pepperDog's going to Seattle

“A friend and I are going to Seattle for the Folklife Festival over Memorial Day Weekend. Actually, we are going up on Wednesday and renting a car so we were thinking of spending a couple of days camping before heading into town. Any suggestions? Mount Rainier? St Helens? Olympic Peninsula? Also we are still looking for lodging in the Seattle area. What is a good area that won't be too horribly expensive but within public transportation distance from the Space Needle?”

“Whew! I thought you were leaving CA to move there - wouldn't want to do that. My sister tried that and got so many mean comments about "those damn Californians moving up here and ruining everything" that she finally left. Never mind that the reason Californians move to Washington is because of all the people from Washington and other states moving here and ruining everything....”

“The bus system works fine, no matter where you stay-in Seattle or out of Seattle (ie..sometimes people stay in South Center/Tukwila or Sea-Tac to save money). Overall the transit system can get you almost anywhere, and in the core, buses are free.

If you want to hike first, the Olympics are your best choice for no snow. Valley hikes are best in May. St. Helens is snow free till about 4,000 ft I think-but, if you are talking camping over backpacking, the Olympics are the one area where campgrounds stay open year round.

PS: And a note to all non-natives moving here...just don't tell people you moved here. Simple, eh? My fiance moved here 3 1/2 years ago and no one has made comments about his moving here.”

“Thanks, sarbar. Good suggestions.

BM - I moved to Portland when I graduated from High School (translates as "many years ago...) and was given #&%!$ even then. That tune has been on the radio for a loooooonnnnggg time.”

“Hey old timer.................PepperDog!!

Have ya heard from Mel??

Is she still alive and well?”

“.............and, how do you do?”

“

Welcome to Seattle!



...and Seattle traffic, too!


last edited: 5/12/06 7:39:42 PM”

“"What is a good area that won't be too horribly expensive but within public transportation distance from the Space Needle?"

Edgewater Inn along the waterfront is within walking distance to the Space Needle and lots of other attractions on the waterfront. They also used to have a fantastic Sunday brunch, not sure if they still do. Stay away from the motels on North Aurora.”

“has the city flooded yet from all the tears shed over the superbowl?”

“Whatsa matter Indiana, still got a damaged psyche after your pathetic season?”

“Baltimore/Indiana Colts??

Awwwww, #&%!$ 'em!!

Though I now live in Baltimore, a great town, I have no sympathy at all for the weeping Colts fans.

They let the team go!
The Colts could not come close to filling Memorial Stadium and that's why the team left town.”

“How did my vacation planning thread degenerate into a pi$$ing contest over football??!!??

MarkO - I saw Mel last summer - she was exactly the same as ever.”

“Though I seriously miss Mel, I admire her for staying away from Trail Talk.”

“Why yes, DO stay on Auora/Hwy 99 ]:-) The hookers will give a good sight..lol!!
And also stay away from White Center...it isn't white and it isn't the center of anything.
;-)”

“Marko - Mel is temporarily in Southern Cal with relatives, but plans to move back to the Bishop/Mammoth area. Like pepperDog said, she seems to be about the same. She got rid of most of her llamas.”

“Bowlderman - I figure if I move to OR or WA from CA I could just hang out with all the transplanted Californians...including my sister, brother, father, and some in-laws!”

“unlike you, usa, im not making excuses and blaming everyone from the pope to chevy chase for my teams disappointing finish. they blew it. so did your team. get over it.
last edited: 5/13/06 4:20:24 PM”

“Peace on them guys, Go Redskins!!!”

“sorry, pepperdawg.”

“I like Seattle.

Yeah, who let the football dogs out??”

“All I gotta say is that is one big @ss pimple ya'll got out here.”

“Pete, did you hike the Pimpleland Trail yet??”

“so you made it to Kent, sirpeteofmillwork? You picked a good time, weather for the next week is supposed to be summerlike. FINALLY.”

“Yeah, Rainier was very much showing off today-gorgeous on my drive up towards her-she had a triple lenticular cloud this morning too! Pretty cool....
Supposed to be 84* on monday..lord!”

“"...she had a triple lenticular cloud...."

That sounds like something one would order from a barista.”

“Did you get a picture of that cloud?

Anyone in the Seattle area want to do a dayhike tomorrow, Mothers Day, 5/14?
last edited: 5/13/06 9:32:57 PM”

“Lol..yes, I am a Rainier nerd btw ;-P

We went and did Greenwater Lakes Trail today..was a nice day out with my man and my kid!

Trilliums were in bloom-and there were happy beavers in the upper lake.
And man, they really rebuilt bridge 1# on the trail!



Tommorow I get breakfast in bed..but then I have to go be nice to my mom. Weeeee. Wish I was hiking!”

“there that's better”

“'way cool photos, pete! Can't wait to see it. I hope the mountain comes out for my visit!”

“I hope you have as good a time as I did!”

“Today I coudl see every peak in W. WA :-D
From Shuksan, Baker, Glacier, Rainier and all of the North Cascades..truly a gorgeous day!”

“yeah and the Olympics were amazing”

“Lol..how did I forget the Olympics?
I was up on Fidalgo Island all day-and you get up high enough, visibility is awesome.
I lived on the islands for near 13 years-and visiting them reminds me why I loved them so much.
You just cannot live well on them. Sigh :-( When I was 25 I didn't care...but I cannot see myself living back up there until I am old.”

“Our latest idea is to go up the Olympic Peninsula and camp somewhere around Port Townsend and use that as home base for day hikes. On Saturday we would head to Seattle for 2 nights of Folklife.

Using that as a skeleton - any specific suggestions?”

“Port Townsend has Ft. Whatsitname, the state park out there-great campsites on the water-you can see Whidbey Island and the Olympic Mts.
Also the campground in Sequim at Dungness Spit is very nice.”

“The State park at Port Townsend is Fort Worden St. Park, a very good base camp to use to get to alot here. Hurricane Ridge isn't too far and well worth the drive. Also Sol-Duc Hot Springs is nice to soak in. Further yet is Ozette Lake and hikes out to the coast. To the east of Port Townsend you can take a ferry across to Whidbey Is. (30 min ride) go north and tromple around Deception Pass State Park”

“Ft. Ebey and Ebey's Landing on Whidbey are the better choice for gorgeous views and beach hikes :-)”

“did the pennisula the other day via olympia. Went to the Dungeness sp? and then out to Port Angeles, from there the Ferry back to Seattle.

now I'm stuck in Kent in an office :(”

“Kent...I have to go to Kent tommorow. Blech!

Btw..if you want a good meal, go to Caveman Kitchins in Kent-total dive, excellent food!”

“I'll try to check it out....I just found the commons...”

“The Commons is a new area, very new. Kent is trying to get better these days. Until recently Kent and Auburn were, well, very lower middle working class.”

“Oh joy, the Commons in Federal Way. Shopping suburbia at it's worst. While you are in Kent you should swing by and check out REI corporate headquarters.”

“Lol..I was thinking of that new area in Kent-with the AMC movie theater, near the Justice Hall. Now I amthinking, does that have a different name?
Blech to the one in Federal Way by that name! Nothing like the Sea Tac Mall trying to gussy itself up with a jace lift and new name. Ha!”

“yeah thats the commons........

got lost there trying to find a suppermarket before the people I worked with showed me that there a whole bunch of resturants in side the area”

“Well, if you have time, go visit the WinCo store, right off of Hwy 167, on the outskirts of Kent. It is the biggest grocery store in Wa state, employee owned, full of immagrants because it runs about 1/3 cheaper than anywhere else-and has the mega bulk food dept-including my beloved cheese sauce powder I use in many recipes. It is a cool place for finds.
PS: How long are you out here?”

“If you stay at THe Edgewater Inn, you can also walk to the best seafood market in the country:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/05/19/seafood.markets/index.html

1. Pike Place Fish Market, Seattle, Washington
Now that New York's Fulton Fish Market has moved from its longtime Manhattan home to a warehouselike building in the Bronx, Pike Place can claim undisputed status as the nation's most colorful seafood market. It's also the most fun. The fish fly here, hurled through the air by employees. So do the jokes, though the shop is serious about its seafood and will ship almost everything it sells for next-day delivery. Other attractions at the 9-acre Pike Place Market include Washington wines and the original Starbucks; (800) 542-7732 or pikeplacefish.com.”

“Wonder if pepperDog is enjoying the weather? :(”

“Rain.......weeeeeeeeeeeee! It has been pounding here the past couple days. Blech!”