THE REYNOLDS FAMILY TRAVEL JOURNAL -- JULY 1999 =============================================
* Sunday, July 11, 1999--We left Porterville on Thursday, July 8th at 9:00 A.M. Jason stayed home to work, so there were five of us on this journey. Gas stops in Kingsburg, Modesto, and Anderson along with a lunch stop @ Burger King (when Kristen let us know she wanted to eat!) and dinner at the Brown Bear Cafe in Yreka were memorable events. We spent the night @ the Days Inn in Yreka, CA.
The next morning we went by the Yreka Western RR station to see "what's up" with their steam train. Sound like it's up for sale--there's a committee of folks working on saving it. I'll have to contact them at a later date.
We continued our journey to Anacortes, WA. We were in Portland @ "rush hour"--they have a diamond lane and it didn't take us too long to get through the city using that lane. The temperature was 85 degrees when we had SUBWAY lunch/dinner (6:00 P.M.) in Kelso, WA. We traveled through Seattle at 8:30 P.M. arriving in Anacortes, WA at 10:00 P.M.
Anacortes is located on Fidalgo Island, one of the chain of islands known as the San Juan Islands. Fidalgo is the closest of the islands to the mainland, separated by the Swinomish Channel. Years ago one accessed the island by drawbridge; today you drive across a high, fixed bridge.
Cindy's mother's house overlooks the ferry dock, water, and islands to the north. It's beautiful!!! You may be able to see more of the area @ http://www.library.anacortes.wa.us or http://www.anacortes.org
The Washington State Ferries leave here for Shaw, Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan Islands. One ferry also goes all the way to Vancouver Island, British Columbia (Victoria, B.C.). Last year we went to Lopez Island; don't know if we'll make any island journeys this year.
It's been good spending time with Cindy's mother Pauline, sister Gloria, sister Robyn and family--Dan, Kimberly, and David. They live in Coupville (on Whidbey Island) --about 45 minutes away. They recently returned from a family vacation to Florida.
While here I hope to talk with Warren Lee regarding the plans for the Anacortes Railway. You can find out more about the situation by looking at this webpage:
http://www.oocities.org/Heartland/Hills/9714/trains.html Click on the colored words "Anacortes Railroad".
* Monday, July 12, 1999--Today we plan to do work around Grandma's house; the kids are goinf to go swimming at the Fidalgo Pool this evening. I've also done some checking on business @ home.
Concentric Network doesn't have a local number for Anacortes, so I'm using our calling card and accessing the server in Porterville. Lunch now; back this evening w/ more information.
* Tuesday, July 13, 1999--Today we're going to finish work started yesterday--gate latch, tree removal, door staining... Went downtown yesterday; weeds are growing up around the Anacortes Railway tracks. Hope they can find a locomotive and rolling stock soon.
* Wednesday, July 14, 1999-Forecast is for RAIN! Around the potential rain, we hope to finish our "chores"--cutting down a dead tree, final coat on the front door, pull string on the gate, and (NEW) water bed repair.
* Thursday, July 15, 1999--Kristen had a fitful night last night, so we postponed our stop at the Pacific Science Center 'till tomorrow. Kristen went to the doctor (she's fine--probably reacting to too much stimuli, irregular sleep, etc.), then we returned home and contined with chores around grandma's house. Cindy, Kristen, and I went for a walk by the marina, then out for a treat at a local candy/ice cream/sandwich shop (http://www.AnaCandy.com).
* Friday, July 16, 1999--Travel day! We said goodby to Cindy's mom and sister @ 8:20 A.M. and began our journey to Beverton, OR. Guess what we encountered on I-5 at Everett, WA? TRAFFIC...lots of it and we were down to 0-35 mph.
We got to Seattle at 11:00 A.M. and went to the Pacific Science Center (http://www.pacsci.org). We really enjoyed the new butterfly exhibit. You walk into an enclosure with hundreds of butterflys and ecosystem. Check their website--they may have an interactive link to the butterfly exhibit & other exhibits @ the Center.
We left Seattle @ 2:30 P.M. and reentered traffic on I-5. We got to Olympia @ 4:00 P.M. I talked w/ the attendant @ the gas station and he said traffic was like that most of the time now. WOW! Felt somewhat like byegone days in Los Angeles!!!
We arrived in Beverton @ 7:30 P.M. (more traffic in Portland/Beverton), checked in @ the Fairfield Inn (http://www.fairfieldinn.com), and joined our friends for a great meal & fellowship.
* Saturday, July 17, 1999--We got up @ 9:00 A.M. and enjoyed breakfast @ the motel. We spent a relaxing day @ the motel; had dinner & fellowship w/ friends in the evening.
* Sunday, July 18, 1999--Today we left Beverton @ 11:30 A.M. bound for Tillamook, OR. We arrived in Tillamook at 12:45 P.M. and went to the Tillamook Cheese Factory. If you like Rube Goldberg devices, you'll "LOVE" the cheese factory. You can view the cheese- making process from curds to packaged cheese. Following the self-guided tour, you can purchase ice cream, food, or items for tourists.
We checked in to our motel @ 3:00, watched "Back to the Future Part One", swam, Kristen slept, put together a new puzzle I purchased in Aloha, OR. We went to dinner @ 8:00 P.M. and found McDonalds CLOSED! Well the "dine in" section was closed; we used the drive-thru.
* Monday, July 19, 1999--Today we travel to Lincoln City, OR.
*Tuesday, July 20, 1999--In Lincoln City.
* Wednesday, July 21, 1999--We cleaned the cabin, said "goodbye" to our friends, then departed Lincoln City at 11:30 A.M. We arrived in Dunsmuir, CA at 8:05 P.M., enjoyed fish, steak, and chicken meals in the dining car @ the Railroad Park Resort/Caboose Motel. You can see pictures of the resort at http://www.rrpark.com .
* Thursday, July 22, 1999--Well, we spent the night in a railroad caboose (Dutch--"kabuis"--for "cabin house"). We wish we could spend another night here--hike, fish, enjoy for another day.
This afternoon we drove from Dunsmuir to Yuba City.
* Friday, July 23, 1999--After a good time "catching up" with friends, we contined our trip home. We stopped in Sacramento to see the new items at the California State RR Museum (http://www.csrmf.org). It was nostalgic for me (Steve) to walk through the dining car. So many of our family vacations were spent aboard the train--enroute from CA to KS. Many of my memories are of our time(s) in the dining car.
We had lunch in Modesto, CA at the Olive Garden restaurant; good food and atmosphere. We continued our journey--arriving home at 5:45 P.M. We got to greet Jason as he headed out the door to work.
Great to travel! Great to spend time with family and friends! Great to be home again!
Love,
Steve for Cindy, Jason, Nate, Andrea, and Kristen http://www.oocities.org/Heartland/Hills/9714
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