Home From The Sea

Last Tuesday Tom and I and the Gibsons headed out of hot Seattle for Rockaway Beach on the Oregon Coast. We would be staying at the little red cabin owned by my mother. It was noon by the time we reached Astoria, time for tuna fish 'n chips at the Bowpicker. Yum! And then across Highway 101 to the Maritime Museum.

We showed Corey the sea lions, since he missed them when we were here in June.

We finally reached the cabin about 4:00, but it didn't take long to hit the beach.

The weather was pleasantly cool, with just two mornings of drizzle, and some lovely sunsets.

We ended most days with a beach fire and s'mores.

Jill is our fire builder. She learned well in Campfire Girls.

Jill is also our champion donut eater, going every morning to the bakery in Garibaldi. Sometimes we all went along for goodies.

We made the traditional visit to the old steam train across the street from the bakery in Garibaldi,

and then walked the docks to check out the fishing boats.

On Thursday afternoon Jake joined us, and Friday morning we headed to Tillamook. First stop, the Blue Heron Cheese shop and petting zoo.

The contented cows had given their morning milk and were resting in the rich, green pastures. Their milk was on it's way in big shiny stainless steel tanker trucks to the Tillamook Cheese Factory.

Here we sampled the cheese, enjoyed watching the cheese making process, checked out the large gift shop, and had ice cream for lunch!

Back on the beach. Isaac and Jake played beach ball soccer.

We all got together around the camp fire.

While it was wet outdoors, Jake and Isaac passed the time playing Lego.

Then it was time for some serious construction in the creek.

Tom's favorite activity, falling asleep with a book in a beach chair.

We went for beach walks and played in the surf.

And did some more digging.

Catch me, Grandpa is a favorite game.

And the Twin Rocks stood watch.

On The Road Again

I'm too tired to download and post pics tonight, so I'll just post a quick update. Today we went to the Museum of Flight, which is an excellent museum at Boeing Field in South Seattle. I have pics, and maybe I'll post a photo essay in the future. We regrouped at home, began packing, and then went to Tom's sister's house on Henderson Bay near Gig Harbor for dinner. There we visited with Tom's brother Dave and sister-in-law Vicki, who are up from California. Back home tonight, we have packed our bags and tomorrow morning we will set out for the little red cabin at Rockaway Beach, Oregon. I will be away from my blog until next week, so carry on, all you cyber friends, and I'll catch up with you later.

Seattle Seafair

There are two things that Seattlites take quite seriously - airplanes and boats -and we combine them in the culmination of the weeks long area celebration of summer, Seafair. That final event is the Seafair Cup Hydroplane Races and Air Show. Locals gather on the shores of Lake Washington to watch boats fly over the top of the lake and jets fly just above it. Friday is free and includes qualifying of the unlimited hydros (the big boats), unlimited lights (smaller but fast boats) and a practice performance of the Navy Blue Angels. Saturday and Sunday there is an admission charge, racing each day, and the air show. We have for years gone as a family on Friday, and then the big kids go again for the races on Sunday, while we stay home, now with the grandkids, and watch on TV. We set off early Friday morning for the first leg of the journey, riding the newly opened Link Light Rail. Then we shuttled by bus to the lake. The train was great, and a new experience for all of us.

We found a spot in the shade near the hydroplane pits. We watched some boat qualifying and then took a tour of the pits to get up close with the hydros.

In the pits they have a rule against open toed shoes, and Jill got caught. The solution was "racing tape" courtesy of the Formula One Racing Team, whose boats are red.

Now she's well protected.

Isaac was impressed by the size of the piston engine still used in one of the big boats. Piston engines were once used exclusively and are loved for their thunderous noise, hence, thunder boats, as the were fondly called.

He also got to meet the driver of his favorite boat, Steve David of the Oh Boy, Oberto Team.

Most of the big boats are now powered by turbine engines, originally from Chinook helicopters.

Back on the beach, we settled in to watch boats, eat our picnic lunch, and watch the air show.

One of the top contenders, the U-1 Oh Boy, Oberto...

...and the red Formula boat.

After testing and qualifying, the hydros are hauled out of the water and back on the trailers.

The crowds begin to gather and fill up the shore, in anticipation of the Blue Angels.

The log boom fills up with boats, like this sweet little number, and the boats fill up with watchers.

Much to the chagrin of motorists, the I-90 bridge is closed to traffic, and fills up with foot traffic.

The Blue Angels are preceded by their cargo plane, Fat Albert, who has a few tricks of his own.

Then it's time for the Blues.

When the air show was over we worked our way back home, by bus, train and car. We were hot and tired, but we all had a great time.

Jill and Corey joined Jake back at the lake today, where I understand Jill was captured by pirates. Arrrgh!