Some of the airplanes in the museum.
Assorted antiques
Auster
Curtiss Falcon
Curtiss Fledgling
Curtiss Robin
DC-3
de Havilland DH4M-1
Ford Trimotor
GeeBee Sportster replica
Me 262
Navy N3N
Ryan PT22
Sopwith Camel replica
Spitfire Mark XVIMonday, August 16, 2010
Evergreen Museum - airplanes
Wednesday July 14, 2010
Some of the airplanes in the museum.
Assorted antiques
Auster
Curtiss Falcon
Curtiss Fledgling
Curtiss Robin
DC-3
de Havilland DH4M-1
Ford Trimotor
GeeBee Sportster replica
Me 262
Navy N3N
Ryan PT22
Sopwith Camel replica
Spitfire Mark XVI
Some of the airplanes in the museum.
Assorted antiquesAusterCurtiss FalconCurtiss Fledgling Curtiss RobinDC-3de Havilland DH4M-1 Ford Trimotor GeeBee Sportster replicaMe 262 Navy N3NRyan PT22 Sopwith Camel replica Spitfire Mark XVI
Friday, August 13, 2010
Evergreen Museum - Hughes H-4 Hercules
Wednesday July 14, 2010
Museum admission - Adult: $20, Senior: $19.
The star of the show is the Hughes H-4 Hercules Flying Boat also known as the Spruce Goose.
They've built a handy platform at the side of the building so you can get a higher view.
Bad lighting in the rear view shot.
Museum admission - Adult: $20, Senior: $19.
The star of the show is the Hughes H-4 Hercules Flying Boat also known as the Spruce Goose.
They've built a handy platform at the side of the building so you can get a higher view.
Bad lighting in the rear view shot.Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum - outside
Wednesday July 14, 2010
McMinnville, Oregon
Third in the list of places we don't feel the need to revisit (along with La Conner and Leavenworth) comes as a surprise - the Evergreen Aviation Museum.
This was at least our 3rd visit to this museum; the first was probably in 2002. There have been a number of changes since the last time we were here. As stunning as the place is, it's becoming a little too theme-park-like for our tastes.
We didn't remember this building across the highway from the museum but it belongs to Evergreen as well.
I like the hedge across from it that spells 'Evergreen'. More attention-grabbing is the 747 (!!) on the roof of a building to the left of the aviation museum.
It is to become the 'Wings & Waves Water Park' where people will be able to slide out of the airplane into a pool. There are plans for a resort hotel and, yes, they have vineyards too.
The 'Spruce Goose' is in this building.
New to us - we like the addition of runway numbering on the driveway up to the aviation museum.
Later additions were the IMAX theatre (above, right) and more recently the Space Museum (left, opposite aviation museum) which is housed in a building identical to the Aviation Museum. We didn't even go in the Space Museum.
On the walkway between museums are inlaid planets and information about each one.
It seems that no expense has been spared... but if you want a cup of coffee in the place before 11:00 am, you're out of luck.
McMinnville, Oregon
Third in the list of places we don't feel the need to revisit (along with La Conner and Leavenworth) comes as a surprise - the Evergreen Aviation Museum.
This was at least our 3rd visit to this museum; the first was probably in 2002. There have been a number of changes since the last time we were here. As stunning as the place is, it's becoming a little too theme-park-like for our tastes.
We didn't remember this building across the highway from the museum but it belongs to Evergreen as well.
I like the hedge across from it that spells 'Evergreen'. More attention-grabbing is the 747 (!!) on the roof of a building to the left of the aviation museum. 
It is to become the 'Wings & Waves Water Park' where people will be able to slide out of the airplane into a pool. There are plans for a resort hotel and, yes, they have vineyards too.
The 'Spruce Goose' is in this building.
New to us - we like the addition of runway numbering on the driveway up to the aviation museum.
Later additions were the IMAX theatre (above, right) and more recently the Space Museum (left, opposite aviation museum) which is housed in a building identical to the Aviation Museum. We didn't even go in the Space Museum.
On the walkway between museums are inlaid planets and information about each one.
It seems that no expense has been spared... but if you want a cup of coffee in the place before 11:00 am, you're out of luck.Thursday, August 12, 2010
Trip report - south to Oregon
Tuesday July 13, 2010
This was an uneventful day spent mostly driving down the I-5 from Marysville, Washington to McMinnville, Oregon.
To save money and for its proximity to the Evergreen Aviation Museum, I chose the Red Lion Inn for our lodging. The tax on the room was only about $1!
It wasn't really horrible but it made the Holiday Inn look much more professional by comparison. Here, the desk clerk seemed like a student with an after school job. The room, while well-equipped, clean and tidy, smelled of a cheap, sickly-sweet room deodorizer. The building backed onto a residential subdivision so there was some noise from people yelling in their yards, music playing and dogs barking.
The do-it-yourself breakfast was included. The breakfast room was rather dark. They had that same yucky looking gravy we'd seen at the Holiday Inn, but at least there were waffle irons.
This was an uneventful day spent mostly driving down the I-5 from Marysville, Washington to McMinnville, Oregon.
To save money and for its proximity to the Evergreen Aviation Museum, I chose the Red Lion Inn for our lodging. The tax on the room was only about $1!It wasn't really horrible but it made the Holiday Inn look much more professional by comparison. Here, the desk clerk seemed like a student with an after school job. The room, while well-equipped, clean and tidy, smelled of a cheap, sickly-sweet room deodorizer. The building backed onto a residential subdivision so there was some noise from people yelling in their yards, music playing and dogs barking.
The do-it-yourself breakfast was included. The breakfast room was rather dark. They had that same yucky looking gravy we'd seen at the Holiday Inn, but at least there were waffle irons.
Interlude - recent baking
Left: My basic white bread has been turning out better than ever lately. If only I knew why.Right: Light wheat rolls are the first thing I've ever made using whole wheat flour that turned out okay. Thanks 'S' for the recipe.
This recipe for buttermilk bread came from the Pillsbury cookbook. For some reason it's made with two pieces of rolled dough placed side by side in the pan. I named this 'bum bread' because of its appearance while baking in the oven. Quite good - the inside remains soft and chewy even when a slice is toasted.
Another recipe from the Pillsbury book - Quick Sourdough French Bread made with sour cream and a surprising ingredient - a bit of ginger. Glenn doesn't like sourdough bread but he likes this, especially the crust.
Blueberries were on sale so I decided to make two types of lemon blueberry muffins.Left: with yogurt.
Right: with buttermilk, a bit more sugar, and crushed as well as whole blueberries. And the winner by a nose is, oddly, the lousier looking ones on the right. They're slightly sweeter and we like the crust on them best. But both kinds are good.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
North Cascade Highway & a big boulder
Monday July 12, 2010
Washington state does something that I think every state and province should do. They offer 'free' coffee at their rest stops. These are manned booths run by charities so there are donation boxes. The ones we stopped at offered free cookies too. A nice touch.
It was icy cold in the Cascades. Down near the other side the weather was wet and miserable.
I would have stayed in the warm, dry car if Glenn hadn't told me about this view. Couldn't decide on which picture to use so am including both.
It was 6:00 pm or later by the time we got back to Marysville. We got a room again at the Holiday Inn Express, this time one with a bathtub. Good news - it was about $20 cheaper on a weekday. Then we went to our favourite restaurant, Maxine's, where we shared a good turkey supper for only $8!
The next morning we'd have a long, boring drive down the I-5 to northern Oregon.
Washington state does something that I think every state and province should do. They offer 'free' coffee at their rest stops. These are manned booths run by charities so there are donation boxes. The ones we stopped at offered free cookies too. A nice touch.
Driving west, we were now climbing into the mountains where Glenn snapped this picture from the car. The elevation at Washington Pass is 5477 ft.
At some point while driving along the highway, I managed (still can't figure out how) to drive over a shred of tire, a piece of branch/log, I-don't-know-what that made a resounding thunk under the car. We were concerned enough to pull over so Glenn could check the car. It seemed ok so we carried on.
Shortly after, we rounded a bend and saw a huge boulder in the middle of our lane. This wasn't a rock that could be pushed off the road - it must have been 3 or 4 feet in diameter. Glenn said it was as high as the car window as we passed by... but I had other things to look at. The road ahead was straight enough to see that no traffic was coming so I got into the farthest lane while keeping an eye on the smaller rocks still tumbling through the dust down the mountainside, and once I determined that no huge rocks were on their way, I put the pedal to the floor and sped past.
It would have been great to have a picture of that boulder, but we weren't about to stick around and see if a major rock slide would follow. Whenever I saw those "watch for rock on road" signs, I didn't picture a rock that could crush your car or knock it right off the cliff. I'll probably be a little nervous driving through mountains from now on.
Glenn figured the boulder probably rolled down just moments before we got there since rocks were still tumbling behind it. We'll never know if our unscheduled stop saved us from disaster.
It was icy cold in the Cascades. Down near the other side the weather was wet and miserable.
I would have stayed in the warm, dry car if Glenn hadn't told me about this view. Couldn't decide on which picture to use so am including both.It was 6:00 pm or later by the time we got back to Marysville. We got a room again at the Holiday Inn Express, this time one with a bathtub. Good news - it was about $20 cheaper on a weekday. Then we went to our favourite restaurant, Maxine's, where we shared a good turkey supper for only $8!
The next morning we'd have a long, boring drive down the I-5 to northern Oregon.
Lake Chelan, Washington
Monday July 12, 2010
Lake Chelan looks like a nice resort area similar to towns in our Okanagan. We only stopped for a snack and a browse in a kitchen shop.
All three pictures above were taken in relatively the same spot. I think that's Campbell's Resort on Lake Chelan in the top photo. It has a restaurant with patio seating but we ate down the road at a nice coffee shop / bakery.
It was so windy that we didn't see anyone in or on the water except for a lone wind surfer.
Most of the town looks fairly modern and well-kept (with some nice houses) but there is this old church.
After our break we drove up through Twisp, which did not look too interesting in passing, and Winthrop where the western theme is really played up.
Lake Chelan looks like a nice resort area similar to towns in our Okanagan. We only stopped for a snack and a browse in a kitchen shop.
All three pictures above were taken in relatively the same spot. I think that's Campbell's Resort on Lake Chelan in the top photo. It has a restaurant with patio seating but we ate down the road at a nice coffee shop / bakery.
It was so windy that we didn't see anyone in or on the water except for a lone wind surfer.
Most of the town looks fairly modern and well-kept (with some nice houses) but there is this old church.After our break we drove up through Twisp, which did not look too interesting in passing, and Winthrop where the western theme is really played up.
Friday, August 6, 2010
A canyon fire
Monday July 12, 2010
Cherries were $1 a basket in this area so I don't know why we didn't stopped to get some.
It was cooler than the day before and also very windy. Continuing toward Wenatchee we couldn't help but notice a large section of cloud to the left in the otherwise clear sky. Or was it fog? It didn't look right for either. That's because it was smoke. While gassing up in Wenatchee I happened to overhear someone talking about 'the wildfire' and she said it had jumped the highway. It was ten miles north, in the Swakane Canyon. We hadn't heard about it and didn't know that the highway had been closed the day before. Hundreds of firefighters were involved with the fire that apparently covered 20,000 acres. I think it was about 30% contained when we were there.
Our route north would take us right through it... if the highway was open. If not, we'd have to come up with another plan. We saw cars driving the highway so we pressed on. I must say though, it is a little daunting to head into a wall of smoke not knowing how far it goes or if it will bother your lungs. We closed the car's vents and hoped for the best.
Glenn snapped this picture from the car as we slowed down for firefighters who were just ahead on the road and up the slope.
As we drove along we could see some flames on the hilltops. We didn't stop until we were well past the fire, then carried on to Lake Chelan.
Cherries were $1 a basket in this area so I don't know why we didn't stopped to get some.
It was cooler than the day before and also very windy. Continuing toward Wenatchee we couldn't help but notice a large section of cloud to the left in the otherwise clear sky. Or was it fog? It didn't look right for either. That's because it was smoke. While gassing up in Wenatchee I happened to overhear someone talking about 'the wildfire' and she said it had jumped the highway. It was ten miles north, in the Swakane Canyon. We hadn't heard about it and didn't know that the highway had been closed the day before. Hundreds of firefighters were involved with the fire that apparently covered 20,000 acres. I think it was about 30% contained when we were there.
Our route north would take us right through it... if the highway was open. If not, we'd have to come up with another plan. We saw cars driving the highway so we pressed on. I must say though, it is a little daunting to head into a wall of smoke not knowing how far it goes or if it will bother your lungs. We closed the car's vents and hoped for the best.
Glenn snapped this picture from the car as we slowed down for firefighters who were just ahead on the road and up the slope.
As we drove along we could see some flames on the hilltops. We didn't stop until we were well past the fire, then carried on to Lake Chelan.Thursday, August 5, 2010
Peshastin Pinnacles
Monday July 12, 2010
We had breakfast and checked out of the inn after chatting with the friendly owner, stopped at a small grocery store for water and a box of Rice Chex (can't get them at home) and were on our way. Heading eastward, the land starts to open up. The tawny, velvety hills reminded us of the Kamloops area in the interior of BC. Glenn and I like that dry, open kind of country. It was also similar to our Okanagan Valley for its orchards and wineries. Americans have an Okanogan County, with an 'o' instead of an 'a'. This is a big apple growing area. I read that Wenatchee held the record for the world's biggest apple pie, weighing in at 17 tons.
Before long we noticed some interesting land formations beside the highway. From the net:
Peshastin Pinnacles State Park is a 34-acre desert park featuring a group of sandstone slabs and spires called "the pinnacles." Climbable spires reach 200 feet into the air. Rocks and trails provide views of surrounding orchards, the Enchantment Mountain Range, and the Wenatchee River valley.
The park is two miles east of Cashmere, geographic center of Washington state.
A diagram in the park shows names for the formations such as: Orchard Rock, Grand Central Slab, Martian Slab, Dinosaur Tower, Church Tower, Austrian Slab. There is also a reasonably decent washroom here.
You would think the power lines could have been put somewhere else though, like out of view behind the ridge!
I climbed up the hill and enjoyed the view. The air was warm & dry and there was a strong breeze blowing. The rocks in this park are popular with rock climbers.
We had breakfast and checked out of the inn after chatting with the friendly owner, stopped at a small grocery store for water and a box of Rice Chex (can't get them at home) and were on our way. Heading eastward, the land starts to open up. The tawny, velvety hills reminded us of the Kamloops area in the interior of BC. Glenn and I like that dry, open kind of country. It was also similar to our Okanagan Valley for its orchards and wineries. Americans have an Okanogan County, with an 'o' instead of an 'a'. This is a big apple growing area. I read that Wenatchee held the record for the world's biggest apple pie, weighing in at 17 tons.
Before long we noticed some interesting land formations beside the highway. From the net:
Peshastin Pinnacles State Park is a 34-acre desert park featuring a group of sandstone slabs and spires called "the pinnacles." Climbable spires reach 200 feet into the air. Rocks and trails provide views of surrounding orchards, the Enchantment Mountain Range, and the Wenatchee River valley.
The park is two miles east of Cashmere, geographic center of Washington state.
A diagram in the park shows names for the formations such as: Orchard Rock, Grand Central Slab, Martian Slab, Dinosaur Tower, Church Tower, Austrian Slab. There is also a reasonably decent washroom here.
You would think the power lines could have been put somewhere else though, like out of view behind the ridge!
I climbed up the hill and enjoyed the view. The air was warm & dry and there was a strong breeze blowing. The rocks in this park are popular with rock climbers. A change of plan
Cascade Loop Scenic HighwayLeavenworth was the second entry on our newly formed list of places we don't need to go back to. Not only did I discover that I missed having a view of Blackbird Island, but we could not get the same room at the inn for two nights in a row and it was blazing hot outside. Returning to the coast sounded like a good plan. Since we seem to have fun around airplanes and it was too soon to go home, we decided to drive south to Oregon to visit a couple of air museums.
There is no easy, direct route from Leavenworth to the Oregon coast. We would have to drive back through the mountains one way or another so we decided to complete most of the Cascade Loop by heading southeast, then north, and west to get back onto the I-5. I was curious to see what was up there. So, on the map we'd be leaving region 3, driving through regions 4 to 8, and skipping region 9. With any luck, we'd be spending the next night back in the Holiday Inn in Marysville.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Leavenworth, Washington - the island
Sunday July 11, 2010
My favourite part of Leavenworth is Blackbird Island, right on the edge of town. The loop trail around it is a flat, easy walk, and is especially nice in the morning or evening on a hot day.
The island appeared in the 1930's when a mill pond was drained, so it's a fairly new island for plant growth. Fast-growing Black Cottonwoods are the largest plants on the island and since they live only about 80 years, some are declining now. Signs along the path describe other plants growing here such as: Nootka Rose, Blue Elderberry and Horsetail.
The place is so alive with chattering and singing birds that it is easy to forget you're not in a jungle in the tropics. In fact, Glenn would sometimes catch himself calling it Lahaina.
Above, top and bottom left: path on the town side. The island, out of view to the right, is linked by a bridge.
Top right: Blackbird Inn (centre, top of hill) where we stayed last time.
Bottom right: The island sits in the Wenatchee River as far as I can tell. We saw several rafters floating downstream in the evening.
The river takes on a different appearance in the morning.
Not the same view but Glenn did a watercolour painting of this area after our first visit. (Photo of the painting was taken through glass so colours are not exactly true.)
I'm not sure if the plant above is a Blue Elderberry or not.
I'll always think of this island for the Horsetail or Scouring Rush that grows here. This evergreen plant seems to remain sticklike, unlike the fluffy type I'm used to seeing around here. The silica in it made it useful for settlers to use as scouring pads.
There area also signs about the early residents.
My favourite part of Leavenworth is Blackbird Island, right on the edge of town. The loop trail around it is a flat, easy walk, and is especially nice in the morning or evening on a hot day.
The island appeared in the 1930's when a mill pond was drained, so it's a fairly new island for plant growth. Fast-growing Black Cottonwoods are the largest plants on the island and since they live only about 80 years, some are declining now. Signs along the path describe other plants growing here such as: Nootka Rose, Blue Elderberry and Horsetail.
The place is so alive with chattering and singing birds that it is easy to forget you're not in a jungle in the tropics. In fact, Glenn would sometimes catch himself calling it Lahaina.
Above, top and bottom left: path on the town side. The island, out of view to the right, is linked by a bridge.Top right: Blackbird Inn (centre, top of hill) where we stayed last time.
Bottom right: The island sits in the Wenatchee River as far as I can tell. We saw several rafters floating downstream in the evening.
The river takes on a different appearance in the morning.
Not the same view but Glenn did a watercolour painting of this area after our first visit. (Photo of the painting was taken through glass so colours are not exactly true.)
I'm not sure if the plant above is a Blue Elderberry or not.
I'll always think of this island for the Horsetail or Scouring Rush that grows here. This evergreen plant seems to remain sticklike, unlike the fluffy type I'm used to seeing around here. The silica in it made it useful for settlers to use as scouring pads.
There area also signs about the early residents.
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