On the Road Again

As many of you know, we were supposed to be wrapping up a grand adventure to Alaska.  We planned to leave in May and come home around now.   Thanks to Covid-19, we had to scrap those plans 😒  If you follow Mom and Dad on Facebook, you've seen that they've been logging miles on day hikes near to where we live.  I haven't been joining them.  At 13+ years old, I'm not up for much hiking, so I've been taking advantage of the peace and quiet to snooze.  

We've all gone out on monthly outings with our camping club, but other than that, we've all been hanging out at stationary home.  We've been getting antsy to hitch up the Jeep and take the rolling house out for a real trip, so Mom made a plan to connect our September camping club outing on Whidbey Island, Washington to the October outing in Cle Elum, Washington, with a loop through Idaho.

THEN, the wildfires started. 😢  We are thankful that the fires weren't near our stationary house, but this photo shows you air quality in Washington in early September.

Wednesday, September 16 - Yesterday we drove from home to Whidbey Island, got settled into the RV Park and caught up with all our friends (11 people, 6 dogs, and 1 cat).   The air quality is a little better on Whidbey Island than it is at home.  This morning we all hung out in the motor home and then this afternoon Mom and Dad went for a hike around Cornet Bay with a couple of their friends.  The air may look bad to you, but it looks much better to us!

Deception Pass bridge and Cornet Bay. 
The bridge connects Whidbey Island to the mainland.

Thursday, September 17 - This morning Mom and Dad went out for a drive around Whidbey Island.  I decided to hang out at the RV and take a nap.  They told me that they went on a little hike and saw some of the local sites.

A spider web outlined in the morning dew.

World War II gun battery at Fort Ebey State Park

Block House at Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve. 
Early settlers used structures like this as defense against Native Americans

They spent the rest of the day eating and chatting with friends back at the RV Park.  

Friday, September 18 - Mom and Dad took about a 4 mile hike with friends.  They went from the RV park through Deception Pass State Park to the Deception Pass Bridge.  

View from the bridge.  Fortunately for our lungs, that is
mostly fog and air quality is better.

View under the bridge

Saturday, September 19 - Our original plan was to say goodbye to our RV friends and go over the mountains to Eastern Washington.  The smoke is still bad over there, so we changed plans yesterday and went to Silver Falls County Park, near Maple Falls, Washington.  Mom and Dad plan to spend a few days to explore the Mount Baker Scenic Byway.

Our campsite.  We have a nice LONG campsite, with gravel edges
 and gravel patio for the provided picnic table.  It's a beautiful park 
with lots of space between camp sites, new 30/50 Amp Power poles,
and water.  We feel lucky to have found it. 

After getting settled in the camp site, Mom and Dad went for a drive on the Mount Baker Scenic Byway.  

Nooksack River

Nooksack Falls

Fun graffiti under the bridge near the falls

Picture Lake

Artist Point

It's rainy today with low clouds.  Normally, we'd be a little grumpy about that; however, the rain is welcome to help with the fires and smoke.  The forecast for tomorrow is better.  More on that next time.

Love,

Doolin