Category Archives: WorldsBestWalks

by | July 1, 2011 · 6:06 am

Whale of A Day!

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It was a day meant for whale watching. I had booked a trip aboard the Odyssey and wouldn’t you know that just as I was leaving to catch the vessel, a few whales appeared in the waters below our hotel.  Definitely a good sign.

The one drawback to whale watching excursions is that they happen on a boat and some stomachs can’t stomach the choppy seas. Without getting  too descriptive, let me just say that one hour into our chase of the “J” pod (there are 3 out here – J,K,L) I had to reach for  the Dramamine.

Even that didn’t dampen my enthusiasm for what I saw.  The naturalist on board says the group of whales we saw were led by an Orca named J2 by researchers, She is  also known as “Granny”.  Granny is 100 years old and there is a celebration in her honor on July 2.

Orcas  are extremely difficult to photograph because the law forbids boats and humans from coming within  100 yards. They only show themselves for seconds at a time but when they do it is a magnificent sight.  The good folks at San Juan Excursions took pics from our trip and shared them with the passengers.

Enjoy!

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by | June 29, 2011 · 11:28 am

Planes, Rain and Automobile

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Whew! Finally made it, safe and sound to San Juan Island.  We caught the ferry at Anacortes, a couple hours drive from Seattle and boarded the ferry for a one hour trip across Rosario Strait to Friday Harbor. It’s $53 bucks to board your car onto the ferry but you don’t pay for the return. The forecast was for rain, and it did all day yesterday, but never anything harder than a light drizzle.Today’s weather beat the forecast and while it was overcast, it never rained.

I found out where Norman Rockwell has been hiding all these years.

In historic Roche Harbor, here on San Juan Island.  It’s an old lime production company town and it is just as beautiful as it is patriotic, with less than a  week before July 4th.  With its American (and Canadian) flags draped all over white picket fences, you get a sense that they are polishing the barbeques and stocking up on fireworks as I write this. It is located on the Haro Strait and if Sarah Palin were here she would we able to see Canada from her hotel room.    Amidst this Americana there is a beautiful sculpture garden overlooking the harbor and another one down the road from town. There were very nice, pricey pieces like the one below,  dotted along a nice walkway.  “Whale Tail” can be yours for $38,000.

There are several hikes around Roche Harbor. The longest is 1.75 miles.

Tomorrow – a real treat – my first whale watching trip!  We went to Lime Kiln State Park for an hour today and stared at the sea. Saw a few porpoises but apparently missed the Orcas by two hours. They track them like we in New Orleans follow Mardi Gras parades. I’ll board the float, I mean the boat, at 1:30 p.m.

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by | June 28, 2011 · 10:16 am

A Slice of Niagara in Washington State

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If you divided Niagara Falls into four or five sections, one of those pieces would look very much like Snoqalmie Falls in Washington State, about 30 miles from Seattle.

Its swirling waters shoot off a cliff with a force that sprays onlookers stationed at a viewing area.  It’s got a nice picnic area and gift shop but as luck would have it, the hiking trails were closed on the day of my visit. So no walking for me here, just a spectacular view of Mother Nature’s handiwork.

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by | June 27, 2011 · 11:38 am

Wouldn’t you in Woodinville?

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It’s a long way from New Orleans to the San Juan Islands, by the time you change planes in Dallas and sit for another 3 1/2 hours in flight.  So I decided to spend a couple of nights at the Willows Lodge in Woodinville, just 45 minutes from Seattle.

I knew nothing of Woodinville  when planning my trip but liked what I saw on the internet . When I arrived, it was better than I imagined.  I am told by the “wine educator” at Columbia Winery, one of several around here, that Woodinville is on the same latitude as the Rhone Valley which, for me, explains why this area, with its rich green rolling hills and vineyards, reminds me of France.

I have a great room at the Willows Lodge, which is home to two pigs named Borage and Basil, both in training for truffle hunting. They live in a little pig house adjacent to an herb farm which supplies  a very fancy restaurant called The Herb Farm, just a hop, skip and a pig away from here.  I am told that eating at the The  Herb Farm is a foodie’s delight though my pocketbook sent me to The Barking Frog next door. So me and my chronically barking dogs took a stroll across the way and enjoyed a sublime meal which was gastronomically exquisite.  I highly recommend the prawns. To Die For.

The Willow’s Lodge is  one big exhale. With colorful gardens and green lawns with plush grass soft enough to sleep on, it is beautiful.  When I arrived, there was a wedding just outside my room. Testimony enough to the memories that have been made here.

Oh, wait, this is supposed to be about good places to walk. There is a paved hiking trail right next door to Willows Lodge called Sammamish River  Trail. If you are so inclined, this paved trail will take you all the way to Seattle. Truth be told, it is more suited for able-bodied cyclists in racing gear.  On the beautiful Sunday afternoon I was there, I got many warnings to watch out on my “left.”

Not one to adapt well to major cultural changes,  I am thankful Woodinville is not in Europe, where the rules of the road are very different.

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by | June 26, 2011 · 11:20 pm

High Mt. Ranier!

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I left bayou country yesterday en route to higher ground and more great walks.  The summer temperatures can really heat up an airplane cabin so I kept the window shade down for most of the trip. When the pilot said we were getting close to Seattle I raised the shade and got an eyeful of Mount Ranier peeking through the clouds. Oh boy, this trip to Woodinville and San Juan Islands is going to be an adventure!

Just a hiccup upon arrival.  The rental car agent had a wily way of quoting prices. Good thing I questioned her at the Budget counter or else I would have signed a contract for all kinds of additional fees.  It was a simple thing, really.  She quoted an upgrade for “$13” but she really meant $13  a day.  Same goes for cost of adding a driver.  (Never  mind I had already contracted for this same upgrade for a flat fee of $3.)

But I was on to her and all is well!  Time to hit the highways.

Arrived in Woodinville, safe and sound .  Willows Lodge is beautiful. There is a pig and also a wedding right outside my window!  More later.

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by | June 19, 2011 · 10:42 pm

San Juan Islands on the Horizon

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I’ll be walking around the San Juan Islands in Washington State in about a week. Hope to experience some whale watching too!

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by | March 10, 2011 · 8:28 am

Daytrippin’ at the Grand Canyon

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What a day last Saturday was!

I took a short trip to the Grand Canyon from Sedona and what an eye opening surprise. Nature is the best interior decorator. Ever.

Colors like a dream.

 

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by | March 5, 2011 · 6:42 am

The Spirit Is Willing But Oh, The Feet!

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Woke up feeling great, ready to tackle Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte, two breathtaking rocks that you might recognize from national automobile commercials.  It’s also an energy vortex which means different things to different people. To me, it means it is really pretty and a lot of positive energy must have gone in to creating it.

You can walk around both  Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte on a loop trail that is 4.2 miles.   Piece of advice:   stay on the trail or else you will find yourself on Big Park trail, which adds another mile or so to the hike. A lot of people get confused by the signs.  I had a lot of company trying to figure out how to get back to the parking lot.

The trail is definitely worth it. Mostly flat, with a few inclines. Once you finish you will be proud that you circled these two monuments. They are huge and majestic.

Took me an hour and fifty minutes.  Pretty easy if you have the dogs to handle it but mine were barking and howling by the end. So I swapped the MBTs for the Salomon’s for the rest of the day and I am happy to report that my feet are talking to me again.

I didn’t fall down on this hike but did get jabbed by a cactus. Note to self:  remember to bring the water next time!

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by | · 5:21 am

Salomon, mon!

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My feet were in bad shape after Doe Mountain so I headed over to  a place called The Hike House in search of alternate hiking shoes.  I can tell instantly whether a shoe is going to work for me.  It has to be very padded, especially around the metatarsal area.  I tried on several pairs and settled on Salomon XT Wings 2.

It’s like walking on a mattress and my sore feet felt like they were getting a massage.  So, my plan is to hike in MBTs and spend the rest of the day in these groovy  shoes.  They don’t have regular shoe laces but instead “cable” shoe  laces that you pull tight then choke off with a little plastic contraption.

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by | March 4, 2011 · 5:57 am

Sedona: I’m Baaack!

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Couldn’t resist another trip to Sedona, home to some of the worlds best walks! Arrived last night and the weather was a surprisingly comfortable 65 degrees.  This trip promises to be a challenge cuz my feets are acting up on me. Stay tuned!

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