Grumble Mutchin...... #!*..X#!>*

Blogger is at it again.... 

I just spent nearly 3 hours on a blog..... on one of the last days of this remarkable trip.  I saved the blog many, many times and it saved during automatic saves too.  I tried to load a preview and it wouldn't load.  Saved and resaved before closing out shutting down the computer and restarting.

Damn.... Damn. Damn.  It's not there.....anywhere.

I don't have it in me to do it again today.  I will catch up I promise, but the rest of the day is  calling me!!

Has this ever happen to you?  It happened a couple of times now this last month. 

 *#__!^*

Living the Good Life in Anacortes

Seattle in the rear view mirror we head north to Anacortes. 

Thanks to blogging friends who had moved on down the road, we were armed with information and directions and headed to the Cap Sante Marina to dry camp in their parking lot.

 
 We are set up early in the afternoon next to Suzanne at Take To The Highway and ready to enjoy the atmosphere at the Cap Sante Marina. It is mid-week and there are only a couple of other campers and it stays pretty empty while we are here with people only coming in and spending a day or too.


              

 Our Back Porch View is of The US Preston Maritime Museum which we visited.

 During the late 1800's the rivers and Puget Sound served a water road ways with up to 300 paddlewheel boats traveling up and down the water ways.
 

 Logs and branches from logging efforts, abandoned boats and other debris clogging the waters .  Congress allocated $20,000 for a snag boat and in 1885 the Skagit began clearing the waterways.

 
For 97 years the three snag boats cleared the harbors and rivers.  First there was the Skagit in 1885, then the Swinomish in in 1914, the finally the Preston in 1929. 
 

The Preston was operated by up to 14 crew  who had living quarters aboard the vessel, many of the crew serving for decades.

The Ships Galley

 The Ships cook who served from 1969 till 1981.

He prepared the food made to order.  He told of a story when he ask what they wanted for dinner for the next week.... the reply was it doesn't matter.   After a week of peanut butter and jelly they never replied it didn't matter again. 



The Preston worked the harbors and rivers until 1981 when the ship made it's last trip to the Lake Washington Shipyards with whistles blowing.  A few days later the Captain Virgil (Sandy) Welsh took down the ships flags for the final time.

It was an interesting tour and worth the $3.00 entrance charge.

The Marina in on the edge of the downtown area. so walking about in the mornings while Hailey got her extra shut-eye was my favorite thing to do.  

It was a very good thing..... I found a ice cream shop made from a homeowners garage near our back door, behold.....a yummy treat to finish the day!!

Anacortes is another little town that has murals adorning the outsides of many of the local historic buildings.  Bill Mitchell painted all of the murals from his wheelchair that depict the local history, people and cultural of this sea port gem.

  

Yet another unique feature of the little seaport is the local garbage cans in the public areas.  They have painted the cans to revive the salmon cans of the past.   With current flash freezing and the ability to bring fresh seafood directly to markets, canning of sea food is mostly in the past.  It is always interesting to see how a community preserves its history and Anacortes certainly found a unique way in the garbage can tribute. 

     

At this marina you are able to walk on the docks among the boats.... a rarity in the marinas we have been near. 

 It makes interesting evening strolls dream dreams of owning a boat in this water wonderland.....

   

 and to await the boats lights, twinkling after sunset.

 

 Another wonderful day.

Hope your Trails are Happy To!!

Experiencing the EMP Museum

One last trip into Seattle before making the big city a beautiful reflection in the rear view mirror. Hailey loves music and so does Paul Allen (of Microsoft Fame)  So with lots of spare dimes he built a Museum next to the Space Needle combining two of his loves, Music and Science Fiction.... so I knew The EMP (Experience Music Project)  would need to be a place we would go.

And the place ends up looking like this.  

There are many unique places in the world that during a period of time create a sound that is like no other.  In fact it sets the stage for a different kind of music.  Seattle was just such a place in just such a time. 

While many  musical greats of various genre's  come from or called The Northwest home,  (Bing Crosby, Kenny G, Dave Mathews) it is the likes of  Jimmi Hendricks,  Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and most recently Macklamore that have heralded Seattle musical attention.


 The largest collections in the world of rare artifacts, hand-written lyrics, personal instruments, and original photographs celebrating the music and history of Seattle musicians  Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix.
 

 

Exhibits that cover pop culture, from the art of fantasy, horror cinema, and video games to science fiction literature and costumes from screen and stage.

What really makes the museum unique is the interactive activities included in galleries like Sound Lab and On Stage where visitors can explore hands-on the tools of rock 'n' roll through instruments, and perform music before a virtual audience.

Though the Grunge Music of the 80's and 90's has faded, the impact on music has prevailed.

The Museum is also a tribute to science fiction and the special effects used to make each movie believable and unique. 

 One of my all time favorite movies. The Wizard of Oz.. 

 

 

 

 

Made from real lion pelts, the lion costume was extremely heavy and very hot.

 

Superman costume worn by Christopher Reeves

 Captain Kirks Chair from direct from the Enterprise 

Hailey having fun in the special effects machine.

For the person who loves creating music this is a wonderful museum to experience music and music production.  The museum for me was not a let's go again and again kind of museum however it was definitely something I am glad we did. 

With music blasting in my head.....

~Happy Trails~

Back to Seattle....

We left you back in Seattle, after a quick trip on the Monorail we were on a walking tour of the Waterfront.  We headed to Pikes Market where the Fish Market and oodles of shops are located.  There are some iconic pic spots so of course we had to try our had at a few.
             

   Pike Street Public Market.

 

 
At the Market Place are some locals celebrities..... including Rachael the Pig the mascot of the Market place.  The 550 fifty pound beast (a bronze cast piggy bank) was created by Georgia Gerber, a sculptor from Whidbey Island, Washington. 

After following the bronze pig hoove prints we  find her at the entrance of the Pike Place Market.  It is said that if you rub Rachel's nose and donate money, that you're bound to find good luck.  If you don't strike luck, well at least you're doing the community good, with all donations going to Pike Place Market Foundation to assist low-income locals.

Alas, we were not able to get a pic of the thrown fish at Pikes Street Fish Market

From the internet

Every fan of coffee has probably heard of Starbucks.  We walked by the first Starbucks near the market..... I' not sure why, but people line up all day long to get a coffee from this first store.

A little street side music, a quick pose and we are on our way.

Now if you a looking for something quirky (or more than a little disgusting!) to do in Seattle.....

Check out the Bubble gum wall near the Pike Street Market in an alleyway  Literally a wall covered in chewed gum, the site is located under the market and next to the Market Theatre's box office on what is called Lower Post Alley.   Unlike some alleys, this one smells pleasant.....a fruity minty smell.  This place is one that will stick in your memory.

I tried out a different place along the wharf to get something to eat, as I was in need of a little protein before the ferry ride back to the campsite.  I ate smoked salmon and potato wedges.

While I waited for our order, Hailey hung over the rail at the water and played hide and seek with a sea otter.  No pics but it was a great time.

Seattle is an eclectic city with something for everyone.  Starbucks for the yuppified.....street music for the hippified and everything in between.











The Ferris Wheel on the waterfront is new since the last time I was in Seattle.  We took a ride at sunset and enjoyed the city turning to sparkling twinkle lights as the light disappeared from the day. 
  

So we headed back to the ferry terminal and hopped on the only ferry on the schedule board at the time.

Unfortunately we were in the WRONG area.

Went to the WRONG town.

After the hour ferry ride we were put on another Ferry to the right destination.

Two hours of Ferry rides, another hour drive back to our little home and we were exhausted.

I have been asked how I could manage to get on the WRONG Ferry.....

Not sure I have a good answer for that,

but, we ended up taking the afternoon ferry from a different location than I researched.  What stuck in my mind was the original location so that is where we went that night.

 

Exhausted as I was, it was a good thing we didn't end up in Alaska!

We were rewarded with opportunities to get a great water front shot of Seattle Night Lights.

A Tired by Happy Trails to you all!!

Seattle.....Walk Until You Drop

When I am ready for an adventure, it is usually nature and the outdoors that calls me.  I love the quiet and serenity of the forest with distinctive smell of each type of trees, the crispness of the ocean breezes and the peaceful majesty of the mountains.

Our State contains incredible diversity, of climate, lifestyle, and culture and to not taste of the wide array of choices dulls the pallet by promoting sameness of experience.  I have visited Seattle many times with work opportunities providing a backdrop to play tourist over the years.  I also want Hailey to see the opportunities and diversity available within Washington State. 

So we're off to see some of the largest city in the state.

Seattle is a city, plagued with eternal road construction, many steep hills and roads going in odd directions that rapidly come to an unexpected halt that is common to seaport cities.  To visit Seattle with a trailer following behind seems more than a little daunting.  To find parking for the truck and trailer seemed an impossible task so we opted for a ferry ride into Seattle.  A decision I may later live to regret.

 
The ferry station in Bremerton sits along side a park with five volcanoes fountains, erupting water to the delight of squealing children.  What a beautiful tie between nature and art.  We loved watching the children splashing and enjoying the day as we waited for our ferry.  If we had more time.....I would have joined them in play.

The huge ferries allow you to drive aboard the ferry leaving your vehicle below or walk aboard as we did and enjoy the comforts of comfy seating or outside deck views.

 

Willing passengers provided snacks to gulls who followed along for the ride snatching chips thrown into the air.

Ferries passing, taking passengers to their destinations.  Before long we see Seattle in the distance providing us with great photos.

M

Mariner Baseball stadium on the left - Seahawks Football stadium on the right

The location on the waterfront near the ferry terminals allows sports fans from the islands walk aboard the ferry leaving their auto, traffic and parking worries behind on game days.

After landing at the ferry terminal, we walked the wharf area, taking in the sights and sounds of the busy waterfront.  Our destination would be the Space Needle  built for the 1962 Worlds Fair for a ride to the viewing platform.

Who can go to Seattle without going up the Space Needle?

There is lots to do in the Space Needle area, a Children's museum, Science Museum a sculpture garden  and just places to hang out.

 

Once  you are on the viewing deck there are some interesting displays.

This is a motor like the one that turns the restaurant level for the famous 360 degree view. 




 Other tidbits of information are on display for your amusement as well.

Views from Above

Music and Science Fiction Museum

Yes, it really does look like a futuristic monstrosity..... (but if you are Paul Allen of Microsoft fame, you can build a museum any way you want!)  More on this Museum in the next post......

Elvis Presley rode the Monorail.....and so did we!

To save footsteps, we rode the Monorail back down toward the  wharf area.  Also built for the World Fair, after more than fifty years it is still running for tourist and commuters between the expo area and downtown, a distance of nearly one mile.  It is used heavily during events at the Key Arena and other community concerts and events.  At $2.25 an adult ticket it is a bargain to travel on this nostalgic ride.

Due to the length of the post today were I to continue I will finish this on another post.  

Stay tuned for Part Two of Seattle..    and    ...the Ferry Ride from Hell!

Until then .... Happy Trails