AndyO Blog

I finally got a good night's sleep, so I woke up at 9:00 a.m. refreshed and ready for adventure. The original plan was to take the Stehekin Bus to Rainbow Falls, and then walk back (about 3 miles one way). But we got a little behind schedule and missed the bus, which only runs every few hours. Instead, we decided to bike.

Ordinarily, biking would be a no-brainer, but Drew is actually still learning to ride. The night before, we'd tried out a "co-pilot" tandem, where a smaller bike with a back wheel is attached to a full size bike; but it felt incredibly unstable.The other option was one of those bike trailers.

The guy at Discovery Bikes said the tandem would be much better, and explained how once the back rider starts pedaling it stabilizes. So Drew and I gave it a test ride, and it worked!

Stehekin Pastry Company

Soon we were pedaling toward our first destination, the Stehekin Pastry Company bakery. While the bike felt stable, every once in a while Drew would lean over too far, and I'd need to compensate. This was unnerving when the road narrowed or cars passed by.

As Brenda rode behind us, she told Drew "not to lean." Well, he didn't like that too much and said he wanted to go back. Fortunately, we arrived at the bakery.

The Stehekin Pastry Company is the perfect pit stop for bikers, hikers, and kids who want to turn around. Serving an assortment of pastries, sandwiches, ice cream, and drinks, it's located about 2 miles from the Stehekin Landing. The alpine ambience and friendly staff make you feel at home -- like eating at your favorite neighborhood restaurant.

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We ended up getting cookies, a lemon bar, and a blackberry scone (all of them delicious). Most importantly, it was enough to get Drew back on the bike.

Rainbow Falls

The trek to Rainbow Falls was difficult in places because of a few steep hills. When it got a little too tough, I jumped off the bike and walked . Along the way, we stopped at the Old Stehekin School. This is a one-room school -- like what I remember seeing on the show Little House on the Prairie. 

According to the Stehekin Heritage Guidebook, the school was built in 1921 and was used for 67 years. A new school was built for the 1988-89 school year for students in Kindergarten through 8th grade (students have to move elsewhere to go to High School).

I liked how the room featured artwork and posters from students about the history of the school and Stehekin area. A message on the chalkboard read, "This is a historic building. Please treat it with respect."

After getting buzzed by (surprise!) bees and a few mosquitoes, we biked the steepest part of our journey to Rainbow Falls. When we got there, a red Stehekin Bus was parked in the turnaround (probably the bus we would have taken had we not biked).

Rainbow Falls is a towering 312-foot waterfall that drops onto a few different rocky terraces. The last section creates a beautiful fan of water spilling into an inviting alpine pool. Since the park ranger-led tour had left, we had the place pretty much to ourselves (and the hundreds of mosquitoes trying to attack us).

Stehekin Pastry Company - Part II

Once we left Rainbow Falls, we coasted down those same hills that had taken so much effort to climb. I often forget how exhilarating it is to fly down a steep hill on a bike, which Drew was experiencing for the first time. (It also makes me realize why people love motorcycles.) I actually slowed us down a little, since I knew Drew wasn't used to this kind of speed on a bike.

As we sped along, I started noticing amazing views that I'd missed on the way up -- when my vision had been narrowed by concentration and fatigue. One view was so spectacular, I had to stop to take a picture (which meant Drew had to stop, too). As I stood there, I heard the screech of a hawk echo above.

Then, for the second time that day, we stopped at the Stehekin Pastry Company. This time, I ordered one of their sandwiches on homemade bread (again, excellent). And then we were off again.

As we biked along Lake Chelan, the views in the mid-afternoon light were stunning, with towering mountain peaks, streaming sunlight, and deep blue water. I was starting to realize how Stehekin was joining my short list of magical places that include Cannon Beach, Oregon; Whistler, B.C.; Tofino, B.C; Monterey, California; and all of Hawaii.

Whenever I'm visiting these magical places, I think of what it would be like to live there. Then I realize that visiting is part of the magic -- that it takes on an idealized state in memory. You don't get to see the effort that goes into living in a place like Stehekin, which is dependent on boats and planes for many supplies. Maybe that's part of the appeal?

I was already thinking about when we could return.

Labels: Lake Chelan, Stehekin, Travels, Vacation, Washington State

As a kid, I can remember being cooped up in the family station wagon with my brother and sister, touring Idaho, Wyoming, Washington, and Montana. So when an Olson Family Reunion was planned for Big Sky, Montana, I knew we'd be driving -- instead of flying (in a station wagon, no less).

Day 1 (July 27) - Seattle to Spokane: 420 miles

After spending Thursday and Friday in Vancouver B.C. for a Rush show with Cameron, we drove home on Saturday (141 miles). In Seattle, we picked up Brenda and Drew (and stopped for a little while) then got back on the road. After 5-1/2 hours of driving, we stopped for the night in Spokane (279 miles).

Photo: Ryegrass rest stop (looking West), about halfway between Seattle and Spokane

Day 2 (July 28) - Spokane, WA, to Big Sky, MO: 431 miles

Unfortunately all of my driving and lack of sleep started to catch up with me. I felt foggy as we headed out of Spokane at 12:30 p.m. But the incredible mountain scenery seemed to wake me up.

On this day, we would cross no fewer than three states on our way to Big Sky: Washington, Idaho, and Montana. In Idaho, the speed limit increased to 75 mph. Driving became easier, with people staying out of the left lane except to pass. For some reason, the farther we drove toward Montana the less we saw motorcyclists wearing helmets.

My parents, who were driving about four hours ahead of us on I-90, called about a billboard for a "Testicle Festival," so we were on the lookout.

Photo: Driving in Montana

Around 2:00 p.m., we crossed the Montana state line. Because Montana is on Mountain Time, we lost an hour. So it was really 3:00 p.m. (I would feel the loss of this hour as the day wore on.)

And then we saw it: A billboard for the Testicle Festival in Clinton. (No, I didn't get a photo.) But I started wondering who might go to something like this. Later, I found this on the website:

The Testy Fest is neither about balls or breast, it's about having a good time.  One might say it's an odd family reunion, you usually see the same people every year and new people are always welcome.  You don't have to earn your beads, or anything of the sort, but you can always have fun & find something to do.  Everyone is always welcoming.

The deeper I investigated this event, the more I saw that the Testicle Festival was about "balls and breasts." There are also beads involved. Here's a list of the contests for those who dare to look.

As we continued driving, the scenery changed from mountains to flat desert scrub, similar to what you see in Eastern Washington. All day we'd seen wildfires burning in the distance, and as we drove through Montana the brilliant blue sky started turning a hazy gray. It also seemed to affect Brenda's allergies.

Around 4:30, we rolled into Missoula. This was supposed to be our lunch stop, but the lost hour made it a dinner stop. After driving around town looking for a restaurant (a lot of places were closed on a Sunday), we found the Iron Horse Bar and Grill. It was exactly what we were looking for.

Photo: Downtown Missoula

Cameron and Drew noticed the slot machines in the bar as we walked to our table. One difference from Washington State is that children can be in the bar. I promised the boys we'd play the $1 slot machine after our dinner. I thought I'd use this as an opportunity to show them how quickly you lose, but we ended up winning on the first pull. It took five minutes to burn through that dollar!

Photo: Cameron and Drew love the slot machine

Then we were back on the road. Around Butte, the sky grew purple, and fat raindrops started splattering the windshield (cleaning off those bugs!). Brenda slept through most of it.

I saw a billboard advertising Evel Knievel Days, which I probably would have stopped at if I had time. (Like most kids who grew up in the 70s, I was a huge fan of Evel.) Here's a description from the website:

Evel Knievel's hometown of Butte, MT plays host to the worlds greatest celebration for the Worlds Greatest Daredevil in the finest fashion.

Started in 2002, the three-day event draws thousands of visitors from all over the world to the Mining City. Evel Knievel Days is held annually the fourth weekend of July. The 2013 festival will be July 25, 26, 27 with subsequent dates as follows

Photo: Outside Butte

Before our final push to Big Sky, we stopped at the Town Pump in Three Forks (also a Casino!). While the Town Pump was a great rest stop, it did have the distinction of having the worst smelling bathroom on the entire trip.

I also noticed how the gas prices were shockingly low: $3.88 for Premium unleaded, compared to more than $4.00 in Seattle.

It was after our turnoff at Belgrade when I really started to feel the loss of that hour from crossing into Mountain time. Darkness closed in quickly, and fog and mist hung eerily above the road. Passing trucks blasted spray at us from the wet road, reducing visibility even more. Finally we lost our cell signal, which we were using to navigate to the 320 Ranch near Big Sky.

As we headed into the Gallatin Gateway, the darkness became absolute. It was at this point I turned to Brenda and said, "I'm not sure I can keep going." I'd been driving for close to 6 hours, and my ability to concentrate was depleted. Brenda offered to drive, but I thought I could keep going with her help. Brenda finally remembered the mile marker for the 320 Ranch, which we checked when we got a tiny cell signal.

We arrived at the 320 Ranch after 10:00 p.m. The front desk was closed, but they'd left our key and paperwork for us. Only there was no key. Thinking the doors might just be unlocked, we drove through more darkness to our cabin on the Gallatin River. It was indeed locked up, so we headed back to the office. Fortunately, a staff person at the restaurant was able to get us a key.

We got into our cabin and unloaded under one of the most brilliant night skies I've ever seen -- second only to Santa Fe, New Mexico.

And then I collapsed on the bed.

Labels: Vacation, Yellowstone 2013

I actually woke up before 10:00 a.m., which is a record for me on the weekend. In fact, we were out the door and sitting in Mia's Cafe in Eastsound before 10:00. The food was excellent, made with top-quality ingredients and imagination.

After breakfast, I headed to Darvill's bookstore and Brenda went to Moon Glow arts and crafts. It was such a luxury to be able to browse a bookstore without kids. However, unlike some of the smaller "Independent" bookstores that I love so much -- like Cannon Beach Books -- Darvill's didn't seem to have the selection of books that a smaller bookstore can really highlight -- or at least not ones I was interested in.

The two books I was looking for weren't there, and the person working at the front didn't really want to help me look (she was distracted by a family situation, which I totally understand). I still ended up buying three books.

After that, we wandered around the shops in Eastsound. One of the galleries had the most realistic dolls I'd ever seen -- bordering on creepy.

There was also a farmer's market going on that day, with arts, crafts, and food, but we didn't have an appetite for any of it having just eaten breakfast. Still, it was fun to look (and smell).

The real destination for us that morning was Orcas Island Pottery, a short drive from Eastsound, and one of Brenda's favorite shops in the entire world.

Orcas Island Pottery has a vibe all its own, with pottery placed throughout the property, as well as in a few rooms.

One side of the property has a spectacular view across the water to Waldron Island.

In the main house, I found the nicest cat. I wasn't sure if he wanted to be petted, but his loud purring telling me to just go ahead. 

Something new at Orcas Island Pottery was the best tree house I'd ever seen. Just look at the way this thing is constructed. Inside there was a playroom for kids, with a play oven and kitchen. There was another room above this one that I didn't look in.

Brenda was debating whether she should replace a set of beautiful blue bowls which had broken over time with new ones. I told her to do it. The bowls ended up being designed by the owner of Orcas Island Pottery.

Hanging out

After our shopping expedition, Brenda went off to a kayak excursion, and I lay around in peaceful bliss. I know that it might not sound that exciting, but reading, working on the computer, and admiring the view was the best thing I could do at that time. I think Brenda felt the same way about what she was doing.

Olga Cafe

For dinner, we went to the famous Olga Cafe in, you guessed it, the town of Olga. Our server was a spirited young woman, who had a lot of tables but seemed to be doing fine.

I ordered steak, and Brenda ordered Chicken Marsalis.

One thing I considered ordering was the famous cashew nut and chicken salad sandwich. But they were out of it. Actually, they seemed to be out of a lot of things. We heard people asking about certain items, and the server would say, "Sorry, we're out of that."

Fortunately, the steak was good. As was the pie.

Unavoidable Eavesdropping

That night, I was back on the computer, and Brenda was working on home made jewelry. As we relaxed, we couldn't help overhearing the conversation the people were having on the deck above us. It seemed like such a banal conversation for two people who were sharing a hotel room -- the kinds of things you think you'd already know.

We heard all about his college. And more about his college (he really liked it, I guess). I could only make out words here and there, and we finally closed our sliding glass door so we didn't have to hear any more about his school.

Brenda said something to the effect of, "Just go ahead and do it already!" as if all this talk about his school was some kind of foreplay.

And if you're wondering, curious reader, we didn't hear anything upstairs after they shut their door and went to bed.

Labels: Orcas Island, Travels, Vacation, Washington State

After eating dinner, we walked over and toured Rosario mansion, which has a fascinating story. The mansion was built by a man named Robert Moran as his retirement home. Before that, Robert Moran had been one of Seattle's great industrialists.

Robert Moran - Shipbuilder, Mayor, Businessman

In 1875, Moran came to Seattle by way of New York City, with only 10 cents in his pocket. Soon he found a job as a ship's engineer, and through hard work built a marine repair business on the Seattle wharf with his brothers.

Moran also experienced success in politics, becoming mayor of Seattle in 1888. In 1889, with just a month left in his mayoral term (mayors served only one year at this time), the "Great Seattle Fire" destroyed much of Seattle's downtown business district. Moran's leadership helped Seattle recover -- and even prosper -- from the disaster and helped win his re-election. A sign in the mansion reads, "Over a six-month period after the fire, with businesses operating out of tents, the population of Seattle doubled."

The fire had also destroyed Moran's own company, but he used it as an opportunity to move his business location. The Moran Brothers were back in business quickly and helped in the rebuilding of Seattle.

In the mid-1890s, the Moran Brothers branched out into shipbuilding, and built many ships for the Klondike Gold Rush. But their greatest achievement was the U.S.S. Nebraska, the flagship of the U.S. Navy's "Great White Fleet."

All the years of hard work and stress took their toll, and Moran collapsed from exhaustion. The prognosis wasn't good. He was told by his doctors he only had a year or so to live. Hearing this news, he sold his ship building company and retired to Orcas Island.

This is when Moran's true life's work began. He would live not one or two more years -- but another 38, defying his doctors' predictions. (If he'd kept running his shipbuilding company, he probably would have proved his doctors right.)

A new beginning

When Moran arrived on Orcas Island, he set out to build a mansion equal to any ship he'd ever built. The design of the mansion was based on The Arts and Crafts movement, which, according to the Rosario Resort website:

… had emerged as a revolt to the industrial revolution from a humanist perspective. The shift of labor from man to machine had robbed craftsmen of the pleasure of seeing their work through from conception to completion, as the traditional values of quality and beauty were being replaced by economy and profit.    

Walking through the second floor, and the spa downstairs, reminded me of pictures I'd seen of the Titanic's interior -- with all the beautiful woodwork, stained glass, and attention to detail.

Again, from the Rosario website:

Moran's dedication to the Arts and Crafts mindset is evident throughout the mansion with its rich mahogany paneling, earthen tone tiles, stain glass lighting, and unique fireplace hearths. Centerpiece of the mansion is the Music Room, featuring a two story 1913 Aeolian pipe organ, 1900 Steinway grand piano, a Belgian stain-glass window picturing the harbor at Antwerp, and two mezzanine libraries overlooking a Tiffany chandelier, which depicts various performing arts.

As I walked through the rooms, I could feel Moran's presence everywhere. Here was a man dreamed big, who cared about every detail -- and who obviously spared no expense.

Panoramic view of the music room:

Panoramic view from the piano, looking back:

Close-up of the stained glass in the music room depicting the harbor in Antwerp, Belgium:

Close up of tile work above the mantle depicting sailing ships:

I even read that Moran designed and built a new hinge for the doors that wouldn't squeak. I tried a few of them, and they still worked without a sound.

After we returned to our room, I looked across the bay to the mansion; I was eerily reminded of the Titanic plying the Atlantic waters on that calm night long ago. While the Titanic, as well as the ships that Moran built, was gone, the Rosario Mansion remains.

For more about Robert Moran, see the following links, which I used to write this entry:

Rosario Resort website

Wikipedia Article on Robert Moran

Washington State History: a biographical sketch of Robert Moran

Labels: History, Orcas Island, Travels, Vacation, Washington State

This weekend, Brenda and I traveled north of Seattle to Orcas Island, which is located in the San Juan Islands. What made this trip different was going without our two boys, thanks to my brother and his wife Helen. (It's not that we don't love being with our kids; but, as Brenda pointed out, this is the first two-night getaway we've had since Cameron was born 10 years ago.)

We left Seattle a lot later than Brenda wanted and drove up to Anacortes. Before we left, we stopped at McDonald's, Starbucks, and the gas station. At the gas station, I saw a few interesting signs at the pump:

As soon as we drove closer to the ferry terminal in Anacortes, the line of cars became like rush hour in Seattle (and it was only 11:45 a.m.!). This is when Brenda turned to me and said, "And now you know why I wanted to leave at 8:30."

As with most things like this, Brenda was right.

It took us an hour to get to the toll both, where we paid $57.00 to wait in line for our boat. But instead of getting on the 12:30 boat, we were scheduled for the 3:45 boat.

Fortunately, this was the kind of day you dream about in the Pacific Northwest: 75-degrees, clear blue skies, sparking water. We got out of the hot car and went to the Ferry Terminal for lunch.

We bought sandwiches and chips, and sat on stools that faced the ferry dock area. But after about 10 minutes, we were kicked out of this area when the Sidney, British Columbia, ferry came in from Canada, as they use this lunch room for U.S. Customs.

Later we returned to the car, where we both worked on our laptops, which must have looked funny to people walking by. With all the windows rolled down, it was a little cooler, but my computer's fan was whirring louder than usual, and I was sweating.

As we sat there, they made announcements over the loudspeaker system. At first, they said something like, "We're now loading for the delayed sailing to Friday Harbor. All aboard!"

But when a new announcer started his shift, he called it what it was: "We're awaiting the arrival of the late ferry to Orcas and Shaw Islands."

The ferry was indeed late. It was supposed to sail at 3:45, but we didn't leave the dock until at least 4:45. For some reason, I didn't mind all that much. 

Even though the boat was full, there didn't seem to be as many people in the passenger area. Brenda said that this probably was due to fewer people walking on the boat as "foot passengers" (you really need a car to get around on Orcas Island).

 

After 7:00 we finally arrived at our destination on Orcas, Cascade Harbor Inn. This hotel sits at the end of Eastsound Bay, across from Rosario Resort. Here was the view from our deck:

There was also a doe hanging out under another deck:

After unloading the car, we ran off to dinner at Cascade Bay Grill next to Rosario Resort, as it was closing at 8:00. As we sat outside next to the boats, Brenda mentioned how incredible it was that we had a place like the San Juan Islands so close to Seattle. Having traveled the world a little, I had to agree that it was a special place.

Labels: Travels, Vacation