Mountains From the Air and Salt Lake City

We had some amazing views of the mountains in the Pacific Northwest from the plane on our way back from Portland to Charlotte (via Salt Lake City).  Shortly after take off, Colin pointed out the mountain peaks we could see looking north out the window. We basically flew right over Mt. Hood, which is only 60-65 miles from Portland and we could easily see Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams in Washington.

Mt. Hood in the forefront and Mt St Helens, Mt Rainier, 

and Mt Adams from left to right in the distance

Flying over Mt. Hood

The skies remained clear during the 2 hour flight from Portland to Salt Lake City, so we had more great views of the city and the lake during our arrival into and departure from the city.  Rather than sit in the airport for 4 hours, we decided to go into the city to grab some lunch and explore a bit.  Since it was a holiday (Labor Day), the free shuttles were not running from the airport to downtown, but we were able to share a cab with a traveling musician who also had some time to kill before his show.  

Our view of Salt Lake City from the plane on our way in

One of the things that surprised me was how wide the streets and city blocks were.  All of the streets lined up in perfect squares and the roads were about 6-8 lanes wide.  And, walking 5 city blocks, with a backpack filled with 2 weeks worth of gear, in the middle part of a hot summer day felt very difficult.  The other surprise was seeing the mountains pop out from the end of the roads.  The landscape reminded me of Las Vegas - but oh how different the city is!

Wide city streets and blocks and mountains in the distance

We came across some cute city plazas and parks downtown as we made our way to Temple Square.  Just before arriving there, we stopped to take a break in a very cute outdoor mall.

A plaza in downtown Salt Lake City

I had never seen any pictures or images of Temple Square before our arrival, so I didn't know what to expect.  Thankfully, there were some informational boards in the square that shared information about what we were looking at.  Coming from the south, it was hard to miss the massive, 420ft, 28 story, Church Office Building. This building towered over almost all buildings in Salt Lake City.  As we entered the square we were also surrounded by beautifully manicured lawns, flowers, fountains, and walking paths.  Once in the square, the prominent 222ft Salt Lake Temple took center stage.

The Church Office Building in Temple Square

The perfectly manicured lawn in Temple Square

Salt Lake Temple

We didn't have enough time to do a lot of exploring on the grounds or in the buildings. Being a holiday, I'm not sure if any were open. But, I later found out you can go to an observation deck on the 26th floor of the Church Office Building and see amazing views of the surrounding landscape.  I'm not sure we could have gotten much better views than from a plane though!

Instead of exploring Temple Square, we decided to get lunch. Using our trusted Yelp.com app, we made our way to The Copper Onion, a highly rated "foodie" restaurant with a NYC chef.  Colin ordered the steak salad and I ordered the portobello mushroom salad with the side of chickpeas.  As is our routine, we shared each our our plates and is difficult to say which was better. They were both delicious and well worth leaving the airport to experience.

Steak Salad at The Copper Onion in Salt Lake City

Portobello Mushroom Sandwich and Chickpeas

With an hour and a half until our plane's scheduled departure, we called a cab from the restaurant and made our way back to the airport.  I tried to get a better picture of the mountains "hugging" the city from the cab.  

Looking west at downtown Salt Lake City

We were back in the airport with plenty of time to get back through security to our gate.  In fact, we ended up waiting at the gate for over an hour because our plane left a little late.  I was so glad we didn't sit in the airport for over four hours, breathing that stuffy air and eating over-priced, crappy food.  Going into downtown, walking around (even in the heat), and getting a good meal made the long day of travel so much more bearable.

On our departure from Salt Lake City, we had more clear views of the surrounding landscape and the Great Salt Lake itself. 

 

The Great Salt Lake, Utah

The 3.5 hour flight to Charlotte was mostly smooth and relaxing and we actually arrived in Charlotte 30 minutes early.  Unfortunately, because the Democratic National Convention was getting ready to begin, the airport was crowded and the gate was not ready for us to arrive.  So, we sat on the plane for 45 minutes and ended up arriving 15 minutes late.  Between our long layover in Salt Lake City and flying to eastern standard time, it was after 11pm in Charlotte when we reached our car.  We could have stayed the night and drove back to Raleigh in the morning, but still being on Pacific Time meant we were awake and alert.  The 3 hour drive home wasn't too bad, but it was difficult to get up early for work the rest of the week.

Overall, I would say the trip was a tremendous success.  The highlights for me were Crate Lake, Mt. Rainier, and Napa Valley - all places where we had lots of sun and fairly warm weather.  I was a little disappointed in the cities - the homelessness in Portland and the dreariness of Vancouver especially. For me, Seattle was okay, but I didn't find it to be overly exciting or impressive in any way.  It was actually very funny that Colin and I listened to an NPR podcast on the drive from Charlotte to Raleigh where the discussion centered around moving to, and living in, Seattle. The main speaker shared a comparison between NYC and Seattle. She indicated that both cities contain people that are aloof and like to "do their own thing." The difference however, is that in NYC, people dress up in suits and skirts, while in Seattle, most people wear "grungy" clothes. The podcast was amusing because Colin seems to love Seattle and those that know him know how much he loves NYC. But, he would much rather wear jeans and t-shirt every day instead of having to wear a suit.  Maybe that is why he is so drawn to the city!

I hope you have enjoyed reading about our trip to the Pacific Northwest as much as I've enjoyed recalling the details about it.  Over the past two months, as I've blogged about the trip, we have had additional adventures here in North Carolina.  I can't wait to tell you about staying in the Grove Park Inn for a conference in Asheville, and camping on the beach in Wilmington.  Stay tuned for those posts.

What did we miss out on in Salt Lake City?

What amazing views have you experienced from a plane?

Ending our Trip With the Columbia River and Mt. Hood

One good thing that resulted from spending our second-to-last night in Portland was that we were able to spend our last day exploring more of the areas in and around the city.  Awaking to another beautiful day, we decided to set out west along the Columbia River on the scenic Historic Columbia River Highway.  The first stop on this route was the Vista House at Crown Point, an interpretive center set atop a cliff with some amazing views.

Looking east along the Columbia River Gorge from Vista House at Crown Point

The crowds were plentiful at the Vista House and once we started driving further east on the historic highway, we found ourselves in very slow moving traffic.  Being the Sunday before Labor Day, it seemed everyone was out enjoying the lovely Sunday afternoon on the Columbia River.  After sitting in traffic for about 30 minutes, we managed to find a parking spot not far from the famous Multnomah Falls.  Our short walk brought us to the impressive, 642-ft, two-tiered falls, which are the 2nd highest non-seasonal falls in the U.S.  We wanted to hike the 1 mile to the top, but heard from a police officer that tickets were going to be issued to people who parked on the side of the road.  Scared we would get a ticket, we quickly enjoyed the view, took a few pictures, and speed-walked back to the car.  Since we were able to see that all the cars ahead of where we parked were not moving, we turned around and re-traced our path back to the highway. There was still so much we wanted to see and sitting in traffic, even on a nice day in a pretty area, was not on our day's agenda.

The impressive Multnomah Falls outside Portland, OR

We missed out on a few additional waterfalls along the Historic Highway by taking I-84, but I am glad we did not spend our entire afternoon in traffic.  Shortly after leaving Multnomah Falls, we arrived in the town called Hood River, known for it's wind and water-loving patrons.  On the water during our visit, there must have been at least 100 people either kite- or wind-surfing.  It was fun to watch the beginners and the experts take off from shore and quickly glide through the water as they caught the wind just right.  Over the past few months, during several of our trips to the beach, we've watched kite- and wind-surfers and have thought about trying it out.  We definitely want to try sailing and surfing, and it would be fun to try other water sports too.  We just need to live closer to the water so we can go at any time!

Strolling along the Columbia River in Hood River, OR

Hundreds of kite- and wind-surfers in this outdoorsy town

Before continuing on to Mt. Hood, we enjoyed a sandwich and fresh juice at a local restaurant called Ground, but I didn't get a picture of the meal. The cozy coffee shop was a perfect place to fill up with a satisfying meal on a Sunday afternoon, even if we hadn't done any exercise all morning.  

We caught our first glimpses of Mt. Hood from Portland, but our first "up-close" view came just a short time after leaving Hood River.  The 11,240-ft mountain stood majestically in front of us for most of the scenic drive to the mountain, and we saw almost all of the sides of the summit as we drove the U-shaped road around the mountain and back to Portland. 

Driving to Mt. Hood from Hood River

Once back in Portland, we made our way to Cartlandia, one of the city's many food truck pods.  This pod, located in the southeastern outskirts of Portland, had been recommended to us by our airbnb hosts.  With about 15-20 food vendors, we expected to have a lot of options, but we were very disappointed in what was available.  There was some variety, but a few of the vendors were not open and it was difficult to find a particularly desirable dish.  The only highlight of our experience was trying Elk sausage.

The entrance to Cartlandia, a food truck pod on the outskirts of Portland

Colin's tasty Elk sausage

My sub-optimal southwestern pork sandwich

Our very expensive, and very disappointing desserts

Making our way from food truck to food truck

As we drove from Cartlandia to our last night's lodging, which was a heavily discounted Priceline hotel on the eastern side of the Willamette River, we came across another food pod called Cartopia in the very trendy Hawthorne District. Unable to pass up an opportunity to compare food pods, and really wanting a good food pod experience, we stopped and sampled some pizza and dessert.  This pod contained only 4 vendors, but the pizza and dessert we ate were so much more appetizing than either of our entrees or desserts at Cartlandia. Colin was most amused by the pizza truck, with it's large stove contained inside.

The small food truck pod, Cartopia, in the trendy Hawthorne District

Pyro Pizza, with its huge stove in the truck

That huge stove at Pyro's makes a very good pizza

The Sugar Cube food truck across the street from Cartopia

A delicious brownie topped with ice cream, fudge, and caramel from The Sugar Cube

We had great plans to go out for a walk after indulging in so much food, but once we checked into the Crowne Plaza-Downtown and realized how late it was, we made the smart choice to pack our bags for our Monday morning flight.  To lighten the burden of responsibility, we borrowed the movie, Book of Eli, from the front desk and watched as we packed our things.  

The sun setting on our last day in Portland, OR

The down-filled, comfortable king-sized bed and spaciousness of our hotel room felt luxurious after two weeks of camping and staying in airbnb rentals.  But, our two weeks in California and the Pacific Northwest would have lacked the social interactions and I would have not appreciated the luxury if not for those experiences.  Just as I would not have appreciated so many beautiful, sunny days if we had not also experienced some cold and wet ones.

Stay tuned for the last post about our trip back to North Carolina from Portland.  Some of the details will may surprise you!

If you've ever kite- or wind-surfed, tell me about your experience!

Where is the best food pod or food truck?

The Coast and The Goonies

Our destination after leaving Olympic National Park was the mouth of the Columbia River.  There are several state parks in the area and we hoped to find a campsite in one of them.  We made our way to the southwestern tip of Washington State, to Cape Disappointment State Park early afternoon, only to be turned away at the campground because of no vacancy.  Being the Saturday of Labor Day weekend, we knew it would be a challenge to find a campsite, but hoped we would get lucky at one of the non-reservable parks.

Cape Disappointment State Park

From Cape Disappointment, we made our way to Astoria, Oregon via the Astoria Megler Bridge and found ourselves at 368 38th Street, more commonly known as the the Goonies house.  Colin is a huge fan of the movie and we just had to check it out.  The current owner of the house was doing some outdoor work on a ladders, so we didn't stick around too long.

Astoria Megler Bridge to Astoria

Sign at the street entrance to the Goonies house

The Goonies house 

As it was getting late in the day and we were so close to the water, but had not yet gone to the beach, we went straight to Cannon Beach in Oregon from Astoria.  Cannon Beach is also a noteworthy Goonies location, and many of you will recognize Haystack Rock in the images below.  

The day was picturesque, but the air temperature was very cool on the water.  There were a surprising number of sunbathers wearing bathing suits, and a few people braving the very cold water.  I kept my long sleeve shirt and pants on, and could only keep my feet in the water for short periods of time before they started to feel numb.  

A picture-perfect afternoon at Cannon Beach in Oregon

The tide heading out and Haystack Rock in the background

Haystack Rock

Very cold water (52 degrees) in the Pacific Northwest

Braving the cold water in the tidal pools near Haystack Rock

While sitting on the beach and enjoying the warm sun and cool air, I used my cell phone to find lodging for the night.  Knowing Portland was only an hour and a half away, we decided to look up some Airbnb rentals there and assumed we'd be able to get a hotel if all else failed.  As I made a few requests for a rental, the sun continued lowering in the sky and before long, I started to get cold.  To warm up and wait for the sunset, we opted for some hot tea and snacks at a local coffee shop.  Our meals this day were comprised of our staples (sardines and Clif Bars) since we had not found any restaurants along our drive that looked appetizing.  In addition to some warm snacks and beverages in the coffee shop, we were also able to finalize our accommodations in Portland for the evening. 

Relieved to find lodging and warmed from the coffee shop, we walked back to the beach to watch the sun set.  It was a beautiful display of varying shades of orange, pink, and blue.  What made the experience even more enjoyable were all the people that were still on the beach, many sitting around campfires in their sweatshirts and shorts.  If it wasn't for the cold water temperature in early September, I would consider living there knowing I would enjoy the laid-back culture.  But, being unable to swim is a major deal-breaker for both me and Colin.

A beautiful sunset at Cannon Beach, Oregon

It was too bad we could not have stayed on the beach, enjoying a campfire. Thankfully, the drive back to Portland wasn't too long.  The day did include more driving than we would have liked (a whopping 345 miles), but there is nothing like the beach to rejuvenate a person.  Our airbnb accommodations proved comfortable and the best (as usual) was taking a warm shower after camping the night before and being on the beach most of the afternoon.  Being in Portland also meant we could explore the Columbia River east of Portland, which I had heard was also very nice.  

Stay tuned for a recap of our adventures on the Columbia River and Mt. Hood!

Where have you enjoyed a campfire on the beach? 

What is your favorite part of the Goonies movie?

My favorite quote is "Heeeyyyyy you Guuuyyyyss!"

Touring Olympic National Park in Washington

From Seattle, we made our way south, west, and back north along the Puget Sound to Olympic National Park.  Since we did not leave too early, we arrived on the west side of the Sound around lunchtime and relied on our go-to phone app, yelp, for a place to eat.  Being adventurous, we opted for Pho T & N, a Vietnamese restaurant with wonderful reviews.  We ordered two suggested menu items, the vegetarian pho and the short ribs, shrimp and rice.  They were tasty, and we received huge portion sizes, but we were out of our element in the restaurant. We had to ask what to do with all the sides!  Colin talked to the manager for a bit and learned about the Vietnamese traditions of adding fresh ingredients to the pho (soup dish) just before eating.  By this time we had eaten most of the ribs/shrimp/rice since the soup had been too hot.  We ended up taking most of the pho with us and wished we had done the reverse.  We ended up eating the pho for another day and a half and by that time the powerful smell was getting repulsive.

Vietnamese short ribs, shrimp, rice, salad, and veggie roll

Traditional Vegetarian Pho

As we made our way to Olympic National Park, we drove off the main road in Sequim, WA to see the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge.  We wanted to explore the park and get on the sand peninsula, but didn't have cash for the park entrance fee.  There was a park volunteer stationed at the entrance to the path, and we tried to get change for a $20. Not being able to see what the park offered, we were not willing to pay that much at the entrance, but probably would have donated it if our experience was enjoyable.  

From the recreation area road, we were able to see Victoria, BC across the water and enjoy another glorious day.

Beyond the ship is Victoria, British Columbia

Our next stop was the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center in Olympic National Park.  On the drive up the mountain, we has some wonderful views to the Dungeness Peninsula, the town of Sequim, and a better view of Vancouver Island in British Columbia.  We were also approached by some wildlife, who wanted to get a tad bit too close for my comfort!  

Looking down on Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge

Bambi and her calf seemed too comfortable near the cars and people

View from Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park

Enjoying a short, 1 mile (ish) hike at Hurricane Ridge

Since it was the Friday of Labor Day weekend, we assumed it would be difficult to find lodging closer to Seattle, so we continued farther into the park to try and camp on the western edge.  Unfortunately, there were no airbnb rentals, and non-camping lodging was sparse.  I would have loved to camp at the Sol Duc Hot Springs, not far from Hurricane Ridge, but we were warned that the popular campground would likely be full.  It would have been too far out of our way if we did not find a site, and our drive the next day would have been very long.  Thankfully, we managed to get one of the last 4 campsites available in Hoh Rain Forest.  Our backup plan would have been to pull of on the side of a National Forest Service Road to sleep.  We found out that was allowed at one of the park visitor centers.

As we passed Forks, WA, I was tempted to drive into town to see where the Twilight Series was based, but I know Colin would not have enjoyed the detour.  In addition, the sun was getting very low in the sky and we were nervous about arriving too late at the campground.  I did manage to see some stores with posters of the cast along the main road.  

During our drive into the Hoh Rain Forest, we very briefly saw an Elk as it made its way across the road and into the woods.  I didn't even have time to grab my camera!

Our dinner spot on Lake Crescent as we make our 

way across the northern portion of Olympic National Park

The river adjacent to the campground in the Hoh Rain Forest

Our campsite at the Hoh Rain Forest Campground

We arrived at the campsite around 10pm and decided it wasn't worth setting up the tent, so we inflated the air mattress in the back of the Subaru and slept in the car. The queen mattress was a little big for the SUV, so we couldn't inflate it all the way, but it still served the purpose.  It's not like I can sleep in a tent anyway!  I bet a full size mattress would have fit.

Just like in the Redwoods and Crater Lake, it got very cold overnight.  Our experience at the Hoh Rain Forest was similar to the Redwoods because everything was also very damp in the morning.  We tried going for a 3 mile hike to warm up, but that didn't work so well. The best way I warmed up was to blast the hot air on my hands and feet and get the seat warmer going in the car!

Vivid greens in the rain forest

The 3 mile hiking trail at the Hoh Rain Forest

I would have more thoroughly enjoyed 

the beautiful views if I wasn't so cold!

By 9am, we were warmed up (thank you Subaru Forester!) and back on Highway 101 heading south along the coast (yes, we get up VERY early when camping!).  Our next destination was the mouth of the Columbia River, where we hoped to secure another camping spot for the evening after our 3-4 hour drive.  Again, we knew it would be risky because of the holiday weekend, but we took our chances and drove without having a reservation anywhere in the area.  Unfortunately, none of the campgrounds accepted reservations anyway.

Stopping at a beach near Kalaloch to stretch and enjoy the view

A slight detour around Lake Quinault

We made just the two stops along Highway 101 in Olympic National Park Saturday morning to experience all the beauty the diversity within the park has to offer.  It was impressive to see the snow-capped peaks of the tallest mountains at Hurricane Ridge, and then experience a rain forest on the western side of the park.  If you haven't already noticed, we are also drawn to the water.  We can't get enough of beaches and lakes.

Stay tuned for the last two posts about the trip to the Pacific Northwest.  If you are a Goonies fan, you'll definitely want to read the next one!

What should we have ordered from a Vietnamese Restaurant?  Or did we made the best decision?

Was there anything we missed in Olympic National Park that you've experienced?