Viewing entries in
PNW

Comment

Playing Tour Guide For A Good Friend

I met Dylan, his mom Diana, and her partner David at Descend on Bend in 2021. That’s one of the things I love about vanlife gatherings — you meet some amazing people that become lifelong friends! Dylan and I hit it off right away and hung out a lot at Descend. We kept in touch after the festival and a few weeks later he came to Bellingham for a four day visit. I love showing off all the amazing places around my hometown to new people, so I took Dylan to as many places as I could during his stay!

After picking Dylan up from SeaTac airport on September 18th, we headed north with stops at the Skagit River Walk in Mount Vernon and Taylor Dock in Bellingham. The next morning we headed to Deception Pass State Park and hiked part of the Goose Rock Trail and immersed ourselves in some “forest bathing,” appreciating the water views of Deception Pass along the path. Then we headed down to North Beach to soak in the iconic view of the famous bridge and comb the beach despite the cloudy weather. Dylan was all bundled up because he was cold, while I was fine in just my leggings and long sleeve shirt. Our next stop was West Beach with its scattered driftwood along the shore and 180* views of Rosario Strait, as well as nearby Deception Island. The cloud cover started to open up a little, allowing some blue skies to peak through.

From there we headed back over the bridge to Rosario Beach and checked out the Maiden of Deception Pass, aka Ko-kwal-alwoot, who’s Coast Salish legend prompted the creation of her statue and story posts here. As you walk around the grassy knoll of Rosario Head, you can see Bowman Bay, the Salish Sea, and the San Juan Islands, making this one of my favorite places to enjoy! Deception Pass State Park is a great camping location, which I highly recommend to anyone visiting the area, though they do book up quickly in the tourist season.

After our time roaming around Deception Pass, Dylan and I headed into Anacortes for a Thai lunch and then drove to Cap Sante Park to see the view of the marina and Mount Baker, though the mountain was hiding in clouds that day (as it often does). We took the scenic route back towards Bellingham along Padilla Bay, through the tiny town of Edison, and then around Samish Bay to the Chuckanut Drive Scenic Byway. The viewpoint along Chuckanut Drive is another one of my favorite places to show visitors with its exceptional view of the San Juan Islands. I found a huge maple leaf to pose with and admired the tree that grew over a rock there. We were too early for the sunset but I highly recommend watching a sunset from here if you can! I even let Dylan drive my van home that day, which he did marvelously.

The second full day of adventures started with a drive up to the Canadian border to see Peace Arch Park. It wasn’t very busy that day making it perfect for photos standing in the International Peace Arch, a 67-foot dramatic white arch that rises from the green lawns and flowering gardens on the USA-Canada border. I had some fun straddling one of the boundary pillars and we enjoyed walking the grounds to read all the historical markers and plaques. We stopped at a small garden there where the biggest leaf I have ever seen was growing. Turns out it is a Chilean rhubarb and the leaves can grow up to 8.2 feet (2.5 m) across!

We enjoyed lunch in the border town of Blaine, then headed south to Whatcom Falls Park to walk around and see the famous waterfall and stone bridge. This park is another go-to spot for me to show people as you can stroll along Whatcom Creek and see two smaller falls, as well as a derby pond and a fish hatchery. There was still some time left before dinner, so we drove to Lake Padden Park and walked part of the 2.6 miles long trail around the lake to take in the views. This fabulous day ended with a fancy dinner at Anthony’s Hearthfire Grill at Squalicum Harbor while enjoying the sunset hues over the marina.

September 21st was an incredibly beautiful day with the sun out in full effect! En route to Ferndale, we drove over the Nooksack River where you can see some cool Metallica graffiti on the BNSF railroad trestle. Dylan and I ended up at Tennant Lake to enjoy the fragrance garden and boardwalk trail through the wetlands. I always love seeing Mount Baker on clear days like this and Dylan did a great job posing for me. Since we were in Ferndale near my buddy’s house, we made a quick stop of pose with his super cool 4-ft Sasquatch statue. Once we got back to my house, we went down to Lake Whatcom and enjoyed some time at AM/PM beach. I am super lucky to live only a few minutes from this spot that features both a sandy beach (AM) and grass beach (PM), named for the time of day they get the best sun exposure. Later that evening, Dylan wrapped himself up in my Rumpl blanket on my balcony with my cat Maverick at his side, ending another fun day.

On Dylan’s last day, we headed to Seattle to meet up with his mom Diana and explore all the touristy places we could. We started at the Space Needle, built for the 1962 World's Fair and at 605 ft (184 m) high, it was once the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River. The tower is 138 ft (42 m) wide, weighs 9,550 short tons (8,660 metric tons), and is built to withstand winds of up to 200 mph (320 km/h) and earthquakes of up to 9.0 magnitude, as strong as the 1700 Cascadia earthquake. You can lean into breathtaking views through floor-to-forever glass on their unique glass benches, though I personally had trouble with that due to my fear of heights. Sadly it was very cloudy that day so we couldn’t see Mount Rainier, but the views were still incredible. On the lower level there’s a revolving glass floor called the Loupe you can walk on, which also made me a bit nauseous.

Next up was Chihuly Garden & Glass located right next to the Space Needle. This wonderful exhibition shows off the stunning glass art of Dale Chihuly and includes eight galleries, the centerpiece glasshouse, and a lush garden. These exhibits provide a look at Chihuly’s inspiration and influences and brings together many of the elements of his work, including drawings, signature glass series, large architectural installations and his personal collections.  The 100-foot-long installation of red, orange, and yellow flowers inside of the Glasshouse is one of Chihuly's largest suspended sculptures and absolutely incredible to see in person! I was blown away by all the exhibits and highly recommend this place to anyone visiting Seattle.

Our excursion continued with a long walk to Pike Public Market to check out the shops and see the Seattle waterfront. I knew the famous Gum Wall was nearby, which we discovered was on Post Alley underneath the market. This colorful display started in the 1990s when local patrons and performers at Unexpected Productions stuck their used gum on the wall. Since those days, the wall has grown to 50 feet (15 m) long and included pieces as high as 20 feet (6.1 m)! The wall was cleaned in November 2015, taking 130 hours to complete, with over 2,350 pounds (1,070 kg) of gum removed and disposed of. But gum was re-added fairly quickly after and continues to be an artistic  representation of Seattle’s unique charm and character. Dylan and I had to leave our mark so we chewed some gum real quick and added it to one of the brick archways (highlighted in red circle below). After a long walk back to my van, we headed to Kerry Park to see the iconic view of downtown Seattle and Elliott Bay.

We were starving, so we headed to the Fremont district to grab lunch. It only made sense to check out the Fremont Troll under the Aurora Bridge after we ate since we were close by. This 18-feet (5.5 m) tall troll is made of concrete and clutches an old VW car where it sits as if he just swiped it off the road. The car is an actual Volkswagen Beetle encased in concrete, which used to be red and bear a California license plate. The VW originally held a time capsule, including a plaster bust of Elvis Presley, but sadly that was stolen when the sculpture was vandalized. The troll was sculpted by Steve Badanes, along with two of his University of Washington architecture students, Will Martin and Ross Whitehead, and Steve’s then-girlfriend Donna Walter in 1990 after winning a competition organized by the Fremont Art Council. In addition to taking photos with the troll, I added both my Barb Rocks and Maverick stickers to the Troll Avenue sign. We also saw the 14-foot Joe Rantz statue in the Fremont neighborhood, honoring the University of Washington rowing team that won the gold medal in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany.

Our last stop of the day was Washington Park Arboretum on the shores of Lake Washington. This 230 acres park contains a dynamic assortment of plants, some found nowhere else in the Northwest. The arboretum is known for its Azalea Way, a stretch of the park which offers a unique tapestry of azaleas of many colors and best viewed in the springtime. Since we only had 1.5 hours to stroll around, we focused our time on the Lookout Trail delighted by the various collections of plants and ponds we discovered along the way.

Our explorations came to an end on the evening of September 22nd and it was time to head to SeaTac airport to drop Dylan off for his flight home to Ventura, California. Then I drove Diana to the ferry station so she could get back to her home in Sequim. I would say we accomplished a lot in a short period of time and had the best time together!

Comment

Comment

Exploring The Olympic Peninsula In 2021

I met fellow PNW Blogger Aimee Danielson back in 2021 when I first moved to Washington. She and I instantly hit it off and became friends and started camping and exploring together. Our first camping trip was in August 2021 where we met at South Beach Campground along the Washington coast, just north of the Quinault Reservation. Even though I have driven up and down this stretch of Highway 101 a few times already, I only overnighted a few times along the coast, but never actually camped properly, making this a fun, new adventure. South Beach Campground is a first-come, first-serve campground right on the southern end of the Olympic National Park, right after the Ashenbrenner Day Use Area. There are 55 campsites very close together, half of which are ocean front, and an easy walking path to access the beach below. This campground is only open May 21 through September 7, so keep that in mind if you plan on visiting. Since Aimee lives much closer than me, she got there early in the morning to secure a site for herself and scope out the campground for us. When I arrived, there was still a few spots left, though often this campground is quite full in the summer.

Aimee and her daughter Julie had a great ocean-front site while I parked along the inside cliff just above them. My site was right next to a culvert, which my cat Maverick loved exploring every day, plus that gave me a little more space not having a neighbor on one side. We camped for four days and were blessed with some great sunsets each night, though mornings were quite foggy. I enjoyed exploring the pebbled and sandy beach below on one of those foggy mornings, fascinated by the cool-looking tree remnants laying around. If you walk a bit north, you end up at to Beach 1, which can also be accessed via Highway 101.

Our first morning together, Aimee woke me up at 6am so we could check out Ruby Beach, which is about a 15 minute drive north. Ruby Beach is the northernmost of the southern beaches in the coastal section of the Olympic National Park and many consider it the most beautiful beach on the Olympic Peninsula. It is known for its abundant driftwood, stunning sunsets, and wild and rocky shores, with numerous sea stacks dotting the coastline. Destruction Island is located about 4 miles southwest of the beach and on a clear day you can see the island and its lighthouse from the beach. The Destruction Island Lighthouse’s Fresnel lens was removed in 1995 and is on exhibit at the Westport Maritime Museum, which I blogged about previously.

Aimee and I spent quite some time on Ruby Beach in the fog checking out all the tide pools and walking right up to the various sea stacks since the tide was super low that morning. We saw so many bright starfish, giant anemones, and shellfish stuck to the stacks up close, which is something I’ve never had the pleasure of doing before. It was also super cool to walk through the passage ways between the stacks and even go through some tunnels. We could walk out so far and even get lost in the fog that morning, leading to some fun photo captures!

Later that night, Aimee wanted to do some astrophotography, so we headed out around 11pm up to La Push on the Quilete Reservation to see how the light pollution was. First we stopped near the James Island View Point but there was a lot of lights from the marina and town there. Then we headed to Rialto Beach where it was significantly darker. After a few hours out in the cold night, we headed back south to Ruby Beach, where Aimee took a few more captures of the night sky. We finally got back around 3:30am and crashed hard after a long night! These four photos are courtesy of Aimee and I appreciate her letting me post them.

I slept in the next day and then we headed to the town of Forks, made famous by the Twilight Saga. We visited a bunch of the local shops, most of which carry indigenous and Twilight focused merchandise, and then we grabbed burgers at Sully’s Drive-In. We also stopped about the Forks Timber Museum on the way out of town. The Chamber of Commerce is right next door and displays the famous red trucks that Bella drove in the Twilight movies.

Another must-see spot to stop at is Kalaloch Beach, where you can find the historic lodge, campgrounds, and beach access. The name Kalaloch (pronounced klay-laak) is a corruption of the Quinault term k'–E–le–ok (pronounced Kq–â-lā'–ȯk) meaning "a good place to land." The main reason to visit Kalaloch is to see the famous Tree of Life (aka The Root Cave), which surprisingly still hangs between the eroding cliffs despite its fully exposed root system. Luckily the site wasn’t overrun by tourists when we arrived, so we only had to wait 5 minutes before having our own uninterrupted photoshoot posing with the tree and inside the root cave. I really hope to make it back to Kalaloch this year to see the tree again as predications are that this massive Sitka spruce might be on its last years as it’s becoming more and more unstable.

On our last day together, we got up early and headed to Lake Crescent, a mountainous glacier-carved lake about 20 minutes west of Port Angeles. I have loved this stunning lake since I first saw it in 2016 and was happy to check it again with friends. There was smoke in the air from the fires burning in Canada and Eastern Washington, adding an eerie backdrop to the otherwise incredible view. The plan was to paddleboard the lake, but it was super windy and cold that day leading us to the decision that it would be exhausting to go against the strong current and waves. We decided to go into the cold water and swim for awhile instead, which was amusing to us as no one else dared to go in. Before saying our goodbyes, I walked Maverick along the beach front for a bit, and then packed up to head home. Aimee and Julie went back south to the campground for another night before heading home to the Olympia area where they reside.

The last part of this trip for me was taking the Port Townsend-Coupeville ferry for the first time. Maverick was quite the hit on the ferry ride as I don’t think many people see an adventure cat on their travels. Stay tuned for more adventures coming soon!

Comment

Comment

New "Reflection Point" Rental at Lake Sutherland

My brother Marco and I decided to sell our mom’s lovely house in Venice, Florida, this year. As the dangers of category 5 hurricanes loomed over that region every year, the risks of losing the house to hurricane damage or other flooding just wasn’t worth it. We were lucky to not sustain any damage when Hurricane Ian hit Venice last year while some of our neighbors were not. It made sense to sell and invest in something more manageable with less risks from natural disasters. Since I retired early, I wanted a place that was within a 4 hours drive that I could manage myself. One problem with owning real estate in Florida was that we had to rely on others to manage and maintain the property, which was challenging at times, especially when something needed to be fixed. Luckily some of my Mom’s friends came through for us and their dedication to help was incredible!

I started looking for a nice rental property in fall of 2022. I figured a lakehouse would be ideal since they rent out great in the summers, plus I’d get to use it as well. I hit up my real estate agent on the Olympic Peninsula and it just turned out that he had met with an older couple that were looking to sell their home on Lake Sutherland. Even more coincidental, they were planning to sell in the spring of 2023, which was exactly when we planned to sell the Florida house and do a 1031 exchange. I went to go look at the house and fell in love with the incredible view! A verbal agreement was made in November 2022 to do an off-market deal. This spring everything fell into place, we sold the Florida house, and we are now proud owners of a wonderful lakehouse!

The house was built in 1992 and the sellers were the original and only owners. The inside is a bit outdated and needs some work to fix it up and modernize it, but the overall building and backyard are amazing with an unbelievable view of the lake and a hint of sunset over the mountains. The best part is that it is secluded with a forested area to the south and a tree-line to the north, giving guests privacy, something that many other homes on this lake don’t have. There is so much shoreline access with a large L-shaped dock and a lower wooden deck, both with lots of outdoor seating, as well as a big lawn area, a fire pit, and a balcony deck right outside the main floor. The three-story house features a primary bedroom and full bathroom on the main floor and two bedrooms and a full bathroom on the top floor. There is also a basement that is partially unfinished and functions mainly as a storage area (for now). I do have plans to make that basement into an extra living space with couches and either a billiards or ping pong table, though I’m open to other ideas.

The location is idea as it is central to many of the tourist attractions on the Olympic Peninsula, including the Olympic National Park, Hurricane Ridge, Sequim, Port Angeles, Dungeness Recreation Area, Forks, La Push, Rialto Beach, Neah Bay and Cape Flattery (both on the Makah Reservation), Hoh Rainforest, Quinault Rainforest, Kalaloch Beaches (with must-see Tree of Life), Ozette Triangle, and even Vancouver Island (via Black Ball Ferry line). There are four waterfalls within an hour's proximity (Sol Doc, Marymere, Madison Creek, and Beaver Falls), plus you can enjoy a relaxing thermal soak in Sol Duc Hotsprings only 40 minutes away. The Olympic Peninsula is a haven for hikers, cycling, nature lovers, bird watchers, beachcombers, and even golfers, with more amenities and must-see spots than you can imagine! If you love water sports, are just looking to relax, or love to explore, this is the place to be.

Lake Sutherland is known for its crystal clear water and stunning views of the surrounding Olympic Mountains and is generally warmer than neighboring Lake Crescent, mainly due to being much shallower with a maximum depth of 145 feet. Recreational water activities are popular here, including swimming, canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, boating, sailing, water skiing, tubing, jet skiing, and floating. Fishing is also quite popular as Lake Sutherland is a premier kokanee sockeye salmon fishery, as well as a good supply of cutthroat and rainbow trout. Lake Sutherland is surrounded by private homes and vacation cottages and is less crowded due to the limited public access. During the busiest time of the summer, you may see 10 water crafts on the lake at one time though often it’s only 1-4 vessels. Water skiers generally love the mornings as the lake is like glass and very calm and quiet. Once the night rolls in, the lake glistens with some lights, but overall the light pollution is minor and you can see so many stars.

When you walk into the house, you are on the main floor and the hallway leads you right into the fully-stocked kitchen with a cute little dinette. You can already see the lake from the kitchen due to all the windows and sliding door that take up most of the back wall. The welcoming open floor plan of the dining room and living room lead to the outside balcony deck, the perfect place to perch and take in the view. The primary bedroom is accessed through the living room and faces both the front and side yards, with a connected full bath that leads back to the front hallway where the laundry machines reside. The upstairs consists of two bedrooms and a full bathroom between them, plus a walkway to an outdoor walking deck from which you can enjoy the panoramic views of water, mountains, and sky. All three bedrooms have king-sized beds and are themed for a unique & fun experience:

  • The Puget Sound Room is the primary bedroom on the main floor and features vibrant pastel colors, a large mirrored closet, a leather recliner, huge dresser, nightstands, and beautiful art from the region. It connects to the main floor bathroom, which also connects to the hallway by front door and laundry (two-door access serving as both primary and main floor bathroom).

  • The Safari Room is the first, smaller bedroom upstairs and features a black, beige & white savanna theme with zebra art, rattan furniture, a giraffe statue, and that feeling of being on an African expedition. The window faces north and gets a lot of sunshine, really capturing that open canopy the grasslands are known for.

  • The Retro Room is the second, larger bedroom upstairs and features an 80's theme with a vinyl records headboard wall, Patrick Nagel art, a neon light, colorful furnishings, and a sitting area with comfortable butterfly chairs on a vivid geometric print rug. Enjoy a blast from the past in this darker, south-facing room with a forest view.

For those of you who enjoy history, geologists believe that Lake Sutherland used to be part of Lake Crescent since evidence of the landslide is visible from Pyramid Mountain. Klallum tribe legend tells an origin story of Mount Storm King being angered by fighting tribes at his feet and broke a boulder from his peak, throwing it at the warriors, killing them and cutting Tsulh-mut in two creating Lake Crescent and Lake Sutherland. I’m currently reading a great book on Indian Legends of the Pacific Northwest from which I learned the story of Nahkeeta, a beautiful maiden who lived in the Northern foothills of the Olympic Mountains and got lost, leading to the creation of Lake Sutherland. I’m also looking forward to reading Washington Myths & Legends: The True Stories Behind History’s Mysteries since local legends like these fascinate me and I want to learn more about the indigenous people who lived here and their stories of the landscape that I have fallen in love with.

If you’re looking for a relaxing retreat in the summer with an amazing view where you can enjoy water recreation without the crowds, then this is the place for you. You cannot beat the water reflections of the sky and mountains on this pristine, crystal-clear lake — it’s literally a get-away that people dream of! People are already starting to book for Summer 2024, so if you’re interested in staying, I recommend booking sooner than later if your schedule is less flexible on date selection.

I named the lakehouse “Reflection Point” for that unbeatable view and the property is available for rent on Airbnb and VRBO. It is also up on Booking.com but I prefer it being rented out on the other sites if possible.

The house is also available as a 1-6 months rental in the off season from October to April. Feel free to message me to get off-season rental pricing. Thank you!

Comment

Comment

Moving From California To Washington

Bellingham Bay Sunset

I am often asked why I moved to Washington state from California. People wonder why I would leave the “golden state” and go to a place known for cloudy skies and endless rain. After all, Washington is called the ‘evergreen state” for a reason. I was a little nervous myself since I’m not a fan of rain and have been spoiled most of my life living with lots of sunshine and mild winters. The only time I have ever been in the Pacific Northwest prior to 2016 was for Expo 86 in Vancouver BC that my Mom took me to when I was 14 years old. I should note that I barely remember that trip other than the monorail. I never really had the urge to visit Oregon or Washington as an adult, though the Seattle music scene did peak some interest while I was in my 30’s, yet I still never considered visiting or moving there because it has more rainy days (156 days) than most major cities. My perception changed in 2016 when I went on my first official PNW trip as an adult, which I wrote about previously.

Hood Canal Sunset

Because I fell in love with Oregon and Washington in 2016, once I bought my RV, I went to explore those states even more, which reaffirmed my affection for the PNW. As many of you already know, I take my cat Maverick with me on all my road trips, and at the time, I was blogging from his perspective, therefore, you can read all about my 2nd PNW trip in Summer 2017 from his blog, as well as my Thanksgiving trip that same year caravanning with my vanlife buddy Chris and his cat Michi. Maverick even blogged about the time I explored the Portland Japanese Garden, which I highly recommend visiting, especially in the fall when the leaves change into bright autumn colors.

I wanted to move out of California for about a decade. The summers were getting too hot for my liking with more days over 100*F and many winters were often filled with months of endless rain. I no longer felt joy living in the Bay Area as I did when I was younger. Back in the 80’s, 90’s, and early 2000’s, I really loved everything about the Mediterranean climate — an ideal mix of sunny summers and mild winters. For most of my career, it also meant great pay working in the semiconductor realm with stock options at pre-IPO companies. Traffic wasn’t too bad either and most of my commutes were only 15-30 minutes. But all that changed in the 2010’s when traffic increased exponentially and my commute became 1 hour each way in horrific, slow-moving gridlock. The warmer temperatures started in May and lasted into October, which led to many lethargic months of staying indoors or hanging out at my pool because I sweat easily. Even going to the beach or to the woods to cool off seemed exhausting knowing that traffic would be terrible to get anywhere.

I knew that once I sold my house in California (photos above), I would probably never be able to move back. I had an incredible deal on my house with a low mortgage balance, low interest rate, and low property tax, which I would never be able to get again, therefore, the decision to move likely meant never living in California again. Leaving the life I build for 25 years had its challenges too as I would be far away from the friendships I had nurtured for a long time and became dependent on. In addition, I knew that I would have to let go of my established side-business in the local music scene. Having lost my parents in 2013 and 2015 did make moving easier because I didn’t have any close family left locally to influence my decision. The shelter-in-place order that arose from the spread of COVID-19 also played a factor since all the social activities that I thrived on were basically halted, leaving me with little purpose and lots of alone time.

Photo by Brett Baunton

The last piece of the puzzle that brought me to move was the trip that changed my life in Sept/Oct 2020. Falling in love with Bellingham was unexpected but understandable. Whatcom County has around 225K residents which is a refreshing change from the hustle-and-bustle of Silicon Valley life. Did you know there are over 7 million people in the entire Bay Area?!? I knew that my quality of life would be much greater here with more access to nature, less traffic, and a slower-paced lifestyle that would lead to less stress and more outdoor activities. Being a lover of water, Bellingham appealed to me for its bay and access to the Salish Sea, as well as the 5000-acre Lake Whatcom and other nearby lakes. Basically it’s a cross between California and Europe, bringing together sea-level beaches with ocean waters and a spectacular snow-capped mountain range within a 1.5 hour drive, and adding in various lakes of different sizes with recreational activities. Where else in the USA can you ski and sea kayak in the same day?

Lake Whatcom Sunset

I was also surprised by the weather as I expected to be inundated with rain. Turns out, Bellingham's climate is generally mild and typical of the Pacific Northwes, getting around 39” of rain per year, which is less than Chicago, New York, and Houston. Unlike the rainfall I was used to in California, which was mainly a downpour for days, Bellingham’s rain is quite different. Mainly it’s a light sprinkle which doesn’t even require an umbrella. Bellingham is in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, which is why it gets less rain than other parts of the state. Even though the dreariness index shows Northwestern Washington at the top, I highly disagree with this report, which also puts hot-as-hell Phoenix as least dreary place to live. What most of these data sites don’t take into account is that what is considered a rainy day means there was rainfall at some point throughout the day. It does not consider that the rain could have fallen before I woke up in the morning and that the cloud cover opened up to a sunny day, which is often what happens here. I personally love the drizzle as it keeps plants happy and the state green.

Lake Louise — Sudden Valley

I have lived in Bellingham for almost 3 years now. It was an eye-opening move at first due to the pandemic since most businesses were still closed and I didn’t know anyone here. Let’s just say that February through April were hard and lonely, spending a lot of time indoors and on the drop-in audio app Clubhouse — I actually met my good friend and fellow PNW Blogger Aimee on that app, as well as some awesome vanlifers/nomads that I’m still in touch with. But in Spring 2021, restaurants started to open again and meetups for hikes and outdoor social events were in full effect. Turns out all the people who moved to this area were looking for friends and activities just like me and I started to make friends. If you’ve ever heard of the “Seattle Freeze,” it’s a real thing and extends to the a lot of Northwestern Washington. Therefore, all the transplants find one another through various groups and activities and bond. The Meetup app was a lifesaver for me as I met many of my friends circle via various groups on there.

My Lovely House

I should also note that I really love my house. Despite being 20 minutes from town, it is in the forest near a small lake named Lake Louise and has a modern look-and-feel to it, which is what caught my interest in the first place when I saw the listing. I’m also in a community right on Lake Whatcom, which gives me easy access to this incredibly large lake. Did I mention that I bought my house sight-unseen? I have tons of gorgeous local, regional, and unique art hanging so I have joy everywhere I look, making it almost feel like an an art gallery. I do get a little snowfall each winter, mainly a dusting of snow, but there is about one week in which we get a few inches that stick. I don’t mind having that “Winter Wonderland” feeling for a week and then all the snow melting. Did I mention I also see lots of rainbows now, which is something I hardly ever saw in California! And as you can see in some of the photos in this blog post, I have witnessed some stunning sunsets here, as well as some incredible sunrises. Both the “opacarophile” (sunset lover) and “thalassophile” (ocean lover) in me are beyond thrilled to live in such a gorgeous state!

My life here is pretty easy-going and filled with lots of activities. I took up archery, go axe throwing, learned to paddleboard and kayak, started playing pickleball (the official sport of WA), got my groove on with salsa dancing lessons, and even attend a local logging show. I started to hike and spend more days outdoors in nature — though I don’t do any big hikes, mainly just 1-6 miles on trails with limited elevation gain. My most challenging hike so far has been the Fragrance Lake Two Dollar Trail Loop in Larrabee State Park. I especially love that I can drive 5-10 minutes and hike a forested area for a few miles and feel like I’m nowhere near a city — Whatcom Falls Park, Stimpson Nature Reserve, and Squires Lake are some of those go-to places. My favorite things about living here are Boulevard Park and the South Bay Trail (lovely waterfront stroll and hangout), Squalicum Harbor and Zuanich Point Park (local harbor park), Lake Padden Park (beautiful 2.6 mile walk), Sehome Hill Arboretum (with a cool observation tower), Semiahmoo Spit (especially during extreme low tides), Chuckanut Drive Scenic Byway (known as the Big Sur of WA), Samish Overlook (for sunsets), and Peach Arch Park (on the Canadian border). I’ve also enjoyed exploring Seattle, including the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden & Glass, Pike Place Market, the Fremont Troll, and the Washington Park Arboretum. If you’re ever in the area around Memorial Weekend, you have to see the Ski To Sea relay race which goes from Mt Baker to Marine Park with eight racers competing in seven different sports: cross country ski, downhill ski/snowboard, running, road bike, canoe (2 paddlers), cyclocross bike, and sea kayak.

Photo from Scenic Washington

By the way, the famous saying “live like the mountain is out” in Seattle about Mt Rainier also applies to Bellingham. Even though Mount Baker is only 10,781 feet to Mount Rainier’s 14,411 feet (the tallest in the Cascade Range), its prominence can still be felt all over Whatcom County. Baker (aka Kulshan) is often covered in clouds just like Rainier (aka Tahoma), so when this stratovolcano shows itself, it is a majestic sight! Driving up to Artist Point every summer is a magnificent experience, hiking around and seeing all the mountains of the North Cascades, plus seeing Mount Shuksan reflecting off Picture Lake is a must-see stop! En route you can also check out Nooksack Falls and Silver Lake Park since they are just off Mt. Baker Highway (SR-542). On a side note, I love this Lummi story about Komo Kulshan & His Two Wives, which is about Mt Baker and Twin Sisters.

I also love exploring my new state, going on road trips, camping at various places, and experiencing all that Washington has to offer. So far I’ve camped at Bay View State Park, Deception Pass State Park, Birch Bay State Park, Moran State Park (on Orcas Island), Dungeness Recreation Area, Bowman Bay, and Grayland Beach State Park. I have explored around the Olympic Peninsula, mainly Sequim, Port Angeles, Crescent Lake, Sol Doc Falls, Neah Bay and Cape Flattery (both on the Makah Reservation), Forks, Hoh Rainforest, Rialto Beach, Ruby Beach, and Kalaloch. I spent some time in Westport and Cape Disappointment in the Southwestern part of the state, went to Winterfest at Lake Chelan, and I did some island hoping in the San Juan Islands. I also love seeing and attending the Tulip Festival every spring, which Skagit Valley is known for. I have yet to go to North Cascades National Park and see Lake Diablo — I’ve had camping reservations twice now which got cancelled due to covid in 2022 and a horrible fire in 2023. I also still need to explore Mount Rainier and Mount St Helens more, head over to Leavenworth, Winthrop, and Mazama, and eventually check out Eastern Washington and the Walla Walla Valley wine region in the southeast with a stop at Palouse Falls.

In addition to Washington travel, I am so close to British Columbia that I’m exploring Canada too! I’ve been to Vancouver a few times now and often go to concert there instead of Seattle since it’s closer and there’s less traffic. In October 2022, I took my van around Vancouver Island exploring Victoria, Tofino, Ucluelet and a lot in between, which turned out to be an unforgettable road trip. I fell in love with this huge island and can’t wait to explore it even more! I plan to explore other parts of BC in 2024, including a road-trip around the Sunshine Coast, as well as visits to Capilano Suspension Bridge, Squamish, and Whistler.

Reflection Point — Lake Sutherland

I also invested in a beautiful lakefront home on the Olympic Peninsula at Lake Sutherland this year with my brother after selling our Mom’s home in Florida. This lake house, which I have named “Reflection Point” is available on Airbnb for rent, plus I get to enjoy spending time there when it’s not booked.

As you can see, I do not regret moving to Washington. Living here has been a dream come true and has exceeded all my expectations. I am the happiest I have been in life and I look forward to every day. If you have the same misconception as I did about the Pacific Northwest and the climate here, I urge you to visit this stunning upper left part of the country. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised and understand why moving here was the best decision of my life!

PS: my plan is to blog more about all these places I have visited, so stay tuned!

Comment

2 Comments

My Intro To Vanlife & 1st PNW Trip

In February 2016, I met a man named Jesse (on the dating app Bumble) who lived in a Great West Dodge Sprinter van with his cat Bandit. I was a little skeptical about a grown man living in a van, but he referred to himself as a “digital nomad” and I was curious. We met up for dinner and had a nice conversation, after which he showed me the van he moved into the month prior. It was a nice van with a kitchen, a bathroom with shower, and a comfortable bed. The curtains, textiles, and colors were a bit outdated but when I heard the price he paid, it was very reasonable. Jesse was very excited about vanlife and explained to me why he chose that lifestyle versus living in a “stick and brick” (as he called an apartment or house).

Jesse was inspired by a young Google employee who lived in a box truck in the parking lot that was getting a lot of press. With exorbitant cost of rent in the San Francisco Bay Area, he also wanted to save his hard-earned money and retire at an earlier age, which vanlife allowed him to do. The vanlife movement was just starting to take off at that time, and he was saving 80% or more of his income by not paying rent. Even though I initially had some reservations about dating a guy who lived in a van, I did understand his reasoning for the decision and really enjoyed learning about vanlife living from him.

My introduction to vanlife was local weekend getaways during which I learned what sleeping and cooking in a van was like, how to find good overnight spots, how many beautiful places there were around the Bay Area that I never knew about, and how this lifestyle really allowed you to explore and enjoy nature and the surroundings. As a travel enthusiast, I was hooked pretty quickly! A few months later, Jesse was planning a trip to Seattle for an Ayn Rand convention and asked if I wanted to go since it was during my birthday, to which I immediately said yes. Despite living the Bay Area most of my life, I had never been to Oregon or Washington, nor had I been to most of the Northern California. As you can imagine, I was super excited to see and explore the Pacific Northwest!

We set off on our week-long trip at the end of June from San Francisco towards Bodega Bay, then drove north on Highway 1 along the California coast passing various small coastal towns. For some reason, I remember passing this cute little cemetery along the highway just south of Mendocino with grave stones lined up on the cliffside bordered by tall trees and thinking what a beautiful place to be laid to rest. We found a great spot overlooking the Pacific Ocean just north of Fort Bragg, made dinner, and fell asleep to the sound of waves crashing below the cliff.

Waking up to the sound and views of the ocean is probably one of my favorite things, so that next morning was an absolute joy and a great way to start off this epic trip. We headed north to Highway 101 since the region north of Fort Bragg all the way to Eureka is mostly undeveloped without any major roads and referred to as the Lost Coast. The 25-mile-long trail through that area is a backpackers dream, though there is one road from 101 to Shelter Cove that vehicles can utilize to see a section of that coastline. Jesse and I enjoyed driving through the Avenue of the Giants near Myers Flat, then we continued north where the highway meets the ocean again and stopped in a charming little community called Westhaven-Moonstone. We spent the night at the Trinidad Northbound Rest Area, which is off the highway tucked into the forest and honestly a great place to get some rest.

On our third day, we headed north into Oregon and I was enthralled by how beautiful the coastline is! I know California is famous for Big Sur, but the Oregon coast rivals that easily, with pristine beaches and rocky bluffs for miles and miles. The Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor is probably one of the most stunning places along the West Coast! To cover a lot of distance, we drove a lot that day, all the way to Yachats, known for the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area. I had read about Thor’s Well on Atlas Obscura but we had no idea that whole area, known as Cook’s Chasm, was going to be as incredible as it was! We ended up finding this awesome little park on the highway to spend the night, which turned out to have stairs down to the beach with a river going under nice-looking bride. There was a day-use-only sign but we decided to chance it anyways, and luckily didn’t get bothered.

We continued north through Oregon all the way to Tillamook Creamery, where we stopped to grab some cheese-laden dishes and delicious ice cream, which we ate on Nedonna Beach enjoying the ocean view. We made another quick stop at Haystack Rock, which I wanted to see because of the movie The Goonies. From there we got back on the road driving over the Astoria-Megler Bridge into Washington, stopping quickly at the Dismal Nitch to take a photo of the WA sign. We worked our way up the Olympic Peninsula, decided to take a dip in Lake Quinault to freshen up (the water was super cold), and then right at dusk we luckily found a dirt turn-off on the side of the road that took us to this amazing open space on the cliffs by the ocean, where we spent the night. It was one of the most secluded, perfect spots that we could have discovered, and we had it all to ourselves.

The next morning was my birthday, so Jesse made me bacon and eggs in a smiley face on the plate. We had to get to Seattle by 3pm, therefore, we drove around the Olympic Peninsula without stopping at any of the amazing places I would have loved to see. That drive took us through Forks (made famous by the Twilight series), then along Crescent Lake (we did make a quick stop the La Poel Picnic Area to revel at this glacial lake’s incredible beauty), then through Port Angeles and Sequim, and finally all the way around to Bainbridge Island, from which we took the ferry to Seattle. It was a gorgeous sunny day and I was in awe of the Emerald City and its iconic skyline with the Space Needle! Seeing Mount Rainier in all its glory looming in the background was also quite stunning — I can see why locals talk about whether the mountain is out since the visibility of this large active stratovolcano makes a huge impact. Did you know that due to its high probability of an eruption in the near future, Mount Rainier is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world and it is on the Decade Volcanoes list?!?

Jesse forgot to buy tickets to the Ayn Rand Convention he had wanted to attend, which was sold out when we arrived in Bellevue, so our plans veered into a new direction and we decided to check out downtown Seattle instead. We stopped at a cider bar, walked around Belltown, and ended up having a fancy dinner at The Metropolitan Grill, voted the best steakhouse in Seattle. We spent the night on the streets by Ruby Chow Park, an overnight spot Jesse found on Freecampsites.net, a website many vanlifers use to find places to park. It wasn’t the most ideal location, but at least it was next to a park and away from downtown traffic.

The following morning we headed out of Seattle and passed Oxbow Park which features a 44' wide cowboy hat and 22' high boots known as "Hat n' Boots." My boss (who was from Seattle) told me prior to the trip that we had to see Snoqualmie Falls and he was right — this 270’ waterfall was majestic to see and totally worth the drive! Then we headed to Mount Rainier National Park and drove around various viewpoints to witness the enormous footprint Mount Rainier has and even caught a glimpse of a small waterfall near Paradise. We secured a campsite at White River Campground on the northeastern section of the park with the highest elevation of all three drive-in campgrounds on Mt Rainier, where we enjoyed a campfire dinner in the charming forested canopy.

July 4th was another busy day of driving. Jesse really enjoys finding remote and unique overnight spots, therefore, we drove around the Gifford Pinchot National Forest to various spots he had saved on his phone (since there’s no service in that area) to see how viable they were to spend the night. We found some really cool places on dirt roads and along rivers which would have been ideal, but instead of staying in the area, we decided to check out Mount St Helens. Sadly the weather was a bit overcast and we couldn’t see the cratered peak that well as it was engulfed in clouds. I did enjoy seeing Spirit Lake and learning more about the eruption from all the roadside interpretive signs and how it altered the landscape. We headed further south and stopped at Swift Reservoir for a quick swim but the water so surprisingly cold considering it was July. We ended up along the Columbia River Gorge early that evening, saw the Bonneville Dam, then found a wonderful spot along the railroad tracks just west of Stevenson on the Washington side of the river. We cooked a steak dinner and watched the fireworks over Cascade Locks after a spectacular sunset.

The next day we headed over the Bridge of the Gods into Oregon and stopped at Multnomah Falls, the tallest and most famous waterfall in the state. We headed into Portland for breakfast at Pine State Biscuits that a good friend of mine recommended and enjoyed their delicious Reggie Deluxe breakfast sandwich. Afterwards, we drove towards Mount Hood with a stop at Trillium Lake, which I absolutely fell in love with. I thought Oregon’s High Desert was quite fascinating as we headed through Warm Springs with a quick stop along the Deschutes River before heading into Madras. Seeing the Cascade Mountains to the west as we drove down Route 97 was quite lovely, with magnificent glimpses of Mount Jefferson, Three Sisters, and more. We ended that day at Crater Lake National Park enjoying the incredible views of this deepest and most pristine lake in the USA. We spent the night just outside the park at one of the big turnouts and were inundated with mosquitos when the sun went down — by inundated I mean that it was a mosquito blackout that you couldn’t see through, something I have never experienced before!

Sadly our road-trip was coming to an end so our last day consisted of us driving home from Southern Oregon into California through Klamath Falls, Weed, Mount Shasta, and Dunsmuir, with a pitstop at Lake Shasta due to heavy traffic. We found a dirt road that led to a nice spot on the Sacramento River Arm where we ate some lunch and got into the lake to cool off. We drove the final stretch home through California’s Central Valley with views of various agriculture and sunflower fields and finally made it home to the Bay Area.

It was a magical and memorable first trip to the Pacific Northwest despite the fact that Jesse and I broke up later that year. He showed me a whole new world of exploration that I had never imagined before, which left such an impact on me that I bought an RV in December 2016 and started going on solo road trips, including multiple trips to Oregon and Washington in 2017, 2018, and 2020! My life is completely different now due to vanlife so I guess I have Jesse to thank for that.

2 Comments