Maine trip report - Day 7

Our week toodling around New England came to an end, so we headed back to NEC to watch Geo's final concert. Then it was time to head home to our landlocked state. At least we caught some (illegal) fireworks on our drive home.

Maine trip report - Day 6

We had a long drive from Brunswick to Boston, so we decided that the best way to get there would be to go through Williamstown. We replaced Sharky Josh's Gettysburg hoodie with a Williams hoodie. We had dinner at the Water Street Grill before making our way to Boston.

Is Josh smart enough to go here?

Hanging out in the science complex

On top of Mt. Greylock

Maine trip report - Day 5

It was time to start wending our way to Boston. This was mostly a travel day. We detoured to visit Fort George because that's a weird nickname that R and H call Geo.

We ended the day at LL Bean in Freeport, which is in temporary quarters while they build a new mother ship.

Maine trip report - Day 4

Acadia has been on M's bucket list forever, and it did not disappoint. We had a reservation to drive up Cadillac Mountain. We scoffed at how sad the elevations are around here (living in Colorado makes us elevation snobs), but the views were epic.

Cadillac Mountain view

More Cadillac Mountain view

Otter Cliffs

Random sailboat

Bass Head Lighthouse 

We ended the day with a sunset cruise on a schooner, and D helped hoist the sails.

Maine trip report - Day 3

We had to truck it to get from Boothbay to Bar Harbor, so we skipped some our planned sights and focused on what else, lighthouses.

Pemaquid Point Lighthouse 

Marshall Point Lighthouse, famous for being in Forrest Gump 

Maine trip report - Day 2

We drove up to Boothbay Harbor and on the way saw the famous Bush family compound in Kennebunkport, which is absolutely gorgeous. Time to get a family compound!

We detoured to visit a cool classic car museum in Arundel before hitting another lighthouse.

Back to the Future

Portland Head Lighthouse 

We drove through Brunswick to pay homage to a Civil War hero we named our Gettysburg shark, Sharky Josh, after.

Then it was time to settle into a corner room at the Topside Inn with an amazing view.

Million dollar view for less than an airport hotel in Boston

Maine trip report - Day 1

M is slightly obsessed with Maine and wouldn't shut up about it, so obviously it was time to drag D there to chauffeur her around to eat lobstah. She used a jazz camp for Geo at New England Conservatory in Boston as her excuse to visit Maine. The flight to Boston was delayed 2 hours so we arrived at the airport hotel around 3 am. When we arrived, she realized that the suitcase full of clothes for her and D somehow did not make the trip. Not a great start but luckily we were 5 minutes from Target and she bought an entire new wardrobe while D and Geo slept at the hotel. 

After dropping Geo off in Boston, it was time to hit the coast! We made it to Kennebunkport and saw a lighthouse and fort along the way. Maine is full of them.

Fort McClary

Fort rubble 

Nubble lighthouse

California Part 3

We visited two colleges near San Francisco, then dropped D off at the airport to go back to work. Then we headed to Socal, where we visited two more colleges, went to Ventura Pier, and braved Magic Mountain Fright Fest before heading back home.

California Part 2

We had a free day, so we headed to the Computer History Museum and the U.S.S. Hornet for some educational fun.

California Part 1

We decided to go to California for fall break to visit colleges and chill. We brought Snoopy and Finnegan. Snoopy wanted to see the ocean, so we headed to Santa Cruz for the sunset.

Seattle sprint day 3

On Sunday, we had a tasty brunch at the hotel and explored the grounds. 

Then we headed for the Point Defiance Zoo to see Ume. She was born in February and already weighs 200 lbs! She was very lazy and didn't move much.

Finally, D wanted to drive over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, so we had a leisurely lunch in Gig Harbor.

Then we headed back to the airport and flew back to Denver. We met Geo there on his way back from the Oregon Coast. Our weekend blitz was over!

Seattle sprint day 2

Day 2 was rainy and cold. We had lunch at Ivar's and saw a harbor seal pop its head up. Then we headed over to Redmond for D's reunion, which had a big turnout. Finally, we went to our new hotel, which was a former seminary now in a state park. It was a slower day to rest and recharge for our final push to see Ume!

Ferry seen from our Mukilteo hotel room

The treats waiting for us in our Kirkland hotel

Otto, our otter ambassador welcomes us to our Kirkland hotel

Seattle sprint day 1

D dragged M to Seattle for a whirlwind trip, ostensibly for his 30th high school reunion but really to try to visit Ume, the adorable tapir born at the Point Defiance Zoo in February.

They stayed in Mukilteo to take advantage of the amazing view from their hotel, which was right on the water.

Day 1 was an attempt to visit three pre-WW1 forts guarding the Puget Sound. We have visited Fort Casey on Whidbey Island many times, but never Fort Flagler or Fort Worden. First, they drove up to Deception Pass, then down to Fort Casey. However, they messed up their ferry timing and instead of taking the ferry to Port Townsend, they had to detour back to Mukilteo, then take the Clinton Ferry. It was a fortuitous delay, because they saw a cute orca blocking the way back to Mukilteo.

There were lots of nice views of Mt. Rainier on the last ferry ride, from Bainbridge Island to downtown.

They also saw a bald eagle and some deer. Overall, it was a successful day of forts, ferries, and fauna! 

Spring break staycation

M and D wanted to go away to mark their 25th anniversary, but D had to work. So M stayed at home and tried to sort through the boxes from the storage unit. Aside from a romantic trip to Buc-ee's, the highlight of her break was washing our Ikea sharks, installing a zipper in Sherlock, and rechonking them. Here are some pictures.

Northwest travels

H and D went to Portland for the Go Congress. G came a week early and had some Seattle and beach adventures with Grandma and Papa. M and Snoopy joined the party a bit late. We hung out in Seattle for a day, then returned to Portland, where we enjoyed a meal at Burgerville and climbed Mt. Tabor.