girls I met the night before (Ipek and Mŭge), Ipek's boyfriend, and another Turkish guy who was working in the area. We had dinner and then hiked up to a viewpoint that gave us a great view of Old Faithful. We watched the famous geyser erupt and then enjoyed a brilliant sunset.
Saturday morning I packed up my tent and drove to the parking lot for Fairy Falls. I broke out the Mongoose mountain bike and after a short ride, found myself at the trailhead to Fairy Falls where bikes were not allowed. The short 1.75 mile hike was incredible peaceful that early and I only saw a few other visitors. Fairy Falls throws water off a cliff over 200 feet hight into a small pool surrounded by bright white and purple flowers. In the distance several hot sulfur springs could be seen constantely spouting steam producing an eerie fog that enveloped a large part of the valley. After the hike, I said my goodbye to Yellowstone and exited the West entrance of the park and jumped on the 191 towards Big Sky, Montana.
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