Shucking Oysters at Taylor Shellfish Farms

When we first moved to Washington, my work colleagues helped me construct a list of must see/must do places and experiences to help introduce us to the Pacific Northwest. Several of them recommended Chuckanut Drive, a beautiful road that winds along the coast where the Cascade Mountains meet the sea. We’ve completed that drive multiple …

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Southern Olympic Peninsula by Motorcycle

We’ve explored the northern part of the Olympic Peninsula and Olympic National Park on a handful of occasions, including a long weekend motorcycle trip to Forks, Ruby Beach and the Hoh Rainforest with a loop to Cape Flattery and a scenic ride along the Strait of Juan de Fuca a couple of years back. Since …

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Washington Hikes: Mount Pilchuck

This weekend we FINALLY got around to hiking Mount Pilchuck! This hike has been on our list since we moved to Washington, but for some reason we managed to hike multiple other hikes around it while avoiding this big one. It’s actually not a ‘big one’ compared to most—it’s a little under six miles roundtrip …

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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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Vancouver: VanDusen Botanical Garden and Kitsilano Beach Park

When one of my good friends said she was going to be in Vancouver for a work conference, I requested time off from work and planned a day trip to go see her. Brian was traveling for work so I thought it would be a fun solo road trip! We love Vancouver and have enjoyed …

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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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