Friday, July 26, 2013
Hooliganting: This morning’s fog dawned thick and creamy, with l...
Hooliganting: This morning’s fog dawned thick and creamy, with l...: This morning’s fog dawned thick and creamy, with little visibility. However, I had yet another plan. I had booked a boat ride (yes, I know, ...
Summer Road Trip 2013: Electric Boat Company, Shopping and Spa
This morning’s fog dawned thick and creamy, with little visibility. However, I had yet another plan. I had booked a boat ride (yes, I know, I don’t like boats generally but desperation had set in) with The Electric Boat company as the folks on trip advisor said it was the number 2 thing to do in Ocean Shores. Plus, it has the advantage of being a mere 4 miles down the road.
So, after breakfast, we set off and met with Tom. He was lovely, if a bit forgetful, but he showed us the map of the canal system, explained Duck Lake, kitted us up with life jackets and gave us a brief safety lesson before letting us loose by ourselves with his boat. Crazy. Top that off, with the sun breaking through while we puttered down the Grand Canal and I was grinning ear to ear.
The canal was calm, lush and green. The boat was enclosed like a wee ferry with flaps that you could raise up if you so chose. Somehow, that made riding in the boat very tranquil. We saw the beautiful houses, lots for sale, deer, racoon and birds of all sorts. That hour and a half was well worth the pennies shelled out and the kids got a different viewpoint as well.
Since we were already close to the south end, we opted to go to the jetty to enjoy this rare thing called sunshine. The sand was warm on the feet and the wind brisk. We climbed the rocks to watch the pelicans, seals and what may have been either whales or dolphins. The kids liked to clamber the rocks and driftwood to make forts. However, lunch was calling.
The afternoon was spent exploring the shops. I was rather miffed to find a ceramics place at 4:00 today, too late to do anything with that information. I found some nifty gifts and then wandered over to the biker booths. Little did I know that when I booked this trip, I had booked it for the Sun and Surf event…aka HOG WILD. Harley bikes are everywhere. Tattoo parlours are set up and the casino is raffling off a Harley too. Everywhere you look, there is a bike. Things apparently kick off tomorrow, so we have decided to head north tomorrow. Outlet shopping will be a lot more fun!
In the meantime, I took advantage of having extra adult hands and took myself off to the Quinault Spa for a very relaxing massage and special. I have no idea what they did but it involved mud, brushing and warm cloths. The massage came at the end. My skin feels amazing and their set up is lovely. I would totally recommend this place. It is pricier though. Anyway, the next blog is from the road or at home, depending. Currently, I must battle the luggage with teeth. Again.
The canal was calm, lush and green. The boat was enclosed like a wee ferry with flaps that you could raise up if you so chose. Somehow, that made riding in the boat very tranquil. We saw the beautiful houses, lots for sale, deer, racoon and birds of all sorts. That hour and a half was well worth the pennies shelled out and the kids got a different viewpoint as well.
Since we were already close to the south end, we opted to go to the jetty to enjoy this rare thing called sunshine. The sand was warm on the feet and the wind brisk. We climbed the rocks to watch the pelicans, seals and what may have been either whales or dolphins. The kids liked to clamber the rocks and driftwood to make forts. However, lunch was calling.
The afternoon was spent exploring the shops. I was rather miffed to find a ceramics place at 4:00 today, too late to do anything with that information. I found some nifty gifts and then wandered over to the biker booths. Little did I know that when I booked this trip, I had booked it for the Sun and Surf event…aka HOG WILD. Harley bikes are everywhere. Tattoo parlours are set up and the casino is raffling off a Harley too. Everywhere you look, there is a bike. Things apparently kick off tomorrow, so we have decided to head north tomorrow. Outlet shopping will be a lot more fun!
In the meantime, I took advantage of having extra adult hands and took myself off to the Quinault Spa for a very relaxing massage and special. I have no idea what they did but it involved mud, brushing and warm cloths. The massage came at the end. My skin feels amazing and their set up is lovely. I would totally recommend this place. It is pricier though. Anyway, the next blog is from the road or at home, depending. Currently, I must battle the luggage with teeth. Again.
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| The wee boat |
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| Electric Boat company |
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| On the canal |
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| Birds in the rushes...except I missed |
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| Raccoons |
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| Fishing |
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| Houses |
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| Bouy markers |
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| Duck Lake |
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| Along the canal |
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Hooliganting: Summer Road Trip 2013: Lake Sylvia
Hooliganting: Summer Road Trip 2013: Lake Sylvia: Hey Boo Boo, do you have the pick in nick basket? You know the kind with the sandwiches, juice boxes and treats? I say that we do! This...
Summer Road Trip 2013: Lake Sylvia
Hey Boo Boo, do you have the pick in nick basket? You know
the kind with the sandwiches, juice boxes and treats? I say that we do! This
morning I had a plan; a plotting and scheming type of plan. After hearing all
the reasons why no one was interested in a car ride, I explored google maps and
found that Lake Sylvia was only about an hour away. Hmmm…I thought.
You see, Ocean Shores is lovely. It has great beaches, shops
and things to do. But this year, it is gloomy. So, I suggested that we pack up
and see what we could see and find some sunshine. Rumor had it that you didn’t
need to go far to find it. Rumor was a bit off, but that worked to my
advantage. The van rolled into a mobile coffee place, and the natives were
stocked up and then the van rolled on…through Hoquiam, Aberdeen and onward.
Chuckling to myself, it was still a bit cloudy and there it was, the turn off
to Lake Sylvia State Park. It took about 50 minutes.
For day use, there is a $10 per car fee, which is done on
the honor system. There was a playground, change rooms, beach, and hiking
trails. The girls played, read and splashed. After lunch, we walked the 2.5
mile Sylvia Creek route through lush trees, and forest. This trail also
featured storyboards showcasing the old rail line, the saw mill and
homesteading while explaining the local vegetation as well. I read them, and
nearly got lost as a result as the rest of our party went charging on ahead
while I took pictures. Fortunately, Nana waited for me…GRIN. Once we completed
the loop the sun was out in full force. We chilled out enjoying the flapping
geese, puppies and downtime in beautiful scenery…with no fog in sight. The
temperature soared to a lofty 22 and I was quite pleased to read my book on the
beach. At 4:30, it was time to head back for supper as Galway Bay Pub and
Restaurant. I got a coffee at All Wrapped Up Espresso and Bakery on the way back
and oh my, that is well worth a stop.
On the way back, we were betting on when the cloud would
hit, or whether I had driven us all insane by driving for no reason. Turns out
to my relief, we hit the cloud back just after Aberdeen. The temperature
plummeted to 13 by the time we reached the parking lot in Ocean Shores. Ha, I
say to that!
Dinner at Galway’s is also well worth a stop. The food is
pricier but it has so much more flavor. The clam chowder was good, and I
literally couldn’t eat another bite of my Irish Stew at the end, which made me
sad. Nor could I finish my beer, which
was a sin as that was tasty too. The kids loved this place too as the tables
either had fun things to read on them or were covered with chalk paint so that
they could draw. That was a fabulous way to entertain them while they waited
for their food. It is tempting to paint my furniture like that when we get
home.
Today was an awesomely relaxed
day. I appreciate the need for fog and moisture, after all it is a rain forest.
But for hiking and relaxing, that is much easier to do with children when you
are warm. Just pack plenty of water, and be willing to think outside the box.
Sunshine made a one hour drive totally worth it!
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| Note the gloomy fog over Aberdeen |
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| Not the sunshine starting to show up at Lake Sylvia |
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| SLUG |
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| GRIN, I can find history anywhere! Old Saw Mill blade |
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| OMG fabulous coffee and goodies |
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Hooliganting: Summer Road Trip 2013: Horses, Interpretive Center...
Hooliganting: Summer Road Trip 2013: Horses, Interpretive Center...: This infernal mist is driving me crazy. Apparently, this is normal weather for coastal Washington and the locals are totally immune to it, b...
Summer Road Trip 2013: Horses, Interpretive Center and Beach
This infernal mist is driving me crazy. Apparently, this is normal weather for coastal Washington and the locals are totally immune to it, but honestly? I did not come to the beach to wallow in the mist. I am a sun seeker that loves to play in the sand, swim in the ocean and enjoy the vistas…just not mist filled. Sigh.
I am also a just make the best of it type, so today I ensured that the family was packed up and ready to go so that we could be first in line for the horse back riding down the beach with Chenois Creek Horses. They leave from near the best Western, and that in itself was phenomenal as the beach is a designated state highway. Vehicles zoom past on their way north or south while we inadvertently decided to park in the sand. Turns out that we were early, so we headed back to get coffee. Unfortunately, I was not awake enough to realize that a London Fog in the US means a cold earl grey flavored drink, not my hot frothy milky concoction that I love. I drank it anyway – but it is now late at night and I am still missing my coffee.
Back on the beach, we parked and signed our waiver forms. The horses were assigned and off we went, my youngest proving to be an excellent rider in training. We walked briskly north along the beach, enjoying the sounds of the surf pounding the beaches, and watching the surfers attempt the waves. The first ride of the day is reputably the best, even with the mist as the horse are fresh and eager to go. I loved it. The staff were friendly and welcoming all while keeping an eye on things. Best $20 per hour going as far as I am concerned.
After lunch, we headed out again to the Ocean Shores Interpretive Center. I have to say that I am a museum geek by nature so I love to explore other people’s operations. This one has a lot going for it and I would strongly recommend a visit here prior to going to Damon Point, which is right around the corner. They open at 11 and close at 4, and here you can get your tidal map for free, as well as learn about the rocks that you will find on the beach. They explain their wildlife, ship wrecks, and history. Through interactive drawers, movies, touchable furs, colouring and voice messaging, they interpret their varied offerings very well. The volunteers requested that we sign the guest book to encourage funders to look at their grant applications, but didn’t even stress about donations. We ensured we purchased books from the book store as that seems to be their sole source of revenue, besides the donation jar. The volunteers are passionate about their work from cabinetry to educational programs for students, yet this is another place that is being forced to explore admission charges as the community and city they belong to has completely cut their funding. Got ideas for funding? This place needs them to keep the lights on!
Armed with information and breaking sunlight, we headed back to the beach to look for more rocks and birds. I saw pelicans, seals and creepy bugs, but the rocks still got most of my attention. Plus the wind. That wind could tear a strip off your skin with the sand snakes that waved across the dark wet sand. It actually stung and was too windy even for kite flying. We walked the beach anyway but wound up back at the Windjammer by 5:30.
The kids tried out the pool and the adults prepped food, did laundry and eventually caved into doing not much. Tomorrow, I think we will seek some sun somewhere. I just can almost guarantee that it won’t be here. As little as I don’ t want to drive, I think we have to in order to have some quality outdoor fun that is WARM.
I am also a just make the best of it type, so today I ensured that the family was packed up and ready to go so that we could be first in line for the horse back riding down the beach with Chenois Creek Horses. They leave from near the best Western, and that in itself was phenomenal as the beach is a designated state highway. Vehicles zoom past on their way north or south while we inadvertently decided to park in the sand. Turns out that we were early, so we headed back to get coffee. Unfortunately, I was not awake enough to realize that a London Fog in the US means a cold earl grey flavored drink, not my hot frothy milky concoction that I love. I drank it anyway – but it is now late at night and I am still missing my coffee.
Back on the beach, we parked and signed our waiver forms. The horses were assigned and off we went, my youngest proving to be an excellent rider in training. We walked briskly north along the beach, enjoying the sounds of the surf pounding the beaches, and watching the surfers attempt the waves. The first ride of the day is reputably the best, even with the mist as the horse are fresh and eager to go. I loved it. The staff were friendly and welcoming all while keeping an eye on things. Best $20 per hour going as far as I am concerned.
After lunch, we headed out again to the Ocean Shores Interpretive Center. I have to say that I am a museum geek by nature so I love to explore other people’s operations. This one has a lot going for it and I would strongly recommend a visit here prior to going to Damon Point, which is right around the corner. They open at 11 and close at 4, and here you can get your tidal map for free, as well as learn about the rocks that you will find on the beach. They explain their wildlife, ship wrecks, and history. Through interactive drawers, movies, touchable furs, colouring and voice messaging, they interpret their varied offerings very well. The volunteers requested that we sign the guest book to encourage funders to look at their grant applications, but didn’t even stress about donations. We ensured we purchased books from the book store as that seems to be their sole source of revenue, besides the donation jar. The volunteers are passionate about their work from cabinetry to educational programs for students, yet this is another place that is being forced to explore admission charges as the community and city they belong to has completely cut their funding. Got ideas for funding? This place needs them to keep the lights on!
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| The sand is really warm and they know it! |
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| Chester and cars and cool fog |
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| Through the mist |
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| Ocean Shores Interpretive Center |
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| Damon Point |
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Hooliganting: Summer Road Trip 2013: Lake Quinault
Hooliganting: Summer Road Trip 2013: Lake Quinault: The Ocean Shores destination was grey and misty on this Monday morning but the locals had put me onto a new tack. After a leisurely morning ...
Summer Road Trip 2013: Lake Quinault
The Ocean Shores destination was grey and misty on this Monday morning but the locals had put me onto a new tack. After a leisurely morning trolling the internet and seeing what may happen with Will and Kate’s baby delivery, we packed up lunches and snacks to drive North to Lake Quinault.
Lake Quinault is spectacular with the densely wooded rainforest firs, hemlock and spruce. The rich lush undergrowth of ferns, salal, and huckleberry demand that you pay attention. Best of all, is the sweet scents that permeate the air as you walk the trails. We started on the Rainforest Trail and found the Willaby Waterfalls, then we went to see the largest Sitka Spruce Tree by which time that sunshine had managed to find us. We hugged the tree and then wandered to Falls Public Day use area for an hour to be able to chill out on the beach and play.
Then, we did the Cascade Falls loop in the trees, listening to the birdsong and taking copious amounts of pictures. This was a glorious way to spend a day. Since finding the IGA, time for a lazy evening at the resort and watching the news unfold about baby boy Cambridge. The world is a lovely place when you can find the quiet. Since pictures speak volumes, here are some reasons why you should go!
Lake Quinault is spectacular with the densely wooded rainforest firs, hemlock and spruce. The rich lush undergrowth of ferns, salal, and huckleberry demand that you pay attention. Best of all, is the sweet scents that permeate the air as you walk the trails. We started on the Rainforest Trail and found the Willaby Waterfalls, then we went to see the largest Sitka Spruce Tree by which time that sunshine had managed to find us. We hugged the tree and then wandered to Falls Public Day use area for an hour to be able to chill out on the beach and play.
Then, we did the Cascade Falls loop in the trees, listening to the birdsong and taking copious amounts of pictures. This was a glorious way to spend a day. Since finding the IGA, time for a lazy evening at the resort and watching the news unfold about baby boy Cambridge. The world is a lovely place when you can find the quiet. Since pictures speak volumes, here are some reasons why you should go!
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| They even have a museum but it is closed Mondays |
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| The Lodge: It even has Starbucks |
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| Interesting! But no one seemed to be exploring this option |
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| Lovely beach |
