Adventure #5: Deception Pass and Larrabee State Park

Once again I've procrastinated my hike towards the end of the month, but this was definitely worth it. This month's "hike" is actually a small series of explorations in a variety of locations, which was a new way of looking at "hiking". Instead of one large hike, I might consider trying multi-hike days in the future just to get to see more! June at school was a busy one with a weekend show, character celebration day, Thespian Induction and awards, 5th Avenue Awards ceremony, a pre-departure meeting for my trip to London, graduation, finals, and getting all of my grading (including all the late work) done and submitted. As soon as the final requirements for the 2017-2018 school year were ticked off my list, I bolted from school to immediately head north for a camping trip with my friend Alison. The best way for me to destress and embrace summer is to sit by a fire, sleep outside, and appreciate the outdoors.

While our initial plan had been to stay at Deception Pass, it was booked out, so we found a site at the nearby Bay View State Park instead. While our site was surrounded by "interesting" neighbors, and the view from the beach was directly across from a large industrial chemical manufacturing plant, we made the best of our weekend by indulging in decadent camp food and exploring the areas around our campground "home" for the weekend.

Our first stop on Saturday was Deception Pass. I'm pretty sure that I've been there as a kid, but I don't actually remember it, and I don't think that I've ever gotten out and walked around, so I'm counting it as following the "rules" and acknowledging it as part of the day's hikes. We spent a bit of time walking across the bridge, and while I'm usually pretty comfortable with heights, it definitely gives some heebie-jeebie feelings the weight of large passing trucks sends the concrete bouncing. We also walked about a mile down the beach watching boats fly by in the fast currents, enjoying the warm sun and cool breeze. After our beach walk, we picnicked on the north side of the bridge near Rosario Head. Our table on the spit between two coves let us watch kayakers, eagles, and beachcombers enjoy the spoils of the day.

Our next stop was a recommendation of Alison's, and was one of her favorite spots to come unwind when she was in college. The trip down Chuckanut Drive is beautiful, and if you find the right wide spot in the middle of Larrabee State Park, you'll be rewarded with a rabbit warren of trails that lead down to the water. While access is technically prohibited by BNSF (because the tracks don't allow for good visibility and could be very dangerous to people not paying attention to train traffic) it leads to wonderful sandstone cliffs that have been carved and shaped by the rising and receding tides. It was glorious to just sit and breathe for a bit without having to worry about the next lesson plan or dress rehearsal or parent phone calls. There was a rope swing too, which was delightfully childlike (and only a little terrifying).

Our last stop was to walk around the Fairhaven area of Bellingham, and poke into little boutiques and admire the art shops. Locally made ceramics, a delightful bookstore, adorable succulents, and one of the BEST crepes made this stop less of a hike and more of a meander, but nonetheless was a wonderful way to spend a glorious afternoon. Several of my next adventures will come from my upcoming trip to London (with 10 students!) but it's always great to remember how many unexplored places I have within my own "backyard".

Adventure #4: Metroadeo

Last year my friend Rob, who works as a bus driver for King County Metro, told me that there is a bus driving skill competition called the King County Metroadeo. While I was unable to attend last year's event, I made a promise to myself that I would attend this year, and I was NOT disappointed.

I don't often think about the inner workings of public transportation. In fact, I imagine that most of us don't think about all of the work it takes to run an incredibly detailed and intricate system that is utilized by literally thousands of people every day unless it's malfunctioning. Then we complain.

There's a whole facility dedicated to training drivers. Who knew?

The Metroadeo involves drivers completing an obstacle course (map seen below), a safety check of a bus with several things wrong (lights out, broken elements, and a security breach) and a uniform check. The obstacle course includes things like pulling up to a stop with a minimal distance between the bus and the curb, backing around a corner in both directions, a slalom course, pulling the vehicles tires between a series of tennis balls, driving through a diminishing alley at 20+ mph, and a judgement stop that must be within 6 inches of the cone. Points are deducted for each cone hit, or each second over the 7:00 minute mark. 

Also, there are free hotdogs, a golf cart rodeo for the managers, and vintage busses from the Metro Employee Historic Vehicle Association!

I am incredibly impressed by people's ability to safely maneuver enormous vehicles full of people on narrow roads and at high speeds. It clearly takes a lot of training, patience, and skill to get where these people are in their careers, and while I've definitely expressed my frustrations at bus transportation (and usually actively try to avoid riding them whenever I can), I feel like my experience at the Roadeo gave me a greater appreciation for the amount of work that goes into moving many, many people. Thanks Rob, and all King County Metro drivers!

Adventure #3: Heybrook Ridge

Nothing like waiting until the last minute to complete a task! Adventure number three is the first of my 12 "new" hikes, and squeaks in at almost the very end of the month.

Capitalizing on the fact that I would already be out near Stevens Pass for Memorial Day, I planned on taking advantage of hiking friends, and an area rife with tall things to climb up. Given that I have spent a lot of time in this region, the challenge was finding a hike close to the family cabin that I hadn't done before. Heybrook Ridge is a fairly new trail that is maintained by Snohomish County (which means there are no parking permits!) and is a great little jaunt that doesn't take much time.

  

The trail is 3.3 miles round trip, and only about 700 feet of elevation gain-- which means its enough to make it feel like a hike, but not so much to make novices feel as though they never want to hike again. I highly recommend this hike for beginners, families with young children, and people who like plenty of time to nap in the afternoon when you're done with your hike. The views at the top of Mt. Index and Bridal Veil Falls are definitely enough to make it worth it, but if you're lucky (like we were) you'll get some excellent people watching too. We had some fun conversations with a group of delightfully stereotypical gay men from the South, who were all interested in astrology, yoga, and each other. Favorite quotes include the following:

• "Anne Hathaway will play me in my biopic"
• "I'm 29 going on dead"
• "I was born on the first day of Gemini and it is the WORST"

All in all, it was a great day to get a little elevation, and a nice reminder that not every hike has to be strenuous. Sometimes it's just nice to get outside. 

BONUS ADVENTURE! 

Sometimes life surprises you with little bonus adventures too! On our way to the hike, we drove by the town of Skykomish, and saw that there are free train rides on Saturdays and Sundays! While we didn't know what to expect, we were pleasantly surprised to find a miniature train set that is totally rideable. The engines are certainly scale models, and the passenger "cars" are small benches that can be straddled and ridden by a surprising amount of people--yes including "adults".  Being the "children" that we are, we enthusiastically climbed aboard the small benches, and rode two loops around the small train museum through a tunnel, a snowshed, across a trestle, and past working light signals. The museum and gift shop celebrates the history of the railroad in Skykomish, and the train rides are TOTALLY worth it-- especially if you get to ride the one that is a coal powered steam engine! These tiny trains are DEFINITELY worth a stop before or after your hike, especially if you've got young children (or the heart of a young child).  

 

Adventure #2: The Metropolitan Grill

Turning 30 is a big event in one's life, and sometimes, it's nice to feel like you've got all your bills under control, don't have to worry about the price of anything, and can eat a really expensive restaurant. The Metropolitan Grill adventure was meant to make this feeling a reality.

A few years back, Mike surprised me with a trip to Daniel's Broiler on the south end of Lake Union, and treated me to one of the fanciest dinners I'd ever had. The food was delicious, the service impeccable, and it was one of my favorite gifts, as I am not in need of more things, but constantly in search of new experiences. In that same vein, we decided to treat each other to another fancy dinner-- this time at a place that touts itself as the home of the best steak in Seattle.

We drove into Seattle, attempting to avoid summer/evening/baseball/construction traffic, and planned on using the valet service because parking was likely to be a nightmare. Much to our surprise, we found easy street parking about a block away, and while this evening was about decadence, we're not about to look a gift spot in the mouth.

As we were walked to our seat, the hostess called me "madame" and while I first thought we might have out-classed ourselves with our restaurant choice, I quickly realized (as she complemented the color of my coat and dress) that she actually was French, so maybe I would be able to figure out which fork to use appropriately after all. My fears of not being fancy enough were later assuaged when I saw a woman in running shoes, yoga pants, and a trucker hat in the bathroom. I guess when you have enough money to eat at The Met, you have enough money to wear whatever you like to The Met.

The bread was fantastic (a rustic crusty sourdough), our drinks were perfection (a Merlot for me, and a Manhattan for Mike), our steaks were excellent, and the dessert was worth every moment of pain from overeating. The chocolate and caramel lava cake we had was easily the best of its kind, and I may have to go back someday just for more lava cake.

The Lava Cake

The Aftermath

Ultimately, an excellent adventure, and a nice reminder that sometimes it's okay to treat yourself to a REALLY nice meal. Just because I love Taco Time and box macaroni and cheese doesn't mean I can't enjoy an exceptional steak every once in a while (and for those that are curious, the next time I'm in the mood for an exceptional steak? I'll probably head back to Daniel's Broiler).

Adventure #1: Washington Park Arboretum

I've been sitting on this for a while now-- trying to find something big and glamorous to be my first adventure, but part of this journey is recognizing the adventures that are presented to us in our everyday lives. Today's adventure was fueled by Mother's Day, and some glorious PNW sunshine.

My mom has always encouraged me to try new things with one exception-- jumping off a bridge. Everyone's mother has definitely uttered the words "if your friends all jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?" at one point or another. I'm pretty sure it's in the handbook of motherhood that gets sent home from the hospital in the swaddling blanket with the baby. Early one summer, I had a friend celebrating a birthday at a local theme park, and expressed some hesitation about riding the new coaster that went upside down. Mom simply said sometimes you have to take advantage of opportunities that are presented to you because you never know if you'll have the chance to do it again. Later that summer, we were on a week-long rafting trip in Idaho when our guides pulled the boats over and said if we wanted to jump off the 30-foot-high trestle that spanned the width of the river, now was the chance. It turns out, if my friends are jumping off a bridge, I totally will too. Mom looked at me like I was crazy, and started to say something about it not being such a good idea, when I looked her right in the eyes and said "sometimes you have to take advantage of opportunities, because you never know when you'll have the chance to do them again". While I don't think she saw the similarities between a highly tested and regulated roller coaster that involved a variety of safety mechanisms, and her 11 year old daughter jumping off a bridge in the middle of the Idaho wilderness, she couldn't deny my logic.

So while today's adventure presented far fewer safety concerns, it was nonetheless a new experience for both of us. Washington Park Arboretum fills 230 acres of land with both manicured gardens, paved and graveled pathways for pedestrians and bikes, and shady grottos (that all seemed perfect for napping). Neither of us had been, and given my mom's love of gardens--especially ones that she doesn't have to weed-- it seemed like a pleasant way to spend the afternoon. Parking in the park could almost have been considered an adventure in its own right, but all of the stress and anger faded away as we wandered in through shady pines, spiky grasses, and some of the tallest rhododendrons I've ever seen. There are parts of the park that feature specific types of plants (azaleas, Japanese maples, magnolias) and other parts where you can just ramble through taking in a glorious greenspace amid the hustle and bustle of the city. While we had enjoyed a delicious Tom Douglas lunch at Serious Pie and Biscuit beforehand, I wish that I had known this place is picnic perfection. I definitely would have enjoyed some cheese and crackers on a blanket in the shade.

I guess that's the joy of adventures though-- you never know what you're jumping into, but you always learn something by the end of it. I also know that whatever my adventure is, my mom will always be cheering me on. I look forward to spending more afternoons in the park, and would LOVE to revisit it in the fall when the oaks will be glowing orange and gold.

Not totally settled on my next adventure (likely a hike) but I guess we'll jump off that bridge when we come to it.

The Rules

Hello friends and family!

This blog is mostly for me, to keep a record of the cool things I do this year, but I guess a few of you might be interested too. Inspired by my friend Jenn, I'm setting out to complete 30 "adventures" in my 30th year on this planet. The concept of what constitutes "an adventure" might differentiate between readers, so here are a couple of my ground rules that Jenn set for herself, and I will also  follow.

1. Adventures may be large or small, but they must be something new or unique that I have not experienced before. 
2. Adventures may be combined if, and only if, there are unique components that can be called separate adventures or experiences by an objective observer. 
3. Proof of all adventures is required (pics or it didn't happen). 

All 30 adventures must be completed between May 3, 2018 and May 3, 2019. 

For clarification, my interpretation of Rule #1 means that while I have run a 5k before, I may run a 5k course I have never run before, and count it as an adventure. Rule #2 means that I may find several "adventures" within a larger adventure (such as taking students to London in June), but each component will be an individual experience, and will earn it's own pictures and report. 

Additionally, I've added my own challenge of making 12 of my 30 adventures a hike-- with a twist! For a hike to count as an adventure, it must be one that I have never done before OR I will hike with someone I've never been hiking with before! I really love where I live, and being around trees makes me feel more like the best human I can be, and I'd love to share that feeling with people who haven't had the chance! 

If you have suggestions for potential adventures, or are interested in joining me in any of them, please leave a comment!