Washington Trip per Beth

I'm not really sure how I came to be this spoiled, but it was my "privelage" to go to fall conventions in Washington this August! Carolyn J. drove me up from Cheyenne to Casper, where I met with Dustin Pilcher. We then picked up Leilani Price in Buffalo, WY and headed West. We spent a night in Billings with Nichole and Eric Moe, a night in Medical Lake with Patty Bible and co., and then on to the Price's in the Olympia area.


Overlooking the Columbia River in Central Washington... me, Leilani, Dustin.
Leilani and Dustin admire the beautiful grey espanse...
Everything here was brown and grey.... including the wildlife. I chased this guy down in my Titanium skirt...(it can do a lot)... even scale eroding rock cliffs above a perilous raging river canyon. ha.
We made a screeching U-turn peel out to arrive here at charming Laura's Kitchen in Kittitas. We all ordered the special...fish and chips. I wish I'd gotten a picture of "Kitchen" but he was a bit piratey. Yaarrrr! (Food was good.)
What's a trip through the Yakima valley without copious amounts of fresh fruit?... Leilani was in search of a peach. We looked at a couple of other fruit stands before this one, but decided they were too commercial to trust. i.e. wrapped 8 piece fruit baskets on tablecloths, and boxes of applets and cotlets. This stand had smushed fruit on the cement floor and free samples. Ahhh... guaranteed delish!

Leilani and I would've enjoyed our peaceful drive through the Evergreen state if it wasn't for the nagging voice in our ear, "free map... mumble mumble...free map. What's wrong with this state....free map...can't find anywhere..." Finally we stopped at this little information center which had, to someone's delight, free maps and information in excess! Guess who's initials were even on the sign!?!



While staying with the Price's we thought it would be fun to explore the ape caves. This is a lava tube created from a 2,000 year old blast of Mt. St. Helens that runs for about 1.5 miles underground. We spelunked our way through the cave, and then enjoyed the hike back across the top to the car. It made for a really fun afternoon! Especially with Jewls in tow! This is the entrance:
Exploring off the recommended trail. It was pitch black in the cave, but some of these pictures appear light...there are more from this adventure in Jewls' earlier post.
Jewls and I try to find the way through this crevass...we thought that it was the only way through. Dustin and Leilani sent us to feel it out, but then when we were almost through they told us that they had found a much easier way. So here we are on our way back out... !

We have huge grins, but this was actually pretty miserable. The ceiling and ground were ice cold, so army crawling through this tunnel was pretty much freezing...

The four of us right at the end...me, Jewls, Leilani and Dustin. You can see the stairs at the exit behind us on the left.

Coming out of the cave... Me...
Jewls.....
Leilani....
Dustin....

The next day Leilani's dad took us hiking up near Mt. Rainier. It was a beautiful day for a hike!

Tiny little wild strawberries!

We also got to spend a little time with pops. He was working in Kelso, so we picked him up and took him to the Mt. St. Helens overlook for an evening. Yay for pops!

The next day we headed out to Sequim for a couple nights with the Sandersons before convention started. We went berry picking and strolled around the waterfront in Port Angeles...

Then went to Lake Crescent for some boating, swimming, tubing, and picknic-ing with the family as the sun went down. What an awesome night!

On the way to Olympia we took the scenic route down the Washington coast and stopped for a little hike and beach time...


Strolling through "tumor forest." At least that's what I called it... these wierd growths called 'burls' were all over the trees.

Mom and dad and Sue and Jason came over for Olympia convention... Mom turned the other way just as we were taking this picture.... oops!
Me and sis at Olympia I.
After Milltown II Jewls and I went up to Bellingham to spend some time with my Buckingham relatives. We stayed with Auntie Ruth... this is on her back deck...and then had breakfast with grandma and some time with the cousins... It was sooo much fun!
Then we headed back down, picked up Carolyn S., and spent a couple of hours together. It was way too short, but I had to drop them off at the ferry so I could move it back to Wyoming. Here's me and Care just before we were nearly missed by a train. haha... we had to make a run across the tracks so they wouldn't miss the ferry... yikes!

I had a long, but great drive back to Casper, WY... where I met up with Carolyn J. and Heidi. Heidi and I traded cars, and then companion Carolyn brought me back to Cheyenne. I really enjoyed my trip, but it's nice to be back here in the field. Now to make the most of our time here before convention in Kansas toward the end of September!