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Tag: explore
Charm of Historic Fairhaven ~Bellingham , Wa
Visiting Fairhaven feels like you have just stepped into a hallmark movie. Unique shops and twinkle lights everywhere pulls you into the magic of this beautiful town.
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With its charm also comes history .Fairhaven was settled in 1853, and started out as a booming manufacturing hub , it has since been designated as a National Historic District.
It is also host to the annual Ski to Sea race which takes place on Memorial Day weekend. The Ski to Sea race is accompanied by the Historic Fairhaven Festival, a street festival in Fairhaven to celebrate participants completing the relay race.
If you find yourself in Washington State , this is definitely a stop to add to your itinerary⭐️
Powell’s city of Books ~Bookstore
Powell’s City of Books in downtown Portland has just about any kind of book you are looking for. There are so many floors of books! You could stay there for a whole day and still want to go back the next day to see more.
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Located in downtown Portland ,the store pretty much fills up a city block . That’s kinda cool to think about….a city block of multiple floors of books. Wow! A book lovers dream.
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So grab your list of books you are looking for and go.. you are sure to mark a few off your list .If you have been there , let me know what you love in the comments ⭐️
Colchuck Lake ~Gateway to the Enchantments ~Hiking in the Cascade Mountains
Colchuck Lake has easily become a yearly favorite . The first time I ever had the privilege of doing this hike it turned into a crazy day . We had an injury in our group, we experienced bouldering for the first time , many of us ran out of water , it took us way longer then we planned , and we met our first skinny dippers at the lake 😂 Since then, we have had so many laughs looking back at that first time.
Here is some of the first boulders we experienced.. but stay to the right and you will find a path that makes it easy to get through.
This hike is so captivating that when you first get the glimpses of the water you are in awe that you have just stumbled on this hidden gem . It is surrounded by two of Washington’s tallest peaks ,Dragontail and Colchuck Peak. Literally, I could stay there all day ! So beautiful and the water is so clear .
Colchuck Lake is one of the two gateways to the Enchantments. It’s an iconic hike in itself but if you want to challenge yourself more ,you can continue on to Aasgard Pass, the door to the Enchantment Core. Makes me think of a portal to another world , which now after doing Aasgards ,it actually does seem like a whole different world you step into . Look for that post later!
Here are our stats⬇️
📍Colchuck Lake
🧭 Leavenworth, Wa
🥾 8.7 miles RT ( we came in at 10.55)
🏔️ 2342ft elevation gain ( we gained 2491)
⭐️ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple
Check out the full reel of our adventure ⬇️
And check out our post of the cutest Bavarian Starbucks we went to after our hike
Jakob Two Trees ~Northwest Trolls : Way of the Bird King
“A thousand circle suns, not old
Time will stretch and loop and fold
So stop, breathe out, breathe in, behold
The trees have sung a story told”
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Jakob is located in Issaquah and stands around 14-ft. tall, looking as future friends come to find him . You will find him paused between two trees as if to say peek a boo to all who pass by. He is fashioned entirely out of recycled materials, and wears a necklace of birdhouses.
One of the unique things about Jakob,is he is the first troll who has a ponytail with the ponytail holder and bracelet he is wearing made by the Snoqualmie Tribe.I love how this connects and weaves Coast Salish tribal communities with Danish and Scandinavian traditions, all through the beauty of environmental art.
Jakob Two Trees is one of the six trolls that are part of the Northwest Trolls: Way of the Bird King created by Thomas Dambo .The other trolls are on Bainbridge Island; Ballard, Seattle; Portland, Vashon Island and West Seattle. Check out our post below of the other trolls:)
And here is the link for the Troll Map to find them all ⬇️
https://trollmap.com/#/jakobtwotrees
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Kamiak Butte Trail
Kamiak Butte Trail is a beautiful trail tucked into the rolling Palouse farmland and comes with some great view points that is near Pullman ,Wa.
It was the perfect trail to stretch our legs after a long drive and take in the beauty of the area. I love that the landscape is so differant there . It reminds me of parts of Texas with its rolling fields that look like a quilt of patched farmland everywhere you look.
There is also a beautiful park with playground by the parking lot if you are looking to have a picnic with views and want to skip the hike.
Here are the stats ⬇️
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📍Kamiak Butte Trail
🧭 Palouse , Wa
🥾 2.5miles RT ( we came in at 2.57)
🏔️ 715ft elevation gain ( we gained 704)
⭐️ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple
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Mystery of the Climb
What does climbing mean to you?
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For me…There is something about each step I take on the way to the summit. There is a release of everything in my mental to do list or all the things in my life that are demanding my attention . Instead , my mind is filled with awe in all the beautiful details that I know my picture or video will not capture as accurately as I see it . Then the next step , the emptying of all my strength and full reliance on Gods strength, and constantly saying to myself “Oh my goodness , I can’t believe I’m doing this!! Praise be to God!”
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Wherever you are today in whatever journey your on , I pray that you will keep going …one step at a time. If you have any summit plans I would love to hear ..drop it in the comments below so I can be praying for you ⬇️
Lake 22 Trail
Lake 22 was one of the most beautiful hikes we did in 2024 . The pics don’t even begin to do it justice or show just how huge the rocks are…Amazing!
This trail was not at all what I expected. With the elevation being under 2000 gained I was thinking easy but it was not. It was a great workout and the views were stunning! It was rocky which I wasn’t expecting and had some bouldering .
Definitely one of my top favs!
The stats for this trail are ⬇️
📍 Lake 22 Trail
🧭 Granite Falls, Wa
🥾 5.9 miles RT ( we came in at 8.38)
🏔️ 1446 ft elevation gain ( we gained 1526ft)
⭐️ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple
Check out our reel below ⬇️
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah ~ Book Review
Are you ready to read a book you can’t put down? Kristin Hannah The Nightingale is it!
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This historical fiction follows two very different sisters throughout their lives. Both sisters navigate their worlds very differently as they grapple with WW2 and the Nazi occupation of France and as they soon learn they are stronger than they could have ever imagined.
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There are a few parts of the book that were extremely difficult to read so please be aware of that if you are sensitive. They are short but important to the story. I’m glad my friends encouraged me to finish it and skip over the one section because it was so worth it!
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Kristin did a great job of really developing each sisters story and following them in their journey of healing as a family , fighting for others even when it meant they had to let go and bringing it all together in the end.Such a good book!!
Espresso Chalet
Espresso Chalet has one of the best views of Mount Index . It was the perfect stop to grab coffee after hiking Wallace Falls & Heybrook Lookout. Both hikes are within a few miles of each other with the Espresso Chalet between them. Look for the Bigfoot and you will know you are there.
We ordered our drinks and then went to soak in some more Mountain views… amazing! Perfect place to stretch your legs and grab some drinks or snacks before heading home .
A fun fact : this was an official location from the movie Harry and the Hendersons … anyone remember that movie?
Check out our reel below ⬇️
