Places to Stay: Sun Mountain Lodge

When we first moved to Washington, I investigated some of the resorts along the coast and in the Cascade Mountains that my work colleagues kept recommending. They all looked amazing, but I couldn’t imagine spending that kind of money on accommodations. When we travel, we just don’t spend that much time indoors—our hotels are merely …

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Birthday Bike Trip: The Okanogan Valley

For several years we’ve been taking a motorcycle trip as part of my birthday celebration. These trips have taken us around the Olympic Peninsula and throughout Vancouver Island, and this year to a new area of British Columbia that’s long been on my list – the Okanogan Valley! We meant to make this trip over …

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Happy 10th Birthday, Heather’s Compass!

I can't believe it, but Heather's Compass is officially 10 years old! Thank you to those of you who subscribed or stumbled upon posts and took time to read about some of the amazing places in the world that I have been lucky enough to explore and experience solo and with family and friends. Much …

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Washington Hikes: Lake Serene and Bridal Veil Falls

The weekend after my master's degree classes ended (HOORAY!) we set out mid-morning for one of the longer bike-and-hikes we've tackled in a while. Our destination: Lake Serene. By the time we arrived parking at the trailhead was scarce and I was glad we were on our bikes and able to sneak into an available …

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Washington Hikes: Spencer Island

Brian’s birthday fell on a Sunday, two days after I turned in the final paper of my master's degree program, so of course I immediately drummed up all of the fun weekend getaways I keep stored in the back of my brain for just such an occasion, ready to hit the road and celebrate! Unfortunately …

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Worldly Fare: Dutch Lunch in Lynden

Brian needed to drive to Langley, British Columbia to meet a guy about a motorcycle part and asked if I wanted to tag along for the ride. It was a nice day and he was heading out of state the following week for work, so I took advantage of having a few extra hours with him …

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Washington Hikes: Heybrook Lookout

We set out Saturday morning to tackle a new hike near Steven's Pass on the western side of the Cascade Mountains called Heybrook Lookout. This short but steep hike to the lookout ended up being about 2.5 miles roundtrip with 992 feet of elevation gain. You better believe our hearts were pumping after that mile …

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