Next stop - Port Townsend, Washington

While the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Show had just ended the day before, there were some remnants remaining of what was seen.

After a long day in the car and a ferry ride to get to Port Townsend, we picked up some dungeness crabs already cooked for dinner. Our hotel had a fabulous view featuring a picnic table out back where we dined and relaxed planning our next leg of the trip.

Fishing boats, sail boats and such were passing into dock near our hotel.

The morning view of low tide and sunrise was calming.

Downtown Port Townsend had some funky posh boutiques to admire the next morning before we ventured to the Hoh Rain Forest.

Invitation to the Pesce B & B

About 7 years ago when we were in the midst of selling it all, Randall and I met my step mothers 1st grade life long friend, Sandy Pesce. Sandy and her husband Larry have been reading about our adventures through the years. Larry, reading that we were headed their way, invited us to stay at their luxurious B & B in Carnation Washington for a night or 2. We took them up on the offer and were so glad we did! First class accommodations that featured wonderful meals and a tour of Seattle were so appreciated!

The view of Mount Rainier from the Pesce B & B back yard!

Hiram M. Chittenden Locks - Seattle, WA

Pike's Market in Elliot Bay, Seattle

entertainment in the streets

Pike's Market in Elliot Bay, Seattle

Randall and Austin on our way to Carnation, Washington on our way to see Larry and Sandy.

Saying goodbye

Time to say good bye to Whitefish Montana....

passionate skyes

dramatic sunsets

elk through the binoculars in the pastures

and a wonderful family we originally met in the Caribbean who shared their guest home with us for the past 2 months. We're getting ready to say goodbye for now.

Stillwater Lake, boating to the campsite

You know we are so lucky to have Ken and Janet not only have us stay with them at their guest home these past 2 months, but in addition have them as our own private local tour guides with all the knowledge and all the water toys, hiking gear, camping gear etc! Plus, Ken is a well versed professional geologist in addition to being a timber framer. So in all of our hiking, boating, camping and exploring expeditions, Ken has shared a wealth of truly interesting facts and stories with us about what we are seeing where ever we go as it relates to the earths features and natural wonders.

Here we, Austin, Randall, Ken and I, are all packed up on the Boston Whaler and one canoe heading to our campsite near Stillwater Lake. Not all of us could or wanted to go on this excursion.

Randall set our tent on a flat rock surfaced cliff over looking the river. I wasn't too keen at first on the rock idea but he was right again. It was perfect. Of course with an air mattress how couldn't it be! Beautiful rushing water sounds all night long were lulling.

At the campsite we watched Austin having fun in the canoe.

No time to rest after arriving and setting up camp we journeyed down Stillwater river till we could go no further.

At first the air was still and the water was like a mirror and crystal clear and clean!

Spectacular mirror images were around us.

There were 4 of us and Reggae in the canoe. Only 3 paddles so I was considered luggage!

We stopped here for a bit and then headed back...

Well Randall loves his Leatherman and he just loves to create things! We forgot the spatula,

so he whittled one for us!

Worked just perfect.

Ken figured this was the remains of a cabin built 50 to 100 years ago and used by the loggers. Upon returning home he looked in one of his local books and he was right! There were loggers on Stillwater lake about 80 years ago living in log cabins on Stillwater Lake!

I was glad they didn't get to climb. Less worry for me. Ken and Austin are checking out this cliff as a possible climb. The darn thing goes straight up! Ken even has all the climbing gear they would need to do it. But the weather the next day was drizzly so the idea was scratched! ;)