2014-20. Sweating in Seattle

     This is not a design to take anything away from the movie, just a fact: It hit 94° today in Seattle, another record. Though 10° cooler than at home, with no air conditioning, it is quite warm.

    Arrived in Washington via the North Cascades Highway from Glacier National Park in Montana, I spent a couple of grand weeks with friends and family. 

Friends Alan and Gail drove down from British Columbia.

    I returned to the scene of the crime: our friend JR's home on Whidbey Island, where we'd bought the MRV from him in February.

The MRV parked in JR's driveway on Whidbey Island. His home overlooks the Straits of San Juan de Fuca.

JR on our hike.

Bald eagle checking out JR & me.

Fields & Straits of Juan de Fuca.

    In Edmonds, I stayed at our friend Tom's home while he was in Florida. To offer thanks, I waxed his 1984 Vanagon that he so enjoys. It's powered, like mine, by a Subaru engine. Soon all but the top was done, shiny for a 30-year-old vehicle, and, when he returns, ready for the road.

   

Tim's 1984 Vanagon, left. My 1986 Vanagon, right.

     Not all of the day was work. This morning, prior to putting my arm to work waxing, I went down to Edmonds in search of a coffee shop and noticed that the Edmonds-Kingston Ferry was tied up. That produced a no-decision, and soon I was in line with my $4 for the walk-on roundtrip. May I say my ego was boosted when the clerk said $8, and then looking at my $4 (senior citizen fare) asked how old I was. I replied and was off with my old guy’s ticket and a smile.

   The run to Kingston is scheduled to take 30 minutes, and the round trip is an easy way to enjoy a couple hours on and around the water. Now the joy of a warm Seattle is spectacular views, and once headed toward Kingston I was not disappointed.

     Soon I had my ferry coffee and wandered the deck as we cruised to our destination, taking pictures and looking at the many small boats, sail and power, that were enjoying a day on Puget Sound. Laughing, as I realized I was walking to Kingston, I sat down and just enjoyed the views.

In front rose the snow-capped Olympic Range, boasting enough snow to put a major dent in the water crisis in the San Joaquin Valley—if only the range were in California! The port town of Kingston is straight ahead.

To the left was Mount Baker, a lofty dormant volcano over 60 miles to the northeast.

As we moved into the channel, Mount Rainer came into view, approximately 60 miles to the southeast. 

The snow-capped Cascades rose behind us.

     Soon we "landed" at Kingston and disembarked. The $4 covers over and back, but the requirement is that all disembark. About 20 minutes later, it was determined time to load up again, so back on the gangplank I went.

    As they say, things look different going the other direction. I now realized how windy it was, and a "duh" moment materialized: there was no wind on the first leg, but now, going probably 15 knots into a 15-knot wind meant I was bucking a 30-knot wind—or that is why my trusted Grand Canyon hat tried more than once to sail off.
     As all good things must come to an end, we soon docked back at Edmonds. After a nice walk around the marina and town, I returned to the car and drove back to Tim’s to finish my waxing.
     Tomorrow promises to be about 10° cooler. Perhaps I can go back to Edmonds and look for a coffee shop.

My daughter, Katie, & her husband, Javier, made my Seattle visit.

    But the highpoint of my Seattle visit was time with my lovely daughter, Katie, and her amazing husband, Javier. I had the opportuity to be the entire FAMILY cheering squad when Javier ran his first marathon, such an amazing feat.

Katie & Javier, pre-marathon.

Javier & me, pre-marathon.

Ready to go!

Javier waving from the racing throng at the start line.

Still smiling.

 Think I yelled loud enough that even his parents in Santiago, Chile, could hear me. 

Post-race: still standing—& smiling.

I am so proud of them & the way they work together.

Their small balcony: they are expert at creating an oasis in a small space.

Katie has been studying photography.

Katie with some of her photos at an exhibit. We are thrilled that the top one now hangs in our family room.

And now for the drive home, after 3+ months on the road.

    It is not easy having kids on both coasts, yet they are all so accepting and warm to Marilyn and me that it somehow works.    

    Fatherhood is good.

* * *

March-July 2014: Counterclockwise around the US.

Our counterclockwise route around the country. I left home at the end of March, arrived back mid-July. Marilyn flew to Florida mid-April, where we rendezvoused. We meandered together until she flew home from Chicago in early June.