The next day was finally sunny. I drove north on hway 5 ,then a short drive east to the Mount St Helens Visitor Center. I remember when that volcano erupted and was surprised that it has been almost 36 years since that happened
( May 18, 1980). I had a friend who lived quite far from the site and talked about the many pounds of ash she had to clear from her house and lawn. At the time, I had seen some vials of ash being sold in a gift shop!
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| Mt St Helens is the snow covered peak |
For 2 months before the eruption, there were a series of earthquakes.
Despite most people being evacuated, approx 52 were killed including a photographer and some hikers.
Outside the center was a lovely hiking trail that led around part of a small lake.
That night it rained again as I stayed at a very nice State Park ( Ike Kinswa) in that area. Given all the rain, it felt good to be hooked up to electricity. Fortunately they had showers available and it was a pleasure to have a shower that was more than 1-2 minutes long! ( in the RV water is limited).
It rained on and off during the 2 days I was there but the sun did come out for brief periods. I took advantage of the dry spells to go for a bike ride or hike their trails. Along one trail I was delighted to come across 2 deer grazing beside the path.It was a wonderful way to celebrate the first day of spring.
I spent a restful 3 days there and was happy to see the sun for those short periods.
Instead of driving west to Hwy 5, I decided to go north to Tacoma using #7 which was slower but more scenic. This road hooked up with #5 again which took me past Seattle. Despite many lanes, the traffic was extremely heavy and congested. It took me 1 1/2 hrs of stop and go driving just to get around Seattle and I wondered how so many people can manage to commute that stretch twice daily for their jobs. Although I love cities for brief visits, I doubt I could ever live in one.
I finally found a good rest stop just north of Marysville and spent the night there along with many transport trucks and a few RVs. It was rather noisy with the trucks coming and going all through the night but I was tired and slept fairly well. It rained all night again. Don't the clouds ever run out of water??
At that stop there was an interesting display of a cedar stump.
Giant cedar trees once grew in this area. This huge cedar stump is over 20 ft in diameter, from a 1000 yr old tree, and discovered by early settlers.
As in most places I stopped at, I met other RVers. They were usually from the US but also quite a few from Canada, just about always from BC or Alberta. It was interesting to share stories.
It was now March 22 and the next stop was a short drive of only 15 min. It was to a casino near Arlington which had an official RV park along with some hook ups (fee charged) ,a dump station, and very nice landscaping. I went to the free dry camp area where there were a few other RVs. The "Angel of the Winds" casino was very well run and the staff helpful and friendly. I go to casinos for the free parking and good food rather than for gambling. I have worked too hard for my money to lose most of it! Besides, I dislike the noise but had to walk through the casino to get to the restaurants. Some good take-out food meant I didn't have to cook or wash dishes which, in an RV with limited space, is always a challenge.
It rained on and off for the 2 days I was there and my slideout was leaking again in the same corner as before I had it fixed over a year ago. Frustrating! I took a deep breath and reminded myself that compared to a lot of life's problems this is fairly "small stuff". Rolling up a towel in that corner was a temporary solution and I'll get the seals checked after I'm back in Canada.
The RV next to me belonged to a couple from Washington. It was the woman's birthday and in the evening she knocked on my door to bring me some of the fancy cupcakes that she got for her birthday. It was a very nice gesture.
and found out that the daffodils are in bloom now but the tulips are just starting to open up.Besides, it was raining so I decided to wait a few days.
I stopped at a Walmart in Arlington to get some groceries and also look for a replacement toilet seat as the hinges of mine broke. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get the size I needed, realizing that many things in an RV are not routine sizes and may require going to an RV store.
Hinges and latches often loosen or break due to the vibrations caused by driving. I've had to replace a couple of these on drawers so far.
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| Spring buds |
In the town of Marblehead, I stopped to top off my propane and shortly afterwards, arrived at the Alpine RV park. I chose this park because it gives a discount for Passport America members but mainly because it is surrounded by the Cascade mountains. I have always loved mountains and it seemed like the perfect place to spend Easter.
I was greeted by the manager and given a site close to the office in order to get their WiFi signal. This was important to me as there was no cell service in that area.
I could see the nearby mountains in every direction but the farther ones were cloud covered and there was a drizzle which lasted all night.
I woke the next morning to SUNSHINE! Oh, how good that felt.My heart was filled with gratitude for our sun which heats us and makes our food possible. It also provides me with electricity through my solar panels. ( my panels still pick up a small amount of energy from the sun even when it is raining and with dark clouds, which I find amazing).
The sunshine lasted 2 days and I was able to go on some long bicycle rides. It was wonderful to see so many mountains, often with snow on their peaks. All along the highway were signs of spring and there were many birds singing.
One of my stops was at a fish hatchery, arriving there just as one of the staff was feeding the fish. "Leroy" invited me to see the fish more closely and took some time to explain the work there. The fish at the hatchery were Rainbow trout and various types of salmon. They sedate the fish for a brief period then catch them and squeeze them to get the eggs which are then hatched. When the fish are old enough , they are returned to the river. The hatchery protects and feeds the fish so that the stocks can be increased.
As I rode my bicycle along the highway, I marvelled at the many mountains surrounding me. These mountains are a part of the Cascade range.
On the way back to the campground, I stopped to take a photo and a cyclist coming the other way stopped to chat. He seemed a bit strange and told me about research he was doing on the Sasquatch. He said he lives in the woods and has seen several of them but was vague about details. I thanked him and was relieved to be on my way. It seems this part of the country is known for its interest in the Sasquatch. I wonder if they actually exist!
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| A Sasquatch greeting visitors to Marblemount |
After the 2 sunny days, the rain came again, just in time for Easter. That should make the flowers grow! It was too wet and cold for a bike ride so watching a movie and reading was on the agenda. I also got things ready for leaving the next day and was looking forward to meeting my friend Barry from BC who was visiting relatives just an hour north of there.
We decided to meet at the Walmart in Mt Vernon and go check out the tulip fields near that city.
On Easter Monday, I left Marblemount for the drive west to Mt Vernon. It was a glorious sunny day and the mountains were fantastic. Numerous blossoming trees and bushes lined the highway and I was singing as I drove.
Spring is such a joyful season!
We then drove to the tulip festival area to see the flowers. The festival is officially during the month of April and coming a little before that meant less crowds. I had no idea the flower fields were so extensive and had never seen anything so colorful over such a large area.
Besides having beautiful flower displays, they are a major producer of flowers and bulbs which they ship all over the world.
The next day we drove to Anacortes to see town and the ferry terminal so I would know where to go the following morning. Later on we said our good byes and I drove about 15 min north to stay at a casino. On the way I stopped to fill up with gas which, at $2.04/gal was less expensive than the gas in Canada. The casino was just a 20 min drive to the ferry at Anacortes and that was good because I had to be there by 7:30 in the morning.
Warm sun followed me to the ferry and I could see snow capped mountains on the horizon, including Mt Baker. I was surprised to see only one other RV in the line and about 2 rows of cars. It was still early in the season.
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| Last one on the ferry! |
The crossing took 2 1/2 hrs on very calm water. We passed by the US San Juan Islands briefly stopping at one port.
I had never paid attention to this group of islands and they looked exotic.
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| San Juan Islands with snowcapped mountains on the mainland |
I felt emotional when first seeing the coast of Vancouver Island, knowing I was back in Canada and how much I love it.When hearing about the wars and problems of some other countries, I am always grateful to call Canada my home.
The ferry arrived at Sydney BC on time and I ended up being detained by a friendly customs agent informing me I would need to pay some tax because I was over the allowable limit for things bought in the US ( I had bought a bicycle and rack, a ceramic heater, and some RV supplies.) It's the first time I have ever had to pay tax.
It was a pleasant 1/2 hr drive to Victoria and further on to a Walmart just west of the city where I was told I could park for 2 days. Victoria does not have much space for parking so that worked out well.
The next day I met one of my sisters who lives in Victoria and she took me on a walk then lunch at their beautiful waterfront. It was good to catch up as it had been a while since we saw each other.
The weather was sunny and warm with blossoming flowers, bushes and trees.
Now I'm still at the Walmart with plans to see Victoria's downtown and some other areas of interest. I found out I can park at their casino for free and will go there tomorrow. I had a brief visit to this island a few years ago and am looking forward to exploring more of it.
My RV journey continues.
"Creativity is intelligence having fun"
--- Albert Einstein
"You must find the place inside yourself where nothing is impossible"
--- Deepak Chopra
"Others have seen what is and asked why.
I have seen what could be and asked why not."
---- Pablo Picasso
"Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties."
---- Erich Fromm
Happy Spring!
Maria
whyknotrvmaria@gmail. com
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