So, I understand that you had a little rain hereabouts last
week.
While the Oconee area was enveloped by drenching gray
clouds, my wife and I were standing at the base of Mt. Rainier in Washington,
where barely even a cloud was visible, much less rain.
The irony is that Mt. Rainier is one of the ten wettest
locations in the lower 48. So is Forks, Wash., which we merely drove through.
We are not big fans of the Twilight sagas. If that is an obscure reference to
you, then neither are you a fan of the teenage werewolf stories that have been
cinematic sensations. At least at the box office.
Jan and I visited the Pacific Northwest last week. We
figured it would be a chance to see a part of the world we had never seen and
get a break from the summer heat.
As it turned out, who knew that we would be going to the wet
state where it was clear and dry all week. And a little warm, by their
standards.
Seattle served as the hub for the escape, but with our
Mustang convertible as transportation we traversed the state, practically from
top to bottom and east to west. In hindsight, it was a little too much driving,
but the scenery was spectacular.
We saw our first sunset over the Pacific Ocean in Long
Beach, where it ordinarily rains more than 200 days a year. Not when we were
there.
Now, it was on the chilly side, with temps in the upper 60s
to low 70s, and windy. This is not a beach for sun bathing.
I was warned ahead of time that Mt. Rainier might not be
visible. It is usually shrouded in clouds. Not while we were there. It loomed
over us from all sides, a spectacular snow-capped sight, whether seen up close
or in the distance. Mt. Baker and Mt. Hood were other snow-capped peaks visible
from miles away.
One of our excursions took us to Friday Harbor on San Juan
Island. A store owner apologized for the 84 degree temperatures. “I am
melting,” she said.
Frankly, we had not noticed.
Now, it was hot in Yakima, which is on the desert side of
the Cascades. It was 98 in the shade. Happily, we did not spend much time
there. It was merely a layover en route to the Columbia River Gorge.
Driving the roads of Washington is akin to driving in
extreme north Georgia. Lot of hills and curves. From what I saw, vast amounts
of the state are uninhabitable because of the mountains. But it makes for
spectacular scenery.
Two major side excursions took us near and into Canada. We
ended the trip with a visit to beautiful Victoria, British Columbia, where
Butchart Gardens is a must-see destination. Any plant lover will be absolutely
enthralled by what they have done over the last century in transforming what
used to be a rock quarry.
The city of Victoria itself is a jewel, its harbor one of
the most picturesque you can imagine. Sea planes drop in gently amid the
whale-watching boats. Sail boats and cruise ships alike anchor in the harbor.
Speaking of whales, we elected to take a sea kayaking tour
early in the trip. We departed from Snug Harbor, led by an able young woman who
grew up in Missouri and was educated in Vermont before landing a job in
Washington.
We saw bald eagles and I tasted bull kelp, but we saw no
signs of whales.
During the trip, our guide, Dakota, asked get-to-know-you
questions.
“I’m the editor of a weekly newspaper in Watkinsville,” said
I.
From the kayak to our right: “We know where Watkinsville is!
Our daughter lives in Bishop!”
Turns out it was the Arnolds, parents of Kim Arenas, the
former All-American gymnast who is now teaching young gymnasts at Georgia Elite
Gymnastics in Watkinsville.
Fortunately, Jan was on her best behavior, so there are no
tales to tell.
