Seattle Trip Part 10: One last fly-by, before flying home

After spending more than a week in Seattle, we were looking for a low-key day before our red-eye flight later that night. We made a brief stop at the U-Dub campus to get a photo at Husky Stadium. We passed the stadium just about every time we made the drive from Kenmore into Seattle. Here Tyrone Willingham and I ponder how bad Notre Dame will be this season.

Unfortunately, the Mariners were not in town while we were, so I didn't get to go see a game, but I did get this photo of Safeco Field.

We spent most of the day at Pike's Market. Rufina shopped, while I found a coffee shop with Wi-Fi to rest my sore toes. However, I did take in "the show" at the world famous Pike Place Market Fish Market. The guy in foreground is about to "reel in" a fish. You can see it up near the light.

Here's a closer look.

After catching the fish and showing it to the crowd, he hurls it back to the guy behind the counter. You can make out the silver side of the fish as it is about to pass over the lady's head.

Unlike Tripp Chandler, this guy makes the catch (in paper).

We finished the night with dinner at a fancy little bistro on one of the side streets off the market. The grilled halibut was tasty. Then it was off to the airport and back to Atlanta.

Seattle Trip Part 9: Hobbling back to civilization Day 3

A crisp morning, a placid lake and a conversation with the Creator of it all.

Saying, "hello" to Rufina after she says, "hello" to God.

As I mentioned (and showed) in my last post, my toes were plagued with blisters. I knew that I would not fare well hiking 4 & 1/2 miles with a 25+ lbs. pack in my hiking boot, so I improvised... sock liner, hiking sock and a Teva sandal... (also a tribute to my buddy Craig)

Here I am sporting an unconventional hiking look. The Teva took pressure off my blister and made hiking less painful; however, I noticed that it also put more pressure on my ankle since I didn't have a hiking boot to support it. Nonetheless, I made it.

Zee and Grace finish packing up their stuff.

One last shot of the crew before we hiked back out. It was an amazing trip and I really appreciate Zee for all the planning she put into it and Grace and Rufina for allowing me to join their group. I should also give big props to Zee and Grace who just days before hiked up to the Enchantment Lake which was originally our goal. Just to give you some info about that hike: it is only 13.5 miles, but you do 4020 feet in elevation, most of which is on the first day with your pack. The trail also rates as "difficult" and is steep and rocky. However, Zee and Grace were up for the challenge and got to see some of the most beautiful scenery in one of the most beautiful places in the US.

We made it out a little after lunch time and then raced back to Seattle to check into the hotel where I parked in front of the TV to watch UGA take on South Carolina (and that is all I'm going to say about that except that Rufina is a tremendously patient and understanding woman and I am blessed to have her in my life).

Up Next: Wrapping up the trip with flying fish...

Seattle Trip Part 8: Trip to Spectacle Lake Day 2

Up and at 'em. It was a chilly morning, but I was ready to go.

Here is Zee untying the food bags from the trees to keep it away from bears & other critters. Frankly, I say you don't make it a challenge for them to get the food, because then you become "plan B". Thankfully, we didn't have any problems.

Here's Grace and Rufina ready to go and in red.

So with breakfast done and the ladies ready to go that meant one last thing before we hit the trail... yes, that is what you think it is and I was very glad to have it. The other option is digging a 6 inch hole every time and covering it when you are done.

This log is what we used for TP- no, seriously, this is the log I found to cross Lemah Creek. The normal ford was too deep for our boots and the bridge would have added 1 to 1 1/2 miles to our trek.

Here are the ladies pushing onward and upward in a series of switchbacks from h_ll; there were at least 25 switchbacks! If you look just past the girls you can see a waterfall...

This is that waterfall. Actually, this is only a portion of it. There was a nice bridge here to help you cross the waterfall and continue on the trail.

This portion of the trail was part of the Pacific Crest Trail which runs from Canada to Mexico. So I can say I did the PCT and sound impressive. While we didn't do the hundreds of miles that encompass the whole trail, this hike did take us up a good bit of elevation and we put in about 10 miles of hiking.

This is Spectacle Lake. It was so beautiful; a crystal clear lake almost split in 2 down in a bowl made up of mountains.

This was the closer and smaller portion of the lake. You can see that the lake is surrounded by rock almost everywhere. The lake is a popular campsite for those that are doing the PCT. We saw several people down there camping and passed a whole bunch more headed that way on our way out.

Rufina and I after lunch overlooking Spectacle Lake.

Summit shot of the team.
It was windy and thus, cold at the top.

The hike was very painful for me, even though we had dropped our big packs and were only were day packs with water and lunch. I knew that the tops of my toes often get blisters from hiking and sports where the seam of the sock rubs, so I taped my toes for the hike and wore liners under my main hiking socks... It didn't work. I ended up with a horrible blood blister on my left foot that ranged from the underside of my little toe up to the toenail and around the inside of the nail and across the base of the nail. I also got a blister on the little toe of my right foot, but it wasn't as bad. The blister meant that I spent most of the day hobbling more than hiking. Here I was "icing" my toe in the cold waters of Pete's Lake back at camp.

We finished the day with dinner- Beef Stroganoff.


Up next: The hike out and the dash to futility.

Seattle Trip Part 7: Pete's Lake Day 1

One of the highlights and reasons we took the trip out west was to meet up with some of Rufina's camping friends. She and a group of friends have tried to plan a hiking/camping trip each year. Rufina had missed the past 2 years, so she wanted to reunite with them for a hike. Our initial numbers dwindled and we (Rufina & I) even had to select a different hike because of some health concerns, but the faithful few met up and had a great time. Her is the team from left to right: Zee, Grace, me and Rufina.

It was my first time backpack camping. I had done some day hikes and done some car-camping, but this was a different experience to have 30+ lbs on your back and hike in and out to a site. You can see I was packed like a mule.

Here's the team again just before the hike started. Zee planned the hike which would include: 1) hiking 5 1/2 miles with 180 feet of elevation to Pete's Lake from Cooper Lake and setting up camp. 2) hiking 4 1/2 miles from the campsite up 1400 feet of elevation (mostly at the end) to have lunch overlooking Spectacle Lake and hike back to the campsite. 3) take down the campsite and hike back to the trail head.

This is Pete's Lake and this was basically the view from "our kitchen". This photo really doesn't do the view justice. The water was so clear and blue-green in spots.

One of the aspects of back country camping is there aren't water fountains, so you have to find water another way. We each carried in about 2 liters of water, but most of that was used up on the 5+ mile hike in. So here is Zee pumping water from the lake through a filter. Each day, we had to pump about 10 liters of water to have water to drink and cook with.

Speaking of cooking... here is Rufina eating dinner. We got dehydrated meals from REI to eat for dinner. You boil water, pour it into a bag with the dehydrated food and then shake and stir and then pour the food into a bowl and you are good-to-go. This was Sierra Chicken (I think).

Sunset at Pete's Lake.

Fire on the mountain... not really, but the clouds did look like flames on the mountain tops which still had snow on them from the previous winter.

The girls finishing dinner as the darkness sweeps across the lake.

After hiking in, settling up camp, pumping water, cooking dinner, eating, washing dishes, disposing of the water away from the campsite (bears) and brushing our teeth, it was time to go to sleep.


Up Next: The hike to Spectacle Lake and Attack of the Blisters

Seattle Trip Part 6: Willkommen to Leavenworth

After spending 6 days in Seattle, we packed the bags and headed East...

We met up with two of Rufina's friends in the charming "Bavarian town" of Leavenworth, Washington. It is nestled in the Cascade Mountains as you pass from the green coastal part of Washington to the drier portions of central and eastern Washington. It was a charming town where almost all the buildings (at least on the main drag) are done in a German style of architecture. We stayed at the Bavarian Lodge, which I highly recommend. It was clean, the rooms were nice, it was in a great location, reasonably priced and had a nice breakfast buffet.

The flowers were in bloom in this beautiful town too. There are tons of shops and places to eat. We ate at one of the German restaurants where I had Bavarian brats and a giant pretzel.

If you are in the area you really should check it out. For those of you who have been to Helen, Georgia, it is very similar except more "German touristy" and less "redneck on the Rhine".


Up next: The big hike...

Seattle Trip Part 5: Seattle Space Needle

It had been the only real rainy day while we were in Seattle, but the front pushed through and so we decided to get out and take care of one more sight-seeing trip before we headed to the mountains.

If you really want to know how tall it is, when it was built, how many tons of concrete were poured, see live webcams shots and other stuff like that you can go to the Space Needle's webpage.

Rufina scanning the horizon from up high.

Looking south toward downtown...

Moving clockwise to the west is Puget Sound...

Continuing to the north, northwest is Lake Union where the sailboats were out...

And finally to the west is Bellevue where Microsoft is located.

After looking at the city from the Needle we went to get dinner at another Seattle landmark of sorts...

Buca Di Beppo is a popular and unique restaurant near the south end of Lake Union. When the hostess seats you, you actually pass through part of the kitchen area to get there. The restaurant is large and cavernous with rooms everywhere. The walls are covered in framed photos of Italy, Italian culture & cuisine and of course... the Pope. This round room is "the Pope room" and features a bust of the Pontiff on the lazy Susan.

Up next: Putting down our mitre, we don a pack and hiking boots as we head to the mountains.

Seattle Trip Part 4: Puget Sound

On Labor Day, we took a trip across Puget Sound to Bainbridge Island. I had been on a ferry before (in West Africa), but never one this big and on such a large body of water.

As we left Pier 51 (I think), you could see Qwest Field, Safeco Field and Mount Rainier behind the giant cranes at the port.

Pointing to Seattle's most famous landmark (which ironically wasn't recognized as an official landmark until 1999- 30+ years after it was built). I know some would argue that Starbucks is probably Seattle's most famous landmark, but those people can stick it up their Caramel Macchiatos.

Rufina is the king of the world!... or at least the Princess of Seattle.

Here is the Seattle skyline as seen from our ferry ride across the sound.

This is a picture of rose bushes outside the Harbor Public House & Marina at Eagle Harbor where we ate lunch. You can see the masts of the boats behind the bushes. The meal was good and the setting was great.

After we got back to Seattle, we took a trip to Pike's Market which is another local icon. We were a little tired, but it was so cool to visit the market because it reminded me so much of living in Asia where markets are still very much a part of daily life. There was even a flower market with some beautiful sunflowers. The market had lots of food, coffee, art shops, tourist traps, the original Starbucks (those last 2 were a bit redundant) and the fish markets where they throw the fish (stay tuned, that's a later post).

It was a great Labor Day excursion that was finished off with a trip to the largest REI store which was a madhouse. We picked up a few last minute items for our big backpack camping trip.

Up next: A Needle, some noodles and the Pope?