Day on the mountain

One of the main attractions is the gondola ride from Heavenly village by the lake to the lodge and then then ski trails on the south side of the mountain.

View from the gondola as we ascend.

Top of the gondola at 9,200 feet with a viewing deck of the lake

View from Tamarac lift above the gondola ride

Mary's 1st ride on ski lift

 At the top of the lift is an option to ski in Nevada or California

Lake Tahoe

After a few days traveling through NE California, we stopped in Lake Tahoe to visit Mary's brother.  He set us up at one of the houses he manages located on the road to Heavenly Ski resort.  Elevation at this place is about 6,400 feet - was quite a ride getting in here but certainly worth the effort.  Air is clean and view is great.

View of Carson Valley as we approach top of mountain on way to house.

View of Lake Tahoe as we begin down other side

Mt. Shasta

This pic was taken from I-5, about 20 miles to the west.  From here, we crossed mountain through MT. Shasta on to NE California.  Couldn't get a picture but the east side had a lot more snow cover.

Mt St Helens

While Mt St Helens area was beautiful, cloud cover blocked several hundred feet of the view.  Top of the mountain is about where the top of the clouds are.  Area in front was filled in with about 300 feet of mud and lava.  Area is now a national park with no commercial development.  Spirit lake lodge and surrounding homes were buried.

Portland area

A vibrant city along the Columbia River with lots to see and do.  We visited the Japanese

gardens which are considered to be among the finest outside of Japan.  Then took a brunch cruise on the river above the locks at Columbia Gorge.

View from the Bonsai gardens

Locks and Bonneville Dam

Upper end of the gorge

Multnoma Falls just east of Portland

View of falls from I-84

Washaway beach

Just south of Westport is an area called Washaway Beach.  The areas where we are standing used to be houses and streets.  The eroded area used to extend about a one and a half miles beyond the current shoreline and was a fully developed community with houses, commercial buildings and a coast guard station.  Erosion from the water flowing out of the Columbia river affected the ocean shoreline currents and wiped out the entire peninsula.

Just the right of house above was one of the main roads

Below is a house that went down about a year ago.

House below is next to go.

Downtown Westport

Mary doing what she can to support the local economy.

Work camp friends we first met in Mesa, AZ
Having a libation in Blackboards Brewery - one of the many micro breweries throughout the state.

Westport, WA

From Bellingham, traveled 250 miles south to Westport on the coast just north of the

Oregon border.  This is a fishing port and a summer resort.  (summer is July and August)

Place was almost empty in mid June - maybe because the weather - temps

around 60 and lots of clouds and rain.

Westport also happens to be large cranberry growing area - comparable to the northeast.  The Ocean Spray cannery is located in this area.

Family in Bellingham

Spent 2 weeks in Bellingham catching up with family.  Grandkids are now 10 months

and 5years old.  Wore us out.  A great time getting reacquainted.