Another rainy day in Washington!

I tried to bring the sunshine from New Jersey back to Washington, but it didn't work. 50 degrees and cloudy yesterday, and 40 degrees and raining today. Great! It made me jealous for one second of everyone enjoying the weather in NJ until I remembered that jealousy doesn't help me enjoy the present moment at all. I think I also visited NJ during my favorite time of year--when everything is tipped with fresh, spring green, flowers are blooming everywhere, and the returning heat of summer makes you forget you spent the last 6 months cold. Bike riding with my dad through the wooded hills of Mendham and the wide-open farm fields of Cranbury reminded me that NJ has its pretty parts too, and the towns in which Colin and I grew up are some of the nicest places in NJ. But I also realized that I miss family more than I miss NJ itself.

Vermont was gorgeous and I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for the job in Burlington. It would be funny if we drove across country and ended up back east, but in my opinion we wouldn't be settling for anything if we ended up in Vermont. Curt and I got to drive into the Jeffersonville area as the sun was setting and thick, gray storm clouds were lifting after a violent and crazy rain. The mountains were green, the ground was all mud and puddles, the locals were out with chainsaws clearing the road of fallen trees for fellow townsfolk.

Last night we drove from Seattle to Marblemount and this morning we headed into the Methow Valley across the newly-opened-for-the-season North Cascade Scenic Highway. There were still impressive piles of snow lining the road and fresh ski tracks on the trails. We were a little sad that the skies were gray, as the North Cascade Scenic Highway is supposed to be one of the prettiest drives in the United States! We mostly saw fog. At least it was pretty fog. We had lunch at the cute Mazama Store and are now in Twisp as thunder rumbles and rain falls. Tomorrow we make our way closer to Idaho!

Look Misa, I'm eating green things while you are gone!

I know, you must be so proud of me, it is not multiple cheeseburgers from an establishment that we won't name here. Olive oil, garlic, broccoli, spinach is what's in the frying pan along with spaghetti in the other pan.
This is also a shot of how we cook on our Coleman double burner stove. This stove is around 30 years old. It used to be my parents until I adopted it. I wonder if this is what they used on their trip around the country in their Audi Fox?

It's kinda pretty here

 

I found this great spot along Chuckanut Drive about 10 miles south of Bellingham.  I pulled over to eat lunch at a scenic overlook and saw a trail that dropped into the woods and headed towards the water.  Tucker and I plunged down this incredibly steep trail and found ourselves at a set of train tracks and then the water.  Hidden between the train tracks and the water was a great little camping spot that has been  shown a lot of love.  There was a bunch of stone walls that were ringing the camping area with a bunch of artsy rock cairns and a great little firepit.  I am guessing that it is mainly used by sea kayakers as there really isn't any access besides this.  It was nice to find such a gem with absolutely no garbage around it.  Tucker went for a swim for a little while and got to see his first freight train go by within 20 feet.  He wasn't really sure what to think about it. 

New Jersey Morning

Am I allowed to post on the trip blog when I'm technically on a trip from our trip?

For the past month or so I'd felt that the days were passing more quickly, and as it seemingly got closer to the end of our trip (with summer approaching), I found myself looking more to the future than the present. What will we do when our money runs out? Where will we end up? What kind of jobs will we find? Rather than letting these questions pass through my mind, I clung on to them, probably causing distress to both Colin and myself.

Then last night I experienced culture shock upon returning to New Jersey. Is New Jersey really so different from the rest of the country or have we been visiting just the unusual pockets of the United States? The shock made me realize the greatness of our trip and reminded me why we set out on it in the first place. New Jersey is not the norm and the lifestyle most enjoy here is not a standard to force yourself to live up to or maintain. It is simply one way of life. And if that way of life doesn't feel right to you, you find ways to change it. On our trip, we have been inspired by so many people and so many different landscapes that it would be impossible to ever return to New Jersey as the same couple we were living the same life we did.

For example, my shower last night in the home I grew up in did not feel as magnificent as the $0.75 four-minute shower I took two days ago at a campground outside Seattle. My bed did not feel as soft and comfortable as I imagined it would. I missed the woods and I missed Colin & Tucker terribly. And sadly, despite having everything I need in life, I went to sleep with a complaining voice in my head. I was trying to compare the beauty our trip to the sudden feeling of returning to a life in Mendham, New Jersey that is no longer mine.

Today I woke up at 5:15 am when the sunlight came streaming through the window and went downstairs to find a yoga mat. Instantly I knew I couldn't practice inside. Days and days of practicing outside had gotten to me in a good way. I laid down a mat to practice on the back patio and listened to the chatter of birds mixed with the rush of cars as I sat down for meditation. I didn't have snow-capped mountain views, but I was grateful for the sun, the warm humid air, and for not having to wear furry boots and a down jacket to keep warm during savasana. I was humbled by this simple pleasure, and the negativity of last night washed away.

This morning's practice made me remember that you can be content anywhere and you can complain anywhere. I trust that wherever we end up will be perfect.

You should take a trip!

I have had more time today to reflect upon our trip than I normally do.  I had to drive the 2.5 hours back to Seattle to pick up my debit card.  I was a bit annoyed at myself for doing something stupid like that and generally I prefer to stay as far away from big cities as possible.  I don't like the noise, the crowds, the people, the expenses related to cities, I tend to shy away from the general hipness of cities.  So I guess I was being punished because I had to go back.  Once I got back to the area where the restaurant was I spent 30 minutes driving around trying to find a parking spot for the truck.  Cities are not made to park full-sized trucks.  After cramming myself into a spot and walking the 10 blocks back to the restaurant, I hightailed it out of the city.

Then something started to change, I was making my way out of the city, it was around 8:30pm and the sun was setting behind the Olympic mountains.  I saw about 30 sailboats having a regatta.  It was a very peaceful scene.  My mood started to do a one hundred and eighty degree turn.

Driving up I-5 to get back towards the mountains I realized what a great trip this has been.  Misa and I are so lucky that we are able to make this happen.  We have met a lot of great people, seen a lot of great and amazing places.  I am not sure where we will end up when the trip is over, but the whole experience has been amazing.  It hasn't always been perfect days and sunny skies, but looking back over the past 3 months, it has been such a great journey.

I think a trip everyone should take a trip like this at least once in their lifetime.  We all make so many excuses about why we can't do it: whether it is work obligations, family, money, time, etc.  It is possible if you really want it.

We are in the beginning of creating our own life and this trip is really the start of all of it.

 

Sometimes we run into roadblocks on our trip!

Whoops!

Misa headed back home for a visit with her family this week and I stayed in Washington with Tucker.  I figured while she was gone I could get in a lot of snowboarding.  The weather report looked promising for exactly one day for the entire time she is going to be gone, today!  I dropped her off at the airport at 4:30 am and then drove the 2.5 hours to Mount Baker.  The weather called for partly sunny skies with a high temp of 58.  Sounds perfect for a day in the mountains.  About 50 miles from Mount Baker I stop to fill up the truck with gas.  I reach into my wallet and discover that I don't have my debit card that we are using for all of our trip related purchases.  hmmm, where could it be?  After looking around the truck for a while I end up using  my credit card to pay for the gas. Good thing I kept that in my wallet at the start of the trip.  I continue on the road towards Mount Baker and then it starts to drizzle.  As I continue on the drizzle turns into a steady rain.  What is happening to my one good day of weather?  As I am driving up the access road to Mount Baker, I realize where my debit card is.  I had left it at the restaurant that we ate at last night in downtown Seattle.  Big Whoops indeed. 

So I guess I earned myself another trip to Seattle tonight or tomorrow to pick up my debit card.  Did I ever mention that I don't like cities at all?
  I blame this all on Misa,  I must have been distraught over her impending absence and forgot my card.  I am not normally like this...

Happy Birthday to Colin!

Happy Birthday, Colin! 

If we were at home I would have baked you blueberry muffins and a birthday cake. We will have to have a belated second-birthday celebration for you when we find our new home :) 

Methow Valley

Kumi, come back! You left and the rain has returned!


We spent the past few days exploring the towns in the Methow Valley: Mazama, Winthrop, and Twisp. Winthrop is the largest of the three and has an old Wild West theme going on. We had wonderful warm, sunny weather and clear skies for the first time in a long while. On our first morning, we hiked to the Cedar Creek Falls to check out the hydraulic forces. More and more wildflowers are popping up each time we step on a trail, and Colin got a plants of the Pacific Northwest guide, so now we are able to identify them, which is fun. After Misa comes back from her interviews, hopefully we will return to the area and get a few more beautiful days to explore the impressive trail system there and visit the one yoga studio.

The rolling huts were a nice change to the truck for a few nights. They are comfortable, clean, spacious, and have nice balconies. We recommend them to anyone passing through the Methow area, although there are a number of cabins you can rent as well for a similar price. And with a cabin you'd also get a full kitchen...

The Rolling Huts in the Methow Valley

We had a change in plans yesterday and we ended up in the Methow Valley.  Misa's sister, Kumi, came out from New J ersey to visit us for a few days.  We arrived at this unique place just as the sun was setting last night so we haven't had too much time to explore.  It is definitely a neat set-up.   Kumi also brought us some nice weather for the rest of the week.

The Cascades

We have been poking around several towns and areas of the Northern Cascades of Washington.  We tried to go to Mount Rainier, but the access road was closed.

    After going over the crest of the cascades we found ourselves in the Wenatchee Valley, which is on the eastern side of the mountains.  This means that it isn't your typical Pacific Northwet climate.  We found a beautiful valley filled with fruit orchards that just happened to be in bloom right now.

We went to the town  of Leavenworth, which strangely enough is a Bavarian themed village right at the base of the mountains.  It seemed like an adventure sports mecca, most cars were driving through town with either bikes, skis, or kayaks on the roof.  The streets were filled yodelling coming from the town sponsored speakers and there were people in traditional dirndl in the streets.  It was a bit over the top and very obviously a tourist trap.  However, the mountains outside of town were amazing.  We went for a run in a wilderness area above town and ran into the snowline after a few miles.  After our run, while driving to our camping spot, we happened upon a beautiful valley in the mountains that had a town by the name of Plain.

It rained the next day and we drove up and over Stevens Pass.  I am sure we missed a lot of good scenery, but all we could see was rain drops, clouds, and fog.

We actually had a beautiful day yesterday as we checked out the area on the wet(west) side of state highway 20.  We went through Marblemount and Darrington.  Darrington looked like the ideal place for a town, but this one seemed pretty hard up at this time.  A lumber mill seemed to be the main employer and looking at the log yard we were both surprised that there are any trees left in Washington.

 

The mountains were glorious, especially since we could see them.  

 

It is such a nice contrast, that below treeline you can be in a very moist and mossy environment, and then above treeline there is such a stark contrast.

We had our most scenic campsite yet last night.  Right along the beginnings of the Cascade River.  We pulled up to find such a great view.  Colin made a fire right on the bank of the river and we watched the mountains change color with the sunset

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to our dear moms. We miss you a lot and wish we were with you today. 

 

Lake Wenatchee

Wow. That sums it up. We spent the day poking around Leavenworth and the Wenatchee Valley. The entire valley is filled with fruit orchards and they are all in bloom. The entire valley is carpeted with white and pink blossoms. We found a very cute town called Plain that was at the base of the mountains that we are now in. Too bad it is too cold for swimming!

Leavenworth, Washington

Just pulled into Leavenworth. Not sure about the Bavarian themed town, but the mountains outside of town sure look nice. We are going to explore the town today

Oregon Slugs

While we were eating dinner with Michael and Dara the talk turned to gardening in Oregon.

Somehow slugs came up and what a problem they were. I thought to myself, you can sink a few beer cans in the ground with some beer in them and the slugs will be taken care of. Dara said that doesn't work out here, that you have to pick off each one individually. Well a few mornings later I saw why Oregon slugs don't go for the beer cans, they are so big they wouldn't even fit in the opening. These things are huge!

Portland to the Coast

That's funny. I saw that heart in the sand last night as we were walking out to make a fire and watch the sunset on the beach. I said, "Hey, Colin! Look! Someone made a heart in the sand out of bull kelp!" To which Colin replied, "Oh, someone is more impressive than I am."

Anyway, we are at the coast and it really is as beautiful as everyone has been telling us. Rocky cliffs, rolling hills speckled with evergreens (only speckled because everything is heavily logged around here), and pretty sandy beaches. We are being blessed with sunny weather again today and we will head over to Oswald West State Park.

The best place to visit in Portland! 

After a week at Dara and Mike's house, we felt it was time to get out of their hair. As much as we were enjoying their company and the warm shelter of their cute house, we didn't want to overstay our welcome. But we had an awesome time hanging out and riding around Portland with them (and Pumpkin). It was great to get shown around town by a couple who really loves where they live.

On Sunday Kate and Josh took us to Opal Creek for hiking and wild mushroom foraging. It was absolutely gorgeous hike (or "dreamy," as Kate would put it), and we were lucky to have sunshine streaming through the trees at us. Had it been about 50 degrees warmer, I might have thought it was a nice day for swimming. Colin and Josh, however, thought it was just fine as it was, and each took a dip in the painfully cold water. Yikes!

Josh contemplating the plunge

The other highlights of the day were a picnic in a sunny meadow and Josh showing us how to find wild hedgehog mushrooms in the moss. Colin had an expert eye for mushrooms and managed to find some good ones. Josh kindly gave us half of the day's finds to take home, along with instructions on how to best wash and cook them. We ate them the following morning in a tofu, egg, spinach, mushroom scramble, and they were actually very tasty!

We will enjoy the vacation-like atmosphere of the beach for one more day and then head up to Washington. Time is beginning to pass increasingly fast and before we know it, it will be time to meet Kumi in Seattle and celebrate her graduation and Colin's birthday!

Our Anniversary

Misa and I were out on a run this morning on the beach and we realized it is our 10 month anniversary today!

So happy anniversary Misa, I love you more and more each day.

Colin