Olympic Sculpture Park, Seattle
Driving southwest on October 11 we rolled into Seattle on an overcast but not rainy day, stopping first at the REI flagship store, then heading to the very famous Pike Place Market where I managed to see some fish fly through the air although Adam didn’t so thought I was making the whole thing up. We wandered around taking in the sights and sounds, stopping at Beecher’s Handmade Cheese for a crusty grilled cheese and delicious tomato soup, then Three Girls Bakery for a cookie.
Seattle skyline from Kerry Park
Since it wasn’t raining we visited tiny Kerry Park for the impressive views of downtown Seattle and a quick drive through the Queen Anne neighborhood (hi Stacey!)
Fremont Brewery was our next stop for a Wet Hop IPA (we’ve been learning all sorts of things about beer) then made it to Olympic Sculpture Park for a colorful sunset over the Puget Sound.
The car ferry to Bainbridge Island in the dark was quite an experience. We made our way up to the open top deck as the large ship slipped through the cold evening, 30 minutes to the far side and our drive northwest to Port Angeles, WA for the night.
Stream, Hall of Mosses trail
The Olympic Peninsula brought our first real rain of the trip, starting in the morning as we drove along Hwy 101 in Olympic National Park. Lake Crescent was a shimmering blue, formed long ago by a glacier pushing through the area. We hiked from the Hoh Rainforest visitor’s center along the Hall of Mosses trail and the enormous trees provided shelter from the rain. I guess it’s only appropriate that it was gently raining in the temperate rain forest. A park volunteer encouraged us to look for the baby Coho salmon along the trail, and there they were, slender and about 2 inches long, hiding out amongst the brilliant green river plants.
Hall of Mosses trail
The rain fell a bit harder as we left the Hoh area so we didn’t linger too long on rocky Ruby Beach but it was still wonderful to be next to the ocean. Waves, sea stacks, driftwood and large pebbles provided plenty for Adam to photograph as I just stared at the ocean for a while. Water has always been very restorative for me. Perhaps its my Cancer sign, perhaps it’s the rhythm and beauty, power and simplicity of the element, but it always puts me at ease.
Ruby Beach sea stacks
Ahead of us was a few hundred miles to Portland in the rain but our wonderful friends, Jamie and Phil, were waiting at the end. We spent some time catching up with them, then all ventured to the HUB (Hopworks Urban Brewery), a Portland brewery where the bartender gave us recommendations for others to try in the area. More from Portland soon!
Moneys on the Move 