In The Journey

"I don't know where I'm going, I don't know where I've been. It's one long road I've been travelling just to come see you again...It's in the journey where you find there's no destination."

9/15/14

Started with brunch at The Maple Counter and then went on a search for white wines in red wine country. I didn't look in to it too much when it was suggested to go to Walla Walla for the wine. Turns out reds are more their thing. The thing I noticed was that a lot of the wineries have stores in other areas than where the vineyard is - a little different than what I'm used to at the VA wineries. I managed to find some, though, just had to go to several different places for it:

• Henry Earl Estates
• Seven Hills Winery
• Bergevin Lane Winery
• Waterbrook Winery
• L'Ecole No 41 - in an old schoolhouse that may or may not be haunted

L'Ecole No 41

Starting Point: Walla Walla, WA

Ending Point: Seattle, WA
Miles Traveled: 286.5


9/16/15

Checked out the Space Needle and went to the top. Checked out Pike Place Market - a little too crowded for me. Walked around Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge - saw some birds. Had dinner and beer at Three Magnets Brewing Co.

View from atop the Space Needle

Starting Point: Seattle, WA
Ending Point: Olympia, WA
Miles Traveled: 93.3


9/17/15

Drove to Mt Rainier National Park where it was, unfortunately, rainy and foggy. I didn't really get to see much of it, but I guess the weather is part of the Pacific NW experience. From there I headed to Mt St Helens National Volcanic Monument where the clouds covered the crater. Not really a good day for volcano seeing. Passed through Gifford Pinchot National Forest along the way. I guess I can't complain too much, because the weather actually hasn't been too bad along this trip, especially when I've gone places.

rivers running off Mt Rainier

Nisqually River...you can see the fog/clouds I was dealing with

top of Narada Falls

Narada Falls

Castle Lake (near Mt St Helens)

this is a large tree trunk that was snapped when Mt St Helens blew in 1980 - this tree was 9 miles away from the crater in what is now the visitors center

the crater of Mt St Helens is hiding under that cloud

Starting Point: Olympia, WA
Ending Point: Portland, OR
Miles Traveled: 350


Total Miles Traveled Thus Far: 11,067 via car, ~143.5 via boat, 17.8 via cog (train), 5.34 via aerial tram


~Elizabeth/Lizzi/ET/Country


**I've been using Airbnb some during this trip to find places to stay along the way. If you haven't tried it, check it out for your next trip (even internationally). Usually cheaper than a hotel...and if you have some extra space, rent it out and make some money! (https://www.airbnb.com/)**


all photos Copyright 2015 Elizabeth M. Turner