Days Twenty-eight and Twenty-nine - Anacortes WA - July 26 and 27, 2010

You guessed it -- we begin our day on the path which we learn is named Thompson Trail and walk about a mile (don't have this figured out yet) to the south end.

On our return we see something in the water as we cross the bridge over Fidalgo Bay -- no, it is not a dolphin -- could be an otter.

After lunch of purple hull peas and cornbread, we take long naps, and wake not long before the crab feast in the neighborhood.  We have met several neighbors camping near us in the RV park and join in the gatherings.  This one involves a dinner, or a going-away feast for Lee.  Most of the group summers here every year, and some live in the area.  They do know where to get good food!  


In addition to the Dungeness, there are salads, fruit,  vegetables, and bread.  What more could you ask!  But wait -- there's more -- there's Jan's blackberry cobbler, her rhubarb cobbler, and ice cream!

Just so no one is left out, Fred does his Pied Piper thing and leads a parade of all the dogs next door to his motor home, where he brings out a large jar of treats.  An amazing sight of these cute animals, each one waiting his turn to get a cookie.

Day Twenty-seven - Bremerton WA - July 25, 2010

We spend all day long waiting for the ferry boat.  No, not so, it just seems that way at first.  Huge boat!  ...............but more on that later.

We leave Sweet Caroline to rest today while we take Jake and the Jeep to check out all the RV parks between Anacortes and Bremerton WA, where the Ranger Tug rally will be held.  We pass the Naval Air Station on Whidbey Island and think of all the pilots who served and do serve, and remember Herb's Marine Corp time.  I get all excited when we see a sign by the road for blueberries, and plan to stop on the way back.  

Soon we come to the ferry to Port Townsend and the nice director of traffic lady gives Jake a meat treat and two dog cookies.  Friend for life!  All he wants now is a little petting from her.  At the toll booth, the sign requesting not to hit the booth causes me to wonder what accidents have happened here.  It is 9:35A and we are told the ferry will run at 10:15A.  Forty minute wait time!  We are not used to waiting, so it is a time just to be and to enjoy.  Don't let me catch you reading your eMail on your Droid ..................

The 35 minute trip across Puget Sound gives us time to watch the power boats and sailboats go by.  Back on land and traveling south we see a Farmers' Market and are hopeful they will have just-picked blueberries.  Well, no, they already ran out -- which I can understand.  The fresh vegetables are beautiful and inviting, but the aroma of the hot dog stand is more than we can pass up -- especially when we see they have Oregon sausage.

An added treat is the Shady Grove band of ole-timers singing folk songs while we picnic and shop.  

Our return trip to Anacortes involves a ferry boat from Bremerton to Seattle, and this boat is huge!  Being a land-locked country girl most of my life, I was impressed with the size of the passenger lounge, thinking it is larger than any jet plane I have ever flown on.

And yes, there is a wait from 3:35P to 4:15P!  But we know how to be patient (after all, we are on vacation) and walk around the area to see the intermittent fountains and watch the kids play in the pools below.  

On the hour and fifteen minute ferry ride across to Seattle we can see snow-capped Mt. Rainier fifty miles away -- and more importantly, a larger-than-ours Ranger Tug, which could belong to someone in the area that Herb knows.

Playing with one's phone is allowed now, and Herb uses the GPS app to show me that it indicates we are on a ferry.  Cool!

Arriving in Seattle, we head for a must do stop, Sam's Club, as Herb tells me we need a new GPS for the motor home.  

After a twelve hour day, we will sleep well tonight.  

Willie of Walldog, Willie and Jake

Day Twenty-six - Anacortes WA - July 24

We might call this a wildlife day............as we head across the walking path leading to town center, we are greeted by the honking of Canadian Geese and we see how close we can safely get to them.  They don't move much, but watch us closely, and we see others sitting on the beach of Fidalgo Bay.


Farther along the tree and flower lined path a couple out for their morning exercise tells us about the eagle atop a telephone pole.  He is pretty far up and surveying his surroundings, when a seagull does a few fly-bys to try to scare him away.  Not successful!  He stays put.

On our return we see the geese still feeding, and a couple of rabbits scampering through the campground.  


It is hard to decide which restaurant to visit for lunch, but choose Rock Fish Grill and enjoy some salmon and almost halibut.  A poster on the wall tells us how much people here love fish, and we think of our neighbors Sam and Bob in Port Isabel.  

More exploring today takes us up to a viewpoint  high above Cap Sante Harbor, and I  begin to wonder how many boats there are in the world. I think they are all here.  As we turn to leave, we see tourists observing our trikes, so Herb gives a bit of information on what it is like to ride them.  

Back down the hill in a residential area as we return to the campground, we see more wildlife -- a deer crossing the street in front of us at a leisurely pace, and one on the side of the street enjoying more grass before she moves on.

In the late afternoon we take the trikes (and Jake)  for a ride on the bike path that passes by the campground and which is fairly level -- an easy feat!  

Willie of Walldog, Willie and Jake

Day Twenty-five - Yakima WA to Anacortes WA - July 23, 2010

We have ARRIVED!  And are delighted with the town of Anacortes.   We are fortunate enough to get a choice double campsite facing Fidalgo Bay without a reservation, and quickly take the Jeep to explore the area.  We talk to the helpful lady at the Chamber of Commerce Information Center, who gives us maps and lots of tips on what to do and how to do it.

We spend some time checking out state campgrounds and find that although they are beautiful. we quickly realize that Sweet Caroline would balk at trying to negotiate some of the turns and trees close to the drive.  Oh, well................

We drive over the bridge at Deception Pass and are excited to see the turbulence in the current, caused by the extreme tidal flows, and Herb explains when you would take your boat out and when you would not.  

Back at 'our home' for a week, Fidalgo Bay Resort, we take Jake for a walk in the pasture beside the bay.  We are joined by Jasmine, a McNab of the Border Collie family, who amazes us with her ability to catch the ball on the fly.  

Jake joins in the fun, and both end up in the water retrieving and cooling off.                                                                                                                     We do know how to towel dry a wet dog!

Willie of Walldog, Willie and Jake

Day Twenty-four - Huntington OR to Yakima WA - July 22, 2010

We say goodbye to the friendly camp host and continue our drive north and northwest across Oregon, following the Oregon Trail. 

We are reminded of the winters in the area when we see 'snow zone' warning signs, 'last warning' about the steep grade ahead, and 'chain-up' areas.  Ah, the mountains!

As we get into the state of Washington we begin to see apple orchards and think of our friend Sam and his love for apple pie.    There are fields of pole beans growing up the strings on the poles, vineyards, and we wonder where the cherries are.  Another beautiful state!

 Willie of Walldog, Willie and Jake

Day Twenty-two - Idaho Falls ID to Huntington OR - July 20, 2010 Day Twenty-three - Huntington OR - July 21, 2010

In spite of some highway construction, we begin a pleasant drive to Huntington, which is just inside the state of Oregon.  


We have figured out a way to keep Jake from sleeping against (and activating) the controls of Herb's driver chair, by putting a foot stool in front of him and a rug behind it for him to sleep on while we drive.  But today, without our noticing, he has moved an inch at a time until he is in front of the stool.  We love our dog!

Soon we come into a volcanic area called Craters of the Moon and see much lava rock.

Driving on we see more pastures, more winding roads, more flowers and we are never bored with the scenery.  We arrive at Oasis RV Park to find that it is along the Snake River.  My delight of the day is the bee visiting one of the roses in the garden, and playing throw the ball with Jake by the picnic table at the river's edge in the cool  of the evening.

Willie of Walldog, Willie and Jake

Day Twenty-one - Colter Bay, Grand Teton Natl. Park WY to Idaho Falls ID - July 19, 2010

Out of Colter Bay early in the morning, we head for Idaho Falls ID for a reality check on the motor home systems, before continuing our vacation trip.  


It is a perfect opportunity to enjoy the scenery we missed a few days ago when we took the alternate route from Island Park over the Teton Pass.  This road follows the Snake River and gives the best views of it that we have had so far, and I cannot resist taking a few more pictures of the Teton Mountain Range.

Seeing the ski runs of a resort in Jackson brings back memories of the times we skied -- few in number, but large in thrills.  As the Snake River snakes along the sides of the mountains, we see canoes, rafts, drift boats, and fishermen.  Some of the roadwork is a very tall boom hoisting steel netting up the mountainside to contain falling rock.


Back in Idaho we pass fields of Idaho potatoes, and grain tall enough to be rippled by the wind as it blows across the pasture.  

It is a strange sight to see a Sam's Club and Walmart, which we left behind many days ago, and we take advantage of the products and services they have to offer. Jake likes the grassy area where we park the motor home, and plays retrieve the ball and roll in the grass.  Ah, free again!  


Willie of Walldog, Willie and Jake

Day Twenty - Colter Bay, Grand Teton Natl. Park WY - July 18, 2010

We are in a beautiful setting among the pines and Doug fir with no hookups, which is not a problem, and we learned yesterday that no generators are allowed until 8A.  Ooooops!  We have a rocky start to the day when we remember that the generator will automatically start when the coffee pot comes on at 5A, so Herb has to set the generator on a delay.  Since we never have had to do that, he is not sure how it will work out, so as soon as the coffee is perked, he pours it into a pan and turns the coffee maker off.  We heat a cup at a time on the stove.

We arrive at the marina at 7A for the cruise to Elk Island.  We are greeted and helped onto the boat by Capt. Jim and First Mate Mikie, who is from Southlake TX near Dallas.   Once we are seated, Capt. Jim does a quick welcome, then as Mikie removes the lines, he smoothly backs the boat away from the dock and we are on our way.    

It is non-stop Teton viewing, and Capt. Jim points out a 'skillet' glacier formation with the handle pointing up, and a rock formation resembling a moose face in the center.   The Grand Teton is the tallest, most pointed peak.  

First Mate Mikie tells us a bit of history of the area and the adventures of John Colter, a beaver trapper, after whom Colter Bay is named.    Soon we are on Elk Island, where our work crew has already prepared our breakfast and built a campfire.  We are treated to yogurt, sausage, scrambled eggs,  mixed fruit, hash browns, pancakes -- and trout!  

Plenty of breakfast drinks and seconds of everything!  Did I mention that our tables face the Tetons?    What a treat!  And that we are seated at 'the Captain's table?'  Actually, the Captain came to our table, and that made it the 'Captain's table.'  

There are trails for exploring and we do a bit of that.  Then it is time to go and Capt. Jim recruits one of the young girls to ring the triangle to get the group together.  




 One of the young boys, Brooks, is seen with his sister, Rosemary, examining an ax on a stump and Capt. Jim tells him not to hit his sister with it.  He is heard to say begrudgingly, "Yes, sir."

On the return trip each child is given a chance to steer the boat, but the cutest is two year old Rosemary from Alabama, who not only takes her turn -- which gets cheers from the group -- but doesn't want to give it up for her brother Brooks, and sits in his lap steering for a time.  Each child gets a Junior Cruise Boat Captain license card, after completing the piloting.  

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A surprise is when the Captain calls Herb Stark to try his skill at the wheel and presents him with a Certificate.  Herb will have it framed and mounted above the helm of his Ranger Tug, "Willie's Tug."

It is a wonderful morning with the added humor and ad libs by Capt. Jim that engage the guests and keep us laughing.  We recommend this cruise!

Later in the day we take Jake for an outing to Jenny Lake and Signal Mountain, where we find a Verizon tower and our Droids wake up.  We can really see our house from here.  Then on to Jackson Hole ski area and some narrow, winding roads.  There are lots of cars everywhere we go, which tells me that the economy is doing OK here.

We visit Jackson WY briefly and see the lodge where we stayed years ago, when we rode the BMW motorcycle through on our way home from National BMW Rally in Missoula MT.    Fond memories...............

Willie of Walldog, Willie and Jake