USA – North west, Seattle and surrounds

After 4 years of living in the US, and many weekends and vacations travelling across the country, when looking at the map of where I had been – there was a big gap in the North West. Apart from Seattle, this place was an area I really didn’t have any idea of what was actually there. Most other areas in the US have big tourist draw cards, or have been featured in well known movies, but the NW felt like it was more out of reach and relatively unknown – a perfect place for a 10 day mini road trip!

Highlights of trip:

  • The drive around Mt Olympus, sleeping in three different campgrounds. Seeing very remote beaches at sunrise (including Ruby Beach)
  • Visiting birthplace of Kurt Cobain, and literally sitting on the ‘muddy banks of the wishkah
  • Seeing the beautiful fall leaves – yes even in the NW it is beautiful.
  • Visiting Astoria (Oregon) and the mouth of the Colombia River into the ocean, then trailing the Colombia River inland – some great river views. The Columbia River is massive!
  • Some even more remote campsites behind Mt Rainier, and charming towns such as Packwood.
89

Ruby Beach before sunrise. It was safe to say I was the only one here.

88

The muddy banks of the Wishkah!

87

Around the North West were these Coffee drive thru shops. The quality of the Coffee varied greatly.

86

Astoria (Oregon that is, not NYC), a lovely little town on the mouth of the Columbia River.

84

Mt Rainier, take mid morning from the eastern side of the mountain. There were waves of fog and I managed to sneak this pic in just before another wave.