Northwest Trip

4-15 September 2020

Back to the Great Outdoors!

Bountiful temple

Delicious food from The Celt Pub & Grill in Idaho Falls

Idaho Falls temple

Montana State Capitol

Glacier National Park

Going-to-the-sun road

So crowded! I circled the parking lot for like 20 minutes.

Hanging by Saint Mary lake

Avalanche Creek

Beautiful beach at Sandpoint

Inexplicable miniature Lady Liberty on a short pier at the beach. I was amazed at how many people were at the park and I think I saw only 2 people in masks.

Spokane temple. The temple president was there working on the grounds and he let me wander them even though they were closed

Coolest slide ever!

The wind kicked up as I was at the falls in Spokane on the morning I left.

Just got worse and worse as I drive through Eastern Washington. Plus the smoke from the fires burning all over the western states.

Leavenworth was smoke-free and gorgeous!

The shops were fun. Fudge for Teri (and of course some for me as well!)…

…and incredible chocolates including fresh mint that actually tastes like the plant. Amazing! I ordered some a month later when I was stuck at home in face pain

I sat here next to the river and ate veggie brats, San pelligrino, fudge, and yummy gelato

North Cascades National Park

This place is incredible!

Got in the water, even took a spin on the paddle board I borrowed from Anne

The campground was so peaceful that I stayed for hours in my comfy chair watching Gravity Falls

Hiked up and around a random little waterfall near Ross Lake

Scary scary Deception Pass bridge

Seattle temple

Darling bookstore named for Ada Lovela…I mean Taylor 🙂

Emptiest Pike Place market you ever did see…but still scored crack berries, some of those yummy mini donuts, and the amazing chowder.

Took the ferry across to Poulsbo where I visited Jim, Julia, and Anneke before continuing on to Olympic

Drove through this cute little town on the Olympic peninsula. A lady at the general store gave me a free “I 💚 Joyce” bumper sticker when I told her it was my mom’s name and that she had died

Stayed at this cute little loft for a couple of nights

This is what runs right past the backyard 🙂

Hurricane Ridge…the mountainous part of Olympic National Park

Sol Duc Rainforest

and Hoh Rainforest…the lush green parts

Kalaloch Beach…the beach part of the park

Ocean…I sure love you

Washington State Capitol building through the haze. I couldn’t go on to Mount Rainier because of fire danger 😦

The beach house ended up being a huge disappointment

Zero visibility and smoke inhalation danger can sure put a damper on a trip to the beach

I felt extra bad because Alex drove all the way out to spend a few days with me at the beach

We made the best of our beach house quarantine. Baked cookies, got Tillamook ice cream, built a puzzle, and streamed Timpanogos Storytelling events.

Devil’s Punchbowl

Yaquina Head lighthouse. From your nightmares.

Newport. Went to Oregon Coast Aquarium for an otter stuffed animal for Spencer and Westin and some incredible cobbler at Georgie’s for Jul

Rockaway Beach

Decided to brave more possible fire issues and continue down through Oregon into California instead of going home through the Columbia River gorge and Idaho. First stop…my favorite temple. Portland.

Oregon State Capitol

Crescent Lake

Crater Lake. You may have to take my word for it. 🙂

Medford temple. Hey maybe the mask helps with particulates too! 🙂

Here is where the extremely disappointing and abrupt end to this trip occurs. I drove 2 hours from Medford toward the redwoods only to be turned around by closed roads. Had to drive all the way back to Medford and then back to Utah and cancel all of my Northern California plans. I was so bummed.