Senior Striders Outing

It has been several weeks since I have joined the Senior Striders for one of their Thursday morning walks. Today I did not have anything else I had to do, the day was sunny and fairly warm for this time of year, so off I went to enjoy a nice walk and the company of new friends.

Today we decided to walk the trails around Greenbank Farm. There is a nice cafe where you can enjoy the best homemade soup, or maybe a piece of homemade loganberry pie may tempt you, and there is also a wine shop. During the summer months you can buy from the farmer's market held every sunday.

Besides the old farm equipment, there is a pond to the right, where ducks and geese were swimming and enjoying the sun.

As you start up one of the trails across the pasture land, you can look west towards the Olympic mountains.

Then from the same spot, turn around, and you are looking out at the north tip of Camano Island, and the Cascades in the far distance.

Helen, Stan, Virginia, Susie, Velma, Jeanne.

After walking the pasture trail, we entered a forested area. With all the rainfall we get here, the moss grows extremely well.

A nice little clearing.

We all enjoyed our walk across the pasture trail, through the wooded area, across more pasture trail and back to the parking lot where we started. Every week we explore new trails, and once in a while, revisit trails we have already walked, so new people who have joined our group can enjoy the beauty of this beautiful island we live on.

Senior Striders, Stride Ebey's Landing

Our outing this morning was to Ebey's landing. We managed to get our hike in, and head back home before the rain came down, and come down it did. There is another storm predicted for this evening with MORE gale force winds. We are prepared in this household with everything needed if the power goes off.

As usual, click on the pictures for a larger view.

From the parking lot, looking up towards the bluff where we will be hiking in a short time.

Liz, Ray, Carmi, Gillian and Helen, pose before we set out.

Here we are about half way to the bluff. The climb was quite gentle and if you took is easy, it was a very pleasant walk.

Looking back towards the carpark we had left a short time before.

Even further up the trail.

Ray and Gillian up ahead almost to the place where we turn and head inland.

Looking back out over the waters of Puget Sound. You can just see a freighter steaming past in the distance.

We are now hiking the prairie. The colors of ploughed field and grassland is so lovely.

Walking the old fenceline.

Looking back across the prairie towards the coast.

A farmhouse and out buildings in the distance, surrounded by lovely green pasture and the rich earth of the ploughed fields. We will be walking on a paved road in front of this home on our way back to our vehicles.

Now we are about three quarters around the loop we are walking, back on a paved road.
Sorry this picture is a little fuzzy, I was still moving when I took it.

In the far distance you can almost make out the fenceline we walked along before descending back onto the paved road.

The farmhouse from the front.

On the other side of the road from the farmhouse, is this old homestead. Those are cabbages growing in front.

Down the road we stroll back to the parking lot and the end of our hike.

A quick couple of pictures of the beach before driving home.

I would love to come back to this beach soon and do some exploring.

Senior Striders Outing

The weather for the Senior Striders weekly outing was cool, no rain and a little blue sky to be seen. A perfect day for a hike through the woods.

Deciding which of the many trails to take.

George, Delia, Helen, Suzie, Gillian, Liz

Upon entering the trail we were awed by the destruction mother nature wrought upon the trees during the heavy snow of a couple of weeks ago.
Look at the two trees which have been bowed by the force of nature.

The trails were littered with downed trees, broken branches and small limbs. We climbed over, and skirted around the debris covering the trail. There was one tree across the trail that the others climbed over, being shorter it was easier for me to bend over and go under. I always manage to find the easiest way to do things. *grin*

Liz navigating her way over a fallen tree.

Some one had taken the time to stop and build a small cairn, and placed a lucky penny on top. I love to find these little surprizes as I explore.

As we hiked up over some of the higher terain we came across snow which has not melted away yet. Suzie, who was bringing up the rear, could not resist making a couple of snowballs and lobbing them at Gillian who was leading the way. Helen did a little payback with a well placed snowball to Susie's neck.

We had a wonderful hike through Saratoga Preserve, all the exercise, climbing over fallen logs and up and down the trails, and being out in the fresh air made us all feel so good by the time we returned to the parking lot beside this old building.
We all eagerly look forward to Thursday mornings and our outings.

Trail walk today

The weather today looks as though it is going to cooperate for the Senior Strider's walk this morning. We will be leaving around 9am and should be back around 11am so with any luck I should have a report for you this afternoon, that is if I get all my other chores done.

The second of many more hikes

Yesterday was a beautiful calm morning after the storm on Tuesday and power outage we had experienced all Wednesday. I was ready to get out for my second hike with the Senior Striders.

The Senior Striders gathered at the Bayview Senior Center before driving to The Chinook Conference and Retreat Center for our hike on the trails through this beautiful area. (stay on the link for the retreat center for a minute to enjoy the slide show of this lovely facility)

The wind has blown many of the leaves from the trees before they could show their fall beauty

Suzie, Cheryl, Helen, Carmi, Joyce
There were a number of fallen trees, a couple of them across the trail.

Our new Sanctuary has been described by one poetic guest as a place "where the echoes of the forest meet the stillness of the heart and the spaciousness of Spirit." Master crafted from sustainably harvested regional timber, and designed for sacred space, this 1450 sq. ft. building encourages inner stillness and mindfulness. Appropriate uses for the Sanctuary include sacred gathering, services or ritual, music, prayer, or meditation.

Inside the sanctury is this amazing wall screening the entry into the inner sanctury.
It is cut from one log.

The labyrinth.
OOPS! sorry I had my camera set on macro .

One of the many kinds of fungi growing in the woods.

Walking and chatting. Chatting and walking. We have a lot of fun walking the trails and getting to know a little about each other.

The ferns in this area are so beautiful. You find the very large clumps of tough looking ferns growing alongside the trails and these delicate ferns snd with moss growing on the tree trunks.

I eagerly look forward to each Thursday morning to see where we will be exploring next. We are indeed blessed to live on beautiful Whidbey Island.

Thursday's Adventure

This morning at 9:15 I boarded the ferry, Klickitat, at Keystone for the trip across to Port townsend. I joined a group called Senior Striders, who go on a hike every Thursday morning, to very interesting places.

Port Townsend is called The city of dreams, and is one of the finest examples of a Victorian seaport in the USA.

These vessels were in drydock undergoing repairs and maintenance.





As we walked past this vessel, Joyce pointed out to me the name and where it came from painted on the stern.
It was from New Zealand, a very long way from home.








Even though the day was cool and overcast at times, we enjoyed our walk around this wonderful historic town.

This sure is a postcard perfect scene of part of the old harbor.








Cal, Gillian, Suzie, Carmi, Joyce, Arlene

We strolled through a lovely park, and noted how perfect a place it would be for a summer's picnic.




As we walked the streets Of Port Townsend, we came across this very creative fence.




One section of the fence was embellished with all kinds of wooden kitchen utensils, and perhaps a few other kinds as well.

I did not want to hold the group up by going closer and investigating some more.



Now was the time for coffee and a snack. OH BOY!!! did this cosy little coffee shop ever have the best food to choose from.

All kinds of pastries, Suzie gave me a taste of her cinnamon twist, I could tell it was made with real butter, and lots of it too.

There were soups, scones to make you drool, and very yummy biscotti. I chose an almond anise biscotti to dunk in my coffee. It was sooooo delicious.

There were also many other delicious goodies in their display case.


After our rest at the coffee shop, we continued on with a stroll through The Palace Hotel, also known as The Palace of Sweets, as it was operated as a brothel.

This is Marie's Suite, who was the Madame of the house.



Check out the gold clawed bathtub.

Can't you see the ladies, of yesteryear, (if you can call them ladies) reclining in this tub?





Another of the richly decorated rooms, Housekeeping had not remade the bed yet.










Looking down at the lobby from the second floor.

You can almost picture people from the Victorian era walking the staircase, or sitting on the antique furniture.

There certainly is quite an atmosphere in this lobby.







The lobby as seen, as you enter the front door of the hotel.

They say the hotel is haunted, we did not see any evidence of such, but I could definitely feel all the many years of history, so to speak.

Perhaps Marie was observing us strolling around her brothel, Errr, Ummm, hotel.







Looking back on Port Townsend from the Klickitat as we left for home.

What an adventure we had today. I am eagerly looking forward to next Thursday to go on another adventure with the Senior Striders.