Road Trip

Dad and I left a week ago yesterday to start the long, beautiful journey back to Nashville. He was a trooper on Friday after waking up early East coast time to fly and then hitting the ground running on West coast time. We hit a few Seattle high points, it was a beautiful sunny day there and headed East. We made a quick hiking stop in the Cascades before driving to Spokane for the night.

The next day we got to visit my friends who I was lucky to have and get to see a few times in Spokane and then hit the road. The drive took us through the panhandle of Idaho. This part of Idaho was really different than the southern area we drove through on the way out. In the panhandle there are mountains with snow capped peaks, crystal blue lakes and of course, tons of evergreen trees. We made a hiking stop in Couer d'Alene and then headed east in Montana. We probably spent the most hours in Montana and it is spectacular! And as you drive East the terrain changes so much. It is easy to tell why it has the name Big Sky. And hard to believe why more people don't live there with all the beauty. We ended that day outside of Yellowstone National Park and would then spend a day exploring. As I took over 100 pictures in the park I will save that for it's own post :)

So Long Seattle

One of my last non-working nights in Seattle I went the mile from my house to the West end of the peninsula to watch the sun set over the Olympics. I so enjoyed the scenery surrounding Seattle and will miss the views and many exploring possibilities.

Comubia River Gorge

I am packing up my stuff today and tomorrow will start the loooong drive back across the county. I am taking a packing break...4 hrs of sleep post work and packing requires a break...and required a large coffee.
Last week I went on an amazing hike. One of my favorites.
The Columbia River runs just south of the Washington border near Portland. The hike was filled with amazing views of the river and had so many waterfalls I lost count. The last one I came to is one of the largest in the world...it was breathtaking and the pictures really don't do it justice.
I am sad to be leaving a place filled with so much breathtaking beauty and so many adventures. But also glad to be returning to friends and family.
Off to finish packing

Multnomah Falls

Rainier Woods

 A few weeks ago it was sunny in Seattle so I was hoping it would be sunny around Rainier. As I have learned it is really too early in the season to do much real hiking around the mountain so I headed to the lowest elevation spot which is really more forest than anything else. The drive was beautiful, though Rainier was hiding in the clouds. I hiked for a bit but then decided to head back to sunny Seattle...enough rainy day hikes for this girl for awhile.

This sketchy bridge I drove across

And here is Rainier one day last week...so incredibly gorgeous!!

O Canada

I can't be this close to Canada and not take a trip there, so last week I decided to make the 2 1/2 hr drive to Vancouver. I lucked out with a sunny (still chilly) spring day and since I forgot that going to another country meant my cell phone/3G would not work I had to fly by my memory and the excellent city sign-age to find the things I wanted to do.
Vancouver is lovely-a city filled with skyscrapers, surrounded by water and snow capped peaks. I really like the small part that I got to see in a day.
And both border crossings consisted of "Are you really from Tennessee? What are you doing here?" 

I was experimenting with settings on my camera :)

To Market, to market

Pike's Public Market: fun stop for any tourist or Seattle-ite. Always lots of colors and sounds and sights...from the flowers to the veggies and fruit to the famous fish throwing it is a fun spot.

Monkfish anyone? :)

Sparrow

Been singing His Eye is on the Sparrow all night after hearing Chelsea Moon's version on the way to work.

"Let not your heart be troubled"
His tender word I hear
And resting on His goodness
I loose my doubts and fears
Though by the path He leadeth
But one step I may see
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know that He watches me.