The Enchantments, an atmospheric river, and a love letter to Bellingham

We’ve been on the move this month, exploring every corner of the beautiful state of Washington and everything it has to offer! There really is only one word that actually captures all that is the Pacific Northwest in the summer and that word is magic. There is magic in the trees, the giant, towering trees that I strained my neck trying to find the top of, with their massive green leaves and tangled roots. There is magic in the air, a mix of cool ocean mist, pine tree scent and the sun’s warmth on your skin. There is magic in the majestic snow capped mountains and their turquoise glacial lakes. I felt like I was in a fairy tale the days we were able to get outside and enjoy. And we tried to get out every single day.

Colchuck Lake

Matt, Sean and Ganesh and Colchuck Lake

We started our Washington adventure in Wenachtee, which to be honest was quite the opposite of the lush, green parts of the state I fell in love with. Wenatchee was dusty, hot and full of neat desert rock formations. We stayed here for a few days in order to do a special hike I’d had my eye on for a while. Luckily, we have a few friends crazy enough to hike 20+ miles and 5,000 feet of elevation all in one day with us. The hike was aptly named The Enchantments and wove its way through lake after glacial lake, endless snow capped peaks, patches of wildflowers and families of mountain goats. It was incredible to me how many people also had decided to wake up in the dark (3:30am) that morning and do this massive climb. It felt like we were at the start of a 5K; the bathroom line was incredibly long, it was difficult to pass people at the start and I had that nervous-excited feeling in my stomach. We did just fine, made it over the massive pass before the sun was too high in the sky and took our time making our way through the lakes and fields above, stopping for snacks and swims along the way. We were absolutely ready to be finished by mile 21. Sean and I had to wait in the parking lot while Matthew and Ganesh went to rescue the car we had left at the start of the trail. A fellow hiker and good samaritan gave us both a cold IPA while we were sitting on the ground waiting for our friends to return. Then we all had plenty of beers to celebrate, and I think I ate my weight in pizza. It was my favorite day I’ve had on the trip. But then they just kept getting better.

Cascade Pass to Sahale Arm Trail

The big blue truck's first ferry ride!

Snacks on Mt. Storm King

Views of Lake Crescent from Mt Storm King

Rainy hike through Hoh Rain Forest

Sister Sarah in Hoh Rain Forest

After our epic hike, we had a week full of relaxation, friends, and some more hiking, of course. Sister Sarah, Sean and Ganesh joined us for a week’s vacation in North Cascades and Olympic National Parks. It was a cozy week full of camping, card games, and meals cooked together outside. We found ourselves at Marblecreek Campground at the start of our week, a perfect little spot nestled alongside a river and just below North Cascades National Park and its treasures. The team conquered a gorgeous hike up through Cascade Pass and onto Sahale Arm. Sister Sarah and I decided to take the slow way down and stop and smell the wildflowers, while the boys baked in the sun on Sahale Arm. On our journey from the North Cascades area to Olympic National Park we got to take a short ferry ride across the Puget Sound. It was a super cool operation that had ferries leaving every few hours. There were bikers, hikers, big camper vans, and tons of folks just headed towards Port Townsend. We had a short drive from there to Port Angeles, where our campsite on Lake Crescent awaited. It was another beautiful spot protected by giant old trees just a short walk down to the lake with stunning mountain views, and a nice bike path around the lake shore. We had one simply perfect sunny day where we hiked near our campsite to the top of Mt Storm King, and then everyone did their own thing for the afternoon. Sarah went on a whale watching tour, I read my book by the lake, and the boys took the bikes out on the lakeside path. We finished the day with a home-cooked meal over our camp stove and played a heated game of Oh Hell as the rainstorm rolled in. We would all learn very soon what an atmospheric river was. But we didn't let it stop us from getting out and exploring Olympic National Park. An atmospheric river is caused by high humidity and high wind and is essentially 'a river in the sky'. It certainly felt that way. They can cause major flooding events and commonly take place on the west coasts in North and South America. We saw it in action at Rialto Beach, Hoh Rain Forest, and we eventually took cover for a bit to warm up in a tiny town called Forks. We found a little tap room, and the crew had an Oh Hell rematch. I believe yours truly was the official winner night one. Although wet and windy, Olympic National Forest was an absolutely beautiful place. I loved that it had so many different types of things to see. The rain forest was incredible, we got to walk through paths enveloped by these massive trees all intertwined with an overgrowth of vines and leaves, their trunks covered in bright green moss and lichen. The beach had gorgeous rock formations, but we didn't get many pictures because we almost blew away. The rain eventually stopped the next day and the crew dried out (kind of) on a short hike and an afternoon exploring Port Angeles. The big blue truck headed north for Bellingham, and our friends all made their long journeys home.

Oyster Dome with views of Samish Bay

Pine Tree Lake

Old Digester tanks from Georgia Pacific, Bellingham

We fell in love with Bellingham, Washington right away. Its quirky coastal vibes and kind people won us over in an instant. It’s the kind of place where people look you in the eye and smile when you pass each other walking by. People went out of their way to learn where we came from and give us recommendations to really enjoy our time there. We strolled along Bellingham’s ocean paths, through its downtown streets, and soaked in the real community feel that seemed so ingrained in each carefully laid cobblestone. There were neighborhood produce shares, mural festivals and breweries that offered a dollar off your beer for anyone creating a piece of art at the bar, as long as you showed the bartender your picture. I stumbled upon art, ideas, and history I’d never seen before, yet somehow felt I had always been waiting to find. Bellingham was a big hug from a smiley old sailor with a topless mermaid tattoo. I loved it. Matthew found a world class mountain bike park called Galbraith that he went to almost everyday. We will make our way back without a doubt. It made me feel so so grateful for what we are doing and that we are able to do it. To think that I could be content in Amesbury, Massachusetts right now with no idea at all that a place like Bellingham even existed. You should absolutely add Bellingham Washington to your list of spots to visit and make sure to reach out to us before you go!

We were only in Bellingham for 10 days, but we tried to do as many things as we could. We got out most afternoons and hiked through old, beautiful forests to hidden lakes and views, only minutes away from downtown. We stopped for a beer at a new brewery most nights just to continue to meet the amazing people there and learn their stories. A lot of people were transplants, loved the outdoors and LOVED Bellingham. There was a super cool container park in town that had pizza, beer, music and even yoga. We stumbled upon probably 50 or so people on their mats in the center of this crazy cool park one night after a bike ride. I found a super friendly yoga studio in the Fairhaven neighborhood and even tried standup paddleboard yoga for the first time on a perfect Sunday morning on Padden Lake. Bellingham also has Georgia Pacific relics hidden around town with plaques explaining how each machine used to function within the paper mill that was a fixture in the community from 1926-2007. This was super neat because my dad used to work for a Georgia Pacific location in Woodland, Maine. They even turned what is now called the ‘Acid Ball’ into a piece of public art by painting it with glow in the dark paint and moving it to the shoreline near a walking path. It used to hold liquid and gas during the wood chip digestion process, and now it’s a giant rusty disco ball that lights up at night. Pretty wild.

Chain of Lakes hike

Views of Mt Baker from Chain of Lakes hike

We spent our one weekend here exploring the Chain of Lakes Trail in North Cascades National Park. It was seriously hot outside, and we roasted on the way up the mountain, but it was a stunning hike. We could see Mt Baker, Mt Shasta, and all of the glittering glacial lakes that lay beneath them. Both mountaintops were still covered in snow in August, which really added to the magic. We got up early to beat the crowds, so we were down by midafternoon and then took a scenic drive along Chuckanut Drive. The journey took us along a windy, narrow road along the ocean, where we somehow took the right turn into a tiny coastal farming community called Edison. Here we stumbled upon the Terramar Brewstillery. Another hidden gem, this place had a storied history. It started as a slaughterhouse in the 1800s and then was everything from an Autobody Shop (1988-1996) to a laboratory that made pharmaceuticals/cosmetics from cow's blood (1992-1995) to an Indoor skateboard ramp (2014-2017) to the taproom, speakeasy, live music venue, and distillery it is today. And that isn’t even the half of it. It was quite the place.

We really didn’t want to leave Bellingham, but we absolutely wanted to explore more magic in the Pacific Northwest. So, we’re off to Bend, Oregon for the month of September! On our list: Crater Lake National Park, Mount Hood National Forest, the Oregon coast and meet some cool people along the way!

Before signing off, we need to pause and check in on everyone’s favorite member of the Mashley family… Gus. He’s really settling nicely into his role as a cross-country kitty. Here are a few shots of him living his best life—mainly by finding new spots to nap all along the West Coast.