deborahjross | Vacation -- mini report

We are back, if somewhat breathless after 16 days on the road. It feels odd to not get up each morning and Drive Someplace New. It was a wonderful break, even if I now have to deal with piles of laundry, mail, email, not to mention bushels of apples, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes... and putting the finishing touches on the next Lace and Blade.

Our route took us through Mendocino, where we visited my sister and her partner, then up to the Oregon border to Cave Junction and the Oregon Caves (500 stairs -- oh look, more stairs), skirting Portland to see Dave's ex-mom-in-law, a spry and feisty 96 yo. A bit of the Olympic National Forest (Hurricane Ridge), a very cool B & B at Sequim (pronounced "squim") that was a caboose remodeled as "The Orient Express" (breakfast in a 1930s Silver Zephyr car, complete with crystal and china). Took the ferry to Victoria and had a marvelous time between the Butterfly Gardens, the museum and downtown, and an amazingly luxurious B & B in a 1898 house near the beach. Four course breakfasts at that one, and a bed I almost needed a step stool to climb into.

Then another ferry to Vancouver BC, where Dave did clarinet stuff and I had adventures with

galeni. Another hop over to Bellingham to hobnob with fellow writer and Norilana Books editor, Roby James.

A couple of days in Portland reconnecting with old friends and doing writerly things. Off to the wilds -- Crater Lake (up to the top of the watchtower -- oh look, more stairs) and Lassen Volcanic Monument. Dave had wanted to visit Bumpass Hell from the time he heard of it. (Yes, more stairs, on the boardwalk that extends into the area of steam vents and boiling mud pots.) A long stretch took us home from there.

If you want to see pics, check out Dave's blog