Well, we made it to the final installment of my Pacific Northwest Road Trip that Aaron and I took with our best friends several years ago. We took a 9 day road trip from Central California up to Vancouver, BC and back down again. It was amazing and I would do it all over again if I could. You can read Part 1 and Part 2 as well.
At this point in the journey we had been to Redding, CA, several cities in Oregon, Seattle, WA, and Vancouver, BC. It was time to start the journey home. Our first stop was in Mount Rainier National Park.
The boys checking out the map, trying to pretend they weren't lost :)
We walked the Trail of Shadows and it was beautiful.
Hiking at it's best. Subway for dinner. This particular Subway had the option of cheddar cheese instead of american cheese- Life Changing. And another night of camping in the books!
The next day we headed to Mount St. Helens. I had wanted to go see this volcano for many years. You would never guess, but I was 2 classes shy of minoring in Geology in college. The idea of getting to see an actual, active volcano that erupted in recent years was so exciting to me! I was a little bummed to see so much fog in the morning, but luckily it burned off while we drove.
There she is in all her glory....
Johnston Ridge Observatory is the closest you can get to Mount St. Helens without needing a hiking permit. This Observatory hosts several interactive displays that show the human, biological and geographical story of what happened when Mount St. Helens erupted. It is named after David Johnston, who was monitoring the volcano on the morning May 18, 1980. You can watch a short film about the eruption while visiting the observatory and hear a radio transmission of Johnston's last words, before he was killed by the blast.
It looks so much closer than 5.5 miles away!
It was a sobering experience to be walking on the ground where such an event had taken place almost 30 years prior. An experience I will never forget.
The area that was part of the blast zone is still pretty desolate. There were a few trees growing, as park officials planted them to get the growing process started. However, not man dead/broken trees
have been removed. An interesting sight.
Next, we ventured over the Ape Cave. Did you know that I love spelunking? While not the most outdoorsy girl, I have had an opportunity to explore caves in California, Oregon, Washington and the Bahamas!
Our last night of camping, pizza for dinner!
One of my favorite pictures from the whole trip! Love the story behind this one, me and my bff!
Driving back through Oregon, gorgeous!
Last night of the trip, stayed at Mount Shasta before heading back to the Central Valley.
This was a trip of a lifetime. I love that I was able to experience all of this with my best friends and got to visit with family who lived out of state. I hope to go on a trip like this again...and maybe we will bring the kids along for the ride.
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