Mike and Beth's Adventures

T his summer’s exploration was meant to focus on the Puget Sound and Canada’s Gulf Islands. As every traveler eventually learns, flexibility is part of the adventure—especially when plans change without your permission. Ours certainly did. A wheel bearing on our boat trailer failed while we were rolling north on I‑5 near Salem, Oregon, abruptly transforming us into involuntary explorers of the Willamette Valley. If you’re going to get stranded somewhere, though, this is not a bad place to do it. More than 160 years ago settlers flocked here for its famously fertile land, and they chose well. The valley remains an agricultural powerhouse today. The Willamette Valley is known globally as the grass seed capital of the world , producing most of North America’s cool‑season forage and turf grass thanks to its wet winters and dry summers. But grass seed is only the beginning. The region supports more than 170 commercial crops , making it one of the most diverse agricultural areas in the count...

My brother has lived on the east coast since he graduated from college.  I'm the engineer in the family and he is the life sciences guru.  For the last 20 years or so, he has been a professor and Department Chair for the Pharmacy and Chemical Biology Department at the University of Pittsburgh. When ever we get together it's just like we are back in junior high school and we are just as goofy and irreverent and silly and full of bodily function jokes as we were as kids.  I wouldn't have it any other way. I never would have thought bike riding would be any good in urban Pittsburgh, but my brother has figured out how to take advantage of various bike paths and routes to string together fun rides.  Abandoned rail road right of ways have been converted to bike trails and former RR bridges have been reborn to allow pedestrians and bikers to cross the rivers which surround the town.  We biked from his house to Fort Pitt where   the  Monongahela  and...

Savanah Georgia Our 2500-mile eastward journey on Interstate 10 from near Los Angeles to Jacksonville Florida transitioned on this leg of our trip.  At Jacksonville we took a left turn and started travelling northward toward Chesapeake Bay. We chose the far southern route to avoid nasty weather, snow, and storm fronts that lingered in the mid-west.  Between Fairhope and Tallahassee, we did have one day of heavy rain, but it could have been much worse had we taken either Interstate 40 or 80. Florida Historic Capital Museum The stop in Tallahassee was short and decadent.  We opted for a Marriott with a gym and eating leftovers in our room.  Despite the rain, we were pleasantly surprised by the Tallahassee’s rolling hills.  Yes!  Hills in Florida!  We watched a movie on Amazon Prime, hit the sack and departed the next morning for Savanah Georgia.  I’m sure the town has much to offer.  We just didn’t have time to explore, and sadly, Ron DeSan...

Sidney has captured our hearts as the most lively, bustling, compact, everything you could want town on Vancouver Island.  Beacon Street is their main street and from the dock with the fabulous view of Mt Baker, to the many bakeries, restaurants, gift shops, grocery stores, and large grassy common area it invites you to slow down and spend the day.  If you range a bit further you will find excellent chandleries and boat yards,  We especially enjoy the Sea Glass Grill at Van Isle Marina.  It is our favorite lunch stop with many tempting and tasty menu selections. Sidney celebrates their waterfront location by preserving the view with extensive parks and broad walking paths along the shoreline.  It is a relaxing location to walk and enjoy the seaside ambiance.  No more than a couple of miles offshore is Sidney Spit.  This is an island that is almost entirely a Provincial Park and a day or overnight destination for boaters, sailors and kayakers,  The...

Otter Cove - North Pender Island Roesland Provincial Park Once a farm, Roesland became a resort in the 1920s and remained a popular resort until it closed in 1991. Many of the old cottages remain, and are fun to peek in. The owner's home, built in 1908, was converted for use by the Pender Islands Museum Society.  It is open on weekends and is a wonderful place for picnicking and relaxing and for learning about the history of North and South Pender Island. Watch for eagles, sea stars and Harbor seals.  We walked the path from the museum out to the point.  It is a short walk through the arbutus and Douglas fir trees.  Side trails provide access to the ocean on either side of the peninsula.   Otter Bay Resort is located on the far shore. At the tip of the peninsula there is a nice bench for sitting and admiring the view The head of the bay, and off Roesland Park, are good places to anchor Otter Bay Resort The Marina Office. The Island is serviced by a ferry fr...