Vacation at the Parks..

Back at home and it took awhile to rest up, get the pics uploaded, call everyone know that I was still alive..The trip started really well..picked up the rental car and loaded up and headed out..just before we got to our first hotel in Packwood, there was a forest fire so we ahd to be rerouted to the other highway on the other side of the forest..my GPs did well with rerouting the directions to the hotel. Finally got to the hotel and rested up..the next day we headed to Mt. Rainer ,I have been to Mt. Rainer before..but I still marvel on how beautiful he looks!!

The next day we checked out of the hotel and headed to our next place in Winlock..on the way there..we headed to Windy Ridge to see Mt, St. Helens. She blew her top back in 1980 and she is till an active volcano.



We arrived at the Bed and Breakfast, which was a very homey 3 bedroom house turned into a B&B. On the beds were these teddy bears..Anne immediately fell in love with hers and wondered if it waas for sell. She asked the owner and she said that if Anne really loved it and wanted it..she would give it to her! Anne really, really loved the bear.



The next day we headed to Johnston Ridge Observatory to the other side of Mt. St. Helens. The Observatory stands right in front of Mt. St. Helens and recorded when she blew..amazingly was that the Observatory wasn't damaged in anyway! But the forest and lakes below it and around it cause some damage. I have only seen Mt. St. Helens on TV..seeing her in real person was just so awe inspiring and just WOW..




After Winlock we headed to Port Angeles and a place called Granny's cafe and motel, which was 10 miles outside of Port Angeles. Both the cafe and motel was really cute. Motel only had 8 rooms and hte cafe had maybe like 5 tables? We headed to Port Angeles to see the Ocean. It was really windy and cold. Anne thought it was too cold and of course I loved it!! To smell the salty ocean wind and feel the breeze..was like heaven to me!




>The next day we headed to the Hoh Rainforest part of the Olympic national Park. We ahd to pass through Forks to get there..Forks for any Twilight fan is the setting for the movie. It's a small little town but had so many Twilight stuff!We arrived that Hoh rainforest and was amazed with all the trees and moss growing everywhere.
We saw a sign for what was called the Rain Forest Monarch .The tallest Spruce ever. You really don't realize our big it is until you have a pic taken with it..It's one huge tree




Next we headed to Hurricane Ridge where you could see the Olympic mountains.




We walked the trails around and kept seeing deers resting in the shade. I must've taken pics of at least 4 deers.



Our last journey was to Elwah..we found out that it was just for camping so we stopped someplace, took pics and went back!



We drove to Seatac to drop off Anne and I headed home. My main worries was I knew that Seatac was a big airport and I thought it would be more confusing to get out. It was so simple that I didn't need to use the GPS if I didn't want to.. : )long drives, sights to see, always doing something..it was all worth it! But i am glad to be home with hubby and the kitties!