Washington

Linda, Jamie and I drove west across Highway 2

until a raging forest fire would let us go no further

We drove in the wooded forest land past Wenatchee and turned south on highway 97 to get on Interstate 90

We could see Mt. Hood staring at us through the haze of the fiery smoke and it was both a beautiful and eerie sight

We reached Seattle and stopped for the night and took in a movie at the local drive in theatre and we saw Sandra Bullock in The Web

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We headed to Bellingham where we went whale watching and we saw Orca's and we have returned to see them several times since

We drove highway 101 all the way around the great Olympic Rain Forest and we camped in the Park Campgrounds

We shared steaks with other campers because we were worried they might spoil and we were pleased someone got to enjoy them

We walked among the rain forest to the ocean and we could see Vancouver Island, a place we would dearly love to visit

Linda in particular loves this place and so do I mostly because it brought her much pleasure

There is a very high mountain pass where you are almost surrounded by mountain peaks and we drove that road

This was a most beautiful place and again we would very much like to return although it is very hard to get to

We have taken the Washington State Ferry Service and this was a very neat thing to do

Once we took a boat from Bellingham to San Juan Island

Where we had lunch at a restaurant and gift shop where lavender was used in everything

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One of the attractions of San Juan Island is the Lavender that is grown there

This little island was beautiful and well worth our time for a short visit and no more expensive than anywhere else

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We took a boat past Orcas Island and through the San Juan Islands and we saw Homeland Security Boats and took their picture

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I suppose Mt. St. Helen's brings as many memories as anything

We were there the year after it exploded and we have pictures and memories of everything we saw

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There was utter devastation even more complete than the massive tornado damage years later in Oklahoma City

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We love the Seattle waterfront and have eaten at a place on the waterfront

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Where they put a fresh paper table cloth on your table and your food is spread out then on the table in front of you

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We always wait for an outside table and you are seated on the water itself sometimes with sea lions playing as you eat

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The Seattle view is amazing and the combination of water and mountain views are exceptional

Mt. Rainer dominates the skyline much as Mt. Hood does near Portland and yet it is Mt. St. Helens I always think of when thinking of Washington

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One night after a long very nice day we drove from Seattle west on I-90 and got off and spent the night in a wonderful small town just outside of Seattle

We had just crossed a well-known pass and this was a summer resort town and I cannot remember the name of it but it was really special

I think the pass was the Snoqualmie Pass and the town was Cle Elum but it might not have been

On one of our earliest whale watching trips from Bellingham

Linda got a picture of a young Orca breeching and even after so many years of whale watching in California, Washington, Maine and Alaska,

It remains our only picture of a whale of any kind breeching

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Washington is easily one of our favorite states and yes we really want to return for at least one more visit