I have a lot of great photos from our ongoing trip to the great state of Washington - here's a selection from the first half of the trip.
I met up with Albertine at the airport in Houston and we were off! nyooom
Upon our arrival in Seattle, we were told we could have a steep discount on an upgraded rental. Albertine always wanted to try an automatic Mustang V6 (as opposed to my manual GT), so we went for it.
Our first "home base" was a lodge in Lake Quinault. They looked at us kinda funny for taking pictures in their parking lot, but this was darn near the prettiest parking lot we've ever seen this side of Monaco.
The Quinault Lodge is the only place to get breakfast for miles.
Typically Albertine takes good photos, and I just take photos of Albertine taking photos, so that's how that works.
Sassy-squatch
It was really neat to see the mist move in and out of the lake area. You never got quite the same view twice.
This portrait cost me $250, because I decided I need a 50mm 1.8f lens like Albie's - ordered one off Amazon that night.
I can still get some pretty neat shots with my 35mm 1.8f though. I found this little fella in the parking lot at the lodge - looks like we're not the only ones who found breakfast there that morning.
We hiked pretty much all the trails in the area and saw the world's biggest spruce tree. I can confirm it is very large, and it makes all the other trees feel inadequate - especially the neighboring tree, to which the "WORLD'S LARGEST SPRUCE" sign is affixed.
Had to get a shot of our rental car (when's the last time you've heard that?) next to an actual horse corral in the famed Hoh Rainforest overflow parking lot. In my opinion, the V6 is totally underrated. I think it's probably the most desirable car under $25k in terms of looks/performance/comfort/capability (in that order).
Anywho. Here's us next to a fallen chunk off of Big Cedar. Well, it's called Big Cedar and it's just off 101. I think the people who called it Big Cedar probably weren't familiar with the world's biggest spruce tree just down the road.
Also, Big Cedar has a hole in it, through which you can see people.
Here's Albertine, hiking the Hall of Mosses trail. Someday I'd love to return and take on longer trails like Pony Bridge, or maybe even tough ones like the Hoh River trail. It's for overnight backpackers and "legit" hikers who aren't lazy and injured - they probably wouldn't give their right pinky for permission to ride a motorcycle all the way up the mountain.
Now we're off to the beach! And don't forget your booties 'cuz it's COOOOOOLD out there! What is this, Miami Beach?
Actually it was pretty much Miami beach. For the first few days of our trip, the sun was shining and my skin was burning. I'm legally a tomato now.
Albertine snapped me a new profile picture -
See my camera in my sunglasses?
Back to the 'Stang.
Time for lunch. Bean burger. Pretty bland - most of the food around here is. Must be the target audience, most of whom are retired.
La Push has beautiful beaches too.
Albertine the mountain goat -
I saved Albie's favorite for last - RUBY BEACH
People like to pile up rocks on rocks.
birds!
Didn't actually mean to have that feather in there...
Did I mention we had to come back to this beach four times before we caught it in the light we wanted? (overcast)
Most of these photos, I've either barely touched or not touched at all - this place just wants to have pictures taken of it. This last one, completely unedited, shot out the window of a Mustang on 101.
