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On a mid-November Friday evening, we attended the final few hours of the annual Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle. We always enjoy checking out the engines and equipment, reconnecting with people know from the industry, and learning about any new technology in the works. This year was no exception, and we spent time at the…

The Georgetown Steam Plant was built in 1906 along the Duwamish River to power Seattle’s streetcars. The advent of hydropower soon made the plant noncompetitive, and it was used only as an emergency backup starting in the 1920s. Decommissioned in 1977 and declared a National Historic Monument in 1984, the plant houses the only two…

Friday Harbor is the only incorporated town in the San Juan Islands and the main transportation hub, with frequent ferry, float plane and small craft traffic. The many restaurants, bars, and other attractions, plus a wonderful waterfront setting, make the town an exceedingly popular summer tourist destination, and accommodations, flights and ferry reservations book up…

Point Ruston in Tacoma, the inspiration for Frank Herbert’s epic science-fiction novel Dune, was once one of the most polluted superfund sites in the world. In writing the first best-selling science-fiction novel with an environmental theme, Tacoma-born Herbert was influenced by the foul-smelling smoke that spewed from the ASARCO copper smelter at Point Ruston. After…

The South Point 400 NASCAR Cup Series was held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in mid-October, near the end of the racing season. It was our first live NASCAR race since attending the Daytona 500 five years ago and we had a great time. The race weekend included an Xfinity Series race on Saturday and…

We are honored and excited to be members of the Cruising Club of America (CCA). The CCA is a diverse community of roughly 1,300 accomplished ocean sailors who have a passion for the less traveled and more challenging routes and for widely sharing their knowledge, experiences, and best practices. The organization, celebrating its centennial this…

One of the aspects of wilderness camping that we really like is the opportunity to get out into the mountains and enjoy wonderful views. Finding the right campsite can take a bit of time, but we enjoy exploring and so far having been finding one excellent site after another, all with great views. Huckleberry Creek…

Amabilis Mountain, south of Keechelus Ridge, is a popular snowshoeing and cross-country skiing destination that is less-visited for summer hiking due to the number of better trails nearby. The winter recreation season was well over when we visited in mid-June, but snow still covered the road near the summit, resulting in few visitors to the…

Keechelus Ridge rises 5,000 feet (1,525 m) above I-90 east of Snoqualmie Pass, separating Keechelus Lake directly west of the freeway from Kachless Lake to the east. National Forest roads crisscross the ridge, many with great views westward to Keechelus Lake, the Yakima River headwaters and the Cascade Mountain Range. And several good wilderness campsites…

The desert resort city of Palm Springs, California is known for its mid-century modern architecture and extensive cultural and recreational opportunities. The city has much public art, and an excellent museum focusing on natural science, contemporary art and performing art. For recreation, Joshua Tree National Park is within an hour’s drive. And the city is…