Archive for the ‘road trip’ Category

Fall color in Eastern Washington

Tuesday, September 13th, 2011
Front Street, Leavenworth Washington

Leavenworth at its best dressed in fall colors

Nestled in the Cascade Mountain Range as it is, Leavenworth Washington is a perfect place from which to see the changing fall colors. There are breath-taking views all over the Cascade Loop Highway. One of our favorite trips was this same Cascade Loop taken in October several years ago.

Planning a fall trip? There’s an app for that!

Thursday, September 1st, 2011

If you’re planning a road trip this fall, to Leavenworth or elsewhere in Washington State, and if you have an iPhone, Android or other smart phone or mobile device, you’ll want some apps to make your road trip safer and more fun.
We use iPhones and an iPad so the following apps are from the iTunes Store. Some of these or similar apps may be available for Android or other mobile device.

Road Safety:
•Washington State Dept. of Transportation (WSDOT) Free
•AAA Roadside Free

Trip planning:
•AAA TripTik Mobile Free
•TripDoc-Travel Planner and Organizer $2.99
•Co-pilot Live $9.99 for iPhone app (we use it on the iPad.) Our favorite navigation tool. It takes some learning to get around in. So far it has all we need. You can upgrade to HD for iPhone or for iPad and pay for premium subscriptions. $4.99-$29.99. This app is a battery sucker. We plug a power adapter into the lighter adapter plug in the car.

Road-Trip Games:
•Road-Trip Bingo $0.99
•I Spy $0.99

Now that you’re in Leavenworth:
•Pension Anna-Where to eat and what to do. And if you’re staying at Pension Anna complementary use of an iPhone is part of their hospitality service.
•Yelp Free. Need to find services locally? Yelp lists local businesses.
•UrbanSpoon Free. Find local restaurants, read reviews.
•foursquare Free. Meet up with locals, get tips and hints. Share your recommendations with future travelers.

Share your trip:
•Instagram Free. Shoot and share: who, what, where
•Hipstamatic $1.99. Shoot and share cool photos with friends and on social media.
•Postagram Postcards Free app. $0.99 in-app purchase per postcard sent.

How about you? What are your favorite apps for your iPhone, iPad or other smart phones? Looking for great places to practice your iPhonography and play with some of those great photo apps? Check the last blog entry for inspiration and places to do some shutter snapping.

Washington State Scenic Byways & Road Trips

Friday, June 24th, 2011
Washington State's Scenic Byways and Roadtrips

New Publication

The new publication from Washington tourism, Scenic Byways & Road Trips, is a a full color, full-sized travel guide, now available from ExperienceWA. Washington State is unique in its diversity. Travel from the Mountains to the Sound or take any of the mountain pass greenways and byways. Travel a coastal byway or be mesmerized by the rolling hills of the Palouse Scenic Byway.

The road through the Palouse

The Palouse Scenic Byway

The travel guide includes State Scenic Byways, National Scenic Byways and All American Roads. To be designated a National Scenic Byway by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, a route must not only have natural beauty and breathtaking vistas, but also must demonstrate varied historical, cultural, archeological and recreational qualities. Beyond the designation of National Scenic Byway (of which there are five in Washington State) a byway can be further set apart as an All American Road.

All American Roads

An All American Road is named such when it’s determined that no other road exists like it and it is scenic enough to be a destination in and of itself. Two of the 31 designated All American Roads are in Washington State. These are: Chinook Pass Scenic Byway and the International Selkirk Loop.

Stevens Pass Greenway

The Stevens Pass Greenway is a designated National Scenic Byway and is a part of the Cascade Loop Scenic Byway. Leavenworth is at the heart of both routes. We have traveled the Cascade Loop and use the Stevens Pass Greenway often. The Stevens Pass Greenway follows the route of the old Great Northern Railway. It follows closely the routes of the Skykomish and Wenatchee rivers. Along the route you’ll find small communities, waterfalls, and day hike trails. The planner lists the drive-time for the greenway as 2 hours for a 90 mile stretch. There are a number of roadside produce stands, orchards and wineries and vineyards along the drive. You can also download a pdf of a Leavenworth itinerary at Savor Washington, the Washington State Department of Agriculture’s Culinary AgriTourism program.

The 440 mile Cascade Loop is described as, “a love letter to Washington.” It follows the Columbia River to Lake Chelan, treks through Winthrop and the Methow Valley. You’ll find amazing mountain views and journey right down to the Puget Sound at Whidbey Island. Our choice would be to start and end in Leavenworth. Visit the Cascade Loop Association for more information on the communities along the route.

The Cascade Loop is also home to a series of electric-car fast-charging stations. Read more about the Plug-in Stations and the first of the stations installed at Stevens Pass.

Washington State Scenic Byways & Road Trips is a great resource. Send for the free publication, or download the pdf if you’re not into the paper thing, and get all kinds of ideas for road trips and weekend getaways. Make Leavenworth your home base and explore Washington State and all of its beauty and diversity.

Dry Falls State Park, Coulee Corridor Scenic Byway

Dry Falls State Park, Coulee Corridor National Scenic Byway

Monday, February 9th, 2009

Thanks for the fun game, Hilary at The Smitten Image. A game of TV trivia, Hilary posted names for supporting character and recurring characters from some of our favorite TV shows both recent and in the distant past. I can’t resist a contest.
The Smitten Image’s mention of me and my blog has given me the impetus I needed to post on this blog again. Thank you, Hilary.
It’s been a very full year. I’ll give you a quick list of what’s gone on in my life since my last post.
In March our first grandchild was born. I had the immense privilege of, not only traveling to Norfolk to be there at the time of Gabriel William’s birth, but of actually being present in the delivery room. I’ll be forever grateful to my lovely daughter-in-law, Bridget, for allowing me to be there. Our son, Mark, and Bridget and Gabe have traveled several times back home here to Spokane in the ensuing year.
In May my husband, Scotte, and daughter, Kaarin, and took a road trip through Idaho, Montana, Utah and Colorado.
Our eventual destination was Buena Vista, Colorado where we welcomed another addition to our family. Patricia became a member of the clan when she married our oldest son, Andrew. We had a wonderful time. Patricia’s parents, Dean and Sue, are phenomenal hosts at the Bible camp where they serve. I’ll write more about our time there in a later post.
Kaarin flew home from Colorado. Scotte and I drove home north, through Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. We had a lovely time with friends in Fort Collins and enjoyed a few days in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks.
Both of these incredible places rank high on our list of favorite places.
Other major events this past year included: new jobs for both my husband, our daughter and myself; the passing of a favorite uncle; medical tests and procedures; visits by our east coast kids; and a move to Seattle by the newlyweds. It’s amazing at how rapidly the months flew by. It’s been a rewarding year.
The upcoming months should prove to be just as rewarding, and just as full. In the next few weeks Kaarin and I will travel to Florida to celebrate my parents’ Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary. We’ll be in the Daytona Beach area and Kaarin will get her first look at a Disney Theme Park. Mark, Bridget and Gabe will be joining us from Norfolk. We’re very excited.
I’m holding out hope that Scotte and I will make it to Leavenworth, WA in the coming few months. It truly is our favorite place. My only regret of the past year is that with job changes, the birth of our grandson, and a wedding with its required travel, we were unable to make it. Memories of past visits are fresh in my mind. Can’t wait to drive Highway 2 into the mountains above Wenatchee, through Cashmere and over the gentle rise that marks the last few hundred yards into Leavenworth.