Sunday, June 04, 2023

|| Seattle expeditions, Frame 50 - 75

 51. Rattlesnake Ledge Trail at the North Bend (6/4/2023)

  • 21 miles on 90E from Bellevue from exit 32, then 3 miles into the Rattlesnake recreational area
  • It's a lake at some altitude, blue and green in the water
  • Wildly popular and the parking lot filled very quickly on Sunday then it's parking on the roadside.  The trail is 1.9m at the marker one way up an incline is tolerable, but over an extended period can be a stretch.  I walked 3650 steps upward then came down
  • There is a large beach area for a picnic, although there aren't many picnic tables around to do sunbathing
52. Carkeek Park via Pipers Creek Trail (8/26/2023)
  • West of Seattle, I-5 173 exit then to the west; lots of parking spots in this expanded community park
  • Just a short walk to the central playground and railroad crossings; there are bluff trails on and off the stairs, not too steep, also Everything is within a short distance
  • Asian Family Market is just 10min away on 99; but it's not worth going
53. Olympia
  • Washington state capital building 11-4pm
  • Grays harbor lighthouse
  • Westport viewing tower
  • Quinault National Recreation Trail
  • World's largest Sitka Spruce

54. Gold Creek Pond and Keechelus (8/13/2023)
  • Set direction to the Keechelus Trailhead; 51 min to the east of 90 (all uphill); only a few parking spots, and need discovery pass; then walk towards the boat launch using the I90-pass
  • Keechelus Lake via the John Wayne Trail; all dried up and left many tree trunks exposed on the soft banks; very hot; couldn't find the one with head
  • https://www.parks.wa.gov/521/Palouse-to-Cascades-Trail
  • Gold Creek, 5min drive across the river on the other side of the I-90; unpaved path to get to the very small parking lot (needing national forest pass)
  • A small pond, the loop is within 2 miles, mostly shaded; lots of picnic tables at the front; only one flex restroom spot
55. Sheep Lake and Sourdough Gap on the Sunrise of Mt Ranier
  • 2 miles flat to sheep lake
  • close to Mt Ranier, 1 hour 45min
56. Mt Helens (7/23/2023)
  • https://www.wta.org/go-outside/seasonal-hikes/summer-destinations/mount-st.-helens-hikes
  • https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/giffordpinchot/recarea/?recid=31562
  • Trip took 7-930AM in the morning, but close to 5 hours back in the late afternoon (with gas stop, Barclay seafood, 99 ranch Renton)
  • Hummocks Trail (2 hours 37min)
    • Mileage: 2.3 miles, roundtrip
    • Elevation Gain: 100 feet
    • Easy but felt long
  • Eruption Trail (2 hours 47min)
    • Location: Johnston Ridge Observatory (closed)
    • Mileage: 0.5 miles, roundtrip
    • Elevation Gain: 25 feet
  • Harrys Ridge Trail (relatively flat, 8 miles, very tiresome)
  • Mt St Helen Volcanic National Monument (closed); trail - boundary trail to Devil's point
  • Drive from Mt Helens Forest Learning Center (closed); Elk Rock, (view point only); Castle Lake (overlook), Loowit Viewpoint (closed), Johnson Ridge Observatory (closed), Bridgeview Viewpoint; Coldwater Lake (has picnic table, very nice lake view)
57. Mt Baker (7/8/2023)
  • https://www.alltrails.com/explore/parks/us/washington/mount-baker-snoqualmie-national-forest?b_tl_lat=48.2763964&b_tl_lng=-121.9819875&b_br_lat=46.8503336&b_br_lng=-120.9272225&mobileMap=true&ar[]=10117861&diff[]=easy
  • https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/mbs/recreation/hiking/?recid=17520&actid=50
  • 3 hour's drive in; then coming back, stopped at Sam Oh Jung Lynwood Korean restaurant for a classic Korean dish
  • Artist Point, easy trail Huntoon Point Via Artist Ridge Trail (still covered in snow on the day of visit)
  • Heather Meadows visitor center, which has the trail of Bagley lake loop, 1.5 miles
  • Bagley Lake, park in the overflow parking lot, difficult and rocky trail (did not proceed)
  • Picture Lake Path, an easy trail
  • Highwood Lake (did not see)
58. Ebey's landing, Fort Casey, Fort Ebey state parks, Mt Erie, Shrimp Shack (8/19/2023)
  • 1.5 hours to the Deception Pass direction; then drive on another 45min to Ebey's Landing
  • Ebey's Landing requires a discovery pass, a small parking lot with 10 car slots; 1 mile to the state park line then another 3.8 miles loop on the top of the bluff around the lagoon (didn't go, steep incline)
  • Fort Casey has large compound and gun battery exhibitions; the lighthouse should open at 12PM noon (didn't go)
  • Fort Ebey state park has two directions, beach and the gun battery underground that was used in 1942
  • Mt Erie is very high, and very steep, can drive up and park in the 80% high on gravel ground, then use the stairs to go up
  • Shrimp Shack at 230PM has a busy parking lot, but not too crowded. Fresh shrimp is very delicious.
  • Whistle Lake (didn't go)
59. Kingston, Poulsbo, Townsend (can ferry to Vancouver)

60. Mt Baker Beach Park, Coleman Park (8/5/2023)
  • Seafair airshow, 35min at 330PM start. Parked on 2836, 33rd street; short walk 10min to the Mt Baker Beach park, use the space on the left side of the bathhouse
  • 90 Portal viewpoint can be around the corner
  • This was not a good spot, Seward Park is better
61. Pier 46, T-Mobile Stadium on Seafair (8/6/2023)
  • Park at "U-Park", 0-2 hours for $7 before tax and all day $10
  • Cross a few pedestrian crossroads into Pier 46, which opens probably at 9AM for 930AM first batch of fleet ship tours
  • Onboarded two ships, USS Barry and a US Coast Guard that repairs buoys 
  • In total, it takes less than two hours; but in the future, park all day for the potential wait etc
62. Volunteer Park Conservatory, walk to Rondo (25min drive and 18min walk)

63. Twin Falls near Bellevue (30min)

64. Seattle Seafood Market
  • Lucky Seafood
  • 217 Airport
  • 21813 88th Pl S Kent (have not been)
65. South Bend
  • https://southbend-wa.gov/
  • 2 hours and 19min
  • Oysters and seafood
  • South bend retail market; keywords oysters; Goose Point oysters; Nelson Crab; Seasonal seafood

66. Seaside, Oregon
  • 3.35 hours
  • Seaside is a small resort city in northwestern Oregon. Its beach is known for surf breaks and a 1920s promenade. The Seaside Aquarium has touch tanks and a seal exhibit. To the south, Tillamook Head National Recreation Trail climbs a forested cape to Ecola State Park, with views of the 19th-century Tillamook Rock Lighthouse. Rich wildlife includes eagles in the Necanicum River estuary and migrating gray whales.
  • https://www.seasideor.com/
  • The Tillamook Head National Recreation Trail follows the western edge of the headland, through thick coastal forest to Ecola State Park. The region offers other world-class hikes nearby, including the Fort to Sea Trail from Fort Clatsop, Saddle Mountain in the Coast Range and Oswald West State Park south of Seaside.
67. Issaquah community center and the Issaquah farmers market (9/15/2023, 10/8/2023)
  • Set direction to Issaquah community center to visit Jakob Two Trees (seasonal), passing the dog park into the Rainier Trail, 3 miles of walk or say15min walk in some post
  • https://www.issaquahwa.gov/778/Farmers-Market; May 6 to Sep 30 in the 2023 year
  • 10/8/2023 - Salman Day Festival, 3 day festival in the old town of Issaquah; park on the 2nd Ave and inside the haunted house; arrive at 930AM; lots of community service booths to take in some free swags
68. University Village Shopping Center (3/1/2024)
  • Store directory - https://uvillage.com/directory/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAloavBhBOEiwAbtAJO-bOWH_Jm4BvgFyzCglJTfxZ_LGirf4J8l1YghQbUFbytcgWGM7YpBoCI2wQAvD_BwE
  • All birds returning shoe
  • Backcountry, CB2, Crate and Barrel, Everlane, Jcrew, Sephora, Northface
  • Away at the far south side
69. Oak Creek Wildlife Area
  • Going east for 2.5 or 4 hours
  • 16601 US-12, Naches, WA 98937
70. Insurance
  • 98point6, registration 20 dollars, then 1 dollar
  • CVS clinic
  • GoodRx
  • Walmart Generic Drug Plan
  • Costco and Seseme care; use GoodRx ahead of time to check the cheapest price at which pharmacy, and potentially send there


Sunday, April 30, 2023

|| Vancouver, British Columbia (May 2023, Sep 2023)

 Vancouver

  • Currency 1.3 Can $ to US $; use a debit card on ATM for cash (RBC ATM in Waterfront station)
  • Use ArriveCan App to upload a vaccination card and get approval (only for air landing)
    • https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada
  • Border customs
    • US passport (used US passcard)
    • Chinese passport and green card(Chinese passport is not needed)
    • https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp
    • Immigration https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/wizard-start
    • https://wsdot.com/travel/real-time/border-crossings (border crossing wait times) (used the middle lane)
    • https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-3619?language=en_US
    • https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/resources/traveler/intl-travel/travelers-canada/traveler-canada-meats-poultry-dairy/canada-meats-poultry-dairy
  • Public transit approach https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g154943-i81-k11951067-Vancouver_7_nights_trip_report-Vancouver_British_Columbia.html
    • Taking the train from Seattle to Vancouver https://cruisemaven.com/amtrak-border-crossing-traveling-between-vancouver-bc-and-seattle/
    • Car rental in Canada https://misstourist.com/8-things-to-know-before-renting-a-car-in-canada/
    • Rental car insurance https://www.geico.com/living/driving/auto/car-safety-insurance/does-car-insurance-cover-rental-cars/
    • Metro Skytrain - Use the Canada Line train from Richmond Righouse to Waterfront; YVR airport is a separate train and does not go to Richmond); you can use Brighthouse or Aberdeen station.  Paper pass is limited to same zone and 90min use.
  • Other Foodcourt plaza
    • Harmony Bakery 8AM chang fen
      • 4231 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond
    • Ba Bai Ban Yaoshan foodcourt - 
      • One Mango place for a mango drink
    • Zhou Hei Ya - duck neck and duck head
    • Aberdeen Center Food Court
      • Parker Place BBQ for sweet sausage; soy sauce chicken
    • Richmond public market (Hei Hei rice rolls)
      • Fu Zhou Ren, Westminister Highway, 1450 
    • President Plaza (yes, after the Radisson hotel front, right outside of Yaoshan building)
      • Cloud 9 for fried chicken popcorn
    • Crystal Mall Food Court (the most street style)
      • White Magnolia noodle house (Shanghai style xiao long bao)
      • Chi Cha San Qian
      • Lido pineapple bun
      • Ming Jia HK Master BBQ
      • Bo Ren Supermarket
    • BBQ
      • Parker Place Aberdeen Fresh Meet and BBQ (soy sauce chicken, and sweet sausage, not duck, not roasted pork
      • Da Tang BBQ for chao zhou style marinated food
    • Tong Yi Plaza 10AM start, 9.9 is a popular hot dry noodle breakfast place
    • Osaka supermarket foodcourt, 11AM start
    • Chuan Yue, chao zhou cuisine; https://www.yelp.com/biz/chuan-yue-vancouver
    • Empire Plaza (Lai Leung Ji, beef varieties, Cloud 9 Delicacy)
    • A Yi Desert https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-first-dessert-vancouver
    • Temple https://buddhisttemple.ca/
      • Our general hours are 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM, seven days a week. The vegetarian cafeteria, Taste of Zen, is open from 11:30 PM to 3:00 PM, seven days a week, and the Thousand Buddha Hall is open from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM. All other areas are open until 5:30 PM. Please note that we close our gates promptly at 5:30 PM.
    • Japanese; read another XHS post
      • Gyo O - cheap in Richmond
    • Stanley Park Parking
      • There is street parking on many parts of Stanley Park Drive, North Lagoon Drive, and Pipeline Road. You need to purchase a ticket from one of the many ticket machines located throughout the park.
  • One-day strategy - scenario 1
    • Drive to Richmond Public Market; a parking garage is connected to the market, which opens at 9AM.
      • From 405 to 5 to the border
      • 5 becomes Canada 99, drive 35KM to Westminister Highway (turn left to the West)
      • Drive 3.4km, after Coony Rd, on the left-hand side before Thai Box
      • Hei Hei Rice Noodle https://www.yelp.com/biz/hei-hei-rice-roll-richmond
      • https://www.joyeeats.ca/post/604-the-richmond-public-market-blueprint
    • Capilano Suspension Bridge opens at 830AM
      • From 99 to 91 to Knight Street North to Marine Way to Boundary Rd to route 1 to Capilano Rd
      • OR, drive Garden City Rd to 99 to Capilano Suspension Bridge
      • Three to Four hours
      • Parking - https://www.capbridge.com/parking/
      • Ticket - One single-day admission ticket gets you unlimited access to everything the Park has to offer. Get your ticket online and Save $3. Just pick a date and time that works for you and get here as close to your arrival times as possible.  
    • Lynn suspense bridge
      • If you are driving, take upper levels Trans Canada Highway 1 until you reach exit 19. Follow Lynn Valley Road North East past the Mountain Highway intersection, and then continue to Lynn Valley Road.
      • Watch for the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre sign on the right hand side of the road. Turn right onto Peters Road, and you will find the main entrance at the end.
      • parking - https://www.dnv.org/news/summer-parking-and-access-improvements-lynn-canyon-and-deep-cove-2019
One-day strategy - scenario 2 (5/13/2023)
    • Drive 405 to 5 to 276 Border to 99 at exit 39, then turn left; it should be 2 hours 20min plus the border processing time; get gas at exit 236 (cheapest)
    • Drive to President Plaza (8181 Cambie Rd); walk to Garden City Hot Pot (very long, 15min in the hot sun)
    • Walk to Aberdeen Skytrain station (good strategy); take station to Waterfront (use Canada line and same zone 2); buy card and concession card
    • Skytrain https://www.translink.ca/schedules-and-maps/skytrain?term=414
    • Aberdeen Center has Shanghai Morning (Xiao Nan Guo)
    • President Plaza is very close to Yaoshan that may have a Cantonese desert place
    • Drive to HK Master BBQ then to T&T Landsdown then go home
    • Canada Place - Cruise ships boarding and port of entry
    • Seaplanes - https://harbourair.com/tours/?depart=vancouver
One-day strategy - scenario 3 (9/9/2023)
  • Harmony Bakery (Harmony Bakery, Hazelbridge Way, Richmond, BC, Canada) - didn't go
  • Granville Island Public Market
    • Set direction to a parking lot on the island, arrive at 9AM to get free parking before 11AM
    • Clam chowder puff; tea; sausage, Lee's donut
  • Stanly Park, lot 62 (Lot 62 - Stanley Park, 1042 Stanley Park Dr, Vancouver, BC V6G 3E2, Canada) - $4.25 per hour; single lane loop, large park
  • Empire Center Mall Parking (Empire Centre, 4540 No. 3 Rd, Richmond, BC V6X 4E4, Canada)
    • Will not go in the future, Lai Leung Kee noodle house is not good; cloud 9 delicacy has Taiwanese-style popcorn chicken with delicious cold dishes; instead, go to Parker Place Mall for several food options (curry, HK-style western dishes)
  • T&T Lansdown (T&T Supermarket Lansdowne Store, Unit #MAJ1, 8311 Lansdowne Rd, Richmond, BC V6X 3A4, Canada)
    • In the Toys R Us Plaza