Cheapness In Seattle (A 2019 PNW Trip Report - 2020 update added on 6/25

Well...no, it's not. We try and make things last as long as possible, but there's a trade-off when it comes to the costs of materials.
So that's it. I love how things are built here... then redone the next year.
Everything we do on vacations is all about maximizing the time.
::yes::
No fair, you have a 1,500-mile head start!
So that's a no?
Hopefully you like smashing things too.
Demos are the best part!
I don't think I'd last long in a bar fight.
I can. Unless the other guy can run faster than me.
 
And part of the reason was that I knew I’d be on the road for at least 10 hours, and wasn’t looking forward to that drive.
That's like... over 2/3 of the way from here to Disney World! :faint:
You know the PB&J is getting old when Arby’s counts as a special treat. But they do have a decent chicken, bacon & Swiss sandwich. I voted for stopping at Frank's Diner again to have peach cobbler for lunch, but I was told that this was "unhealthy" and "gluttonous" and, worst of all, "You have to share". So that was sadly ruled out.
It's vacation. Unhealthy and gluttonous should be the criteria by which you judge a good meal. But sharing is overrated.
The afternoon portion of the drive was worse, because it was through the plains of eastern Washington.
What's wrong with rolling hills and wheat fields? :confused3

Spent a few summers working in Eastern Washington and Oregon in wheat country. Yeah, I get it. Beautiful country, but stretches where there's nothing for miles. It is kind of hard to stay awake.
Drew will ask for the iPad, and we try and download a few episodes of his favorite cartoons so he can watch them. He’s content to sit and stare at the screen for hours on end, and we solidify our standing for Parents of the Year by doing nothing to discourage that whatsoever.
I'm so disappointed in you. That's terrible parenting! You can't just hand him an iPad loaded with TV shows and movies to make him a mindless video watching zombie! We'd never do that with R.

We hand him the Kindle Fire.
his usually involves calling our unusual sights, such as wildlife or goofy road signs, and making dad jokes about the various destinations we pass. This is why all of the kids wear earbuds.
::yes:: Sounds about right.
The sign posted said people should cross the bridge one at a time. But it’s perfectly safe, trust us!
Doesn't sound the least bit sketchy... :eek:
Julie found the bridge a little iffy, so our loving and supportive family did what it always does and poked fun at her the whole time she was crossing.
:thumbsup2 I wouldn't expect anything less.
 
And part of the reason was that I knew I’d be on the road for at least 10 hours, and wasn’t looking forward to that drive.

Yikes! That's a long drive, I can't handle quite that much. We would have to break it up some.

We stopped at an Arby’s for lunch there as a special treat and a break from PB&J.

You know the PB&J is getting old when Arby’s counts as a special treat.

I was thinking that when I read the first statement.

Julie likes to bring along a thick paperback book and start a new story on day 1 of the trip.

I can't read in a car. Even reading directions or instructions makes me nauseous.

As do I. My go to is audio books. But since I'm alone in the car, it doesn't bother anyone else.

This is what Fran and I do. We use audio books to get through riding in Southern California traffic.

Thankfully we had our own little adventure guide with us to handle any obstacles in our path.

Well, he sure is a strong little one!

In a textbook case of judging a book by its cover, we took one look at the Blue Spruce Saloon and decided it looked a bit skeevy to bring our kids inside.

I found that a lot of those skeevy looking places (at least in the Midwest), looked worse on the outside than the inside.

The pizza here was thoroughly mediocre. But edible.

That's unfortunate. At least you didn't starve.
 
And part of the reason was that I knew I’d be on the road for at least 10 hours, and wasn’t looking forward to that drive.
I don't blame you there.
My record as a passenger is 12 hours (friend was driving) and by the end of the drive I was ready to jump out the window.
My record when I was driving is 6 hours, and that is with several coffee/snack stops just to break it up.
I don't do well driving more than a couple hours. I get very sleepy. I still like the idea of a road trip, just not sure about the execution.

You know the PB&J is getting old when Arby’s counts as a special treat. But they do have a decent chicken, bacon & Swiss sandwich.
Sad confession: Arby's would kind of be a treat for me.
To be fair, we don't have one where I live so I only have it on vacation in the US. But the few times I had it, I did enjoy it.

He’s content to sit and stare at the screen for hours on end, and we solidify our standing for Parents of the Year by doing nothing to discourage that whatsoever.
I'll admit to doing the same. Yes it's the easy and maybe lazy way out, but it's effective.

She has the ability to fall asleep almost instantaneously, where I usually need to be lying down in total darkness and total silence and it still takes at least 20 minutes for me to fall asleep and if my feet are cold then I’m not going to even get 5 minutes’ worth.
Sounds a lot like my wife on a drive.
And you sound a lot like me sleeping.
I do have a knack for falling asleep during movies. But in my defense, these days they are often Hallmark channel movies on a Friday night because according to my wife things like Star Wars and Avengers are boring. Yet the story of "big city girl is inexplicably forced to go to small town where she meets hunky stranger and then stays to open a bakery" is somehow riveting.

In my opinion, Mount Rainier has one of the most impressive profiles of any mountain in the world.
Curious - how is it pronounced?
Is it Rain-yay (like a French Canadian)?
Or Rain-errr (like a pirate)? (I hope it's that because any chance to talk like a pirate is a bonus).

Or, if you’re more of a Star Wars fan like me, you might think of the Forest Moon of Endor.
Definitely, and I might be looking for a speeder bike, just in case.

In a textbook case of judging a book by its cover, we took one look at the Blue Spruce Saloon and decided it looked a bit skeevy to bring our kids inside. I didn’t want to teach them how to smash a bottle to turn it into a weapon and survive a bar fight just yet.
I can't blame you there. Anyplace that parks its garbage bin in front seems a bit suspect.
 
So that's it. I love how things are built here... then redone the next year.

If that's the case, somebody isn't doing something right.

So that's a no?

Not worth it if the peach cobbler is gone by the time I get there.

Demos are the best part!

::yes::

I can. Unless the other guy can run faster than me.

That's usually my best defense, too!

That's like... over 2/3 of the way from here to Disney World! :faint:

I wish Disney had been at the end of this trip.

It's vacation. Unhealthy and gluttonous should be the criteria by which you judge a good meal. But sharing is overrated.

I agree on all counts.

What's wrong with rolling hills and wheat fields? :confused3

Spent a few summers working in Eastern Washington and Oregon in wheat country. Yeah, I get it. Beautiful country, but stretches where there's nothing for miles. It is kind of hard to stay awake.

It was better than North Dakota, I'll say that much. But yeah...not much there.

I'm so disappointed in you. That's terrible parenting! You can't just hand him an iPad loaded with TV shows and movies to make him a mindless video watching zombie! We'd never do that with R.

We hand him the Kindle Fire.

:rotfl2:

As we said earlier, you do what you gotta do.

::yes:: Sounds about right.

Speaking of Dad jokes, why does the Norwegian Navy have bar codes on their ships?

Doesn't sound the least bit sketchy... :eek:

It was fine. Doesn't anybody trust engineers?

:thumbsup2 I wouldn't expect anything less.

It's how we roll.
 
Yikes! That's a long drive, I can't handle quite that much. We would have to break it up some.

We always break it up with potty breaks, snacks, and lunch, but it's still a lot of ground to cover in one day.

I was thinking that when I read the first statement.

I don't really mind Arby's. It's better than some of the other choices.

I can't read in a car. Even reading directions or instructions makes me nauseous.

We both usually do fine with it. Unless the road is really windy.

This is what Fran and I do. We use audio books to get through riding in Southern California traffic.

I'm sure that works, too.

Well, he sure is a strong little one!

Those steroid creams really help!

I found that a lot of those skeevy looking places (at least in the Midwest), looked worse on the outside than the inside.

Judging from Trip Advisor, this wasn't much of an improvement on the inside. But then again, it's not like we were showered with options there.

That's unfortunate. At least you didn't starve.

We could have done worse. But you play the hand you're dealt.

I don't blame you there.
My record as a passenger is 12 hours (friend was driving) and by the end of the drive I was ready to jump out the window.
My record when I was driving is 6 hours, and that is with several coffee/snack stops just to break it up.
I don't do well driving more than a couple hours. I get very sleepy. I still like the idea of a road trip, just not sure about the execution.

I don't mind the long drives, as long as there aren't too many of them back-to-back. We do break it up as best we can, too.

Sad confession: Arby's would kind of be a treat for me.
To be fair, we don't have one where I live so I only have it on vacation in the US. But the few times I had it, I did enjoy it.

I don't mind Arby's. That chicken sandwich I mentioned is a good one.

I'll admit to doing the same. Yes it's the easy and maybe lazy way out, but it's effective.

Parenting: You do what you gotta do.

Sounds a lot like my wife on a drive.
And you sound a lot like me sleeping.
I do have a knack for falling asleep during movies. But in my defense, these days they are often Hallmark channel movies on a Friday night because according to my wife things like Star Wars and Avengers are boring. Yet the story of "big city girl is inexplicably forced to go to small town where she meets hunky stranger and then stays to open a bakery" is somehow riveting.

I don't generally fall asleep during movies, but I would really struggle with romantic comedies, etc. When I can tell you every single beat of the story before I've seen it, it's a waste of time to watch it.

Thankfully Marvel movies never follow formulas like that. :rolleyes1

Curious - how is it pronounced?
Is it Rain-yay (like a French Canadian)?
Or Rain-errr (like a pirate)? (I hope it's that because any chance to talk like a pirate is a bonus).

Well, it's close to the pirate thing. It's actually Rain-eer.

Definitely, and I might be looking for a speeder bike, just in case.

I've always thought that was a terrible choice of vehicle given that environment.

I can't blame you there. Anyplace that parks its garbage bin in front seems a bit suspect.

As long as I don't catch the chef digging around in there.
 


If that's the case, somebody isn't doing something right.
I seriously wonder...
There was one stretch of road... didn't seem to last overly long before it needed resurfacing because of frost heaving. So they did. Great. It needed it again the next year... and the next. It's like someone said "Just pave it over. It'll be fine. It's nice and warm out. Pretty sure it won't get cold again."
And... there was this bridge... crossed the Red River... needed resurfacing. I didn't see anything obviously wrong with it, but... it's a bridge. Better safe than sorry. Took them over 2 years to do it... because the first time they did it, they used the wrong concrete. :sad2:
Not worth it if the peach cobbler is gone by the time I get there.
I'll save you a bite.


Maybe.
That's usually my best defense, too!
A good offense is a good cowardice!
I wish Disney had been at the end of this trip.
That's how every trip should end. ::yes::
'Cause they Scandinavian.
<groan!>


:lmao:
 
I'm so far behind! But, I'm caught up, for now. (Quick, write another update, so I can fall behind again!)

Those photos of Glacier were amazing. I have friends going this summer, and I passed on trying to join them (too many other things we are trying to do), but I had to have some wistful sighs while looking through your stuff.

My kids are prone to nosebleeds, too, so I suspect they might not enjoy a trip to Glacier. They had quite a few nasty nosebleeds on our Yellowstone/Tetons/South Dakota trip several years ago. At least none of the incidents were in the middle of the night!

I'm another one who can't read for long in the car, or sleep in a car. I tend to prefer listening to lots of music when driving. Sadly, dh is not nearly as big of a fan of listening to music during long drives. He and ds prefer audiobooks, while dd prefers music most of the time. Neither kid ever got into watching shows in the car, probably because we never really had the right tech for it. They do tend to bring their Nintendo ds systems (whichever version is current), tho we haven't actually done an all family road trip longer than a few hours since about 2015. Nowadays it would be their phones and dd might have her Switch.
 
I seriously wonder...
There was one stretch of road... didn't seem to last overly long before it needed resurfacing because of frost heaving. So they did. Great. It needed it again the next year... and the next. It's like someone said "Just pave it over. It'll be fine. It's nice and warm out. Pretty sure it won't get cold again."
And... there was this bridge... crossed the Red River... needed resurfacing. I didn't see anything obviously wrong with it, but... it's a bridge. Better safe than sorry. Took them over 2 years to do it... because the first time they did it, they used the wrong concrete. :sad2:

Hmm. Frost heave is tough to combat, and I'm sure it's much worse in Winnipeg than in my area. Hard to make a pavement material flexible enough to move with the ground and yet firm enough to make a good road. Still, a good sub-base for the pavement should add some stability.

And yes, sometimes mistakes are made. That always causes delays. But much better to discover the wrong concrete was used before you open the bridge to traffic.

I'll save you a bite.


Maybe.

Uh huh.

A good offense is a good cowardice!

He who fights and runs away, etc., etc.

That's how every trip should end. ::yes::

I agree!


That's my new favorite Dad joke.

I'm so far behind! But, I'm caught up, for now. (Quick, write another update, so I can fall behind again!)

Well...ok, if you insist!

Those photos of Glacier were amazing. I have friends going this summer, and I passed on trying to join them (too many other things we are trying to do), but I had to have some wistful sighs while looking through your stuff.

Sorry you didn't make it! I hope you get there someday, it's worth the trip.

My kids are prone to nosebleeds, too, so I suspect they might not enjoy a trip to Glacier. They had quite a few nasty nosebleeds on our Yellowstone/Tetons/South Dakota trip several years ago. At least none of the incidents were in the middle of the night!

Those dry high-altitude areas make it hard!

I'm another one who can't read for long in the car, or sleep in a car. I tend to prefer listening to lots of music when driving. Sadly, dh is not nearly as big of a fan of listening to music during long drives. He and ds prefer audiobooks, while dd prefers music most of the time. Neither kid ever got into watching shows in the car, probably because we never really had the right tech for it. They do tend to bring their Nintendo ds systems (whichever version is current), tho we haven't actually done an all family road trip longer than a few hours since about 2015. Nowadays it would be their phones and dd might have her Switch.

Sometimes I can hit shuffle on the phone and play music, but everyone has to be in the mood for that. I've actually never gotten into audiobooks. Maybe if I did more solo driving that would appeal to me.
 
Hmm. Frost heave is tough to combat, and I'm sure it's much worse in Winnipeg than in my area. Hard to make a pavement material flexible enough to move with the ground and yet firm enough to make a good road. Still, a good sub-base for the pavement should add some stability.
And... they probably didn't.
And yes, sometimes mistakes are made. That always causes delays. But much better to discover the wrong concrete was used before you open the bridge to traffic.
Well... except they opened the bridge... for a few weeks...
He who fights and runs away, etc., etc.
::yes::
That's my new favorite Dad joke.
I like it. ::yes::
 
You just never know with those roadside diners...sometimes they actually do have great food and sometimes...well they are just scary and you don't even want to drink from their glassware....at least the pizza was edible...Love the scenery though!!
 
Well... except they opened the bridge... for a few weeks...

:scared:

You just never know with those roadside diners...sometimes they actually do have great food and sometimes...well they are just scary and you don't even want to drink from their glassware....at least the pizza was edible...Love the scenery though!!

You know I love my dives and hole-in-the-wall joints, but this one just wasn't giving us the right vibes. Who knows, though? Maybe it was a great one we missed.
 
Chapter 9: Man Plans, God Laughs

We get up early, we do rope drop, we drive crazy long distances so we can have shared experiences that we remember forever. When we travel to national parks, we’re looking for those awe-inspiring views that make our jaws drop in wonder. There are certain sights we’ve experienced over the years that are etched permanently in my brain, that make me feel that full grandeur and majesty of God’s creation, with gratitude for having the chance to have witnessed it. For example, I’ll never forget driving through the tunnel that led to Yosemite Valley. The way that view opened up before my eyes was a magical experience. The thrill of that kind of discovery makes me want to continue seeking it more and more.

We were up early, trying to be the tourist crowds to the main visitor center at Mount Rainier National Park. Like Glacier, this is a park that is mostly full in summer, and the parking lot can be filled to capacity by mid-morning. The main visitor center (Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center) doesn’t open until 10:00 a.m., but the parking lot will easily be over half full with day-hikers by then.

The drive from Packwood was slow, as we had to wind our way up endless narrow switchbacks to climb the mountain slopes. Again, we do these drives willingly. As I keep telling the kids, if you want to see the amazing sights, you have to do the work to get there. The payoff is always worth the effort.

Nearly an hour into our drive, the road flattened out a bit and we came to a parking lot near Reflection Lake. This is one of the more famous overlooks in the park, because if the conditions are right, you can often get a perfect reflection of Mt. Rainier on the surface of the lake as the real mountain towers in the background. Once again, rope drop worked like a charm. We’d beaten the crowds and had no issue finding a parking space. We’d spent all that money. We’d driven all this way. We’d gotten up early. Now we could reap the reward.

Behold…the glorious, spellbinding majesty of Mount Rainier.

478508

Gets you right in the feels, doesn’t it?

Everywhere we looked, it was as though we’d caught a glimpse of heaven on earth.

478509

In fact, maybe we had. This, in every way imaginable, was truly paradise.

478510

I know that because the sign said so.

If I had helicoptered you in there and dropped you off, that sign would have been the only indication you were in a national park or that there was a mountain nearby. This morning turned out to be a bust.

We stopped at the visitor center, which wasn’t open yet (curse you, Rope Drop!). So we decided to try a short hike to Myrtle Falls. Hopefully the waterfall would be visible, at least.

Thankfully, it was.

478511

If the sun had been out, we’d be treated to lush meadows full of wildflowers and a stunning, larger-than-life mountain peak as a backdrop. Instead, we had a nice little stream.

478512

When the visitor center opened, we wandered through the exhibits and just spent the morning working through the Junior Ranger workbook and earning his badge. But clearly it wasn’t going to be worth spending the entire day in the park, as I had originally planned. So, we improvised.

We had our PB&J for a quick lunch in the parking lot and then set off for (hopefully) better weather. On the way out of the park, we stopped at another overlook for Narada Falls, which was definitely worth the time to stop.

478513

It took a good bit of time to get back to civilization. Mount Rainier isn’t on any major roads, so we had to wind our way down through the forests to the west and then turn north towards Tacoma. Eventually we started driving through more and more developed areas before hitting some traffic, and then at long last finding our way to I-5 north towards Seattle.

We headed for the southern part of the city, where the Museum of Flight is located. Seattle is home to the Boeing Corporation, and the museum I’m sure was at least partly funded by Boeing as it sits next to Boeing Field. It’s very similar to the Air & Space Museum in Washington, D.C. in that they have an incredible number of vintage historic aircraft on display in various hangars on the property. The 737 Max aircraft, however, is not on display.

We arrived at roughly 3:00 p.m., which was not ideal because the museum would be closing at 5:00. Still, I felt like 2 hours was better than nothing, so we went for it. As we approached the museum, however, I started to get a sinking feeling. We followed a line of cars and some workers directed us to the nearest available parking lot, which based on the amount of driving was located somewhere back in Tacoma. The place was absolutely packed.

It’s no secret that I do an insane amount of vacation planning, and I would love to push the narrative that I’m a genius trip planner working on a level far beyond that of mere mortals. But then I’d have to remind you of the day a couple of years ago when I had planned to take the family to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, got stuck in all sorts of traffic at the entrance, panicked about the number of people there and worried that we wouldn’t be able to see anything, and then ended up blundering into witnessing a rocket launch that I had no idea was happening that day.

Sometimes, despite our cluelessness, we manage to stumble into good fortune that can only be described as a blind squirrel finding a nut.

I had no idea why the museum was so crowded that day, and again I started to panic that with only 2 hours, we wouldn’t be able to see anything and it would be a waste of money. I knew that there was a special traveling exhibit on display about the Apollo 11 moon landing—it even had the Apollo capsule on loan from the Smithsonian Institute—and so of course I was willing to pay the extra cost to go see that. But I was as shocked as anybody when we got to the ticket counter and paid for our admission, and the gate agent recommended we head straight to the airfield out back as the Blue Angels were about to take off on their practice run.

I had no idea the Blue Angels were even in Seattle. But, Paragraph (c) of Section 58 of Chapter 6 of the Oblivious Family Travel Handbook states that if you have an opportunity to see the Blue Angels fly, you must drop everything and go watch the Blue Angels fly.

This was just a practice run for an air show later on that week, but still! It’s so cool!

478514

478515

So that happened. Naturally, I took all of the credit for our being able to see it.

We speed-walked our way through the museum, trying to take in as much as we could. It’s spread out through at least 3 separate buildings on both sides of a street, so there’s a good bit of walking involved in order to see everything.

There’s the original Boeing factory building, where they first started building aircraft.

478516

478517

Continued Next Post
 
Last edited:
Chapter 9 continued...

The main building holds a number of famous aircraft from all sorts of eras. There are side exhibits featuring WWI and WWII fighters from all nations (including a P-51 Mustang), but the centerpiece in the main room is a Lockheed M-21 Blackbird, one of the world’s fastest aircraft (the Blackbirds) and also one of the coolest-looking planes of all time.

478518

Drew got to try out a test cockpit for the Blackbird. We heard a lot of cries of “what does this button do?”

478519

Across the street in the hangars, they have a test space shuttle you can wander through.

478520


There’s a B-29 bomber from WWII.

478521

Naturally, an F-14 Tomcat in case you feel the need…the need for speed!

478522

An early model Boeing 747, stripped down on the inside so you can see how it’s put together.

478523

478524

The first version of Air Force One is there, and we were able to walk through this plane as well.

478525

478526

They even have a Concorde open. Sadly, the line was much longer for this one and we didn’t get the chance to walk through it, which is my biggest regret of the visit.

478527

Continued Next Post
 
Chapter 9 continued...

But the Apollo exhibit was a timed entry and we only had so many minutes before we had to go see that one. And that exhibit was worth the time to walk through as well.

478528

This was an engine exhaust from the Saturn V rocket. If you’ve ever been to the Kennedy Space Center, you can see a full Saturn V on display, which is just awe-inspiring in terms of its size and scope. The facts and figures on those machines are mind-boggling.

478529

I thought this display on the various stages of making the heat-shield surface for the Apollo capsule was pretty cool.

478530

At the end, they had the Apollo capsule from the moon landing mission set up in the middle of the room. No matter how many times I hear the story, it blows me away when I consider what the NASA engineers and astronauts were able to accomplish, especially given the technology of the time. Seeing those burnt-up heat shields reminds me that space travel is no joke.

478531

478532

This museum is excellent. Two hours wasn’t nearly enough time to explore it, and I sincerely wished we’d been able to spend more time wandering. We unfortunately didn’t have time to go back on this trip, but if I’m back in Seattle with time to visit, I’m going to be heading back.

Despite leaving at 5 p.m. when the museum closed, we miraculously avoided getting stuck in rush hour traffic. We did make use of a bypass express lane that went under the downtown area, so I think that was a huge help. We made our way north of the city and stopped for dinner at the Diamond Knot Brewpub at Mountlake Terrace.

478533

Our family tends to have a good hit rate with the food at brewpubs, so when I can find a local one with good reviews online, it will most likely find its way into the vacation plan.

The menu offered some “Hot Rock” sandwiches, which sounded interesting. Basically, you’re served all of the ingredients for the sandwich and given a square stone that’s been heated to cooking temperature. Then you cook the ingredients at your seat and put the sandwich together to enjoy. I decided to try their version of a Philly cheesesteak, figuring if I put it together myself then these westerners would have no chance to screw it up.

478534

And it was pretty good! I was able to fry up the steak and onions to taste and then eat a nice, fresh sandwich. Although now I’m wondering if this was a scam. I mean, why am I paying the chef if I have to do all the work of cooking the food? It’s the same feeling I get when Julie makes me take her to the Melting Pot.

478535

Anyway, at least it tasted good. Scott might be the winner for this meal, as he braved the Peanut Butter Bacon Burger, which is just as tasty and healthy as it sounds. I convinced him to let me have a bite, and I have to say, it was pretty special.

478536

I can’t remember everything else that was ordered, but I know we really liked our dinner here. This was one of the best meals of the trip, so Diamond Knot is a proud recipient of a Drooling Homer Award for Excellence In Unpretentious Dining.

478537

Hotel prices in the city were insane, but I ended up finding a decent deal at an Embassy Suites north of Seattle in Lynnwood. We’d be there for the next two nights, so the prospect of good breakfasts and not sleeping on the floor lifted everyone’s spirits.

Coming Up Next: everything you expected in Seattle. Sports! History! Tall towers! Weird glass!
 
had no idea the Blue Angels were even in Seattle. But, Paragraph (c) of Section 58 of Chapter 6 of the Oblivious Family Travel Handbook states that if you have an opportunity to see the Blue Angels fly, you must drop everything and go watch the Blue Angels fly.

This was just a practice run for an air show later on that week, but still! It’s so cool!

That is seriously cool and so lucky that you got to see this. Too bad about not having enough time at the museum though. I have been to the similar museum in DC and really loved it, found it way more interesting than most traditional museums. Looks like everyone had fun despite the rush. Concorde would have been really cool to see the inside of...next time!

And it was pretty good! I was able to fry up the steak and onions to taste and then eat a nice, fresh sandwich. Although now I’m wondering if this was a scam. I mean, why am I paying the chef if I have to do all the work of cooking the food? It’s the same feeling I get when Julie makes me take her to the Melting Pot.

I was thinking the same thing, although that is a pretty cool idea that you get to cook the food on a hot rock. A bit dangerous maybe with the kiddos there but really neat idea!
 
I had an experience at Acadia that matched yours at Mt. Rainer. Hiked up Beehive to see fog. Same thing at Cadillac mountain. It was clear on the way out, so I did get to go to the top.

Air museum looks amazing and I’m jealous of seeing the blue angels.

I am currently doing trip research for my family’s spring break trip and your post was the second time I’ve seen bacon peanut butter cheeseburgers mentioned in two days. Very strange...

Thanks for the update. Now I’m off to read the accidental launch viewing story.
 
Man Plans, God Laughs
I recognized that right away. I thought it might be Nietzsche, but it's an old Yiddish saying, apparently.
We get up early, we do rope drop, we drive crazy long distances so we can have shared experiences that we remember forever.
Except I've forgotten some of this. Got up too early and was too groggy for the brain to remember stuff.
For example, I’ll never forget driving through the tunnel that led to Yosemite Valley. The way that view opened up before my eyes was a magical experience. The thrill of that kind of discovery makes me want to continue seeking it more and more.
::yes::
We were up early, trying to be the tourist crowds
Be the tourist. Don't just live like one... Be the tourist.
As I keep telling the kids, if you want to see the amazing sights, you have to do the work to get there. The payoff is always worth the effort.
Yep! Never fails!
Behold…the glorious, spellbinding majesty of Mount Rainier.

478508
Okay... I know you were disappointed... and I am for you, but... I love that photo.
I'd crop it in a bit, like this:
478604
Hmmm... maybe not...
Either way... I find it... haunting. I like it.
In fact, maybe we had. This, in every way imaginable, was truly paradise.
Sign don't lie.
This morning turned out to be a bust.
Sorry about that. Guess you'll have to try again.
Hopefully the waterfall would be visible, at least.

Thankfully, it was.
Nice, too.
We had our PB&J for a quick lunch
Yuss!!!
Narada Falls, which was definitely worth the time to stop.
Pretty, too.
We headed for the southern part of the city, where the Museum of Flight is located.
<sigh>
I greatly regret not stopping there. That and Evergreen Aviation Museum in Oregon to see the Spruce Goose.
The 737 Max aircraft, however, is not on display.
Oh? Odd... There are so many lying around...

:rolleyes1
and then ended up blundering into witnessing a rocket launch that I had no idea was happening that day.
Excellent planning!
I knew that there was a special traveling exhibit on display about the Apollo 11 moon landing—it even had the Apollo capsule on loan from the Smithsonian Institute
Nice! Worth it just for that alone.
the gate agent recommended we head straight to the airfield out back as the Blue Angels were about to take off on their practice run.
What?!?!? No way! Lucky!!!
I had no idea the Blue Angels were even in Seattle. But, Paragraph (c) of Section 58 of Chapter 6 of the Oblivious Family Travel Handbook states that if you have an opportunity to see the Blue Angels fly, you must drop everything and go watch the Blue Angels fly.
I think that should be in everyone's Travel Handbook.
Nice shot. :thumbsup2
There’s the original Boeing factory building, where they first started building aircraft.
Cool!!
the centerpiece in the main room is a Lockheed M-21 Blackbird,
Love that plane. Wish they were still flying.
We heard a lot of cries of “what does this button do?”
"And that, kids. Is how WWIII was started..."
Across the street in the hangars, they have a test space shuttle you can wander through.
That would've been cool. The scale of the shuttle always gets me.
There’s a B-29 bomber from WWII.
Very cool!
Naturally, an F-14 Tomcat in case you feel the need…the need for speed!
478605
An early model Boeing 747, stripped down on the inside so you can see how it’s put together.
That's cool too... Um... I'm using "cool" a lot. I don't care. It all is.
The first version of Air Force One is there,
What? No!
They even have a Concorde open. Sadly, the line was much longer for this one and we didn’t get the chance to walk through it, which is my biggest regret of the visit.
I'd like to see inside one. I was in Northern Manitoba when one flew overhead, breaking the sound barrier. Was pretty neat. :)
But the Apollo exhibit was a timed entry and we only had so many minutes before we had to go see that one. And that exhibit was worth the time to walk through as well.
::yes:: I bet it was!
I thought this display on the various stages of making the heat-shield surface for the Apollo capsule was pretty cool.
It is!
OMG! You didn't leave him up there?!?!?
The menu offered some “Hot Rock” sandwiches, which sounded interesting. Basically, you’re served all of the ingredients for the sandwich and given a square stone that’s been heated to cooking temperature. Then you cook the ingredients at your seat and put the sandwich together to enjoy.
Interesting concept. I like it.
Although now I’m wondering if this was a scam. I mean, why am I paying the chef if I have to do all the work of cooking the food?
:laughing:
 

Attachments

  • 1583294089470.png
    1583294089470.png
    218.9 KB · Views: 0

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!






Top