San Francisco

A few weeks ago, the mister and I headed to San Francisco.  It was my first time visiting the bay area.  It is a lovely blend of historical and iconic sites, spectacular scenery, great shopping and an eclectic cultural scene, which made for a wonderful visit! 

With just a brief weekend stay, we made the most of our time by visiting Seaport Village, Pier 39 and Golden Gate Park.  We finished our get-away with a quick jaunt to Napa Valley to enjoy a little vino.  

Island Life

Hello again! Sorry for the long hiatus. The mister and I have been busy with travel and work, which has left little time for adding to the blog. This post will be all about our 20th Anniversary trip to Hawaii in August. It was such a great trip and our first time on the island. We had the time of our lives there! We spent our days on island time: relaxing on the beach, snorkeling, eating lots of scrumptious food, road tripping, soaring over volcanoes and hiking. With help from our Gypsy Guide, we were fortunate to find a serene and secluded beach near our resort. There we were elated to swim with sea turtles, walk on miles of pristine rocky beach and relax under swaying palm trees. It was my favorite part of the trip!  

If you are heading to the Big Island, I highly recommend downloading the Gypsy Guide app.  It is like your own private tour guide.  The commentary is entertaining and provides insight into the history of the island as well as hidden spots along the way.

Silver Peak

The mister and I headed to Silver Peak this past Saturday.  It was a beautiful sunny day and the crowds were at a minimum.  Silver Peak is located an hour from Seattle off I-90.  This summit offers spectacular 360-degree views of the Cascades.  After scrabbling to the top, we enjoyed our picnic lunch and took in the sights of Tinkham Peak, Humpback Mountain, Abiel Peak, Bandera, Mount Kent and the impressive Mt. Rainier.  

What's Happening?

Hi friends and family!  Not much happened this past week in Seattle.  The mister and I had a very low key holiday weekend and spent our time exploring the city.   Friday evening we headed over to Market of Arms for a Seattle staple; fish and chips.  While there, we spotted the Northwestern.  

 Saturday, we checked out the Folklife Festival at the Seattle Center.  The Northwest Folklife Festival is a free event held annually.  It features a variety of local music, food, and crafts. 

Sunday, we headed out to the mountains.  Unfortunately the weather was not quite so awesome and we were surrounded by fog for most of our hike.   When the rain showers started, we made a quick trek back to the car.  

The sun decided to make an appearance Monday and it has been beautiful since!  Tuesday, I took advantage of the gorgeous weather and headed out for a run.  It was great watching the ferries, sailboats, and tourists as I ran around the Sound.  

Hope everyone is enjoying their week!  

~Cheers from Seattle

Shi Shi Beach

Our weekend was spent backpacking in the unforgettable Olympic National Park.  Our 10 mile (round trip) journey took us through a coastal rainforest filled with unique flora and fauna, ancient groves and spectacular beaches.  Shi Shi Beach was our final destination, where we setup camp on a cliff overlooking hoodoo rocks and breath-taking views of the Pacific Ocean.  The day was spent climbing among the 3 arches, wading through tidal pools and exploring the idyllic beach.   Though whale sightings are not uncommon, we only spotted bald eagles, sea lions and a plethora of other sea life.  When dusk set in we celebrated with a beach campfire and tasty caramel s'mores.  Shi Shi Beach was my first attempt at backcountry camping and though I thoroughly enjoyed the solitude of this beautiful beach, I missed the comforts of civilization entirely too much to try this again.  ;-)

Mt. St. Helens

Hello again!  Due to the flu and a bout bronchitis, I am little behind on postings.  Now that I am back on track, I hope the next few posts were worth the wait!

The mister and I ventured South to Mount St. Helens last weekend.  The Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument is about a three-hour drive from Seattle and the landscape is unbelievable.  There are so many options for exploring this "slumbering giant" ranging from short day hikes, backcountry hiking, or just a quick stop at the Johnston Ridge Observatory.  The latter was our choice and it did not disappoint.  It was a gorgeous day to explore and take in the rich geological history of this spectacular mountain. 

On May 18, 1980 Mount St. Helens erupted and forever changed the scenic landscape of the Cascade Mountain Range.  It was the deadliest eruption the U.S. had ever seen.  The blast was so powerful, it leveled everything within a 200 mile radius and spread a blanket of ash as far as Montana.  It's been 35 years ago to this day and the devastation is still hauntingly apparent.   The once majestic dome has been replaced by a mile wide crater.  Climbers can reach the rim of the volcano through varying routes on the South side of the mountain, which offers a first hand view of the ever-changing interior. Though it is not without risk, a goal of mine is to hopefully summit this beauty one day.