We met up with Dwyers during the evenings in Seattle. I was at the conference so just pictures are of food;)
Second Austin pigout
Sushi
road trip
Seattle + trolls
We transitioned into town after the work week and made the most of our time. We visited the Ballard locks which is how Seattle boaters get to and from the lakes to the ocean. We also took a trot around green lake and the woodland Park area and feasted on dungenous crabs.
The weekend started with a California Honeydrops concert and an amazing dinner with the Austin tribe of Bellevue and a thorough hunting of trolls.
This link should show all the trolls. There are some in Asheville now which gives us something to look forward to.
https://share.google/NTQwJQIDw5fWSYP3M
I have to include the video of Jingran making the dumplings.
Lastly, I’m not a serious foodie, but omg this how this hole in the wall diner, Dish Cafe serves.
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PAC NW
I’ve got a conference in Seattle, so we have taken a week before to explore Whidbey Island for my future book writing home (jk I’m not creative enough to write a novel). But if you were going to write a novel this is where you do it.
I was working by the bird feeder which was a nature channel distraction. Here are a few of my favorites.. downy and paleated woodpeckers and a red shafted flicker.
We did take a hike on Ebey’s landing but somehow missed the mega pod of orcas that just happened to be passing through and the Aurora borealis on last Tuesday, but we had a fabulous hike on the cliffs. We even saw Mt Baker.
Roxborough and Chatfield State Parks
We left Ridgeway and drove the nail-biting 11,312 feet through monarch pass pulling the clamshell. It was slow going but Rusty (the Rav4) made its 9th trip across the Continental divide. George has diagnosed me with hill anxiety. There’s a beer for that. In fact. I want someone to name a beer ‘hill anxiety’ in my Honor.
We parked the camper at Chatfiel turned the AC on, went to eat Mexican and moved onward to Roxborough State Park. Roxborough is a hidden gem but doesn’t allow dogs. Ringo was pleased. I think he needed a day off.
We had a relaxing evening at Chatfield before getting up early to drop Fiona at the Denver (circus) airport to return to Raleigh for her last year at NC State.
The top out temperature was 106 degrees yesterday somewhere in Kansas. The last picture is on our way home. Shawnee lake outside of Topeka Kansas, which was 22 bucks. Cha-ching. We should arrive at Edgar Evans State Park in TN tonight.
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Molas Lake outside Silverton
At first we were just going to Ouray but realized the hikes we planned were actually on the perimeter trail. It was also a hot day, so we headed for higher elevation. The hike we did yesterday outside Silverton was at 12k feet so we headed back that direction and stopped at Molas lake. It was also less smoky today. (Bonus)
We by-passed Silverton since we had already decided to eat in Ridgeway. We ate at the local brewery (again) and had pizza (again), but it was delicious. The wood fired pizzas are yummy in these small mountain towns.
Silverton and smoke
We went to Silverton to do the Colorado trail near Molas lake. There is a kick ass boondock campground here that we need to remember for next time. To get from Ridgeway state park to Silverton you have to take US 550 (The million dollar highway) which goes over Red mountain pass. I haven’t been through since 1992 when George and I did a cross country trip after our freshman year of college. The road was built by a private citizen and originally served as a toll road for the mining trade to get north/south between Ouray & Silverton.
Along this road, you can see all the dead silver mines which is also why the Uncompahgre River in ouray is yellow. As it rains, iron from the mining caves the leaches out into the water table. Makes me think twice about drinking the water here.
Check out the signage on the red mountain pass. You don’t see that every day. We also had another rare sighting. We had a gnome at the trail head sharing wifi so I knew the day would turn out great.
Colorado trail
We went into Silverton next and grabbed a pizza and brew. Nice little train tourist town. Very chill after the train left.
It got super smoky today while we were out. You can’t even see the mountains from our campsite.:(
Ouray
Beautiful hike today on the perimeter trail around ouray in the same Juan mountains. We are staying in Ridgeway state park which is also beautiful. We are having a great time. Honestly, on the hike I got a little tired so my soak in the hot tubs was amazing. George was a good sport about letting me get my soak on. It felt so good.
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Watson’s Glenn to Cayuga Lake (Finger Lakes)
We got up early to hike before the crowds gathered in the canyon. just a few more pics from Glenn canyon.
We had lunch at grist iron for lunch on Seneca lake on our way out of town. Then we traveled north to Cayuga lake State Park.
We stopped at Hosmer and Knapp winery along the way and had a great time grabbing some wines for the trip.
So far we’ve had a great time in the finger lakes of New York.
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Pennsylvania New York
George and I spent our first few nights of our trip in Pennsylvania at a beautiful state park Francis Slocum. The lake was u shaped and I wished we’d had a boat. We took several great walks.
We left PA after work. George had a weird ear ache vertigo on the way to New York. He felt awful, so I pumped myself up to park the camper myself and just failed miserably. He had to bail me out. The Shoffners joined us at Watsons Glenn late last night. We took a hike this morning in the canyon. The canyon is stunning. Here are a few pictures
Afterwards we biked to some wineries and found some dinosaurs, yeah for real, who knew such treasures awaited us.
My belly is full. My feet and butt are tired.
White Pocket
My house sitting host, Sue, suggested we go to White Pocket, but the Hyundai accent would never make it in the sand or the rocks. Luckily Adam and Laura drive Barb, a beautiful white stallion (Toyota Tacoma TRD). I fell in love with Barb, she’s a beast.
We met them before 6 after checking out. We drove through the vermilion cliffs, across the Navajo marble canyon, stopped in at the condor release sight. Then deflated the tires on Barb and let Adam get his bad-ass out. White Pocket is a bit of a mystery. There weren’t very many signs describing the geology but I did find this link.
After the hike we stopped back by the condor viewing area and saw one of the 400 remaining California condors left. At one time there were only 20. There was a raptor biologist sitting there waiting on a tour group that answered all our questions.
It was a great day. Sad for the trip to be over but happy to be in my camper this weekend with some good friends and a doodle
Austin Semi Sabbatical 